Modifications

[THORIN]

Mine is a 77. The last year od the official Stingray was 76. In 78 they changed the rear window. My car is a tweener. Between stingray and what came next. It is fair game to go nuts with. I have no Idea at this point how far I will take it. Maybe put a C5 frame, LS1 engine, ne tranny, and turn it into convertable. We'll see.

 

[brit_trader2003]

I bought my 69 with a 454 engine in it, a hood scoop and a black metal flake paint job. So my baby was already far away from stock and hence I could do what I want with it. I think there are two kinds of cars. Firstly a numbers matching stock car which should be kept that way. Secondly a modified car which can be modified as much as you want. When you think about getting a C3 you should decide what you want, Numbers Matching or Modified.

Anyway, my car. It turned out that the engine was a bodge job from the States and blew up after only 2,000 miles. So I had to replace it with a custom built 454. The block was a high performance block from a Yacht. It was rebored to 468 cubic inches. High Performance Pistons were fitted to push the compression ratio up to 9.5:1. An Edelbrock Performer Intake Manifold, plus Edelbrock Performer High Performance Hydraulic Camshaft. A Holley 750 cfm Vacuum Secondaries Carb. I kept the original Heads, I may replace them later. So a Hoodscoop for cold air induction was all ready fitted. Also I had Hooker Headers with 4 inch Big Block Chrome Side Pipes. I am still running the engine in, I am nearly there. The aim was to get 450 bhp net sae with 475 foot/pounds torque.

The car came with a TH350 Auto which I have had stripped and rebuilt with sports clutches. Plus the Black Metal Flake paint job. The previous owner had allready replaced all the metal parts underneath, fixing the chassis, replacing the suspension, trailing arms etc etc.

The car is not even remotely stock but looks gorgeous and over here in the UK causes quite a stir. The V8 burbling through the side pipes sounds fantastic. When I open her out and the secondaries kick in the roar is awsome. This car is LOUD !

 

[KANE]

I like the modified original C3s. My first Shark was a 78 with TPI and a 700R4.

My next Shark will have a cross-generational EFI system. A GEN I block with a modified GEN II intake to include a provision for a distrubutor (maybe- I may go with a DIS). I have settled on the years (80 or 81) to use for the car. I'd prefer to use an 80 because it will be easier to graft on a harness then try to take pieces of one out (CCC system). It will be a while before I purchase one though but I am already gathering the parts here and there.

I'd really like to put a 6M in it- but I have done far too much damage to my left knee over the last 10 years to want another manual tranny in a car I drive regularly- no matter how much I enjoy them.

So far the project features list looks like this-
1980 or 1981 Vette
Speed density EFI (90-92 based TPI harness)
LT1 manifold modified for GEN I usage
ZZ4 or Speed-o-motive engine (although I will have NO use for the intake and distributor on a ZZ4!)
Electric headlights
700R4
17" wheels
Light weight A-arms
Keyless remote and alarm system

 

[lnirenberg]

When you think about getting a C3 you should decide what you want, Numbers Matching or Modified.

I think there is a 3rd option. A lot of us own cars that will never be highly collectable--stock, # matching or otherwise. We're not talking early BBs or LS6s or other rare optioned cars. The modifications that I have made were mostly to make the car driveable in the 21st century. That is the main reason I bought the car that I did, I wanted a car I could drive as much as my climate allowed without worrying about my "investment" and modify as I liked knowing that other than having chrome bumpers at both ends there is little that will make my car a collectible in a sane world. That and the fact that post 70 sharks run pretty well on pump gas. I already know that when I am 6 feet under and my kids go to sell my favorite toy they will never get what I have into it. A lot of C3s were produced in such numbers and without a lot of performance in OEM trim that "tweaking" is almost a requirement.

 

[brit_trader2003]

I agree. I guess that anything other than strictly numbers matching stock is modified. There is no shame in this, most C3s break down and hence are fixed, hence modified. That is not to say that they are in anyway 2nd class. Au contraire, the C3 is a gorgeous shape and if a car is running it deserves to be venerated for the marvel it is!

 

[GerryLP]

Wait 'till I post pictures of my new seat inserts. I decided to modernize the interior, and although it is not completely redone yet, my vision is to update the interior with the late 90's early millenium interior combinations of color leather and flat black trim. I bought a set of seat covers in very good condition, I asked the upolsterer to switch the vinyl silver sections into a black color vinyl very similar to the dull or flat black on modern dashes and door panels (kept the silver leather center section), and later I will ask him to switch the upper vinyl sections on the door panels with the same material. I will complete the arrangement with a black leather wrapped steering wheel with polished spokes and chromed horn button and chromed tranny lever ball.

GerryLP:cool

p.s. I voted high performance modifications...in fact, I am going the resto-mod way!

 

[Paranoid]

Wait 'till I post pictures of my new seat inserts. I decided to modernize the interior, and although it is not completely redone yet, my vision is to update the interior with the late 90's early millenium interior combinations of color leather and flat black trim. I bought a set of seat covers in very good condition, I asked the upolsterer to switch the vinyl silver sections into a black color vinyl very similar to the dull or flat black on modern dashes and door panels (kept the silver leather center section), and later I will ask him to switch the upper vinyl sections on the door panels with the same material. I will complete the arrangement with a black leather wrapped steering wheel with polished spokes and chromed horn button and chromed tranny lever ball.

GerryLP:cool

p.s. I voted high performance modifications...in fact, I am going the resto-mod way!

I'd like to see pictures of that. Will it be finished soon?

 

[GerryLP]

... Will it be finished soon?

The car has already new carpet pieces everywhere, so once I get the door panels vinyl switched and install the steering wheel, then the last item will be to chrome the horn button.

GerryLP:cool

 

[81' Corvette Guy]

Damn..Norval scared me there for a second..misread his opening paragraph..thought he said we would be hard pressed to find any holes in his set up...then I re read it..and was no stock parts in his set up...hehe.

 

[Evolution1980]

As with most people I think, the build up comes over time. I simply don't have the time or money to blow my entire wad in one season. Mine has been 7-10 years in the making. It was originally a blah L-48 with the TH-350.
Now sporting:

• a "stock" ZZ4 engine (with high capacity finned-aluminum oil pan)
• High volume water pump
• March Underdrive pulleys with additional belt just between the crank and waterpump
• Hooker headers, straight back into Cherry Bombs (less the packing)
• the original Q-Jet 750 rebuilt with newer power-corrected jetting
• Jacobs digital ignition system
• 700-R4 tranny from BTO (Stage 3 setup)
• Complete O-ring caliper brake kit from VB&P, SS lines throughout
• Line locks (hehehehe)
• Paint: Patriot Blue Pearl coat with Premium White Pearl striping

Future Mods:

• Conversion to rack & pinion steering (possibly from Steeroids?)
• 383 Stroker kit and different heads
• Some type or turbo/supercharger setup
• maaaaaybe nitrous
• 17" Rims. (If only the SSR GT3 rims would fit... )

 

[L82Dan]

Mine is completely stock and will remain that way as long as I own it.

 

[jetmech]

I have a 79 that has been treated like a stepchild most of it's life. I just bought it last February for a mere 5700 and drove it home. Since then I have installed a 200-4r, headers dual 2 1/2 exhaust, 3:55 gears, a 360 lb fiberglass spring, new strutrods, rebuilt the trailing arms and rear bearings, new shocks all around, and re done the interior with auto meter center gauges new carpet and weather strip,. Also just installed eagle alloys. I could sware the poor girl is starting to smile at me when I walk in the garage. Maybe paint next year after I finish the engine compartment.

 

[74bigblock]

It's #'s matching... but she sure ain't stock!!!


I feel that it is important to keep the engine block and tranny together, as well as keeping any other original components incase someone wants to go back to stock NCRS type.

 

[corvette-teddy]

Cam

Is it a good idea to put in a high performance cam? I'm looking at a 2001 that has one in it,will it shake when it sits and idles? This car has only 9780 miles on it.
What say you guys and girls
corvette-teddy

 

[Shambles]

Hi yall... I'm new here. Two years ago I traded my almost finished '57 Chevy Sedan Delivery for the '72 t-top vette in the picture there. Although it still looks stock, the original (late) owner had modified the base 350 engine (cam, headers, double humper high compression heads, Edlebrock intake, Mallory ignition... and who knows what else since he's not around to tell) and changed the color from yellow to black. It still has the original 4bbl and automatic transmission.

It would barely run when I unloaded it but fortunately my best friend owns a marina and is a certified Mercruiser mechanic of twenty years (Mercury built an engine for the Corvette one year... 1990 maybe?). It didn't take him long to have this thang screaming! It sounds so mean at a stop light I can't even get anyone to race me. Guys in Mustang GT's start fooling with their radios if I pull up beside them.

After some necessary repairs (rear spindles and u-joints, new gas tank, mufflers), I started working on the interior which is looking very nice and all the gauges/lights/fan, etc.are working now. The Astro Ventilation... well, that will have to wait. Did those engineers have a vacuum fetish or something? Jeeze!

This has got to be more fun than the base corvette, which was not a rare car. I'll probably never be finished but as long as they keep making Miller Lite, we'll keep enjoying Saturday afternoons at the marina shop playing with my toy.

 

[floopcom]

L-82+

Everything about my L-82 '75 is stock appearing except the '76 slotted alloys. The "+" comes from the fact that when the stock 350 engine went south the most likely replacement candidate was a 355 sprint car engine that had experienced a melt-down and was languishing in a corner of the shop under an old tarp. I cleaned up the block and forged crank, slapped in some 10.5:1 pistons and added a Comp Cams 260H camshaft. It's got an Edelbrock single plane intake and carb, and dual 3 inch exhaust (no cats). It's definitely not a 210 HP Jimmy Carter model.

 

[bobs77vet]

steeroids, 700r4, 350/350, speed demon, HD 1/4" trailing arms, poly bushings....stock interior until i put in the removable rear window.....

 

[Glensgages]

Everything about my L-82 '75 is stock appearing except the '76 slotted alloys. The "+" comes from the fact that when the stock 350 engine went south the most likely replacement candidate was a 355 sprint car engine that had experienced a melt-down and was languishing in a corner of the shop under an old tarp. I cleaned up the block and forged crank, slapped in some 10.5:1 pistons and added a Comp Cams 260H camshaft. It's got an Edelbrock single plane intake and carb, and dual 3 inch exhaust (no cats). It's definitely not a 210 HP Jimmy Carter model.

How's that run, with fairly-high CR, and a short cam?
:confused

 

[curtis]

floopcom, that must be a stump puller in the lower rpm

 

[Scott Winebarger]

I voted mild mods but in the future , who knows .. I am thinking in the line of individuality. I know its Corvette , but if it was a Pinto it would have a big block ,tubbed, channeled and blown.. I still have to give this some thought , I have been looking at plastic kits , spoilers , wheels ,and the like. Also maybe take out the Turbo 400 on mine and put OD in it . Its all still a thought process right now . All i have is a mild cam and a few other mild mods.