Modifications

[craig32]

I think if I modify anything on my '81, I'd consider taking out the 'bay window' and replacing it with a rear panel from a pre-78 shark. Am I alone on this thought? Also the possibility of replacing the wrinkly urethane back bumper with fiberglass. When I bought the car (dirt cheap) it was already repainted a different color and had a different engine - no idea what HP it is, and coming from the Harley-Davidson comunity I'm not obsessed with speed. I'd much rather idle by the hot spots than go screaming by with the law in tow. This car was apparently someone's 'redheaded step child' but she's my mistress now. The other modification I want to make is to my garage, to stretch it from a four car to a six car unit. Then maybe buy another shark. Or a C1. Or both. Just my opinion, I could be wrong.
Craig

 

[Scott Winebarger]

I think if I modify anything on my '81, I'd consider taking out the 'bay window' and replacing it with a rear panel from a pre-78 shark

Craig , we did just that on my brothers 85 along with a few other pieces of bolt on goodies, he has since taken it off and replaced it with his original hatch , Personally I liked it better with the new hatch. www.vanacorvette.com is where we bought his parts and I am presently looking at page 23 of their online catalog, top right ... daytona bumper,twin turbo hood,side and rear skirts,and LT wing for mine .the kit is $1555.00. I am still in the thinking stages now, but I think thats the direction I will go. Good luck with yours and please let us know what you decide w/ pics.

 

[L48]

This is a hard question for me to answer. I have owned mine less than a month. Any other car I have owned I have not hesitated to change the mechanics, stereo, whatever to my liking. With the Corvette I find myself wanting to put the stock pieces back (as many are missing at the moment).

I guess I will collect all those pieces and have them. After I drive it a while I will decide what mods are going into it. If I decide to keep this one for a long time I know I will not be happy unless I help that L48 make more power. I also feel inclined to add side pipes.

Since it is numbers matching, I would probably put the original engine on a stand and replace it with something else - that way I could put it back later if needed.

 

[goertz]

I wouldn't do a damn thing to a survivor, which is the reason my '73 is for sale. It's too pristine and is like getting into a time machine. I couldn't bring myself to put flowmasters on it, or put a CD player in it. But my '69 convertable is a color change, numbers matching 383 stroker with a 4 speed. I have no problems putting a CD player in the dash, installing 17" wheels, lowering it a bit, and having fun with it. Although aside from the wheels, I do want to maintain an original appearance. There's lots that can be done on an engine and still make it look visually stock. I will fix the A/C, but do so using the factory system, not a vintage air system. it has headers that tie into the factory side pipes. I want to pop the hood and have it look mostly stock, but sound and appear obviously warmed over.

 

[goertz]

If I had a coupe, it'd be identical in every way to 1970 Stingray's car. That is simply the baddest shark around, bar none, period, end of discussion! I love everything that he did to that car, and it inspired me to not be too worried about making my car the way I want it. NCRS style- not correctly restored stingray. Can't say enough good things about that car, and can't stop looking at the pics.

 

[slyone1000]

WOW........where to start....Started as a 1971 T-Top
Engine - Keith Black Nascar Cheater motor Ciri 1986 (350 design)
Body - Original ZL1 Fender Panels, Front Air Dam, Custom 1 off Hood
Suspension - Complete Dick Guldstrand set up Front & Back, 4-11 gears
Interior - APC Seats (Carbon Fiber & Suede). Everything covered with Gray Suede, Steering wheel APC
Wheels - Western Turbo (Chrome Plated and Powder Coated Candy Blue) With 3 point spinners.
Paint - Colbolt Candy Blue with Lialac pearl

Now, just to finish the whole package up........Before the Summer is over

 

[Twin_Turbo]

I have changed a lot more since I replied on pg 2, the only stock things on my car as of now are the spindles, the glass and the mirrors. Everything else has been modified in some shape or form.

Twin turbo smallblock w/ 5 stage dry sump system but soon to be 598CID BBC w/ 5 stage dry sump system (and maybe 2 turbos in the future)
ZF 6 speed transmission w/ TH400 yoke, custom mount and working on forced oiling/cooling system
Custom flip front
Custom flares w/ bucket lights in the works (L88 style)
Custom front & rear suspension w/ full coil overs, home built lower control arms, fully adjustable uppers, home built rear suspension fully adjustable also. Rrear suspension geometry changed, front geometry remained stock apart from adjustable upper ball joint to increase kingpin height for increased camber gain.
Wilwood Integra 6 & 4 piston calipers
Hydaulic hand brake (home built)
Custom cooling equipment w/ fluidyne radiator, remote C&R thermostat housing w/ recirculators, uses Volvo style thermostats, fluidyne oil cooler and remote oil filter adapter w/ adjustable bypass (to oil cooler) valve, uses HP6 style filters
3 PC. Modular aluminium/magnesium wheels w/ 295/50/16 tires on the front and Hoosier Pro street 31x16.5x16s on the rear
10 pnt rollcage from S&W race cars, upgraded to 12pnt w/ swing outs on both sides
Custom aluminium fuel tank (working on that one)
Appleton front end take off steering rack setup
Custom interior w/ sheet alu dash & console, all autometer ultra-lite gauges (12 of them)
Modified & reinforced frame w/ custom rear subframe and reworked front end (for coil overs), reinforced in a lot of areas and completely welded through.
Rebuilt differential with polished internals (to withstand cracking but hoping on getting a C4 D44) Rear end cooler & remote filler
Custom exhaust, full stainless.
Relocated battery (cut off battery boxes)
Custom rear light setup (4 brake lights)
Custom side markers (looking for some small led bars)
Custom side gills, a combination of enlarged 80/82 style gills (no inserts) and an additonal hole in the fender.
2x SX fuel pump + billet filters (pre and after), aeromotive a2000 boost ref. press. regulator.
All CV products pulleys & drive mandrel
Powermaster mini alternator
Tilton XLT mini starter
KRC power steering pump
Patterson 5 gal oil tank
Raceline remote oil press. regulator

custom IRS:

rollcage:

custom IFS:

frame notched for coil overs:

Front flares cleco-ed on custom flip front end

rear custom flares

removed battery/storage boxes for custom IRS

overall picture of the mess in my shop

 

[JRS 73]

My car is totally stock, numbers matching, except for the wheels. It is going to stay that way.

 

[CoachS]

No Spare tire carrier
Electric fans
electric water pump
spreader bar
replaced rear sway-bar
mild cam
headers
edelbrock intake
edelbrock carb
Kirkey seats
16x10 wheels
Hoosier slicks

Twin Turbo - you da man

 

[Twin_Turbo]

Coach, any pics of the kirkey seats? I'm ready to order some kirkey ultra light seats. Oh and pics of the wheels and slicks also? I have 16" rims also.

 

[CoachS]

I'll try to get pics of the seat tonight. They are a PITA to install if you don'e have a cage. They don't offer a floor mount. I had to fab my own. (Which doesn't look like it wouldn't be a problem for you)

 

[Twin_Turbo]

Kirkey does offer seat mounts (for use w/ roll cage tubes):

I do have a cage

Are you running slicks in those pics??? I like the stance and the look w/ the 16" wheels.

 

[CoachS]

Yes, I'm running the Hoosiers for Autocrossing. I really like the look and the stance, but the biggest benefit has been the 100% improvement in handling.

 

[Twin_Turbo]

I'm looking for something that has some kind of thread pattern so i can sneakingly use them on the normal roads...true slicks are not an option and the hoosiers wear quite fast. Maybe some GoodYear DOT gatorbacks.

 

[gmjunkie]

Mine's Bone Stock and will stay that way!! junk!!

 

[brandywine]

My 1980's not quite stock either...

ZZ4, TPI, custom exhaust with Hooker S/C ceramic coated headers, h/d drivetrain with safety straps, custom suspension, 17" TT II's, s/s brakes, s/s custom 2.5" exhaust with Flowmasters, custom interior with embroidered sharks and carbon fiber trim, House of Kolor Kandy Brandywine paint with ghost and shaded flames...

 

[early shark]

I've owned 7 sharks, 3 '70 LS-5's, 2 '71's, LS-6 & LS-5, & 2 '72's, both ZQ3's.

Some modified mechanically, some not. My current shark is the 1971 LS-6 coupe. It is factory stock, with the following exceptions; oil filter, battery.

 

[purpleRac3r]

I own a 1974 coupe, one which was nearly a basket case when I bought it. There was nothing special about it, minimal options, base engine, auto trans, etc. White with dark red interior. There must have been several thousand built just like it. At purchase, there was minimal paint remaining, bald tires on rusty rims, thrashed interior and worn out suspension and motor. I have since then reworked the body and painted it Plum Krazy Purple, added a set of original Moon glass-insert t-tops, built projector headlight units, added a new GM crate motor and chambered exhaust, new seats, new 16" wheels & tires, performance brakes and rebuilt the suspension with urethane bushings. Modifications will continue as long as I own it, in order to make it as reliable, comfortable, safe and enjoyable as possible, in my opinion. I think that should be key in everone's minds - modify as little or as much as makes you, the owner, happy. To each, their own , and fun for all!

 

[lightingrod]

Faster is better!

Al

 

[Carnalsupply]

'70 LT-1

When I purchased my '70 LT-1 from the previous owner he had already dropped in a ZZ-4 crate motor, but was nice enough to include the original and complete LT-1 long-block (he'd previously grenaded it), but the heads were gone.
Well, I HATED the ZZ-4, even after the 425HP "Hot Cam" mods. The thing revved like the crank weighed 200lbs. The thing was simply a slug, so I decided to take the original long-block and have some fun, while saving the original innards:

Scat forged crank http://www.scatcrankshafts.com/
Scat forged 6" rods
SRP forged +.040 over flat tops (zero deck height. Face and skirts coated for heat and friction)
Pro-Action 225 Aluminum heads with 2.10" intake and 1.65" exhaust and 64cc chamber for an 11.0:1 CR
Accel Gen VII DFI
Hilborn Individual Runner Intake with 2 3/16" ports
Ford Motorsport 42 lb/hr injectors
Moroso Crank Trigger
Meziere Electric Water Pump
Moroso Crankcase Vacuum Pump
Dual electric fans
A myriad of fuel system components (pumps, filters, regulators, etc.)

The most difficult part is tuning the Accel DFI, but even with the initial tune (just to get it fired up) I churned out 480 RWHP/550 Crank HP, which I expect to easily exceed with the new tuneup. I'm hoping for somewhere around 545 RWHP/620 Crank HP.

The car has a set of 17" Compomotive HB's with a polished lip and silver center and Titanium bolts, with Kumhos:

The front of the car has:
QA-1 adjustable (compression/rebound and ride height) coilover shocks
1" Anti-roll bar
Poly bushings

The rear has:
Custom made adjustable 3/4" anti-roll bar (to clearance wider tire/rims and fuel pump)
Composite monoleaf
QA-1 adjustable (compression/rebound) shocks
Offset trailing arms
Adjustable Strut Rods

Next on the list of "to do's" is a Tremec 600 6-speed conversion and a Precision Brakes conversion with Wilwood Superlite and Dynalite Calipers (13" rotors in front, 12.75" rear), along with re-covering the leather seats (black) and replacing the weatherstripping.

Hope I didn't bore you too much.