Rear end upgrade

[76L82]

As a newbie Corvette owner, I am trying to figure out what the options are for "upgrading" the rear end of my 76 L82. Analytically speaking, if my Vette came with a 210 horsepower engine... the chances of adding substantial horsepower in the engine compartment and doing nothing to the rest of the drive train probably equals big BOOM! Am I right here..or was it engineered for more horsepower...if so, any thoughts on how much horsepower I can have with a stock rear end set up?

Please bear with me...I am evolving from years of being a knuckle dragging Camaro SS owner...which I still happily own...but the equation with the SS is a bit different....not enough horsepower getting to the ground..."hey, pass me that 12 bolt posi rear, bigger springs and some real gears!!!"

I looked under the Vette when I first bought it and I'm pretty sure the guy I was buying it from heard me mutter..."hummernah, hummernah, hummernah".

Stupid question: Are all Vettes posi traction?

Any help would be great!

 

[Dave L.]

All vettes are posi.Rear end can handle upto about 400hp.


Dave

 

[76L82]

Burgular - Thank you for responding. You folks on this site know your stuff!

 

[Dave L.]

no problem 76L82.you are welcome.glad to have you aboard the best vette website in the world.

Dave

 

[fasterthanu]

76L82, I too own a 76 vette, unfortunately mine is an automatic L-48. You know, 3.08 gear, lucky to do 20 second 1/4mile from the factory model =( I have done a lot to mine, clocked it at 19.2 in the 1/4 mile when I first got the car. I later added 700R4 trans (the same as your camaro, 3.08 first gear, with OD), hooker supercompetition headers/sidepipes *very restrictive*, dual quads, and a full race cam *kicks in @ 3500rpm... With these mods, I still did a pathetic 15.8 @ 87.9 miles per hour... 0-60 was 7.10. I do have a 2500 stall speed converter, but was running .5 slower using it in 0-60 and 1/4 mile... I did run open headers, and ran 14.89@95.8mph. 0-60 6.48seconds. I later found out distributor was retarding if you hit the throttle to below 8 degrees at 3000 rpm. Still was running slower with stall speed by .5 still can't get rubber... I have 255/60/r15s. I then put on two brand new edlebrocks 1405s, and had the distributor set up, the sprial inserts from JCL installed, and converted over to a 4.11 rear end. Well... To say the least, 0-60 without stall speed 5.80 seconds, with the stall speed... good luck, haven't got traction yet. At about 1800rpm I burn them, and sit there roasting them and going sideways. I come off the gas, and will start to move slowly roasting and roasting them. Cam kicks in @3500 rpm, so I am losing a good .5-.75 on 0-60 due to not using stall speed. Oh, and to top it off.... Was heading to the track in about an hour, fell, broke right ankle. Won't know 1/4 mile time soon =(
So, your right, all the mods don't mean a thing without a gear to back it up =) Enjoy your toy =)