Question: What can I take out of my engine bay to free up space?

[Tim004]

Brand new to corvettes... I am rebuilding basically everything on my 77. I never FULLY rebuilt an entire car before, and I'm excited for this learning opportunity. I am curious, what superfluous things can I remove out of the engine bay to free up space? For example: I'm not too keen on the vacuum system and fabricating my own fixed headlight set-up and putting electric windshield wipers. Can I take out the entire vacuum system or is some of it needed for something I'm not aware of? Also, are there any needless emissions equipment? Needless mechanical equipment I can chuck?

Thanks in advance guys.

 

[Razor_Vette]

I would be cautious on removing alot of vacuum lines, all are important for their own reasons. The Charcoal canister takes several vacuum sources for emissions to recirculate gas vapors (vent line running along the frame rail on driver's side from the gas tank), also recirculates vapors from your crank case from the PCV valve. Also, your Corvette came with an EGR equipped intake manifold that also supplies a vacuum source for this canister. There are several drawings on various forums and your AIM that show how all of this works. Now that being said, if you intend on eliminating the EGR and want to free up your Charcoal Canister, you could with some side effects. You would have to plug your vent line, eliminated the TEE from your PCV line, and get a vented gas cap but beware due to the gas fumes that will envelop you at each stop light, at least that was the case for me.

Other things.....

Eliminate your AC Evaporator Box and install an AC Delet cover unless you like your AC.
Remove your Brake Booster for your Master Cylinder and install a Hydroboost system which uses your Power Steering pump.
Eliminate your Clutch Fan and Shroud and install electric fans on your radiator.


Unless you are doing an entire engine and transmission swap (which is what I did) that's about it.


R/Razor

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

and putting electric windshield wipers.

????

If this is the level of your knowledge, I'd suggest doing a lot of reading before touching the car. Mindlessly ripping out complex system will almost guarantee turning a car into a garage queen.

 

[Tim004]

Thanks Razor! I appreciate the help!

I've been reading up on the pros and cons of rippin' out the egr. From what i saw in the forums, the majority of the people had no adverse affects from taking it out... But Im still doing my research for sure.

 

[Tim004]

????

If this is the level of your knowledge, I'd suggest doing a lot of reading before touching the car. Mindlessly ripping out complex system will almost guarantee turning a car into a garage queen.

Yeah like I said I am fairly new to all this. Reading a lot for sure. But I do know there are conversions you can do to rip out the hose system and replace it with a linear or rotary electric actuator... Mind if I ask, what is it I am naive on?

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

You mentioned converting your windshield wipers to electric. Cars have had electric wipers since the 40s.

Although ripping stuff out from the engine bay might be satisfying in some way, it's all there for a reason. Removing one device may negatively affect half a dozen others that were assumed to have no possible connection. Most likely, complete removal of all these devices will give no tangible improvement in performance and you'll wonder why you bothered.

Changing the headlight system from vacuum to electric is very time consuming and can be expensive. In most cases, the time could have been better spent doing a bit of trouble shooting to isolate the defective components and replacing them at far less cost. Many owners start changing stuff willy-nilly without knowing which parts are actually broken.

 

[sfcsb1]

Tim
What is your end goal? Ary making this a hot rod that in the spirit of 1970 hot rods. If you are doing a rebuild on the engine to build have a serious car that turns head by the sounds. What part of the country do you live in ?
Scott