What Mods for a 77? Please?

[NappyRacer]

Hello, I have a 77 white corvette with the 3-speed automatic. I want to make it get off the line as fast as I can. The top speed is not very important to me but I dont want to chang the gears. The mods I want to do need to be cheap. I was thinking headers intake manifold and Camshaft kit. Any suggestions on what mods I should do to this bone stock 1977 corvette that would be cheap and work the best would be great. Thanks alot everyone! Dont forget my spending range is 0$-1000$ or more if I have to. Once again thanks.!

 

[Ken]

Welcome To The Corvette Action Center NappyRacer!

Gee, the easiest way is to change gears, but I guess if you build gobs of torque, that could substitute for the lack of get-up-and-go gearing (though they saying goes that there's no substitute for cubic inches ).

You say you want to use an otherwise bone-stock engine. You've got the right idea in helping the engine breathe by adding headers and an aftermarket intake, along with a cam designed to build torque at relatively low rpms. The headers should be of the long-tube, small-diameter variety, as well as a short-runner length intake manifold. Design it so that you have most of your torque built at lower revs and it'll guarantee getting you out of the hole quicker. Of course you're gonna lose the top end rpms, but you say you're not interested in top speed. I assume that to mean "stoplight-to-stoplight", eh?

Good luck!

 

[Glensgages]

I can offer the mods done to my then-stock '79 Z28. It ran 16.40s @ 84 MPH stock. We got an old aluminum Vette intake (327/365?), Holley 650 dbl-pump, 'on-sale' headers, a .450"/218* hydraulic cam & lifter kit, and a shift-kit for the THM350. With open headers, it ran effortless 14.40s @ 97 MPH on SUNOCO pump-gas, AND got 18+ MPG highway with 3.42 gears. I'd guess your Vette has the same short-block my Z28 had, and you probably have 3.36 gears, so, there you have it!

 

[AKRAY4PLAY]

Nappy,
RIP THE EXHAUST OUT NOW!!! if you get away from running cats, Dynomax sells an exhaust kit that will really help your performance. it sells for $650. the headers are 1 5/8" primary long tubes with 3" collectors and 2.5" true duals back to a pair of Ultraturbo mufflers. the muffs are stainless and have straight through flow, without being loud. the system will give a deep tone at idle and sound throaty when you put the pedal down. i bought my kit from Carquest auto parts and was very impressed with the fit. after exhaust, look at replacing your heads for better HP numbers. if you want to stay out of the engine bay, a 700R4 tranny swap is great for lower HP cars and really increases off line times. Brian

 

[Ganey]

Ex. is first, see if your ex. is stock single. See Why Exhaust is problem for HP on 75-81
what many refer to as my Exhaust topic.
http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/ganeyexhaust.htm

Cam esp. if L-48 & Al. intake at the same time.

Next is heads.

 

[clar2001]

If you start getting off the line really fast be prepared to spend money lots of it , you are driving a old car and things will break,so unless you want to go thure the hole drive train and suspension I woulden't shoot the hole to hard ...................

 

[NappyRacer]

Thanks

Thanks alot guys just yesterday I had a true dual flowmaster 40 series delta ran with 2 1/2 and 3 inch pipe. It sounds alot better and goes a little quicker. I also had the carb cleaned because the back 2 barrels werent opening on it. The stock qudrajet is just no good what carb you think i should buy?? Thanks again

 

[clar2001]

Q-Jet Spread Bore

http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/index.html

 

[MaineShark]

I also had the carb cleaned because the back 2 barrels werent opening on it. The stock qudrajet is just no good what carb you think i should buy?? Thanks again

Rebuild the original Q-Jet, or buy a new one. The Q-Jet is an excellent carb, as long as it's set-up properly by someone who knows what they're doing.

Joe