1975 Plastic fantastic aka Corvette

[Beagle]

Because of Newton's first law.

whatever you budget for a project, it will take twice as long and cost three times as much?

[SuperBuickGuy]

If you have a 400 block, why not use a 3.75 stroke crank? Why not use the extra cubic inches?

Because of Newton's first law.

[Dan Barlow]

Becaue that's what DF would do. :-) How can anyone not like corvettes though, that's just in-American.

[yellomalibu]

If you have a 400 block, why not use a 3.75 stroke crank? Why not use the extra cubic inches?

[SuperBuickGuy]

I'm seriously considering following this advice - only real difference would be the use of my current heads and intake, and putting splayed caps on my 400 block. And it would be 12:1 and I'd run E85. I'd swap the rear gears to 4.11, and look for a 5 speed.

"the 377 is a good drag racing and road race engine. if you like small blocks. Eagle makes a 350 stroke crank 3.48, with 400 mains so you don't need special bearings on the mains. The price is very reasonable $325. It is forged steel for use with 6.0 rods on the 377, x-rayed, magnafluxed and sonic tested, nitrided, .125 radius on the rod and main journals, cross drilled and chamfered oil holes, stress relieved and shot peened. Eagle part number is 440034806000. You could use KB hyper pistons part number KB195-30 for the 377 and 6.0 rod, I've seen these go for $280. with 64cc heads the comp is 12.1:1, using the larger 76cc head you'll end up at 10.5:1.

Here is an example of a typical 377 build up using Victor Jr aluminumheads, Isky solid roller 264/277 cam, Victor Jr. Intake and BG 750 annual discharge carb the engine made 589 hp @ 6500 and torque peaked 516 @ 5200. At 4800 torque hits 508 and HP is 464, at 5200 516 torque, 510 hp, torque stays above 500 until 6100, at 7000 torque is 432 and hp is 576.

The relatively narrow spread between peak torque and peak horsepower of 1200 rpm would work well with a 4 or 5 speed. But on the street this will be a handful to drive, fun but a handful unless you are only taking it out on weekends. If you choose an auto you'd better plan on at least a 4,000 stall converter, 5,000 to drag race it with an auto."

[SuperBuickGuy]

why, preytell? I did think about your search when the guy offered up the C3, but honestly, it wasn't worth shipping to you.

[STINEY]

You are killing me here Smalls. Just wanted you to know that....

[SuperBuickGuy]

Corvettes

[Stewzer55]

Wait, DF hates Mopars or Corvettes?

[Bob Holmes]

Its pretty amazing how a little suspension tuning can totally change the attitude of a car.

[SuperBuickGuy]

you'll be astounded... for my car, it goes from gold chain to rocking with such cheap and simple fixes. I'm glad DF hates them so much, but I totally get why - even with fixes, his mopars are still pigs.

[mike343sharpstick]

You raise a good point, It would be fascinating to drive a stock version of my car to see the difference!

[SuperBuickGuy]

The answer is no, I don't need that car. But, what was interesting (to me) was this. I drove that car, it's pretty much a stock 75 Corvette with 3.55 gears rather than the stock 3.08. Here's what I found - oh good grief is my car better than stock. There just isn't a comparison - sometimes, I guess, you just don't realize how good something is (or has gotten) until you test what it was before. That Corvette was in driver condition. The brakes had an issue, the trailing arm bushings probably could use a change out - but since it was stock, it was good comparison. While mine is a bit raw around the edges (okay, it's completely raw with very little help in the way of comfort) - that Corvette felt like driving a sofa, it had no road feel, was "peppy" off the line only because of the gears but once it was going it was a snooze-fest, mine has manual brakes/steering/manual - that one had power everything including windows (though no AC).
I also got a good feel for gearing - if I put 3.55 gears in mine, it simply wouldn't ever get off the line without wheelspin, thus, I'll go with 3.23 or 3.36 gearing - 3.08 is just too low and requires a lot of clutch slipping off the line....

the trade, though, would be a great starting point for someone - it needs everything, but it doesn't need anything now so it would be something that someone could enjoy while they did upgrades... that is, once they fixed the bumpers and the paint.

[SuperBuickGuy]

no, I really don't need a second, more boring version of my car


it's an L82, automatic... so I could swap differentials (3.08 vs. 3.55) - but even that, it's not that hard to swap gears in mine, especially since I have another differential to build.

[Deaf Bob]

I heard that " not going to live here long" before about this one...
Flip it.... Flipped it right back to yourself
Don't blame you a bit either