Okay, so one of the VPs at the company that I work for just purchased a Dark Sunset Metallic C6. I mentioned to him a few weeks ago that I had an 81 in my garage so he asked me to bring it in for a look-see. I drove it in this morning and happened to find an empty parking spot right next to him. So later on in the morning, he suggested that we go down and compare them... which we did. Then he said, "why don't you drive mine and see how they compare..." which we did.

His car has the automatic (like mine) with the optional paddle shift system (not like mine). We took it out to the freeway and cruised along talking cars. When I hopped off the freeway to turn around, he urged me to play with it a little bit... which I did! We spun the tires through first and second gear on the on ramp then zipped up to highway legal-ish speed. Man, what a car! I can only imagine what it would have been like had he been driving (since I was rather cautious driving another man's new car)...

Wow. Not surprisingly, I have been shopping around for crate engine candidates since the "test drive." 190 hp just isn't going to cut it long term.

Suggestions?

If you're planning on a crate engine, I'd suggest using a ZZ4 or equivalent as a baseline performance level to start. Even companies like Edelbrock that have their own line of crate engines start with a ZZ4 block and lower end.

I would also love to see someone drop an LS1 (or even an LS7) crate engine in a C3. That would really be sweet.

[QUOTE=Gunslinger]If you're planning on a crate engine, I'd suggest using a ZZ4 or equivalent as a baseline performance level to start. Even companies like Edelbrock that have their own line of crate engines start with a ZZ4 block and lower end.

I would also love to see someone drop an LS1 (or even an LS7) crate engine in a C3. That would really be sweet. [/QUOTE]

i noticed that in the latest jegs catalog they sell a complete ls7 complete with corvette emblems in it for a low price of about $12,900! but the coolest thing i saw in there was a 427/454 small block made by world products. this thing looks like a beast! the fact you have that much displacement from a small block is mind blowing to say the least!

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisp la y?catalogId=10002&storeId=10001&categoryId=29419 & ;parentCategoryId=10763&langId=-1


http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisp la y?catalogId=10002&storeId=10001&categoryId=28673 & ;parentCategoryId=10763&langId=-1
stevep31638755.6914930556

Thanks for the suggestions! I have looked at the ZZ4 and others listed in the Year One and Mid America Motorworks catalogs. Of course I would LOVE an all-aluminum monster like the LS7 or even a clean LS1. My main reservation is a lack of fabrication experience.

Year One emailed me about their new Power Crate 350 that holds some promise:

Year One Power Crate 350 (400hp/440ft-lbs)

Anyone out there has experience with Year One crates?

Also check out crate engines from Summit Racing and Jeg's. They have a pretty large selection to choose from.