Hi Everyone, Just got my 1974 Vette about a month ago and would like to find a good engine set up. Currently, it has 350, 3speed automatic. It is pretty much bone stock. So, I a, thinkimg of modifying the upper block. I am thingking of getting 650-750 cfm 4 barrels carburator, intake, lifters, rollers, cam, and gear drive, and possibly a side exhaust or full length headers. Can you suggest any brands, ratio, or specs, that can improve the performance.. And any place to get good price Thank you

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Desert StormDesert Shield Veteran Semper Fi

Well, here's what mods have been done to mine:

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Summit Racing can supply you with just about anything you might want or need. Great people!

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I had the same questions a couple years agao and sent an email to VETTE Magazine.  One of their editors, Dave Emanuel, set me up with the following modifications.

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Chuck

ok I havent pulled the valve covers off my 75 Vette, but do our Vettes have "Roller" rockers stock????

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1975 Corvette Coupe 

No, stamped steel.

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I swapped motors and went with a ZZ4 (I should have gone with the fast burn ZZ4) and even those have the stamped rocker arms (I was a bit suprised to discover that).  Don't forget about the rest of your power train if you beef up the engine (torque converter especially).  When I did the engine swap, I knew NOTHING about engines and had no one to talk to about it.  If I had known more, I might have put a stroker in there, or at least the fast burn. Breast (oops....I mean BEST) of luck to you

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Warning: The surgeon general has declared that it is NOT unhealthy to smoke your competition AND I just discovered that my corvette is a hybred.  It burns gas and rubber! 

That's the one I want as well...money is the issue. My L48 still runs very strong; just a bit of oil consumption but no other issues so hard to justify spending the money on a new motor. I want to do some supension/steering work before that.

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If you are going to spend that much money, I'd go for a 4 speed overdrive auto tranny.

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Thank for all suggestions. I spent quite a good time talking to Suumit Racing tech service. With the stock bottom block that I have, they are recommending 650 cfm Holley, comp cams, rollers, and lifters. Also recommending MSD 6201. Also, he told me dont change my intake and distributor if not broken. I called again after 30 minutes and talk to a different guy, suggesting to use, I believe, a new brand of carburator, Quick Silver, or something quick. I did ask him about changing my intake he recommended edelbock 2101 with spacer, but he said it might be tight on top unless I can find a skinny air filter. My question, and need your help, if i am changing my carburator, to 4 barrels, do I need to change my intake? Should I go higher than 650 cfm? If I will chnge my intake, which one, I can use without mods to my hood? Or better yet, which air cleaner is skinny enough, that i dont need to change my hood. Thank you

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Desert StormDesert Shield Veteran Semper Fi

|UPDATED|10/13/2012 4:45:00 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


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http://www.ebay.com/itm/SBC-Edelbrock-performer-RPM-intake-manifold-chevy-350-383-400-/261110545703?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3ccb66bd27&vxp=mtr

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LukesVette Homepage
Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom
101st Airborne(AirAssault!)
God Bless America
Support Our Troops


     

I agree, 650 CFM is all you need. The previous owner put the 750 CFM on mine. I've been looking at changing to an Edelbrock 650 AVS Thunder carb rather than the performer series. The Performer RPM will fit under the hood with a 14X3 filter. The stock air cleaner won't fit.

 

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Hot Rod Magazine has a great artical on buiding small block chevy's, see the link below.

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Hi this really helpful. I am glad i joined the club and really learning all about the vette. From the get go, i was looking for ford classic mustangs...but vette is more fun to talk about. And I hardly see classic vette around where I am at. With the set up I am thinking, do I need to do anying on the heads? Regarding the bottom block, when do you know when to change it, or re-built it? Thanks everyone.

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Desert StormDesert Shield Veteran Semper Fi

I found this site to be a good read...

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Here's what I did with mine:

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By reading your post it inspire me more to work on my car. But sad to say, I am not quite a handy man. Just cutting the grass sometimes cut myself..I cannot imagine myself doing the work especially the engine. I know it is the best part of owning a car if you will work on it your self. I will work on the interior though. I have contacted a machinist in my area and asking them if they can work on overhauling my engine from bottom to top. I am trying to compare it is worth the money if I buy it pieces by pieces rather than a reputable working on the whole thing engine. For now, because of $$$ contraint, I am looking at changing my carb, intake, cam, lifters, rockers, putting a gear drive, msd box, and headers (full lenght or side pipes). Some one suggested to change the heads too, but will see. I know changing the heads for $700 is worth the money. I think with these minor upgardes I will get extra horses and the car will run better than it is now. After the upgrade, If I am not happy with it, I am thinking putting a B&M torque converter, 2400 rpm stall and a good shift kits, and changing my flexpalte. If I am still happy,then upgrade my rear-end. I am building the engine this way for me and my wife to enjoy it. Is not 300-600 Hp but good enough to cruise and look good.. But,thank you to all, very good suggestions, i am gathering these information

|UPDATED|10/15/2012 12:38:10 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


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Desert StormDesert Shield Veteran Semper Fi

MSD box/ignition will do no good if you still have the original distributor/ignition system. '74s still had point type ignitions.
Be careful with the cam selection, if you decide to go with a new cam. If you get too aggressive with the duration, you'll have an engine that sounds cool, but won't run for doo-doo. Stay with a short duration cam(below 280 degree), with a higher lift. A little more carb, a good intake, and headers, along with a proper cam will wake the engine up.


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Every day I learn I know less than I thought I did.
Every time something is made idiot proof. The world produces a better idiot!

Hi, Thank you for additional information. I am going to put in: COMP Cams Xtreme Energy Cam and Lifter Kits. Intake duration: 262, Exhaust duration 270. I am also getting the following: msd distributor assembly: MSD Street Fire HEI Distributors msd ignition coil: MSD Blaster 3 Ignition Coils Caps and sparks plugs and wires.

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Desert StormDesert Shield Veteran Semper Fi

Hi Is this the intake are you referring to? http://www.ebay.com/itm/vortec-carbureted-intake-/230866619209?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item35c0b90b49&vxp=mtr In this heads? http://www.ebay.com/itm/GM-Chevrolet-Tahoe-5-7L-Vortec-c-k-1500-OEM-Cylinder-Heads-/121000921610?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c2c378a0a&vxp=mtr Let me know

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Desert StormDesert Shield Veteran Semper Fi

Just my humble opinion, but nobody seems to be suggesting to this guy that he should perhaps start with rebuilding his motor, and modifying it when it's tight? You say it goes through a little oil, what I've found is that once you've added some cool parts, your foot is in it more, and a little oil burning, becomes a mosquito bomb, trailing clouds of blue smoke wherever you go? My suggestion, after making many bad choices is save the mod money, refresh the motor. If you have a numbers matching one, 74's will one day be worth some money, I would take it out get a GM crate 290 horse, with a warranty, and work off that. The suggestions for hot rod parts are all very good, but will just hasten the demise of a possible numbers match motor, that was never really meant for much more hp than it already produces. Take it from a guy who has spent good money, only to be disappointed as a rod comes through the side of the block. Good luck and I hope your project goes well.

I agree with being careful with the cam selection. In my discussions with Summit Racing when I made my choice for a cam I was told that cam performance is tied to compression ratio. Big cam with low compression as is with most stock engines will do exactly as B Woogie says....sound good but won't run worth a hill of beans. Summit recommended Comp Cams High Energy cam and I purchased it. Engine runs great with this cam and it still has a choppy "hot" cam idle. Anything with 9:0 compression or below will not benefit from a big cam per Summit. 


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DanT

Hi, Thank you for your comment. I sometimes thinking of getting my engine rebuild..maybe it is better that way. But with $$ constraint, I just want to work on it little by little. I assumed that you had spent money modifying your engine instead of rebuilding it. What is your experience? Can you give me your insight? Again, thank you

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Desert StormDesert Shield Veteran Semper Fi

Hi, In your set-up, did you rebuilt your bottom block? This is what Sjmmit Tech had told me to get: COMP Cams CL12-238-2 - COMP Cams Xtreme Energy Cam and Lifter Kits What do you think of this Cam? My bottom block is still stock.. Let me know. Thank you

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Desert StormDesert Shield Veteran Semper Fi

I bought a rebuilt engine with low miles on it (750). It was bored out .040 oversize, which comes out around 358 cubic inches, and had flat top pistons installed. I did nothing to the bottom end of the engine. I had the cam shown on the link installed along with matching lifters, valve springs and and timing chain. This all came in a kit for around $305. Along with this is a All Ignition HEI tach drive distributor, Edelbrock Performer intake and Summit Racing 600 cfm electric choke carb. So depending on the condition of your engine/miles on it, will determine whether or not you should rebuild it. If it is a sound, relatively low miles engine then you can get away with what I did. High miles or poor condition engine would call for a rebuild. There are 2 videos on this Summits web page that might be helpful in selecting a cam.The cam you listed say it has an "aggressive lobe profile", that kind of tells me it might not be the best cam for you with an otherwise stock engine.  

|UPDATED|10/19/2012 11:39:39 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


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DanT

As you go through your old motor your going to find out the costs add up fast and in the end if your not a gear head and like most people are sometimes worried about a mechanic or what he says I would make life really easy on my self and get a complete crate motor intake to pan. 

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1980 , ZZ430 , 3.92 rear , 700R4 2400 stall NEW EZ EFI