Easy Rhino

While not quite the level of the green Mustang driven by Steve McQueen in Bullitt, it certainly adds value to your car's bona fides to have been the car star of a movie, even if difficult to quantify.

There is a guy that occasionally posts on here that owns the red Corvette convertible used in the movie Goodfellas as well.

Anyways, I think it's neat and makes a great car even greater.

SEVNT6

WAY better movie... I was almost embarrassed driving my C3 home after seeing Corvette Summer...

BTW, Christopher Mitchum is alive and well at age 78...

road pilot

Buy a long block and finish it.
Keep the roll bar, its part of
the movie car. Take it off and it
is just a red rag top.
Good luck

Bluestripe67

I think the shop that threw a number at you must think it a race motor, or they don't want to do the engine, so they give you a number to discourage you. If you want, ask them to break out the work. Look for another shop, and at the same time search YouTube for some in-depth small block rebuild videos by credible sources. PM me if you want.
I see you are to the west of St. Louis. There are several machine shops around St. Louis Dennis

MORIDE

I thought that might be the case, it seemed really high.
I was very specific about what I wanted, just something for a good driver nothing special and around 350HP, pretty basic small block rebuild.
I would love some references around here or even within 100 miles that I might talk to.
Thanks

JackTripper

Very cool!!

MORIDE

Keep planning and changing, got Bilstein shocks ordered, but thinking about maybe upping to HP 430 383 with the Holley Sniper EFI.
What are your thoughts on that much HP?
Also want to redo seats with new foam and leather covers, looks like a lot of work but love the look and feel of leather.
It seems as none of the Blueprint engines or any really have an intake low enough for the stock hood, so a long block and finish it out or the Blueprint Holley Sniper version and change the manifold, it seems silly but it might actually be cheaper than finishing the long block out.
I am going to stay with the 15'' Wheels for now and 215/65/15 raised white letter not many choices but the test well.

COBRA RADIAL G/T - SIZE: P215/65R15

Probably Wilwood 11'' front disc brake conversion also.

Any input on these items is greatly appreciated!!!

Easy Rhino

Since opinions are worth what you pay for them: What's the intended use of the car? If it's cruiser, then recall that the base engine up until 1966 was 250HP (gross, not SAE HP). if you want a cruiser - and frankly, I actually think that's where the fun is in these 55 year old cars, and if total sunk costs are of any concern, then I would be considering leaning into a rebuild and leave it as it is. The main reason I say that is that it leaves $$$ for other things you may want for your car's improvements, and frankly a stock level rebuild is no more expensive than a Dodge slant-6, or any other 'normal' era motor (if you find the right shop). Besides, unless you go all in, given the other obvious limitations of a mid-60s car (suspension, wheel and tire size, brakes, safety, etc) you're not going to win that many stop light races against today's cars (including electric cars) without significant sunk costs. Heck, my C6 can't beat my son's Tesla stoplight to stoplight.

My '65 came with a woefully underpowered 327 with a cast iron manifold and a Rochester 4jet carb () yet it was a great cruiser. I'm rebuilding (glacially) a L76 to install in it, mostly because that's what it was built with. But I'm beyond my boy racer stage, and am not interested in trying to show off to anyone. My intended use for mine is a cruiser including back country roads.

Just my .02, which I'll willingly donate to your project.

MORIDE

I don't disagree with that, however it is not really much more at to go from 350 to 430 HP with crate motors, seems odd but in reality 430 HP does not really use more expensive parts, just different parts, mostly higher compression pistons, diff cam and bigger carb, even heads are the same.
Paying for machine shop, buying and assembling the various parts needed to rebuild the motor would end up being just as expensive, way more time and may or may not perform well as opposed to a proven and well designed crate motor.
I am not ever going to race anyone, but in 2017 I decided I wanted a new Camaro so I started test driving then the SS had 450 HP and was crazy fast, the V6 has 330 HP and ran a 13.6 or so 1/4 mile. After test driving them I decided the V6 was plenty fast so I bought a new 2017 50th anniversary convertible. Well it was great but I always regretted not buying the 450 HP SS, I wanted more power. I just sold it last August.
Since I am 65 this is my last build, so when its done I do not want to wish I had gone the 430 HP route. I figure I don't have to use, just want it there if needed.
My concern is drivability and thought some owners here might have some experience with running 400 plus HP in C2 they could share.
Along with any comments about my other planned upgrades?

DiabolicalDave

OK so you are in Missouri. I can highly recommend JD Engine & Machine in Columbia, MO. The owner, Jeff Dickey, is a highly skilled engine builder. He has built probably a dozen engines for me, if not more. I've lost count. He's building an engine for me right now. He is not the cheapest, but he's not the most expensive. And, he won't steer you wrong. Tell him what you're wanting to do.

L78

Remember, to get that higher HP ( like 430HP) will often require things like headers and a new custom exhaust…

don’t think of it as an engine, it’s a system. Even if keeping the same transmission, you probably need to upgrade the torque converter to match the new powerband….

I think these cars are a lot lighter than the newer Camaros, and as such might not need as much HP to feel as quick.

personally, I wouldn’t buy a crate motor if I knew I was going to start replacing stuff like the intake…


Foes the movie have any shots of the engine? If it does, I’d try to keep it visually the same. If you start altering the car from its movie configuration, you start reducing its value and significance…

DiabolicalDave

Here you go:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...heel-disc.html

Uncle Pasko 73

In my opinion it is pointless

If you think the Camaro SS is crazy fast (I have one) a 430HP C2 will scare the crap out of you. Not because it is crazy fast, your V6 Camaro could most likely out run it, but because it will be a handful.

Your V6 Camaro could sedately run its 13.6 while you fiddle with the radio and Mr Computer corrects all of your mistakes. The C2, on the other hand, will require ALL of your attention and there are no safety nets.

And if you somehow mess up in the Camaro it is built like a tank and, on top of that, big fluffy pillows will magically appear to keep you relatively unharmed.

Mess up in the C2 and you stand a good chance of being killed.

I would just build it as a cruiser and spend the money you save on aesthetics and comfort items. But if you want a bunch of HP just to have a bunch of HP I get that too.

Railroadman

I agree on both points. It's your car, put as much horsepower into it as you like. But as I considered which way to go with mine, I decided the more ***** I built into it, the fewer the times and places i could enjoy it. ON ramps are great, back roads are fun, but without taking it to the track, how often can you really wring it out to the max without worrying about either a ticket or some moron in an SUV doing something unpredictable? I did so much stupid stuff when I was 19 years old that I figure my allotment of good luck is pretty much used up. I support anybody's choice of what to do, but for me the 250 or 300 hp will be fine. Yes, it WILL see WOT at times, but it won't ever be topping out at 120+.

DiabolicalDave

Words to live by

bcwaller

I've got a C2 with more than 400 HP (never dyno-ed by estimated 450+ gross) and drivability is not a problem. BUT, it all depends on you and how you will be driving. I have a 4 speed, so I can deal with the power curve coming in a bit higher up the revs. You will have an automatic, but depending on the rear gears, differential ratio, and tires none of that might matter. Skinny tires will mean much over 300 horsepower just goes to rubber dust any time you punch the car.

Remember that you feel the torque. not the horsepower. Based on your descriptions, I would advise you look at a high torque rebuild or 383 crate with better low RPM torque numbers. The car will feel faster and accelerate to highway speeds with the best of them. You will be traction limited in most cases anyhow so it will come down to how well you can control the power output.

If you can, talk to a local shop and tell them you want a solid driver with strong torque and see what they recommend. Find out what intake and heads you have to see if they can be re-used or if you are getting the full long block. The basic aftermarket intakes like the Performer will work with your hood no problem. When you get to the single plane or high rise manifolds you might have clearance issues, but the Chevy 327/350 manifold fit under that hood, so there are lots of great options.

If you can't find a local shop, then a "mail order" crate long block at least lets you know you have something that will work and run. Look at the Chevy crate engines for comparison when you talk to other builders so you have a reference for pricing and features. You have more risks with an engine shipped to you (the shipper dropped my engine causing damage) and a harder time if there are issues, so paying a bit more for someone you can drive up to and talk with is worth it, to me.