SWCDuke

Okay, here's a mental exercise to suit a dreary January afternoon and evening if you're not into football. What's the best all around OEM small block for the "average" or "median" vintage Corvette enthusiat? Leave off the lunatic fringe at either end of the spectrum from the guys who want the meanest rumpety-rump idle at cruise night, to the guys who wouldn't even consider a vintage Corvette without AC, automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, and power windows. And remember, small blocks only. Let's not get into the relative merits and demerits of SB versus BB. That's a whole other argument!

Consider original RPO cost, if any, suitability of the torque bandwidth to a street high performance sports car application - not a racer, and important subjective qualities such as appearance and sound quality. Limit your choices to vintage engines from the fifties to 1970 - not a new LS6 in a SWC, please.

Here are my choices with some comments.

1. L-79 - excellent torque bandwidth - a superb balance between low, mid range, and top end power; low relative initial cost (a little over a hundred bucks in the sixties), enough lope at idle to say "Corvette", but with "no-hassle" hydraulic lifters and the classic SB dress up features like aluminum "Corvette" valve covers and chrome air cleaner and engine accents. The 69-70 L-46 gets honorable mention as it was essentially a stroked version of the L-79 with a slightly revised cam, but it looses cool points due to its cast iron inlet manifold and Q-jet as apposed to the L-79's aluminum inlet and Holley.

2. 70 LT-1 - the ultimate development of the SHP SB, still with 11:1 CR, before emissions killed the basic genus. Even better torque bandwidth than the L-79/L-46, but those "maintenance intensive" ;) mechanical lifters are an issue for some. The big center pivot Holley is almost as cool as FI.

3. Any mechanical lifter FI engine - damn the high initial cost, potential finnicky nature of the FI unit, and the mechanical lifters. They just look so cool.

4. Any Duntov-cammed SHP (carbureted) version of the SB - 265 to 327; very similar to the L-79, but they do have those pesky mechanical lifters that force you to get your hands dirty doing a lash check once in a while. The dual quad 265/240 and 283/270 get extra cool points, but are equally offset by the potential finnicky nature of the dual quad system.

5. 64-65 327/365 - that 30-30 cam just kills too much low end torque to make this a flexible street engine, but it's easily fixed with a LT-1 cam. Same torque problem afflicts the 375 HP FI version, but FI cool points more than offset the lack of low end torque.

6. Any base or optional SB with the "300 HP" or equivalent cam - nice torquey engines for boulevard cruising, but the smooth 500 RPM idle just doesn't shout "Corvette". The 265/225 and 283/245 get extra cool points, but they're exactly offset by the potentially finnicky nature of their dual quad carburetion setup. The mild-cammed, hydraulic lifter 283/250 and 283/275 sit at the top of this category due to their maximum earned cool points for FI.

So waddaya guys think?

Duke

Kid_Again

L-79, hands down :smash:

Plasticman

Duke,

I agree with the Kid that the L-79 (327/350) was best all around. Had one in my 66 Vette, and couldn't of been happier.

Of course I also liked the 67-69 Camaro Z-28 (302/290), but we are talking Vette engines arn't we? Then again the L-46 (350/350) was a very nice engine in my 70 Vette. So many engines, and I can only vote for one?

Think you ought to have put this in a "voting" form.

Plasticman


[Modified by Plasticman, 2:04 PM 1/13/2003]

Mac

How about the Olds F85 and/or W31; 350/325, nice looking package, decent price. :D

Vetterodder

I suspect that the greater number of people would be better served by the L79 (or L46). Like you said, it has enough rumble and power to justify it's presence in a Corvette while still being very user friendly. My personal tastes lean more to the LT-1 though. More power at the top without much (if any) sacrifice at the bottom and it's dual feed Holley is sexier. I'd probably shun solid lifters for a daily commuter but on a weekend toy as most early Vettes are, valve adjustments would be infrequent and they aren't that difficult to do.

MidShark

I, too, must say the L-79. So much more docile than other hi-po small blocks. I also have a 71 LT-1, and even with the 9:1 compression, is a lot more finicky than my '66.

0X-AutoProducts

i've never driven an L-79, but if it's anything like a '67 300HP, then it would be right at the top. i've driven one of those and the combination of low-end power and smoothness was incredible. all i have to judge it against is my '63 FI car which is at the other end of the smoothness spectrum. but then,,, i always get a crowd at the gas pump when i raise the hood to check the oil. most folks have never seen a motor like it. and then there's the 'rev it higher and let it roar' factor. i don't know the redline on an L79, so all i can say is.... when i'm being pursued by one of the rice-burners that have to push in the clutch every 100 feet, all i have to do is put the foot down and i'm good to the next light (or at least until they've had enough), all in first gear. it just keeps reving. nothing beats it....
just my $0.02 worth. thanks for asking

SWCDuke

:eek: Disqualified! Not a SB Chevy, available in the Corvette. Same goes for the 302 Z-28 engine. Great engine, but even more of a low end torque problem than the 327/365 due to the 30-30 cam amplified by the smaller displacement and shorter stroke.

Duke

SWCDuke

L-79 has a very similar torque bandwidth to the '63 L-76 and L-84 FI, so it's closer in character, except for valvetrain clatter, to these engines than the 300 HP version of the SB - probably a bit more low end than L-76/84, - a little less "edgy" but not quite as strong at the top end. A '65 L-79 tach redline is 6200 if memory serves -might be 6000 on later Midyears The L-79 is probably better for the Corvette enthusiast who isn't into into weekend tinkering, but FI way cool and really draws the gawks.

Duke

Mac

Awww, I shoulda read the rules more closely. Wait a minute- you said OEM sb, not which OEM.... :D


[Modified by Mac, 7:56 PM 1/12/2003]

62fuelie

All around, I'd have to vote for the L79, but as you say the fuelie is just sort of in a league of it's own. It just has "character" that none of the carb engines can match. My 67 has an L79, and my 62 fuelie has an L79 clone under the FI.

If I had to change one thing about the 62 fuelie, I'd incorporate a 63-65 style distrubuter with vacuum advance. Otherwise, the fuelie gets my vote. Probably not the choice for everyone, but the L79 ought to fit just about anyone's bill.


[Modified by 62fuelie, 4:10 AM 1/13/2003]

63Corvette

Sorry guys, but the .030 over 350, with the "754" cam and FI is the "BEST damn engine ever!!! Just gear it 4.11 or above, and this takes care of trhe "hole in the low end" perfectly:-)
Sinderely......

SWCDuke

Hey, I thought you were a cop, Mac. So what are you doing playin' lawyer? ;)

Duke

ghostrider20

Quote
[Sorry guys, but the .030 over 350, with the "754" cam and FI is the "BEST damn engine ever!!! Just gear it 4.11 or above, and this takes care of the "hole in the low end" perfectly:-) ]

Same goes for the 64-65 L-76.

For all practical driving the L-79 would take it, although the Lt-1 sounds fairly appetizing. I like the deep breathing characteristics of the 30-30 cam, lots throughty exhaust. Sounds great in a vette. Seams few street races are from a dead stop, usually rolling along. So at 30-35 MPH the 30-30 cam (in first gear W/4:11's) is all ready to go.

DZAUTO

Sorry, but none of them suit me, so I start with a SB400 and build it to look as close to OEM as possible. Which includes having bosses welded then drilled/tapped to later heads for installing staggered bolt pattern valve covers. Top it with a modified FI unit and it looks like a 57 283. This provides LOTS of low end torque and with a high gear (3.08), its not necessary to produce a lot of rpm.

68shark

I'd vote for the L79 (wonder why....see sig...). '68 being a transition year, was the last for the 327 in the Vette and I believe the last year for the L79 RPO in anything. Interestingly, it gained the cast iron manifold and QJ that year, rather than the aluminum intake/Holley combo from prior years. Then the L46 took over for '69. :cheers:

Daren Schneider

You guys are missing the best small block


THE 305......


(timing chain change every 40K, new camshaft weekly, low,medium and high lack of power) :D

JohnZ

L-79 for me; nice sound, good balance of power and torque, stone-reliable stock GM valvetrain pieces, "rumpy" idle :thumbs:

Denney

:withstupid: I'm with Mac on this one, I was originally thinking the same thing, actually thinking about the Olds 330, but same difference (Duke, you said OEM engine in a Corvette and you know how many ways that can be interpreted.... :D) Otherwise, if the car were strictly for cruising, and I had to pick from the Chevy lineup of the day (with A/C, PS, PB, etc.) I ~think~ I would also opt for the L79 because of all the reasons previouslly listed. Anything else (i.e. a no option mean street machine) it's solid lifter FI time!:cheers:

garagedweller2

LT1 + L79 for street
L84 for Road Courses