AlterEgoRocks

Sorry everyone I gave the wrong year on this, I wrote this first post right after I got back from a gig my band played, I had a few drinks and did not check my specs right. We were looking at about 8 Corvettes and we just bought it Yesterday so I lost track of the year that was purchased. Its a 73 Stingray not a 74. Now I feel really dumb

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Hello to all on the forums, just bought a 74 Corvette with a 350 cubic inch Crate 380hp engine and we need some information to help fix a few items.



Problem 1, The tachometer does not work due to a new distributor on the GM/Crate 350. I would guess this is an HEI unit on the GM/Crate engine, as far as I know HEI only started on 75 Vettes so this is more than likely why the 2 units wont work together. How can this be fixed, since 75's have HEI would a 75's Tachometer fit in a 74? If not is their a kit to get this working?



Problem 2, Since I have only seen pictures of the car at this time and have not talked to the seller, I can only guess why this problem came to be. I think that someone had side pipes on this at one time then had body work done because at the back of the car where there should be 2 rectangular holes for the muffler tips to stick out, there are none. Then I would guess at some point the side pipes were taken out and a standard exhaust was put in, now that the holes for the mufflers are not there, they have these tiny circular muffler tips bent way to far down to actually crimping and blocking about 75 to 85 % of the exhaust flow, the exhaust tubing is cracked and leaking out where the weld's hold the exhaust tip to the mufflers, it looks bad, and I would guess sounds bad(since I have not personally heard or seen it yet, a guy on our crew seen this before we bought it not me) and is not helping the back pressure situation. We are installing electronic cutouts so we have a wide open option anyway, the exhaust is going to be more for the quite runs. The cutouts will be switched to bypass the exhaust system when its ran hard. Since this is my first Vette build I do not know alot about this fiber glass. Keeping in mind that after we do all mechanical work we are priming and painting the Vette, could we take a Dremel or air powered cutting wheel and cut these rectangle holes on the bottom of the body where the mufflers need to come out then install some chrome or aftermarket metal covers to go around the cut to protect the exposed fiberglass? Or would this hurt the fiberglass. Besides much wider rear tires and rims we are trying to keep this looking as stock as possible, even after the new big block engine build is installed, so I would like to keep the exhaust ports looking stock as well.




Since I am writing this post to ask these questions anyway, here is a quick list of what we plan to put in this C3 over the next 9 months. We are planning to start ordering some of this next week already so any input would be great, it will take me awhile to learn to work efficiently around these vettes, as well as learn what they like and dont like. So any info on this motor setup as far as the big block setup is welcome. This enigne should push around 800HP and matching torque, can these frames handle that without flexing , or would a 302 stroker or a 327 high rpm small block fit and work better?

Here are the current basic build specs as of now

Engine - 496 big block no Nitros, 4 bolt mains, 4340 H-Beam Steel Rods, 4340 Forged Steel Stroker Crank, 8.5 to 1 forged pistons, Comp Cams 673/673 Roller Cam & Roller Lifters, 115 cc Rectangular Port Aluminum Heads, BDS Airlock 871 Supercharger, 2 Holley 950 Boost Reference carbs.

Trans - rebuilding a M22 Muncie Rock Crusher 26 spline with the older gear set 2.20 / 1.64 / 1.28 / 1.00 (much tighter than the modern setups that use 2.68 1st gear and .59 overdrive)

Rear - Moser 12 bolt rear 3.73 gears with 33 spline axle.

Thank You so much for your time,help and input on this project.

MelWff

1. Visually it is very difficult to read this post.
2. Wouldnt it be easier to use a 74 distributor.
3. 74 did not have cutouts, rubber bumper, the tips were below the bumper.

AlterEgoRocks

Sorry everyone I gave the wrong year on this, I wrote this first post right after I got back from a gig my band played, I had a few drinks and did not check my specs right. We were looking at about 8 Corvettes and we just bought it Yesterday so I lost track of the year that was purchased. Its a 73 Stingray. Now I feel reallydumb

AlterEgoRocks

1, Sorry for the jumbled post I should have posted this today instead of buzzed last night, I
tried to fix it a bit.

2, As for the 74 Distributor I guess I could change that, but would it cause problems with the aftermarket Crate engine if I take out the HEI distributor that came with the engine and put in a non HEI?

3, My dumb buzzed a** gave you the wrong year its a 73 stingray, from what I have seen they do have those rectangular cutouts. So whats the best way to fix the exhaust tips problem?

Thanks so much man

MelWff

The crate engine wont know the difference what distributor it has and you can put in an electronic conversion to replace the points.

You need this panel
http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corve...1970-1974.html

hugie82

DUI Distributors can hook you up with a HEI distributor with the cable tac drive.
This stuff is not hard but you need to have your head clear! It's cheaper and easier that way