C4orce2

This is my first post on this forum. We just completed the installation of a LS3 "hot cam" engine in my '92. I have been a member of Arizona Corvette Enthusiasts for a couple of years and have a thread on that forum under the Tech forum entitled "C4 conversion to LS3 hot cam". If anyone wants to review that long thread it has many pictures and tracts the progress of the 4 month project. In order to see the pics you will need to register on that forum but it is free.

The crate engine has 480 hp and 475 tq right out of the box. I am having the car tuned in 2 weeks and we fully expect to get the hp over 500. Of course the project included modifying the 700R4, all new pulleys, changes to the fuel line and pump, new radiator, and on and on. The key to the success of the project is the use of a computer interface that ties the new computer to the old. The new computer of course controls the engine while the old one controls the dash and other functions. With the use of this interface which is part of the C4orce project started by Corvette Fever, the stock dash board works perfectly. The only functions we did not save are traction control and cruise control.

The build was done by Corvette Restoration Arizona in Tempe, Arizona (corvetterestorationaz.com). An article with many pics will be included in their website in a month or so. The build may also be covered in an article in one of the vette magazines, but it is too early to tell now. Since this was the second car using this interface it was determined that the car would be called "C4orce2".

If anyone is interested I'd suggest you go to the Arizona Corvette Enthusiasts website (arizonavette.net) and review the thread there.

Larry D. (C4orce2)

As requested by many of you, I have now placed a lot of pics of the build in my photobucket in the album entitled "build of C4orce2". Hope you enjoy the pics. Here is the link:

http://s1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc479/c4orce2/

cv67

At least post a link?

C4orce2

Sorry guys, I tried to insert some pics of the finished product but was not smart enough to do it on this forum. I am IT challenged. I guess you will need to go the the ACE website for the pics and the thread.

Larry D. (C4rorce2)

C4orce2

Here is the link for Arizona Corvette Enthusiasts:
www.arizonavette.net

When you go there, register (for free) so you can see the pics. Then go the the Tech forum and look for "C4 conversion to LS3 hot cam". Let me know if you have any problems.

Larry D. (C4orce2)

surfer93

Man, don't ever write a technical article.
What year vette?
What problems did you have to over come?
How much rewiring?
Any changes in mount locations and how did you do it(engine and tranny)?

What rearend did you use and why?
Any changes to driveshaft?

twin540

Wow this is interesting , welcome to the forum.

mtwoolford

a voice from the future perhaps ?

C4orce2

I would never attempt to write such an article. All I did on the project was write checks! Here are a few anwers to your questions. The car is a 92. We did not change the rearend. The original owner blew out the rearend. It has a Dana 36 with 3.73 gears. I never plan on racing it and have been told that so long as I do not, the Dana 36 should hold up. If you go the the ACE forum you will see pics of the wiring mess. Two computers plus the interface and two harnesses. Nothing done to the drive shaft. The 700R4 was modified to work with the drive by wire LS3 as opposed to the dirve by cable LT1. Since C4orce1 had already been built, the guys associated with the C4orce project already had motor mounts available for installing the LS3 in the C4. There was also a company that had already designed long tube headers for this build so they did not need to be designed. One of the main problems dealt with putting the LS3 in the narrower C4 frame. Just about did not get the AC compressor in at all. In order to get the AC compressor in we had to get a custom pulley set up. However the main issue dealt with getting the two computers to work together. Again, since this was the second car in the project, the gentleman from Florida that designed the interface for C4orce1 was able to designe one for my car. However, since C4orce1 has a LS1 in it, the interface for this LS3 is substantially different and took a great deal of additional designing.

Hope this answers most of your questions. Kim Madsen at Corvette Restoration Arizona is writing the technical article of the build and I will be happy to share it with this forum when it is done. That should answer all of your questions.

Larry D. (C4orce2)

PLRX

Cant see the pictures. You must be a member of the ACE to see them.



It is nOOb picture posting challenge week.

C4orce2

PLRX, you are correct. In order to see the pics on my thread on the ACE website you need to be a member. However, it costs nothing to be a member and it is easy to register. If someone wants to tell me how to post pics on this forum I will attempt to post some of the better ones.

PLRX

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/help...es-thread.html

cv67

Not signing on anywhere just to see some pics maybe Im lazy.

Take the link , and at each end instead of the URL use IMG


So left click the pic, hit properties then copy that adress in your reply box here. THen at the left of the adress use [IMG] and at the end of it [IMG] and it will show here. Sorry I get annoyed having to sign in somewhere just to look at a pic when a link was put already.
Sounds interesting though.

dizwiz24

ok. someone has got to play devils advocate, so it will be me....

My question is why?

AFR makes competition ported heads that flow like LSx based heads. A lot less work and cost.

Its even arguable that if you are turbocharging or supercharging a car, the LTx based steel block, reverse cooling, and extra bolt around each cylinder on the head, make the LTx the better choice.

I applaud the ingenuity in this project, but it should be noted that the LTx is not a bad motor that everyone here should be rushing out to swap out.

C4orce2

I have a word doc that contains 26 pics. It is part of the book I have prepared concerning the build. The word doc is just under 12MB. Isn't there some way I can add that word doc to my post? The pics are all in order and give the best pictorial record of the build. If that is not possible I will have to wait until one of my IT functional children help me out. I'm an old fart and in most cases hate IT.

solaris_vii

i registered for the site and still couldnt get the pics to work. shame cuz it looked like a good read. hopefully someone can figure it out and post them here!!

C4orce2

Hopefully I will be able to attach pics from my photobucket. Here are a few pics. Here's the link.

http://s1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc479/c4orce2/

RollaMo-LT4

For those that don't want to click his photobucket link, here are a few of the completed swap. Very nice car.

Steve85

Definitely had its "ugly duckling" stage (as all projects do) but the finished product looks very clean. Great job by the guys at CRA

ch@0s

Very nice. I have been thinking of buying an 84 and doing the LS swap.

mundo

Nice, very nice!! I'm jealous. I'd love to jerk out my LT1 and put any LSx in. What did it cost?