Beach Bum

There is nothing wrong with the 85 corvette engine, there is only a problem with the intake system they put on top of it..... remove it and put on a SR, MR, HSR, or MSP, and the motor is just like any other sbc and will react wonderfully to the A-typical cylinder head/cam combinations that can truly allow your car to perform on par with virtually any other make/model/year vehicle.

Thus, I do not recommend you spend any money until you have a budget that includes removing the stock intake system. But, if you're dead set on spending some money right now..... a converter upgrade combined with sticky tires would be my recommendation if you truly want improved acceleration as per the test you should be looking at, which is the timeslip.

As a note, MSD and gears are nearly worthless on a stock TPI motor. PM and I'll share more.

Good luck with whatever you decide on !

TheFinn

I like TPI.

Assuming the car is good working condition I would put on a set of affordable decent headers and a true dual exhaust with hi-flo cats and have a ball.

Calderone

Beach is right, he knows his stuff

3 Years ago i was starting threads like this one and reading as much as i could.
i went crazy and started a neverending journey on my 87
You can see my mod list right here

I've been lucky,you need time,money,knowledge
and if you do the wrenching, you are several steps aheads , if you don't
prepare yourself to spend a lot of $$$ on mechanics and engine shops.
Plus you won't know 100% sure why or what did your engine guy do !

i think the trick is between knowledge and DIY Wrenching.
Plus,read a lot and seek for advice !
At the end of the night ...
You won't be dissapointed !

ch@0s

Get a better intake

Ck this out http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-t...r-hsr-mod.html

RetiredSFC 97

Damn I hate these threads. Corvettes versus sedans and dragstrips? WTF

These cras were never designed to be drag racers, that's why they built a "Sportscar" so to compare them take them to a roadcourse and have at it and see who comes out on top.

Why do you want more HP? You could get another 100 HP and it would get you to 175 MPH. So what, unless you're tracking it what diff does it make?

But if you do want it.

get a new intake like Chaos. Get some headers, a performance catback, a 2400 stall convertor and a shift kit. If that's not enough go to some lower gears, and yes a A4 can go lower than 3.07 and a small cam. It'll cost money but it's doable.

Calderone

It's always more and more,that's the start of the addiction, create a monster out of it , i think i got to a level that im happy with it and i won't go further into performance mods.

I will aim my efforts to the interior and exterior...anyway im considering NOS at this point so please don't mark my words

ch@0s

Exactly .. Make a plan.."I can spend this much now" Buy something that will work to get you further along in your "big plan"..
Before you start your mods search the forum and do your research.
If you want to get the most out of the engine you have now without doing heads.
1. Better intake
2.Better exhaust
3.1.6 RR
4. converter
5. You may benefit from a tune but with MAF you should be ok.

Calderone

Plus ...make sure to get matching parts !
Everything is a system ! So it works in chain reaction, one thing leads to another !
its like that , for example, after my second head-cam-swap i was not impressed . . .
After some research and advice , i had to buy a higher stall converter (i already had a 2400 stall but i had to go to a 2800-3000) Sometimes you don't want to spend more ...you want to stop , but if you want to do the things right and get pleased
RESPECT THE SYSTEM !!! Do not try to cut corners,the only one who's damaged
by doing that is yourself. ask me how i know

Beach Bum

I think the C4 corvette is a great drag-race vehicle and was very much designed for such activity ! I'll go one step further and state that I think it is the best vehicle ever put out by GM for dragracing. Body/Frame that can handle big power with no modifications necessary, sbc base power plant, lightweight from the get-go and aerodynamic, limited wheel-hop, easy engine access with clamshell and very affordable, yet easy on the eyes.

You have to upgrade the rear once you get to a certain power level, but they all do, its not unique to the Corvettes.

But, I guess it could be a matter of opinion.

Calderone

i wish they all came with D44's !
What's the max power the D36 can handle ?

Bronze85

Maybe check out edelbrock's performer/rpm cams and head systems. I had that setup on a mopar 440, it really woke it up.

85VetteTerreHaute

Damn, I fell behind on this one, lol. I checked all the codes tonight. My 85 the performance handling package (a plus), dana 44 3.07s, 4 speed. The interior code calls for medium grey, which I do not care for. If i redid the seats, carpet, ext. in black would it hurt the value any?

McGirk94LT1

I hate to say it, but that is a complete cop out. An excuse for when a car doesnt perform well. At the time any vette is created, it is built to go fast, handle well, and beat competition more expensive then it. Your calling the corvette a miata. A miata is built to be an open roadster thats super fun around corners. It makes no claims about being fast. A vette does. Every year compare its HP ratings to any other car made that year, or at least hp/weight. It IS designed to be taken to a road course, and then a drag strip the next day. Race on saturday sunday and monday. In all different events.

l98tpi

OMG How do you measure the performance of a car? On the street? Perfromance is measured at the strip, on an autox course, or on a roadcourse. A car is built by a manufacturer, if purchasing a production vehicle, as a platform to build upon to fit a specific application. The Corvette is one of if not the best platform to begin with. Or if just to cruise on the street, it is a car that provides a sense of accomplishment and pride. I don't think I would brag about owning a Oldmobile Aurora especially since they have been discontinued and do nothing to boost social status. As for the rice rockets, they can be competetive in their class, but I don't see many running fast enough to even sniff the a$$ of the Vette's at the roadcourse. Lastly, yeah the C4 is an old, has been on the street, but never forget your history, it is the only car to have its own race series because the competition was not. Go to some autox and track events and see who can still hang.

Tom400CFI

^This guy "gets it". Retired SFC does not. The 'Vette always has been and always should be "All things performance related". Drag strip performance is part of that.

Aurora40

Hahaha, it looks like you've tipped your hand there as to why you own a Corvette.

It seems to me there are two types of Corvette owners (more or less). The types that buy a Corvette because they like exciting cars, all exciting cars. The 'vette just happens to be one. The older C4's are getting less exciting, but they are also getting dirt cheap, so it's still a good fun for the buck buy.

Then there are people who buy a Corvette because it's a "Corvette". It could have a pile of dung under the hood, and they'd still rave about how it's incomparable to any other car on the road because it's a 'vette. They buy a Corvette to boost their social status, as you so aptly put it. I suspect these are the guys we can thank for all the ***** jokes.

I don't buy my cars for that reason, so I'm not too pressed to mention what I own, nor how fast they are.

Aurora40

There are tons of one-car spec racing series, from Miatas to 911's. Maybe you should have read more than one page from that history book?

Corvettes do have a great history, in spite of your poor command of facts. But that doesn't move the car down the road. History doesn't make a car any more or less fun to drive.

GREGGPENN

I do think they were better equipped for a road course (out of the gate) as you pointed out, but they are also the measuring stick for all performance cars in America. And, Uncle Sam let emissions/regulations get in the way of that for awhile. Or,,,the engineer's just took to long to design a better mouse trap.

Stop by my house any time you want. I'll show you why it's fun to have more power. You can drive my 383. We'll never go above 80mph -- unless you want to that is! Your mind will change. If not, I'd understand. Not everyone needs to get to the grocery store faster. After all, cars not taken to the track don't NEED to go that fast. And, some people do just buy them for their looks, status, or handling. That's O.K.



BTW: I could make the same challenge and say we'll never go above 50mph. Your eye's will still bug out. It's darn fun!

cv67

Neither does driving a Corvette-A Chevy, at least around these parts.

GREGGPENN

O.K., so you're surrounded in a sea of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Bugatti's, and the like. But, I bet a new Z07 or ZR1 commands decent respect around your land of fake *****, big *****, and nin-com-*****.



(Probably not too many C4's though...unless it's a Callaway).