Curated Content Editor

C8 Corvette Getting 8.1L V8 Big Block Swap
By Brett Foote

The first of its kind.

Fishfryer527

I have an old c3 big block and a C8… nothing is like a big block. Best sounds ever.

Avanti

Be great... in the 70's or '80s. No thanks.

Vito.A

This is a little different than the old Mark IV big block Chevy. This is the newer generation Vortech 8.1L Chevy engine that was built for trucks and motor homes. And this guy has updated it with aluminum cylinder heads, direct injection, variable cam timing, and a different firing order.
His company sells Vortech heads and parts to the boat guys.

rackemup

Why is that. You are right, nothing sounds like a rat motor.

Vetteman Jack

Good luck to him with the swap - should be an interesting project.

JTBogus

How much torque & HP?

Fishfryer527

The frequencies you feel, not so much hear. It’s like being close to a big waterfall, the sound goes about halfway through you and bounces around. Not unlike if you’ve ever been close to big predator.

“Infrasound, sometimes referred to as low frequency sound, describes sound waves with a frequency below the lower limit of human audibility (generally 20 Hz, as defined by the ANSI/ASA S1.1-2013 standard).[1] Hearing becomes gradually less sensitive as frequency decreases, so for humans to perceive infrasound, the sound pressure must be sufficiently high. Although the ear is the primary organ for sensing low sound, at higher intensities it is possible to feel infrasound vibrations in various parts of the body”

small blocks and exotic motors with a bunch of little exhaust valves just can scramble your innards.

Rapid Z

Bye Bye DCT

Korbek

Someone doing a mod this extensive is almost certainly either beefing up the DCT or installing a custom transmission. I highly doubt theyre just dropping in a big block with the stock DCT and patting themselves on the back.

Street_Carver

I just want a 7k redline, ~520-550RWHP, on 93 (not E85!), with heads and a cam. I think that is all this car needs to be perfect imo. After coming from a 2019 Bullitt N/A C8 HP seems like a lot of $$$ and effort for not great results. I guess thats why homie is going big block.

19672014

My ‘67 Corvette had a 468 CI 12.5:1 compression engine.

My ‘68 Corvette has a 540 CI Shafiroff engine with 742 crank HP.

High horsepower big blocks are the best sounding engines there are.

Makes the C8 Z06 sound like a sewing machine.

Rapid Z

you never know. Amelia Hartfords group has blown up several of them so far.

ArizonaZ06

Who the heck is this guy from San Diego, California named Larry Hofer building a 494 for the C8? Maybe I've missed something.

Would rather have a company who has been building Corvette engine for 40 years named Lingenfelter who is close to releasing their LT2 427 C8 version for 30K. Lingenfelter has also worked extensively on the DCT to match up with the added 427 HP and TQ.

https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a6...-c8-corvettes/

68/70Vette

Hmm. I have a new 2024 Coupe with Z51. Also, I have a new recently assembled all aluminum Big Block. 492 cubic inches, 630 hp at 6500 rpm. With all the computer controls, I wonder how one could make this really work in a C9. I think the transmission control module must need a stock ECM to function.......oh well, where's there's a will, there's a way.

The BB is in a 70 Corvette project car. The project has come to a halt since I'm held up trying to find someone to make custom headers. It's a Keith Black aluminum block with Brodix heads. FuelTech sequential port fuel injection with a 1000 cfm throttle body.