Double_0_7

If you want to answer without reading the post, skip to the summary at the end.

I am investigating a purchase, and the only thing i'm certain of is it must be the 80-82 bumpers. It's not even a debate. Why did I have to fall in love with the slowest vette ever?

Ok, I have a few questions: Is an L-48 easy to modify? Is the '81 really the slowest? Is any year easier to modify than others? If I want to supercharge it, is it feasible, possible, will it be OK or will it kill my engine's other parts? I know a supercharger will be expensive, but I'm prepared for that.

I want a manual tranny (though it isn't THAT important), and know in 80 they were only offered on L-48's. And 81's had no engine choices, but i heard that the gearing made them particularly slow( :confused: ).

I understand that speed costs money, but i guess my important questions can all be summed up by this:

Summary: With all being stock, good condition cars, Which will be the fastest after similar mods, $2000 worth, between ('80 L-48, 81, or 82)

Thanks,
007


[Modified by Double_0_7, 1:13 AM 4/25/2004]

Tom454

All C3 Vettes are easy to modify.
But first find a crooked emissions inspector if your state requires all emissions equipment to be intact.

I heavily modified a 80 for a friend and the only way it could pass inspection was the back door. Otherwise it would be an "off road" vehicle only.

If emissions regulations are not an issue, then you can find a zillion mods for a 350.... most of which can be found right here in signatures on the forum. The members here have some awesome rides. Just look around. :thumbs:

L79vette

Dunno which car would be faster after mods, probably very similar.

However, I do know that no supercharger that fits under a stock hood is going to be had for $2000. A Root-type blower can be bought from Summit for under two grand, but that doesn't include the carb, you'll really want headers, need a hole in the hood, etc. etc.

All the motors you are talking about are SBC's, no different modifying one than another unless you wind up with a 305 ('80 California cars only, as I recall), in which case you'll want to put in a 350 or 383. I'll take that back in one regard: the '82 has Cross Fire injection, and so is less easy to modify than the others unless you are a good hand with fuel injection tuning. Gotta watch out for emission laws anyway when modifying any of the cars you mentioned.

A TPI or LT1/LT4 engine is the best for supercharging. Centrifugal blowers combined with fuel injection is amazing.

macx

I bought an 81 after doing some research -
but I wanted an automatic.

The 82's have the notoriously troublesome crossfire
injection that is not capable of supporting much more
power - also you then have the computer control to
deal with. However, for automatic, it's the first year
for the overdrive, but it's the 7004R which has too wide
a spread between 1st and 2nd.

The 81's are the only year they put a morphidite lockup
TH350 in it, and the computer controlled electronic Q=Jet,
so if you have emissions to worry about, not that good
a situation. You're pretty limited to what you can do if
you have to keep the computer control.

I don't remember if they put the L-82's in any of the 80's -
it's a 4 bolt main with better crank and rods which are a
better base for building more power while the base motors
are 2 bolt so again you're limited to some degree.

The 80's didn't have the computer control, so you'd run into
less problems from an emissions standpoint if you have to
worry about that.

As far as "goodies" go, the 81 was the first year for the
power driver seat.

I think those are the main points, I believe the chassis and
suspension and drivetrain are otherwise similar.

Good luck!

macx

About getting some extra power, I've done a quite a
bit of research, here's some bits of info:

A very good budget head is a Vortec with ss valves
better springs and guides, mod'd to take higher lift.
They can be had all fixed up for around $600 and will
easily support well over 400 hp. Otherwise, the AFR
180 heads do a super job for hot street, with good port
velocity for a broader torque band.

A good budget cam is the Comp XE268 flat tappet hydraulic.
The next step up would be a Comp XE hydr roller.

Best intake for broad torque range as well as higher rpm
power is the Perf RPM, or RPM Airgap, depending if you
ever will drive it in cooler/cold weather. Cap it off with
either a 750 Holley or a 625 Road or Speed Demon and
1-5/8 long tubes with true duals and you should have
near 400 flywheel hp at about 5500 and 425 torque at
around 4000 - a great hp street engine without touching
the crank/rods/pistons assuming they're in good shape.
That setup would even work OK on a 2 bolt block if you
don't abuse it constantly.

Next step would be a 383 shortblock which should bump
you to between 450 to 475+hp depending on cam and carb
and heads, and upper 400's torque. Shopping around you
can find good 383 kits pretty reasonable.

Scroll thru these dyno tests and you'll see some terriffic
combo's on both 350's and 383's (and even 406's) with
either Vortec or AFR heads and either the 268 or a HR cam.
http://ryanscarpage.50megs.com/combos2.html

There's a number of pages of dyno tests comparing diff. heads
and cams. Look thru them all, and pay attention to the
rpm at which torque and hp occurs.

Here's a real eye opener with a "budget" 383 build http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/techarticles/76178/

Enjoy!

Double_0_7

thanks for the advice. as far as a supercharger, i knew i wouldn't find one for anywhere near 2 grand, i just sorta picked that number at the end.

as a side question, i know about the work involved, but what kind of cost would i get to replace an auto with a 5 speed?

82VetteCA

I am in the same boat as you are, although I live in California. I have a 1982 C3 that I love, but want to change and update, but I am finding it difficult to find something that is going to pass emissions.

Good Luck, and please keep us informed as to what you do.

Thanks,

D

Double_0_7

I'll be around, but as for what i do, i know step one already...buy a vette, lol. before mods are an issue, i should find one i like and can afford. the "find one i like" part is easy, "can afford" should prove more challenging.

LeAnn82Collector

I had a 4 speed 80 for a short while that was modified and passed emissions. It had KB flattop pistons, 1970 64CC 2.02 heads, 70 350 HP(same as L82) camshaft, hi flow cat and mufflers. Intake was stock and carb was qjet.
It sounded good and had pretty good power.

Greg

Double_0_7

That's encouraging. I think i'll be helped by the fact that I only want power for driving, streets and highways, and i'm not into the racing or anything. i should get my money for the car in a week and a half, so i guess we'll see how much i get and what's available at the time.

allancook5

I live in a non emissions area :auto: , but i have some friends that run in to that problem, what ive been told you can do is get some 108 octance aircraft fuel, which isnt that hard to find but then again my brothers a pilot, make sure you dont have to much fuel in your tank and pour it in before you get it tested.

Desertdawg

What a load of CHIT....... :mad
There is now a guy in Australia that has run 12.83 1/4 mile times. with the crossfire setup, and naturally aspriated...( NO NAWS )

The CFI has to be the most reliable system in a C3. it starts and runs very reliably. If you want to modify it, there is a great forum with lots of dedicated people that are always open to new ideas.

DO NOT put down what you don't know....macx :mad :mad

tersian

Airplane fuel only comes in 100LL(Low Lead) and 80/87 Octane(no lead), there was at one point a 100/130, but it was scrapped for the 100LL. While I have seen dragsters use 100LL, you do not want to run it in anything with an oxygen sensor or catalytic converter. You will destroy both. The lead is not scavenged in the combustion process and will end up sticking to your exaust componenets. Also, it is possible that your exhaust valve guides could become completely coked with this lead and cause you to stick a valve. While the higher octane is tempting, remember, it is not unleaded. If you want high octane without the lead, try your local supplier of race gas.

:rant: Oh, and as a side note, if you do go to the airport to get fuel, please be careful of the planes that want to fuel up. Our aircraft are not very nimble on the ground and our visibility is limited. Remember you are at an airport and the planes have the right of way on the tarmac. :rant:

Double_0_7

I wasn't worried about smog and emissions testing. I heard that Michigan is bringing it back, but it reportedly won't start for several years, and by then this vehicle might be old enough to not need to go in(I hope). I had an 82 a couple of years ago, but the previous owner had replaced a lot of stuff in it. a whole lot. it was really quick, but the guy's name was bubba( i didn't know when i bought the car. i assumed bubba lived farther south than ohio. ) it never gave me any trouble, but i don't know exactly what he did to it, and was wondering about the difficulty of mods, and if any one year was harder than the other two.

Twin_Turbo

OMG... someone ticked off the dawg. HIDE ;) :D

I have to agree with him though, typical comment from an uninformed person. hearsay....all it is.

SpyderD

I don't think 80-82's are neccesarily the slowest. All the smog vette's between '75-'82 were equally slow in stock form, give or take 10HP or so. Actually a benifit of the late model C3's is that they are significantly lighter than the mid 70's models, by about 300 pounds.

Desertdawg

Not ticked off anymore, new day, new attitude. .......For now! :skep:

tersian

No. It is faster than 78-80, lighter than the 80 by quite a bit.

Pauld

:iagree:

vetteonr

The 80 and 81 are virtually the same car. The weight change came between the 79 and 80. The 80 is 350 lbs. lighter than the 79 :yesnod: I like my 80 because there's no computer to worry about. I wouldn't worry about emissions too much, the tri-county Motor City area car guys will :boxing this.