Mike C

The Comp 294S solid lifter the cam you had? Or was it an Extreme Energy hydraulic? I do not like the EE grinds as I think they have significantly reduced reliability with the lobe profiles they are using. If you need a cam that aggressive, don't monkey around and just go roller. I really like the Comp 282S for a street car. Or if you want hydraulic, the Comp 280 Magnum. Either cam should idle about 800 rpm or so, but the solid lifter cam is probably worth 40 hp. Should pull well from 2500-6500. Doesn't require a lot of valve spring or high rpm. Very similar to the power of my 280AR solid roller, I've just got more lift. Smaller cams I recommend Crane Energizers, but the energizer 284 cam is a POS IMO. Where did you take your car to so I can avoid them in the future...

The T5 is going to break from shock load, not from contiuous load. (DON'T rev it up and dump the clutch, don't speed shift it, either.) The higher the numeric ratio, the easier the load on the trans, but the faster you will have to shift out of each gear and the higher your cruise RPM. The 3.70 LSD rear is perfect for a T5 IMO, but the 3.54 will work quite well also. 3.90 are another option, but not really neccessary.

Also, if the carb was cleaned and adjusted in the shop they may have left the idle mixture screws fully seated. That would explain why it won't run at low speeds but only on the primary circuit. Start by turning the mixture screws out 1 1/2 turns from fully seated.

I'd seen a couple of shots of it on the news last night. I really like it. I wish GM would get off their butt and make a similar first gen retro-styled camaro with the LS6 and 6 speed. But NOOOOO, all they make are stupid trucks. DOH!

My regulator is not adjustable for pressure, only for flow. 15 CFH should be sufficient indoor, but in windy conditions you may have to bump it up a LOT. I use 25 CFH working outdoors in the calm/slight breeze.

Here's a few of shots of mine. This was my first project after getttting my MIG, for "practice". I didn't recycle a flywheel, but it does have a pair of big block chevy high perf valve springs with aluminum retainers to adjust the damper and air intake!

Cool! Like everything else, I got one... I'll try to get a pic tomorrow!

Are the 4.2 drilled for a pilot bearing and what bellhousing pattern do they use? I was figuring same as the 2.8L 60 degree motors, but that's a guess.

The side ones are relatively easy. Just pop out the stubs, pull the seals, and install the new ones. The front is more difficult and requires removing the yoke. It is also more difficult to hammer it in because of the pinion. I would for sure replace the sides, but if the front does not appear to leak (and IME most do not) I would not change it.

I agree with John. The negative is more important than the positive almost. I also think it sounds like your starter is whooped. Look into getting another one. The Hitachi style mini-starters for Chevrolets are pretty much the late ZX starter with a different adapter. Try and get a gear reduction one from a parts store (it will be the more expensive one...) and I would guess your problems will be solved. If you can't stomach the $, go through yours and inspect the armature for damage and rebuild/replace bushings, brushes, and the Bendix.

Seems advisable, and I think most machinists due whether or not they are going to hone with a cylinder head torque plate as well. Hopefully your shop can do both. Otherwise, may just look into a dingle-berry hone and use your drill.

You also need to decide which waterpump you will use. There is the short pump up until 68 (70 in 'vettes and 72 in trucks) the long pump 69 and up,the Corvette short pump from 71-81, the 82 'vette pump, the 84-91 reverse rotation 'vette pump (that also has a different block to face measurement than the other short pumps.) Once you decide on the waterpump, then you can choose your pulleys. Then you can see which mounts are available for your combo. If you use the long pump, there are upper alternator brackets from 69-76 and 77 until serpentine. Either way, I like the one wire Powermaster 100 amp alternator from Summit for about $100. You can use any 10 si alternator (73-83 for the most part.) and adapt it to your car with a pigtail available at parts stores.

I think the truck motors will be awesome for swaps as they become more available. Good choice. Do search on LS1 conversions as the Vortec 5300/6000 uses the same block/mounts as the 5700 LS1 found in the 'vette and F bodies.

Cool. I've been looking for an excuse to post a pic of my bike, too. Getting ready to upgrade to a set of Performance Machine 320mm front brakes and billet master cylinders for clutch and brake.

I think the Corvette uses a different style PS pump and AC compressor but I am not positive. I have thought about it a long time. I have two complete LT1s but only one accessory drive. My Camaro will have PS and AC, which leaves the cop car motor for the Z and I think the alternator will be fine.

The cost is ridiculous, but in my Corvette I want it to look all stock. I am planning on running a Performer RPM and will grind off all of the manfs. marks, and sandblast it to return the sandcast look. Then I will machine the front to use the manifold oil fill tube. I want it to look absolutely bone stock and run in the 12's. As you note on the cost, I'll most likely port the 2 1/2" rams horns myself to save $.

The usual solution to your problem is to run the Corvette accessory drive. It relocates all of the accessories closer to the engine and up higher. Because of the cam driven waterpump, there are not many aftermarket pulley setups compared to the conventional waterpump. If you ever plan on AC or a PS conversion, you'll come out ahead in the long run to get the Corvette drive. Check out Street & Performance as they are the most likely to have an aftermarket setup. Another solution might be Mercruiser as the only accessory in most boats is an alternator. I have been thinking about this swap into my Z and have decided just to run the alternator and mount it down low on the drivers side. I'll run a single ribbed belt, but it will not be a true serpentine, but adjust the accessory to control tension on the belt.

100k miles was the lifespan of a motor in the 60's, but with advances in lubricants and fuel injection, motors should easily go 200k miles. Especially with a 100k mile timing chain replacement! My '96 SS motor has 30k miles on it. It has CNCheads.com heads on it and a crane cam, but in the Camaro it dropped a valve and the guy built a 396 with aftermarket heads. The head has been completely repaired and reassembled. Good deal for me! That page has the flow numbers for my heads, 267 at .500 lift and exhaust 83% of intake. Excellent. It is going into my convertible, but the 60k mile cop car motor I have will someday find a home in the Z.

I ditched my headers on the Jimmy in favor of the 'vette 2 1/2" rams horns. They seem to make more low speed torque than the headers with no real reduction in high rpm output, I do have a tiny cam, however. I cut my generator mounts off and ran two drivers side manifolds since they were the cheapest. Mine were $78 each from Ecklers Corvette parts. 5 years ago or so there was a 79 'vette in Hot Rod that ran in the low 9's with a Q-jet and ported rams horns. I am really pleased with the manifolds. They significantly lowered the noise level in the engine compartment. I'm going to port another set for my Corvette. Brezinski sells ported iron manifolds and you can have them extrude honed as well. Combined with either a pair of mandrel 45's or a 90 they are a valid option to headers, but may or may not be "bolt-in" to a JTR installation as already noted. The 'vette manifolds are only available straight dump and not angle dump like the recommended manifold. L-79 Novas might have had a 2 1/2" angled manifold, but if so, it is one of those stupid expensive, hard to find parts.

You guys who chimed in on this last page should go read the whole post on the progress up to this point. rather than have it start over!

The 240-280 uses the 10.8" rotor solid rotor, the 84-85 4 lug 300ZX is 11" vented. Don't know about other choices, but the 4 lug 300zx rotor turned down to 10.8" using the 280ZX calipers is what I have planned for my front ala Blueovalz. I already have them turned. I have Ross' brackets for the rear to use the 11 3/8 4 lug 300zx rear rotor and 240sx calipers for the back.

That's impressive! My buddies 305 powered '74 'vette convertible ran 13.97 in Baytown with just a cam, headers, and aftermarket intake (the OEM was warped)with TH700 stock converter and 3.08 gears. I think the TPI 305 and T5 are the PERFECT Z motor/trans, especially the 91-92 235hp motor. I think your cam choice is excellent. I would not run 1.6 rockers, personal preference, but I think it more than a little monkeys with geometry (that said I have them on my LT1...). I'm not sure if the L98 heads use self-aligining rockers or not, but it may depend on what year because I don't think the '86 heads did. If it has guide plates, use non-self aligning rockers. The aluminum heads have the pre-87 bolt pattern so if you have an 85-86 TPI 305 you can use your existing intake. If you have an 87 and up 305 you will need an intake. If you have the serpentine setup and have not done underdrive pulleys, that alone might get you in the 12's.

The source of hot start problems in GM vehicles is a combination of the starter design that requires more current as it gets hot and the resistance in the ignition switch circuit (that is the idea behind the Ford solenoid, it is switched by the ignition switch which in turn sends full batt voltage to the starter, the ford solenoid is just a relay, actually.)First thing to do is make sure you have PERFECT connections on the battery, the starter, the battery to the block, and the ground straps from body and frame to engine. Then put your voltmeter on the battery (actually can do this first) and make sure it is fully charged at 12.6 volts. Then turn the key to the start position with the wire disconnected from the starter and measure voltage. Should be 10+ volts. This should start your truck. If this doesnot work, you can bypass the ignition switch with a pushbutton. Make sure truck is out of gear (or in park) and the parking brake is set, then connect one side of a push button to the big terminal on the solenoid and the other to the S terminal. This will let you know if the ignition switch is at fault. Also check to make sure that the truck is in park if an auto because of the neutural safety switch.

Usually new model production starts in September of the previous year, but there are some overlap. We had an 84 Rabbit Convertible made in August of 84. It was badged a Rabbit and not a Cabriolet (84 was last year of Rabbit, all newer 'verts were Cabriolets) but if you bought parts for an 84 at the store, the never fit! Always had to buy 85 Cabriolet parts. Quite the pain in the rear. The 10/72 car should be a 73 model year so sounds like the registration is correct.

Check the V8 board, you have a couple of responses there.