Crossfire Mike
Active Member
So I recently picked up this car for cheap. Had been sitting for many years in doors so not too bad. I brought it home and started with the basics of getting it going again. Replaced all fluids from radiator to rear end did everything to get it running. Once moving on it's own then the parts that needed replacing showed them selves. Alt, Master/slave cylinders, brakes, water pump, fuel pump, dash etc. Got it to a solid stage zero which is basically a sorted up to date maintenance good running non-modded car. Drove it like this for a month or so and realized that I was pretty sure my Lexus LS430 was probably a faster.... so I started modding with the budget I have for it.
What I've done so far is cut and sealed the radiator to make a ram air effect. I also ported a stock manifold pretty extensively I read about these manifolds being "wet" and thought some dimples may help keep the fuel suspended. I don't think it's hurt any but may have been a waste of time, removed the swirls from the lids and doubled gasket'ed the throttle body to raise them slightly and installed new injectors. with the TPI fuel pump I raised fuel pressure to 18psi. (I need it) I also port matched the heads to the new manifold port size while heads were still on the car it was sketchy but I pulled it off. I installed the Crane cam 114132 with some 1.6RR's I also had to replace the valve springs as I was getting valve float bad above 4K rpm after the new springs it spins up to my ignition box's rev limiter(5800) but there not much going on past 5500 anyways.
I installed a summit ignition box I even side gapped my plugs as an experiment and I think it actually helped and of course the obligatory K&N filter. I put some Magna flow mufflers on and did something else to the exhaust I can't talk about in California.
The rear suspension bushing were all shot so I replaced them with an energy suspension kit and scored a deal on some 92 wheels and spacers. I currently run a pretty advanced initial timing setting and may go more as it shows no sign of detonation even on the cheap gas. So far I've been having a lot of fun with this car and after many many years of wanting a Corvette I'm happy to have rescued this one. It now actually runs very good and feels so much different than when it was all stock. I do realize though that I'm pretty close to the limit or at the limit of the cylinder heads and any more money spent under the hood would not get the big results I've already had. Plus this engine is archaic in it's technology. So I'm not giving up I'm just moving to the rest of the suspension and looking into a ZF 6spd conversion( the 4+3 is actually not too bad I think and possibly some rear gears and weight reduction if I can find it..
What I've done so far is cut and sealed the radiator to make a ram air effect. I also ported a stock manifold pretty extensively I read about these manifolds being "wet" and thought some dimples may help keep the fuel suspended. I don't think it's hurt any but may have been a waste of time, removed the swirls from the lids and doubled gasket'ed the throttle body to raise them slightly and installed new injectors. with the TPI fuel pump I raised fuel pressure to 18psi. (I need it) I also port matched the heads to the new manifold port size while heads were still on the car it was sketchy but I pulled it off. I installed the Crane cam 114132 with some 1.6RR's I also had to replace the valve springs as I was getting valve float bad above 4K rpm after the new springs it spins up to my ignition box's rev limiter(5800) but there not much going on past 5500 anyways.
I installed a summit ignition box I even side gapped my plugs as an experiment and I think it actually helped and of course the obligatory K&N filter. I put some Magna flow mufflers on and did something else to the exhaust I can't talk about in California. The rear suspension bushing were all shot so I replaced them with an energy suspension kit and scored a deal on some 92 wheels and spacers. I currently run a pretty advanced initial timing setting and may go more as it shows no sign of detonation even on the cheap gas. So far I've been having a lot of fun with this car and after many many years of wanting a Corvette I'm happy to have rescued this one. It now actually runs very good and feels so much different than when it was all stock. I do realize though that I'm pretty close to the limit or at the limit of the cylinder heads and any more money spent under the hood would not get the big results I've already had. Plus this engine is archaic in it's technology. So I'm not giving up I'm just moving to the rest of the suspension and looking into a ZF 6spd conversion( the 4+3 is actually not too bad I think and possibly some rear gears and weight reduction if I can find it..
. I was looking at the summit brand iron heads and even their aluminum ones. I decided against at this time because better heads would kick me directly down the slippery slope of supporting mods. Renegade intake, shorty headers, x pipe, and possibly having to bore the throttle body's and larger injectors or at least a solution to fuel the air and what ever else would be needed to make the combination the most efficient. All adding up to a pretty good sum of $$$$$
