• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.

    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

My '77 Corvette Project

Good. Th' 'vette for Cruisin' the Drive-thru. Ssnake fer REAL drivin'. :thumbsup:
 
DrEntropy said:
Good. Th' 'vette for Cruisin' the Drive-thru. Ssnake fer REAL drivin'. :thumbsup:
BINGO!! & they'll both probably come out of the body shop at about the same time!
 
Count me along with those impressed.
 
Spent the day hooking up all the computer-controlled wiring....& taking a step backwards...engine plenum is back off so I can remove & block off several sensors & connectors I don't need because I've removed all the emissions, pulled the EGR & some vacuum lines not needed, bolted up both exhaust manifolds & got 1 pipe installed & basically learned lots about fuel injection...

My wiring harness controlling the engine is about half the size it was when I sent it off to be updated....to go to a MAP sensor system (easiest way to control FI with least amount of 'stuff') I had to toss my '86 Corvette computer & use a Camaro computer....so, now, my engine thinks it's in a '92 Camaro....but the car thinks it still has it's original engine! I don't understand it all but it sure is pretty!

After T'giving, I've gotta make an EGR block-off plate & a preheat block-off plate....also I have to cut & weld 2 pipes in the plenum through which heater water ran (without them, car will run cooler, ergo faster!).

& Thursday I've an appointment to take it to hydraulic hose shop so auto trans hoses can be made....I'm using a GM 200-4R trans which is an '88 Monte Carlo SS trans with OD.....cooler pipes will go from trans thru cooler in radiator to separate cooler in front of condenser back to trans.

& they'll also make my pressurized fuel lines.

Hope to get to bodyshop in couple of weeks at most.

You know what's been the best thing about me taking on this project? I'm not getting bored doing the sdame thing over & over like I was with my MG's....never messed with big American iron before...this one is fun because I can't hurt it!
 
Tony said:
You know what's been the best thing about me taking on this project? I'm not getting bored doing the sdame thing over & over like I was with my MG's....never messed with big American iron before...this one is fun because I can't hurt it!

I understand the boredom bit. Trouble with me is: they're all about the same now and I don't like workin' on <span style="font-style: italic">any</span> of 'em! Doin' it as a daily job kinda takes th' thrill out of it. Since we shut down th' shop I've had a bit of a reprieve, tho. I'll do it in small doses... have a Jag E-Type inna shop now with fuel issues, a long time client from the old days. He insists he doesn't trust anyone else to do the work on his car and in good conscience I can't throw him to th' wolves, sooo... I wrench, he pays me.

And as far as hurtin' the 'vette, you're right! About anything you DO to it will improve it! :wink: :devilgrin:
 
LOL Doc, you are bad for sure.
 
Well, at least he used a :wink: and not a :crazy:.
 
I'm really impressed with the job you're doing. I've had several Vettes over the years including a '77 (with whatever the base 'cooking' engine was used that year) and I think they - Vettes in general - get a bad rap from the sporty car crowd. There are few if any cars for the money that are quicker over the road, as reliable, and as comfortable. My only gripe was with ground clearance...
 
Thanks, John....in '77 the L48 was base & the L82 was the upgrade.
 
Computer wiring for engine control is all sorted out & installed....am also working on fuel delivery system while waiting for new power steering pump and the dummy air pump pulley so I can then sort out the serpentine belt.

wiring03.JPG


wiring04.JPG


wiring05.JPG
 
Whadda monstah.

I've written a prediction on a piece o' paper... :devilgrin:
 
DrEntropy said:
I've written a prediction on a piece o' paper... :devilgrin:

The Amazing Karnac says.........
 
????....well, are you gonna let us in on it?

I figure I'm doubling the horsepower from the original engine - but, it didn't have much anyway.
 
tony barnhill said:
I figure I'm doubling the horsepower from the original engine - but, it didn't have much anyway.

2 times zero is still zero? :smile: LoL
 
How come I see dust on the frame, what kind of a shop are you running? LOL
 
I know, Jack...painted everything real nice & now there's dust settling on it....gotta clean it up once everything's on it & it is ready to put on the trailer.
 
Feels weird..I'm waiting on my distributor to return from Jeff so I can do my spark plugs & wires...& am waiting on serpentine belt to arrive....other than that, I'm ready to start on body!

Manager of hydraulic hose company was here today to see what's needed...he's going to come back with everything he needs to build my hoses here in my garage! And when I have the body on it, he'll come out to the body shop to do the AC lines.

8 months from purchase to completely rebuilt rolling chassis/engine/transmission ready to accept body again! Guess I'll go over to the body shop & start stripping the firewall, etc. Feels weird not to have a whole list of things to do to it.

engine10.jpg


engine11.jpg
 
Got my distributor back today - the one Jeff rebuilt for me....haven't popped the top yet but I know I'm gonna find it rebuilt with MSD guts! I'll install it tomorrow.
 
Spent today gutting the interior of the car...nowe that it's just an empty shell, we're going to undercoat the insides as well as the outside & I'll start laying some thermal barrier over the undercoating.
 
Back
Top