Corvette Performance - clutch install while doing heads and cam

Im in the middle of picking out new heads and a cam well already ordered but i need a new clutch too. im thinking of going with an ls7 clutch. I know theres plenty of write ups on how to do a clutch swap on a corvette, but all of them seem to say you have to drop the whole rear end. my question is while im doing the head and cam swap ill already have half the motor out, is there any reason why i couldnt just pull the block and the clutch and flywheel should be right there right? asking the guys who have done it how are is it would i save anytime going my way, or would it just be easier to go the normal way everybody says.

thanks for any input.

Im in the middle of picking out new heads and a cam well already ordered but i need a new clutch too. im thinking of going with an ls7 clutch. I know theres plenty of write ups on how to do a clutch swap on a corvette, but all of them seem to say you have to drop the whole rear end. my question is while im doing the head and cam swap ill already have half the motor out, is there any reason why i couldnt just pull the block and the clutch and flywheel should be right there right? asking the guys who have done it how are is it would i save anytime going my way, or would it just be easier to go the normal way everybody says.

thanks for any input.

Most people just do it the normal way staring in the back etc. I dont know that having the heads off makes a difference or not when taking out the engine. The normal procedure to remove the engine includes removing the rear end and other things just like doing a clutch. BUT the shop that works on my car pulls the engine only leaving the other drive train in. I dont know the trick to but it can be done.

Why are you planning to pull the engine for a heads/cam swap? I've done a bunch of heads/cam swaps on C5s with just leaving the engine in the car. Just finished one up last weekend on an automatic car. If you do pull the engine, then by all means swap the clutch while you have the block out. It will be simple then.

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w258/cacinal/car%20parts/C5headswap1.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w258/cacinal/car%20parts/C5headswap2.jpg

Well only reason I would pull the block is I heard you have tO drop the whole rear end in order to change the clutch. I don't have a lift to really do that so I figured it would be easier to pull out the rest of the engine while the engine would be already mostly taken apart anyway. I just figured it would be easier to go that way. To me it just seems like having a mostly broken down motor would be easy to just pull the block off.

I can see your point, but I still think it is quicker to leave the engine block in the car. I've done 7 or 8 C5 clutch changes and 1 stall converter on jack stands at my house. It's a good full day job. I use an ATV style lift from Harbor Freight to go under the rear cradle plus a hydraulic jack under the torque tube to roll the drivetrain out from under the car. Swapping the clutch & flywheel while laying on your back is a good shoulder workout.

If you're doing a heads/cam swap and you already have everything tore down, I could see you just unbolting the torque tube/motor mounts, and coming out with the engine from the top to put the new clutch/flywheel on. It would probably be about the same amount of work so either way works. Honestly, I would probably pull the motor too if I had the extra time. Then you could clean it up real good and replace any gaskets it needs and reassemble the new heads with ease. Definately not the way you'd want to pay someone to do a heads/cam/clutch swap, but if you're doing it yourself then have at it.