C4 Vette - Gen 4 5.3
11-13-2018, 06:55 PM
#1
C4 Vette - Gen 4 5.3 It has been a while since i've been active on the forum, but I have a new project to share. I picked up a 1984 C4 Corvette. Snagged it for $1500. According to the CL add it 'needs a little engine work'. Guy said it had a custom cam and some other engine work. Well I rescued it from hickhaven and got it home. It quite a beaut.... Its painted black and has brown interior, most of which is molded, soaked, or just plain shot. There is some bubbling paint, bad patches were the spoiler used to be, and some 'custom' callaway style hood inlets. Also some vents that take up the bottom half of the doors that I cannot figure out where they came from. They are hideous.
Turns out they took the headers & whatever rockers were on it off. The motor was a 4 bolt 350 with a casting # from 1969-1979.The heads were commonly found on trucks in the 70's, but they had dual valve springs. The block had ported oil passages, and is a 4 bolt main, and is stamped 'aqua-marine' on the front passenger side. Still had some version of cross-fire injection on it. I think it was from and older car. Doesn't matter, its all pushed into the corner to be sold off slowly...
No RPO codes to be found on this gem. But does turn out to have the Z51 suspension, as evidenced by the springs codes front & rear. Also a bunch of gold paint on the bottom of the rockers, the **** brown interior makes more sense...
For now, the plans are slap in a '11 5.3 I have in sitting in the shop. Use the 799 heads with a mild cam. Run the 700R4 for now. Gut the interior and Sell as much of the atari dash as I can. Run a c6 guage cluster, stripped interior, race seats, and see how she does at the local road course. (Oh and some brake, wheel, and tire upgrades) Future potential is turbos & 6 speed stick... Goal is to road track it, and take it to work every once in a while... Just thought I'd share and learn as I go.
Turns out they took the headers & whatever rockers were on it off. The motor was a 4 bolt 350 with a casting # from 1969-1979.The heads were commonly found on trucks in the 70's, but they had dual valve springs. The block had ported oil passages, and is a 4 bolt main, and is stamped 'aqua-marine' on the front passenger side. Still had some version of cross-fire injection on it. I think it was from and older car. Doesn't matter, its all pushed into the corner to be sold off slowly...
No RPO codes to be found on this gem. But does turn out to have the Z51 suspension, as evidenced by the springs codes front & rear. Also a bunch of gold paint on the bottom of the rockers, the **** brown interior makes more sense...
For now, the plans are slap in a '11 5.3 I have in sitting in the shop. Use the 799 heads with a mild cam. Run the 700R4 for now. Gut the interior and Sell as much of the atari dash as I can. Run a c6 guage cluster, stripped interior, race seats, and see how she does at the local road course. (Oh and some brake, wheel, and tire upgrades) Future potential is turbos & 6 speed stick... Goal is to road track it, and take it to work every once in a while... Just thought I'd share and learn as I go.
11-13-2018, 07:19 PM
#3
TECH Senior Member
I always liked the C4 looks. And it looks like you are going to do the righteous thing to it! Make it a proper performance car. And even a 5.3 can do that if done right!
As Andrew said, I'll be watching this one...
As Andrew said, I'll be watching this one...
11-14-2018, 05:30 PM
#5
Thanks guys!
For the TV cable, I have some thoughts. First thing I'd like to do is convert to cable driven throttle body... I have a few gen 3 harnesses and a gen 4 one. So not sure which way I'd go with that.
If I have to stay dbw, I was considering using the existing pedal & cable assembly to operate the dbw pedal and TV cable.
Third option, full manual valve body, or constant pressure valve body, or....
For the TV cable, I have some thoughts. First thing I'd like to do is convert to cable driven throttle body... I have a few gen 3 harnesses and a gen 4 one. So not sure which way I'd go with that.
If I have to stay dbw, I was considering using the existing pedal & cable assembly to operate the dbw pedal and TV cable.
Third option, full manual valve body, or constant pressure valve body, or....
11-14-2018, 06:31 PM
#7
TECH Senior Member
He would have to go to a Gen III ECU, or aftermarket like Holley.
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11-14-2018, 08:28 PM
#9
TECH Senior Member
True with the 58 tooth reluctor, but there IS the Lingenfelter box IF one wanted to mess with it...
11-15-2018, 09:29 AM
#10
I ran across a Porsche 928 that did the second option. Fabbed a cable pedal on the DBW pedal that operated the TV cable.
You'll have to make sure the travel and geometry match the original.
You'll have to make sure the travel and geometry match the original.
Thanks guys!
For the TV cable, I have some thoughts. First thing I'd like to do is convert to cable driven throttle body... I have a few gen 3 harnesses and a gen 4 one. So not sure which way I'd go with that.
If I have to stay dbw, I was considering using the existing pedal & cable assembly to operate the dbw pedal and TV cable.
Third option, full manual valve body, or constant pressure valve body, or....
For the TV cable, I have some thoughts. First thing I'd like to do is convert to cable driven throttle body... I have a few gen 3 harnesses and a gen 4 one. So not sure which way I'd go with that.
If I have to stay dbw, I was considering using the existing pedal & cable assembly to operate the dbw pedal and TV cable.
Third option, full manual valve body, or constant pressure valve body, or....
11-16-2018, 07:50 AM
#11
Lots of options. I also have a 24 tooth crank from a 6.0 and a couple from 4.8s, but i don't really want to crack open the bottom end to swap the crank or reluctor wheel. I could just yank the 6.0 out of my 92 k1500 and put it in the vette and put the 5.3 in the truck. Its a 5 speed so no TV cable needed.
I think the way I will plan on proceeding is with the current peddle/cable assembly driving the dbw pedal and tv cable.
I got the motor mount adapters cut/milled and drilled, so should have my mock-up block mounted in soon.
I think the way I will plan on proceeding is with the current peddle/cable assembly driving the dbw pedal and tv cable.
I got the motor mount adapters cut/milled and drilled, so should have my mock-up block mounted in soon.
03-30-2019, 09:35 AM
#12
Well it's been a bit since I've updated. I had planned on going with a Holley efi setup. Purchased a pair of turbos... Then I brought this home today...
Bought it from a salvage yard in Detroit as a 'core motor'. l86 from a 16 escalade. Looked it over and bore scoped it on site and didn't see any issues, it wasn't locked up, no holes in the block..... Got it home and after work noticed it didn't roll over completely.. decided to pull the heads. Found the number one pushrod bent pretty severely and the number one cylinder exhaust lifter broken... Once apart, no bore damage or apparent head damage. Whew.... So plans are cnc the heads, pick a cam, inspect/repair the bottom end as needed, buy tr6060 from local salvage yard, determine path forward for ecm, move thread to gen v area I suppose.
Last edited by danbo313; 03-30-2019 at 07:12 PM.
04-02-2019, 07:32 AM
#16
Thanks guys! I'm looking forward to driving it. I sold my Camaro a few years ago and have been missing some 6 speed ls/lt goodness.
It'll be a little while before I make progress on the car, currently making progress on the funds. Been on 6-12s for a while, which has been more like 7-13s... OT checks are good tho.
I might try and get the heads out for porting soon tho.
It'll be a little while before I make progress on the car, currently making progress on the funds. Been on 6-12s for a while, which has been more like 7-13s... OT checks are good tho.
I might try and get the heads out for porting soon tho.