Author Topic: BIG BLOCK IN A C4  (Read 9301 times)

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Offline johnny86convert

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BIG BLOCK IN A C4
« on: April 05, 2003, 06:59:57 AM »
HELP.HELP.HELP.Mate  wants  to  put a  bog block  in a  C4  he  has,  saw an  article  in  VETTE  magazine, red  87  convertable  on  front  cover  maybe  5/6  years  ago,  any  help  in  finding  the  article  will  mean  the  birth  of  one  truly,  mean  gutter  slapper  YEEEE  HAAAA  please  email  pete  at  aviators@optusnet.com.au  ;);););0

Offline Brutus

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BIG BLOCK IN A C4
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2003, 03:47:20 PM »
He might want to check the relevent RTA rules regarding that first. Wouldn't want to get knocked back on such a project after all his work only to find he's unable to get it registered.
There hasn't been a BB in a Vette since 1974 tho you can't tell that to some people.:b2
BOB

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Offline Vette Obsessed

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BIG BLOCK IN A C4
« Reply #2 on: April 08, 2003, 01:42:01 PM »
I would agree with Brutus and strongly recommend checking with the RTA and an automotive engineer before starting anything.

I have an article from Vette magazine from a few years back about a C4 big block conversion (454 into an 87) and can get a photcopy to you if it helps - scanning isn't really possible for me right now though.
"Life's tough.  It's tougher when you're stupid"

Offline rebel

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BIG BLOCK IN A C4
« Reply #3 on: April 08, 2003, 03:30:11 PM »
JH, agree with both Brutus and VO re engineering check.

Also, try doing a search across Vette Mag's site and see if it brings up any articles of relevance ...

http://www.vetteweb.com

Offline johnny86convert

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BIG BLOCK IN A C4
« Reply #4 on: April 08, 2003, 04:10:53 PM »
VO.........my  mate  would  be  very  appreciative,  thats  the  article  he  was  talking  about,  my  fax  at  work  is  0244643291  if  that  will  help......moochas  gracias.....by  the  way  if  my  black  beauty  isn't  ready  for  the  convention,looks  like  where  bringing  the  86  left  hook  convertable,  my  mate  steve  wants  to  get a  broom  handle  and another  steering  wheel  and  put  it  on  the  rightside  of  the  car  so  he  isn;nt  left  out  LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL  should  be a  hoot.  went  to  fletchers  60th  on  sat  what a  hoot, seeya  in  canberra....wanta  drag??????

Offline johnny86convert

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BIG BLOCK IN A C4
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2003, 08:29:03 PM »
big  thanks  to  VO  for  faxing  the  article  today,  would  love  to  photo  copy  the  article  in  canberra  at  ridges,  seems  like where  on  the  right  track  with a  very  reputable  engineer  saying  he  can  go  up  to  492  according  to  the  weight  of  the  87  convertable  its  being  dropped  into..........four  sleeps  to  go....also  mine  won;t  be  ready  so  where  bringing  the  86  convertible  left  hook,  should  be  fun,  seeya  there  guys.....sorry  to  hear  about  geoff  ashton

Offline johnny86convert

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BIG BLOCK IN A C4
« Reply #6 on: April 14, 2003, 08:30:27 PM »
big  apologies  its  ross  ashton,sorry  guys

Offline Brutus

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BIG BLOCK IN A C4
« Reply #7 on: July 20, 2003, 07:43:18 PM »
Here's a bit more info I found on the BB - C4 swap that I thought might be of help.

"if you put a bbc with aluminum heads, intake and water pump in , in place of the standard iron small block you only gain about 50-70 lbs, not enough differance to cause any problems at all, , I have worked on several of these swaps now and Im in the process of getting ready to do another one,heres whats needed
steering rack mounts cut and rewelded 3/4"-1" farther forward (that of course means the power steering pump lines/steering shaft, need to be extended 3/4" also)
small notch (starting at rear and going 3" forward from rear edge X 3/4"deep X 5" wide works well in rear top surface of (K) frame cross member to clear damper and pulley)(if you use an internally ballanced big block with the 6.75" dia. damper you can most likely skip the notch but with the 8" dia damper its necessary, and some oil pans will also require the back 1 1/2 of the (K) frame to be notched at an angle slopeing to the rear to clear them so youll probablly need the notch of some kind anyway)(and yes before you ask you could shim/modify the motor mounts up to get the clearance, but that would slightly raise the weight center and slightly effect the handleing, and that also makes the windshield motor and distributor clearance a bigger problem, a 1985 blazer wiper motor can be modified for greater clearance on the valve cover and swapped in to gain valve cover clearance)

air conditioner shrouding fiber glass on pass side foot well around the air conditioning on the firewall needs to be modifyed for clearance, (the fiber glass cover from a LT5 makes this easy)(evaporator houseing cover)

1971 bbc vette exhaust manifolds (or custom headers) and all brakets/pulleys (mods needed here)
(see the post on building your own headers)
oil pan needs to be only 7.5" deep max

3" hood scoop unless you run a low rise intake and carb or a low height efi system

for a step by step instructions with pictures get a copy of the august 1998 vette magizine article( starts on page 34)it helped quite a bit the first time

otherwise its almost a drop in deal, but keep in mind that youll need a bigger radiator, the trans will not last to long with that amount of torque and it may not pass emission testing and a small size starter is needed, and your windshield wiper motor needs to be replaced with a much smaller one,(I don,t remember where we got them but alittle measureing and a trip to the salvage yard took care of that problem, and no tall valve covers don,t work well!

btw install the short block then add the heads with it in the car its FAR EASIER THAT WAY than trying to install the long block

BTW the earlier cars like the 1984-86 (Im not sure what years exactly)dont have the heavier forward frame braceing above the stearing rack that makes this swap more difficult to do! I have worked on this swap on the 84, 85, and 86 cars so I know they work fine, the later cars like the 1992 with the heivier forward frame braces above the stearing rack look like they will be more dificult but still do-able with some extra work, btw theres a guy at ARIZONA SPEED AND MARINE that has one you might want to talk to .just a few points
an all aluminum bbc WEIGHS LESS THAN AN IRON SMALL BLOCK so the HANDLING IMPROVES
an aluminum head, intake and water pump bring a bbc engines weight to within 70 lbs of the stock iron small block, so handling is almost unchanged

any un-supercharged small block not useing nitrous or some other power adder that makes over 550 hp is highly likely to be at least somewhat unstreetable as a daily driver and your not likely to build a small block that makes "764 HP & 695 lb/ft at the flywheel" likely costs as much or more than a big block makeing similar power, look, good engine choice"
_______
BOB

THE C3 SHARK TANK - The best, first, and oldest site for owners of 1968 to 1982 Corvettes


Offline Brutus

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BIG BLOCK IN A C4
« Reply #8 on: July 20, 2003, 07:45:21 PM »
BOB

THE C3 SHARK TANK - The best, first, and oldest site for owners of 1968 to 1982 Corvettes


Offline johnny86convert

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BIG BLOCK IN A C4
« Reply #9 on: July 20, 2003, 10:21:21 PM »
Big  thanks  bob,my  mate  has  moved  on  quite a  bit  since  our  first  discussions  and  is  assembling  a  nice  bunch  of  ZR1  callipers  and  rims,block,heads  car  ETC  and  he's  thinking  of  putting a  small  turbo  on  as  well  YEEEEE  HAAAAA,  hopes  its  ready  for  the  big  banks  at  lang  lang  next  easter  ;););););)

Offline Brutus

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BIG BLOCK IN A C4
« Reply #10 on: July 22, 2003, 07:42:54 PM »
I can only begin to imagine what I could get up to if the the front end of my C3 was accessible as a C4's.:b2
BOB

THE C3 SHARK TANK - The best, first, and oldest site for owners of 1968 to 1982 Corvettes


Offline johnny86convert

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BIG BLOCK IN A C4
« Reply #11 on: July 22, 2003, 07:47:42 PM »
Bob  if  you  had  that  much  power  then  you'd  have  to  have  that  famous  sticker  my  mum  has  on  her  rear  window"GET  OUTTA  MY WAY  i'M  ON  MY  WAY  TO  BINGO"  LOLOLOLOLOLOLO  '););););)

Offline Brutus

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BIG BLOCK IN A C4
« Reply #12 on: July 22, 2003, 08:11:18 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by johnnyholmes.86 convert
Bob  if  you  had  that  much  power  then  you'd  have  to  have  that  famous  sticker  my  mum  has  on  her  rear  window"GET  OUTTA  MY WAY  i'M  ON  MY  WAY  TO  BINGO"  LOLOLOLOLOLOLO  '););););)

Yeah that's right....pick on the old guy.;39
BOB

THE C3 SHARK TANK - The best, first, and oldest site for owners of 1968 to 1982 Corvettes


Offline rebel

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BIG BLOCK IN A C4
« Reply #13 on: July 22, 2003, 11:21:03 PM »
I prefer this; in response to the sticker that reads "No Fear" .....

... "Some Fear! If there's no fear, you're not going fast enough!"

;laugh

Also, nice rocker covers.

Offline 77CVT

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BIG BLOCK IN A C4
« Reply #14 on: July 23, 2003, 09:03:36 AM »
Bob, I thought by now you'd have copied the tilt front of your mate's C3 in the States by now.

Offline Brutus

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BIG BLOCK IN A C4
« Reply #15 on: July 23, 2003, 09:38:36 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by 77CVT
Bob, I thought by now you'd have copied the tilt front of your mate's C3 in the States by now.

Don't think for one minute I haven't considered it Chris, but having seen his up close, I'd need a year just to detail the underside of the flip front. It wasn't pretty and detailing certainly wasn't one of his strong points.:b2
BOB

THE C3 SHARK TANK - The best, first, and oldest site for owners of 1968 to 1982 Corvettes