Rat / C4

chevy · 03-25-03, 10:10 PM

I am a Big Block lover and I also love my 1990 Roadster and I want to have my cake and eat it too. Can anyone tell me if it is possable to fit a BB into my C4. I want to do a factory type job of it. Thanks

*89x2* · 03-25-03, 10:16 PM

yes it is possible - I have seen 2 main ways of doing it - one, drop it in, hack a hole in the hood and run your carb air cleaner out

Other was a 555ci all alumn. motor all under a 2" cowl hood w/ a 2" drop x member

Baker or Morrison made the member and it all fit nicely.
Accy's were retained w/ bigblock bracketry and fabbed ends.

If you are serious, look up member rkreigh here and contact him - he would have more on this topic...

Ken · 03-25-03, 10:29 PM

It's been done many times; there were several articles in the top Corvette magazines when the C4 was relatively new, but I can't remember which magazines they were right now.

The bad thing about doing that swap is you are going to upset the balance of the C4, the same as it affects any generation. You're best bet is to go big with a small block; I went for and built a 417ci small block for mine.

Good luck, I like big blocks, don't get me wrong.

*89x2* · 03-26-03, 07:01 PM

Ken - You must mean the Yellow Vette w/ the big block (By D&M or something like that - not to be confused w/ B&M who had a Supervette)

The 555 alumn big block maintains weight balance

only sacrafice is your MPG goes WAyyyyyyyyy Down

Last Ride · 03-26-03, 07:37 PM

I have seen that yellow big block. It was several years ago (4 or maybe a little more), but I saw it at D&M Corvette in Downer's Grove, IL. I think they did do the work, too. It was really well done. I think it was an 84 or 86 with complete updates to the body panels and interior. It also had a 6-speed, I think. They wanted $28,000 or something like that. I wonder where it is now....

chevy · 03-27-03, 09:14 PM

Thanks guys, I hope to make this dream of a BBC in my C4 come true someday. I figured I would use alum. heads and might even have to make a custom intake.

chevy

rkreigh · 04-15-03, 07:08 AM

actually the guy to talk about this is winston.

he has a nice sonny L alum engine in his c4.

ton of work and cash to do it right, and forget about being
anywhere near emissions legal (fail the visual right off the bat) but the car flat hauls.

special headers and quite a bit of fabrication is needed but it can be done.

winston's car is really special, haven't talked to him in a while.

he used to post here and on the corvette forum every now and then.

look up 555 c4 and you should be able to find him

04-15-03, 08:26 AM

In leiu of the big block...Summit has the Bill Mitchell 427 small block. Runs 650 hp at a cost of 10k. Or for 10.5k you can jump to 675hp.
I mean hey why tear up the whole car for something that was not meant to be. You want horses and power to get out of your way...then there you go...

Now if you have your mind set then how about the Merlin 565cc big block....850 hp on gas...today special for you 16.2k. That is 16,200.00 american dollars.
If you are going to do then do it all the way....course you will have to have major work done to the tranny and the rest of the driveline...but what the hay...it is only money....

Edmond · 04-15-03, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Eagle85C4
In leiu of the big block...Summit has the Bill Mitchell 427 small block. Runs 650 hp at a cost of 10k. Or for 10.5k you can jump to 675hp.

How much power is enough?

With all that power, something is bound to break, like the tranny or your neck from all that snapping.