But, since it was built in 1976, it also has the original 185 horses of that era, although by now, it seems that at least half of them are suffering from emphysema.
Yes, my Vette is an L-48 dog!
Plus, as many other C3s out there, leaks seem to be ever-present. And try as I may, tough to eradicate. And lets not even open the burnt-oil stinky smell can of worms.
It is time to do something about all that!
Removing an engine is not rocket science, but a basic familiarity with the process is helpful and having the right tools is mandatory. After 56 years on this planet, I must admit that I've gotten a tad lazy and very protective of my well-being, so crawling under a 3000+ lb. car is not my idea of fun anymore.
And while the KwikLift is always lurking in the back of my mind as a great addition to the garage, it shall remain in the bucket list for a while longer.
Oh, and after selling my small, yet loyal, 20-gallon air compressor eons ago—and never replacing it with a larger unit as planned—I would be working only with hand tools, and power tools are the way to go for these kinds of tasks.
I stopped by Sunrise Automotive here in Orange City, Florida a couple of days ago to chat with the owner and pick his brain to see how much they would charge me to do an engine swap. Since Mark is a true Corvette enthusiast, he gave me the "friends and family" price, and I am looking at about $1,200 for that portion of the job.
But when I mentioned the "crate motor" idea I was considering, he told me that it would be crazy not to have the original, numbers-matching motor rebuilt.
My argument against having the original engine rebuilt was due to costs involved and still end up with a fresh 185-horse motor. Bt Mark said that he would call a speed shop he worked with and get me a quote to have the original 350 engine rebuilt and balanced, new pistons and cylinder heads ported, plus a higher-lift cam good to about 300 to 320 horses on premium pump gas, while having good street manners.
Mark called me today and the speed shop can have my engine done in about 3 weeks for $2,350.
So I can have the original, numbers-matching Corvette motor bumped up to about 300 hp (up from 185), painted the correct shade of Chevy Orange with ceramic-enamel (no extra charge), installed and tuned up properly, for roughly $3,600.
Not a bad deal at all.
I checked prices online from several crate engine vendors, and you can get a 290 hp Chevy 350 long-block for around $2,100 if you shop around. And if horsepower is not important, you can get a GM Goodwrench 195 hp 350 long-block (with 4-bolt mains) for $1,500
I am already thinking along the lines of keeping the original, numbers-matching motor with the car, even though I am not a purist. Besides, I feel that a few extra hundred dollars don't justify stuffing a crate engine under the hood.
I guess I am a purist of sorts after all.
Stay tuned, and thank you for following my '76 Vette Blog!
Product Links... (#sponsored)
• How to Restore Your C3 Corvette: 1968-1982
• 1968-1982 Corvette Restoration Guide, 2nd Edition
• Corvette Black Book | 1953-2019
• 1976 Corvette Service & Overhaul Manual
• 1976 Corvette Service & Overhaul Manual CD-ROM
• 1976 Corvette Dealer Sales Brochure | GM-Licensed Reprint
• 1976 Corvette Stingray Owner's Manual | GM-Licensed Reprint
• 1976 Corvette Assembly Manual
