8.1 Chevy Vortec Swap....

[69MyWay]

Lots more to come...

The engine came in on Friday - I got it out of the crate and on teh stand. The seller did a first rate job of crating it up - very happy with that.

The car isn't here yet - so it will be a bit before I know exactly where to cut/trim...etc.

Some things I see right away.

#1 - pan is way too deep - it falls 3" below the teeth on the flywheel. It is aluminum and shouldn't be a problem having it shortened - I was told they are not compatible with standard big block pans

#2 - It has a cool cam sensor in the front cover, and the crank sensor is on the back of the block on the bellhousing behind the driver head shooting down to the back of the crank.

#3 - The cross over tube on the heads take the place of the old heads and intake mounted thermostat housing

The knock sensors mount low on the block just like the early efi small blocks.

The engine looks really cool in person - and HUGE.

Won't have a whole lot new for at lease a couple of more weeks

I need to get some pics posted of it on the stand from different angles.

[69MyWay]

By the way - I searched the Chevelle forums and found a backtrack to the NastyZ28 forums...

There appears to be some interest in these things - but most guys bail when it comes to needing to get the DBW working...which is no big deal at all.

This post here was very encouraging:

We have one in Brothers truck. 2500 HD, he dropped a bolt in the intake is shattered a piston. I pulled it and disasembeled it. Took it to Ashwoth Proformance in Fuquay NC he bored it to 524 CI to clean it up, Port and polished the heads balance and bluprinted the block ECT..... Had to stay with OEM cam no aftermarket to be found, steel crank so we left it in had it micropolished ECT... 2700 reinstaled it changed the airfilter config to get more air. then took it to a dyno tunning 400.00 later and 4 hours there 590 HP and 545 Foot lbs toqure at the back wheels . Not bad for a stock cam and stock exaust still on it. The block has good potental.

[70rs]

I think 590hp and 545 ft lbs might get your Camaro rolling down the road. You should be able to at least hit the speed limit on the freeway.

Did Raylar have anything for you? I was hoping they would get you all taken care of. It looked like one stop shopping for the 8.1 when I looked at the web site. Get them pics posted!!!!!
That's good you found more info on Nastyz28. I can't imagine having that much weight under the hood. Are you going to use aluminum heads? Do you know exactly how much it does weigh? I thought it might show on the shipping info, I am just curious.

[69MyWay]

Originally Posted by 70rs

I think 590hp and 545 ft lbs might get your Camaro rolling down the road. You should be able to at least hit the speed limit on the freeway.

Did Raylar have anything for you? I was hoping they would get you all taken care of. It looked like one stop shopping for the 8.1 when I looked at the web site. Get them pics posted!!!!!
That's good you found more info on Nastyz28. I can't imagine having that much weight under the hood. Are you going to use aluminum heads? Do you know exactly how much it does weigh? I thought it might show on the shipping info, I am just curious.

Actually, this will be in a 69 Corvette mated to a Richmond six. Yes...more than enough power to push it.

Raylar has been great to speak with about this project. My initial plan is to slip it in as is, get it all running - then hop up the power later. However, I need to open it up and look inside to make sure I didn't get burned on the purchase before I blindly trust it to running.

Weight???? Didn't anybody ever tell you it is rude to ask about somebody's weight?

The shipping lable (with about a 60 lb crate attached) came in at 805 lbs! The only thing I can say in defense to that is my last 69 Vette had a 454 in it and couldn't have been far off with the exception it had aluminum heads. That was also weighed with the massive exhaust manifolds still bolted in place.

While an LS motor is a feather compared to this...getting an LS to pump out nearly 500 ft lbs STOCK...is impossible, so that more than makes up for the weight....then there is the whole handling issue... At least the Corvette sits the motor way back in the frame to push more of this to center than a F body or other type of GM car. My old 69 with the big block handled as good as I could ever want it to for the driving and use that I pushed it through, so I suspect this will be no different. Then again, I'm the same guy that put a V8 in a Fiero...and was so tickled with the kick...that the weight was never an issue for my style.

[70rs]

Sorry about that. I knew from the original post it was for a vette. I just spaced it when I wrote my last post.

805!!! Man, that's fat! Good thing it's going in a plastic car huh?
Ok, I'm just giving you a hard time. I am a big vette fan in reality.
I didn't even bother to think about what my motor will weigh in at because of all the torque but now I'mcurious what an aluminum headed BBC does wiegh.
Taking it apart is a good idea. I hope it all checks out ok.

You're right about any stock LS turning out 500 lb ft. It will never happen (LS9 not included, but it's got a huffer on it)

Once you get it going and bump the power up the ol' vette is going to flat out haul the mail. That would be a blast with the Richmond on the twisty roads around here.
You had a V8 Fiero? That's too funny. I used to work for a guy who built them on the side. I got to drive a few and they were a hoot! He also did a Porsche 911 type (not sure exactly what model) with a sbc in it. It still used the factory transaxle with an adaptor but it had a real problem staying together because of the torque of the small block. A couple others were Fiero chassis and windshields with Ferrari and Lambo body kits. Boy, I sure miss the 90's.
Do you have any pics of the vette you can post?

[69MyWay]

I don't have the car yet - it is still in Cali. When it gets here I'll be posting them.

However, when all is said and done...it will be a kissing cousin of my old 69 Vette - just can't imagine them looking any other way.

[70rs]

Is that your old car? That is very nice! It looks like Jack Roushs' brother shaking your hand. Or at least some one who stole his hat.
You have got to get a build thread going when you get the car home. Lots of pics too. This will be a good one to watch come together.
When do you expect to have it? Is there anything being done to it where it is now?

[69MyWay]

Originally Posted by 70rs

Is that your old car? That is very nice! It looks like Jack Roushs' brother shaking your hand. Or at least some one who stole his hat.
You have got to get a build thread going when you get the car home. Lots of pics too. This will be a good one to watch come together.
When do you expect to have it? Is there anything being done to it where it is now?

That is Mike Yager - big Vette guy. That hat is like his trademark. That is my old 69 - had a blast buidling and playing with it - then sold it prior to relocating from FL to Illinois...and have missed it everyday - then this other opporutnity came up.

Right now the car is at Jody's in Cali waiting in his garage for the shipper to pick it up. I am in the process of finishing my detached garage and should have it all done and ready by the time the car gets here. Last part is to get some concrete in and a lift.

I'll keep the updates coming!

[69MyWay]

here is the beast on the engine stand.

[Wayne S]

That should be a fun tire roaster. I have an '04 Suburban 2500 with the 8100 in it and 4.10's and a Hypertch programmer set to 87 octane (plus I upsized the tires to 265/75-16's). It weighs a little over 7,000 lbs., and for a big old thing, it sure can get out of it's own way. I've never run it at the track, but it feels like it might crack into the 15 second zone. And you're vette would be at least 3500 lbs less, so even in stock trim, it should at least be in the mid-low 13's. Another note, my Suburban doesn't need to rev past 4800 rpms either, so you won't need much gear. Plus, it can lug pretty low too. I can get about 13.5-14 mpg out on the highway, but my rpms are killing me, 2500 rpms at 65mph (plus it's a heavy brick). You shouldn't have any problem getting over 20mpg in the Vette with a 6 spd.

Good luck.