327 Corvette Engine swap

[jerdog1]

So i have been contemplating buying a 327 corvette engine from my freind and putting it into a classic Z! What year is it that i can do it in? You know no smog, referee,Etc. Aghh the beginning of yet another project! Oh the torque! Im getting excited just pondering the thought!!

[sek8031]

Dunno about CA (guessing it's a lot more strict) but here in TX only vehicles 2-24 years old have to pass emissions tests, and even then it's only required in a handful of counties.

[jerdog1]

Dunno about CA (guessing it's a lot more strict) but here in TX only vehicles 2-24 years old have to pass emissions tests, and even then it's only required in a handful of counties.

Yeah i heard that it was 25 years or older here in CA but i just want a for sure answer because i can get a 74 for $500!

[jerdog1]

So i have been contemplating buying a 327 corvette engine from my freind and putting it into a classic Z! What year is it that i can do it in? You know no smog, referee,Etc. Aghh the beginning of yet another project! Oh the torque! Im getting excited just pondering the thought!!

Anyone? Come on guys this is the classic Z forumn? Right? If anyone knows it is you guys! Help me out!

[sek8031]

I found the TX laws just by googling "texas emissions test", you could probably do the same for CA.

[jerdog1]

I found the TX laws just by googling "texas emissions test", you could probably do the same for CA.

Thanks!

[evildky]

you can put a SBC into any car, just a matter of how much fab work is involved, the s30 and s130 chassis lend themselves quite well, the z31's are a bit trickier

and fwiw the 327 isn't a very impressive motor, the 383 would be a much better selection

[Perrenial Badass]

and fwiw the 327 isn't a very impressive motor, the 383 would be a much better selection

Yea, if you are gonna do the swap I'd get a 350 and get a 383 stroker kit for it. Better than a "real" 383 by leaps and bounds, and definitely better than a 327.

What condition is that 74 in? If it's in decent condition than I'd say buy that car. However, if memory serves me, Cali code says that when a newer engine is put into an older car, that car then becomes eligible for the emissions requirement of the vehicle year that the newer engine was removed from. My memory rarely fails me, but I'm not nearly as sure on what limitations are placed on older engines into newer cars. I believe that the newer body cars are required to meet their model year emissions even with an older engine in it. It's the "**** you Californians" clause.

What year C3 is the Vette you might be buying the engine from? I think that the 327 is C3 at least... the C4s had 350s or greater and I can't see why somebody'd ditch a C1 or C2 engine anyway. Whatever year it may be, chances are that you won't have too much to worry about since they are close enough in year to be easily converted regardless of the regulation. I'd stray away from the 80s engines if I'm correct about Cali emission year laws though, since it appears (to me at least) that the early 80s was when a lot of emissions **** was passed. I do know that is the reason the 84 C4 had that **** 4+3 transmission (well... fuel consumption and emissions).

[evildky]

the 84 C4 had the crossfire injection and that was total crap

[jerdog1]

Thanks guys i bought the engine last night! It is a built 327 with a connected 4 speed and a nice Holley 4 barrel set up on it! My friends wife wanted it out of the garage NOW! So... i got it for a $100 score!! His dad gave it to him because he bought a fully built race prepped engine for his 67 vette! Oh this will be fun!

[Perrenial Badass]

Hey, don't hate on my baby. They run good if you know what you are doing with them.

[evildky]

the crossfire injection? aw come one, it was so bad they though tuned port was a good idea

I've known 2 people with crossfire c4's both hated it, the one swapped to carb and the other sold the car but kept his deloreans

[DachshundTooAteEZ]

A 74 would not need emissions.

I hadn't heard about the newer engine transplant/smog requirement, but do know that oversight is lax in this arena.

To call a 327 unimpressive but for the addition of an extra 60 cubic inches is a bit off IMO... An SBC is largely whatever you decide to make it, most of them are mutts right now anyway.

TPI isn't so bad. But Crossfire, yeah. Either beats the dumb electric carbs, and I'd venture that TPI without all the emissions gear would rock.

(I still think swapping SBCs into cars that originally didn't come with them is hick, more hick than most engine swaps even. At least 74 is probably the worst year for the Z, ever, but I'd not alleviate that with an SBC. A better engine for a muscle car than a sports car.)

[Desert Rat]

Find a '73 240 or '74 260. Those should be smog exempt in California and it keeps you from cutting up one of the 70-72 classic years.

[Perrenial Badass]

the crossfire injection? aw come one, it was so bad they though tuned port was a good idea

Ouch, that burns. But it wasn't that bad a system, you just need the right size rubber mallet to tune it with.

DachshundTooAteEZ- What you got against 73s?

[hbpignosePA]

get classic plates...

i know in my state if you got classic tags you dont even have to get inspection

[evildky]

guessing he didn't know that the 70-71.5 are teh series 1 chassis and that 73's are the same as the 71.5 and 72 models

[Mrsdemeanor]

the crossfire injection? aw come one, it was so bad they though tuned port was a good idea

I've known 2 people with crossfire c4's both hated it, the one swapped to carb and the other sold the car but kept his deloreans

my husband and i have an 84 crossfire, that we have tuned that out runs TPI corvettes, mustangs, 350Z's and turboed 300zx'swe have had no problems with the crossfire, we are swapping to a carb motor, just in case he blows it up when we put nitrous on it, we still have the stock motor.

i'm not trying to be rude... but if you check this link out...http://www.motorera.com/corvette/index.htmyou will see that they did not make a corvette with a 327 in 1974. the 327 was in corvettes from 1962-1968. the only motors that came in the vette in 74 was a 350 and a 454.good news is that if it is a corvette motor its worth a heck of a lot more than you paid for it!!
Modified by Mrsdemeanor at 9:49 PM 11/22/2008

[evildky]

don't feel bad, the bosch L-Jetronic found on the 280Z and 280ZX are pretty aweful

[BadQ45t]

The 25 year rule is gone for sure. I think they are doing lots of smog tests on older cars, my 84' turns 25 and i was looking forward to no smog. Make sure you check with DMV.

[hachiroku781]

i just got my mr car inspected and i guess i dont get emissions tests for obd1. you need to check your years for emissions in CA but MA and california have pretty strict emissions. i dont even know why they stopped obd1 here in ma

[Z32LAG]

I always heard pre 74 was the cut off. In 74 California clamped down on the smog laws which killed the big mustangs and anything else that flexed muscle. I traded my 71 Mustang Mach1 with the Cleveland 351 and C6 transmission and bullit proof 9 inch rear end and huge stack of exhibition of speed tickets for my first of many Zs. So I believe 73 is the cut off for pre smog.

[evildky]

the z's have had smog pumps from 1970, the carbs just progressively got worse every year till they added fuel injectin in late 74

an the mustangs had gotten biigger heavier form the very beginning, hp peaked in 68 and rapidly decreased after, the 69 -70 was the best looking, the 71-73 cars were tanks, and then 74 brought in the mustang 2's, no real power availble but at least they returned to the concept of the pony car and had somethign that could handle again and didn't weigh a ton

[wantz87]

1974 and older do not need to pass emissions test. cali used to also have 25 year deal(i think it was 25, it might be a number close to that). but our great governator caved in to the epa and cut it off at 1974. btw that's based off of the chassis year. the whole thing with a newer motor into an older car is based on the fact that the car will then be tested as the year of the new motor, and it cannot be based off the older cars ratings, or you can go to the ref to try to get him to give you special parameters to test it. if it is a post '74 car you can't legally put an older motor into it. oh.... and good luck with your project. wanna see it when it's done.

[DemonZ]

the z's have had smog pumps from 1970, the carbs just progressively got worse every year till they added fuel injectin in late 74

It all depended on where you were though too, on my 72 240Z, the only piece of emissions equipment was the PCV valve (Yes it is emissions equipment believe it or not) No smog pump, and there was a distinct lack of the emissions ports on the stock exhaust manifold.