A 401 CJ said:
dannyzabolotny said:
MotorsportsGordon said:
Having grown up with a high compression 427 big block on hooker side pipes I will say there is nothing in the world like a big block corvette on those pipes. But then again that engine is making upwards of 600hp,427 12 to 1 trig power with a believe the zl1/ls7 454 cam in it. And even better as it’s a convertible. It was one of the top autocross cars here back in the day. Actually it was great in the stock classes with the original l36 390hp 427 aswell. And it ran great with the race engine and slicks of a 81 can am car in the prepared class. At a big corvette event in kalispell Montana one time he beat a guy with a fully gutted car with a heavily modified small block. My dads car has full interior,th400,radio,heater and ac,power steering,luggage rack,and a hitch.
That would be the dream setup. A big block with 454 cubes (or more) and side pipes. Thanks to the massive aftermarket, you don't even need an early C3 to have cool side pipes, as those can be retrofitted to any C3. It makes me wonder why people shell out big bucks on early factory big-block cars when you can build a big block to make more power and pop it into a small block car. From what I've read, the only modification needed to do that is the front subframe, everything else fits just fine.
I'd definitely want a model that had factory AC, which was thankfully more common in the later year C3's. It gets to be 110ºF in the summer here, so AC is mandatory. I don't really like convertibles so a coupe is what I'm going for.
Ads like this are so tempting: https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/cto/d/1979-corvette-lower-price/6465816036.html
There is no subframe. There is a frame. A frame that will rival a ton dually in its massiveness and strength. If you get an automatic, which I advise against for obvious reasons, you'll need to do exactly nothing except remove the small block to put in a big block. I'm pretty sure I even reused my engine mounts. Now the tricky part is finding all the little brackety crap to get your alternator, power steering, etc to work. The factory did use different half shafts and stuff on the big blocks if I remember correctly. I'm not an NCRS type so I can't say for sure. I believe the AC equipped cars got the big radiators anyway but I could be wrong. Mine had a mid '60's 396, stock small block radiator, stock TH350 with a looser converter, and stock half shafts. It worked just fine. I probably only had about 300 hp at the crank though.
Well those are my German car roots showing through— none of my other cars have frames, they all have unibodies with subframes. Good to know it's that easy to pop in a big block, that's a big part of what appeals to me about the C3 (aside from the looks). I'd get a bigger radiator and better fans either way, since I'm in Phoenix and I fully intend to drive in the summer with the AC blasting. I'd probably put in a 454 since those are super cheap and easy to find. I don't really see a downside to putting in a big block. Sure, they're a bit heavier but with aluminum heads that can be mostly negated. Less room to work on them but I'm used to it with my giant DOHC BMW V8's that take up the entire engine compartment with only 4.4L of displacement, haha.
dannyzabolotny said:
A 401 CJ said:
dannyzabolotny said:
MotorsportsGordon said:
Having grown up with a high compression 427 big block on hooker side pipes I will say there is nothing in the world like a big block corvette on those pipes. But then again that engine is making upwards of 600hp,427 12 to 1 trig power with a believe the zl1/ls7 454 cam in it. And even better as it’s a convertible. It was one of the top autocross cars here back in the day. Actually it was great in the stock classes with the original l36 390hp 427 aswell. And it ran great with the race engine and slicks of a 81 can am car in the prepared class. At a big corvette event in kalispell Montana one time he beat a guy with a fully gutted car with a heavily modified small block. My dads car has full interior,th400,radio,heater and ac,power steering,luggage rack,and a hitch.
That would be the dream setup. A big block with 454 cubes (or more) and side pipes. Thanks to the massive aftermarket, you don't even need an early C3 to have cool side pipes, as those can be retrofitted to any C3. It makes me wonder why people shell out big bucks on early factory big-block cars when you can build a big block to make more power and pop it into a small block car. From what I've read, the only modification needed to do that is the front subframe, everything else fits just fine.
I'd definitely want a model that had factory AC, which was thankfully more common in the later year C3's. It gets to be 110ºF in the summer here, so AC is mandatory. I don't really like convertibles so a coupe is what I'm going for.
Ads like this are so tempting: https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/cto/d/1979-corvette-lower-price/6465816036.html
There is no subframe. There is a frame. A frame that will rival a ton dually in its massiveness and strength. If you get an automatic, which I advise against for obvious reasons, you'll need to do exactly nothing except remove the small block to put in a big block. I'm pretty sure I even reused my engine mounts. Now the tricky part is finding all the little brackety crap to get your alternator, power steering, etc to work. The factory did use different half shafts and stuff on the big blocks if I remember correctly. I'm not an NCRS type so I can't say for sure. I believe the AC equipped cars got the big radiators anyway but I could be wrong. Mine had a mid '60's 396, stock small block radiator, stock TH350 with a looser converter, and stock half shafts. It worked just fine. I probably only had about 300 hp at the crank though.
Well those are my German car roots showing through— none of my other cars have frames, they all have unibodies with subframes. Good to know it's that easy to pop in a big block, that's a big part of what appeals to me about the C3 (aside from the looks). I'd get a bigger radiator and better fans either way, since I'm in Phoenix and I fully intend to drive in the summer with the AC blasting. I'd probably put in a 454 since those are super cheap and easy to find. I don't really see a downside to putting in a big block. Sure, they're a bit heavier but with aluminum heads that can be mostly negated. Less room to work on them but I'm used to it with my giant DOHC BMW V8's that take up the entire engine compartment with only 4.4L of displacement, haha.
All corvettes have a separate frame and body. The difference is on c4 and later ones the posts,windshield frame,halo,are welded together. The complete body is separate.
MotorsportsGordon said:
Having grown up with a high compression 427 big block on hooker side pipes I will say there is nothing in the world like a big block corvette on those pipes. But then again that engine is making upwards of 600hp,427 12 to 1 trig power with a believe the zl1/ls7 454 cam in it. And even better as it’s a convertible. It was one of the top autocross cars here back in the day. Actually it was great in the stock classes with the original l36 390hp 427 aswell. And it ran great with the race engine and slicks of a 81 can am car in the prepared class. At a big corvette event in kalispell Montana one time he beat a guy with a fully gutted car with a heavily modified small block. My dads car has full interior,th400,radio,heater and ac,power steering,luggage rack,and a hitch.
the good thing about that is "there is nothing in the world like a big block corvette on those pipes..." and the bad thing is that "there is nothing in the world like a big block corvette on those pipes..."
You'll soon be sitting in a chair with the doctor saying "can you hear me now?" Just like the Verizon commercial.
you can sit in the driver's seat of a C3, roll down the window, and touch the back tire with your left hand. That means that the exit from an unmuffled Hooker Header is just slightly more than arm's length from your left ear drum.
When I was thinking about side pipes, everybody who actually had side pipes said not to do it.
That bundle of snakes on the Hooker version is a work of art though. Especially when finished in dull flat black instead of the chrome that is so popular.
In reply to A 401 CJ :
That's a thought I had too. My C5 Corvette is straight piped and it's quite loud. Since it's a weekend car it doesn't really bother me, but I can imagine side pipes on a big block would be even louder. I wonder if there's a way to get a muffler on the side pipes? I do know that a lot of tracks have decibel limits if I were to ever go in that direction, so mufflers might have to happen.
I haven't been IN one, but I can confirm that Danny Popp's car is VERY loud and I assume he wears ear plugs when he races it.
That is pretty much the dumb decision I'd make with a C3 though. They also look cool on vans.
In reply to dannyzabolotny :
Yes. The Hookers can be ordered with "baffles" but I'm baffled by what that really means or what affect it has on sound or restriction. I can't imagine that they make any more power than a good cross piped under car system though.
Another thing to consider on a '75 or newer is that even around here where we don't have smog checks, if it came with cats it has to retain cats. Those cats can be gutted. They can be whatever type cat you want but they have to be there. With side pipes they are obviously not there. My '76 with side pipes would not have passed annual inspection. It didn't have cats but nobody ever looked since it was in such good shape otherwise and they would have had to put it on a lift to see. Side pipes would have been a give away.
A 401 CJ said:
MotorsportsGordon said:
Having grown up with a high compression 427 big block on hooker side pipes I will say there is nothing in the world like a big block corvette on those pipes. But then again that engine is making upwards of 600hp,427 12 to 1 trig power with a believe the zl1/ls7 454 cam in it. And even better as it’s a convertible. It was one of the top autocross cars here back in the day. Actually it was great in the stock classes with the original l36 390hp 427 aswell. And it ran great with the race engine and slicks of a 81 can am car in the prepared class. At a big corvette event in kalispell Montana one time he beat a guy with a fully gutted car with a heavily modified small block. My dads car has full interior,th400,radio,heater and ac,power steering,luggage rack,and a hitch.
the good thing about that is "there is nothing in the world like a big block corvette on those pipes..." and the bad thing is that "there is nothing in the world like a big block corvette on those pipes..."
You'll soon be sitting in a chair with the doctor saying "can you hear me now?" Just like the Verizon commercial.
you can sit in the driver's seat of a C3, roll down the window, and touch the back tire with your left hand. That means that the exit from an unmuffled Hooker Header is just slightly more than arm's length from your left ear drum.
When I was thinking about side pipes, everybody who actually had side pipes said not to do it.
That bundle of snakes on the Hooker version is a work of art though. Especially when finished in dull flat black instead of the chrome that is so popular.
All depends on what you have for an insert in the pipe you can easily adjust the pipe sound that way. Also depends on what level the engine is at.
The other big advantage with the side pipes is ground clearance that was actually the main reason my dad originally put them on. The stock cross over pipe goes under the frame. My dad used to go down the highway and see sparks coming out the back. When he took them off the muffler was flat. Now his car does run a bit lower then most c3. Him and our friend both changed their cars to hooker pipes at our friends parents house. His car was a 74 454 4 speed. Our friend went with the chrome hooker pipes instead.
A 401 CJ said:
MotorsportsGordon said:
Having grown up with a high compression 427 big block on hooker side pipes I will say there is nothing in the world like a big block corvette on those pipes. But then again that engine is making upwards of 600hp,427 12 to 1 trig power with a believe the zl1/ls7 454 cam in it. And even better as it’s a convertible. It was one of the top autocross cars here back in the day. Actually it was great in the stock classes with the original l36 390hp 427 aswell. And it ran great with the race engine and slicks of a 81 can am car in the prepared class. At a big corvette event in kalispell Montana one time he beat a guy with a fully gutted car with a heavily modified small block. My dads car has full interior,th400,radio,heater and ac,power steering,luggage rack,and a hitch.
the good thing about that is "there is nothing in the world like a big block corvette on those pipes..." and the bad thing is that "there is nothing in the world like a big block corvette on those pipes..."
You'll soon be sitting in a chair with the doctor saying "can you hear me now?" Just like the Verizon commercial.
you can sit in the driver's seat of a C3, roll down the window, and touch the back tire with your left hand. That means that the exit from an unmuffled Hooker Header is just slightly more than arm's length from your left ear drum.
When I was thinking about side pipes, everybody who actually had side pipes said not to do it.
That bundle of snakes on the Hooker version is a work of art though. Especially when finished in dull flat black instead of the chrome that is so popular.
Still quieter the most Harley’s lol. Now with the autocross engine it can get pretty loud and the stock engine hasn’t been in the car since before I was born but it’s not too bad until you get on it harder.
A 401 CJ said:
In reply to dannyzabolotny :
Yes. The Hookers can be ordered with "baffles" but I'm baffled by what that really means or what affect it has on sound or restriction. I can't imagine that they make any more power than a good cross piped under car system though.
Another thing to consider on a '75 or newer is that even around here where we don't have smog checks, if it came with cats it has to retain cats. Those cats can be gutted. They can be whatever type cat you want but they have to be there. With side pipes they are obviously not there. My '76 with side pipes would not have passed annual inspection. It didn't have cats but nobody ever looked since it was in such good shape otherwise and they would have had to put it on a lift to see. Side pipes would have been a give away.
It depends on where you live. Here in Arizona there's no visual inspection, just a sniffer test in certain counties. It's beyond easy to avoid that by registering your car in a non-emissions county. If you have it registered like that, there are zero inspections and you can do whatever you want. Also, if you have collector car insurance then you don't need emissions inspection even in emissions counties.
Regardless of what exhaust setup I go with, it will be catless. I've always wanted to experience a car without cats.
So have you bought one yet?
vwcorvette said:
So have you bought one yet?
I have a C5 and it's up for sale. Once that's sold I'll be on the lookout for a cheap C3. Unless I find somebody who wants to trade a C3 in exchange for a rebuilt title C5 auto with 188k miles haha
MotorsportsGordon said:
The other big advantage with the side pipes is ground clearance that was actually the main reason my dad originally put them on. The stock cross over pipe goes under the frame. My dad used to go down the highway and see sparks coming out the back. When he took them off the muffler was flat. Now his car does run a bit lower then most c3. Him and our friend both changed their cars to hooker pipes at our friends parents house. His car was a 74 454 4 speed. Our friend went with the chrome hooker pipes instead.
Another thing that people don't mention is hooker style pipes make starter access SO much better.
In reply to dannyzabolotny :
I run hooker 'Max-flow's on my 77. Basicly they are on old skool glass pack with 2 1/2" straight through. Wife and have gone wearing hearing protection for any drives longer than about 20-30min
In reply to Madhatr :
There you are. How's your C3 these days? Didn't you hit a deer?
Edit: never mind. I found your updated thread
In reply to A 401 CJ :
Yup I'm lurking, lol
Hit a deer, sheared one of the rear spindle, got that fixed and broke my clutch foot the night I got it road worthy... all while trying to move to another state
I loved reading your C3 thread, by the way. Very inspirational stuff!
My dad did drive his car with the hooker pipes and the lots and plenty of road trips including places like California and Colorado. Including one time racing a hemi charger down. Van nuys and hiding from the cop while they gave the guy in the charger the book.
My uncle has a C3 that he will sell, 454, fresh paint, lots of restoration done to it, used to have side pipes. It may still have side pipes I don’t remember. Family price was 11k. I want it but I’m about ten year away from that stage.
He sold his C5 for a C7, last I heard he wanted another C7 in coupe form.
dannyzabolotny said:
I loved reading your C3 thread, by the way. Very inspirational stuff!
Thank you. I love this group, because what is insane anywhere else is normal here.
Depending on your budget, if you went with a later car you can feel less guilty about making it your own. This is my buddies 76 with 73 nose & tail conversion plus Custom Image Corvette fender flares.
It is probably one of the coolest custom c3 I have seen. 
My only comment is that I test drove a C5Z06 back in either 05 or 06. It is the only car that I needed a grin-ectomy after I was done.
My friend had a C3 and I got to drive it many times and it was definitely cool BUT it lacked the surgical precision of the C5. Good car but in a very different way.
If I could only have one it would be the C5Z06
Madhatr said:
dannyzabolotny said:
I loved reading your C3 thread, by the way. Very inspirational stuff!
Thank you. I love this group, because what is insane anywhere else is normal here.
Depending on your budget, if you went with a later car you can feel less guilty about making it your own. This is my buddies 76 with 73 nose & tail conversion plus Custom Image Corvette fender flares.
It is probably one of the coolest custom c3 I have seen.
That's kinda the plan— buy a later model year and customize it to my liking. The 78+ ones are the least desirable, and coincidentally are also my favorite because of the glass fastback. I'd totally consider doing a bumper conversion, I'm pretty good with body work and fiberglass. A 79 interior and fastback with the pre-73 bumpers would be perfection.
dannyzabolotny said:
dropstep said:
Id do it but i dislike modern cars for a fun car. I like old cars, simple cars. Things i dont drive past every day. I understand the feel your looking for. Its my favorite part of this hobby.
That was my thought. Modern cars are too good at what they do, I want something that's more of a project. I like the idea of an old, simple car, where everything can be adjusted with a screwdriver and not a laptop. Every car is becoming super computerized and loaded with gadgets, so I want to get away from that as much as possible, at least for my fun car.
That's why in March I flew to Tucson to bring home a 40 year old truck and sold my nice comfy 2010 DD.
dannyzabolotny said:
Madhatr said:
dannyzabolotny said:
I loved reading your C3 thread, by the way. Very inspirational stuff!
Thank you. I love this group, because what is insane anywhere else is normal here.
Depending on your budget, if you went with a later car you can feel less guilty about making it your own. This is my buddies 76 with 73 nose & tail conversion plus Custom Image Corvette fender flares.
It is probably one of the coolest custom c3 I have seen.
That's kinda the plan— buy a later model year and customize it to my liking. The 78+ ones are the least desirable, and coincidentally are also my favorite because of the glass fastback. I'd totally consider doing a bumper conversion, I'm pretty good with body work and fiberglass. A 79 interior and fastback with the pre-73 bumpers would be perfection.
You can buy a complete new fibreglass c3 body so it be easier rebodying it then trying trying to modify the later body to chrome bumper.
MotorsportsGordon said:
dannyzabolotny said:
Madhatr said:
dannyzabolotny said:
I loved reading your C3 thread, by the way. Very inspirational stuff!
Thank you. I love this group, because what is insane anywhere else is normal here.
Depending on your budget, if you went with a later car you can feel less guilty about making it your own. This is my buddies 76 with 73 nose & tail conversion plus Custom Image Corvette fender flares.
It is probably one of the coolest custom c3 I have seen.
That's kinda the plan— buy a later model year and customize it to my liking. The 78+ ones are the least desirable, and coincidentally are also my favorite because of the glass fastback. I'd totally consider doing a bumper conversion, I'm pretty good with body work and fiberglass. A 79 interior and fastback with the pre-73 bumpers would be perfection.
You can buy a complete new fibreglass c3 body so it be easier rebodying it then trying trying to modify the later body to chrome bumper.
That's all for when I actually buy one. I like the chrome bumpers more but not enough to do a full-on rebody. I'm okay with just keeping the plastic bumpers as well, I think those can look pretty good too, especially with a more aggressive wheel setup.
