| I have
always been a fan of the C3 Corvette styling , but at the same time I
wanted the performance and fuel economy that the C4 corvettes offered.
So I installed a '95 LT1 engine and 4L60E transmission into my '76
vette. I purchased an LT1 engine from a wrecked '95 Z28 w/ 18,000 miles
and a '95 4L60E tranny w/ 35,000 miles. My first hurdle was the A/C
pump. On the test run, I dropped in the LT1 without the A/C pump and I
still hit the upper control arm with the Z28 accessory bracket. So I had
to switch over to a corvette LT1 bracket. (A lesson to whomever does
this swap, get a vette LT1 engine). The parts needed to switch over to a
corvette LT1 accessory were the harmonic balancer, accessory brackets,
and pulleys. I was able to use the Z28 alternator and the power steering
pump. The experts said I would have to replace the alternator &
power steering pump with a corvette design. They were wrong. With a
slight amount of modifications I was able to use them. To use the
alternator I had to replace the Z28 valve cover with '95 corvette
composite valve covers. I shimmed the power steering pump outward by
1/4" and repositioned the low pressure input line. On the high
pressure side, I removed the union, pressure relief valve, and spring
from the original '76 pump and installed it in the new pump. I made a high pressure hose to the correct
length. My steering works great. My '76 vette doesn't have A/C, so I
designed a A/C delete bracket which uses a stock '95 vette serpentine
belt. This bracket will work on C4 LT1 corvettes as well. I painted my '76 vette
with PPG Durethane polyurethane paint with DAU 82 clear coat. For
further information continue below. My best 1/4 mile time this year was
13.600 @ 101 MPH at SIR (Seattle International Raceway) with 3:08
gears. See other parts of the conversion by clicking on the above
buttons. |
