Potential Purchase: Setup
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Potential Purchase: Setup
Looking at a vehicle on Craigslist; here's the setup
83 Camaro
350 5.7 V8
T-5 trans
3.73 posi trac rear end with a spool
edelbrock 750 Carb
forged crank
3 angle valve job
GM performance heads
525 lift cam
holley high rise intake
edelbrock valve covers
As this will be my first 3rd purchase, I'd like to be reasonable well informed about what I'm getting myself into. With that in mind, I'm fairly ignorant of everything but the basics. All I can decipher is it's a 5.7 V8 with a manual transmission.
What kind of setup am I really looking here? Or better yet, what exactly am I getting myself into? What does a seasoned Thirdgenner gather from this?
83 Camaro
350 5.7 V8
T-5 trans
3.73 posi trac rear end with a spool
edelbrock 750 Carb
forged crank
3 angle valve job
GM performance heads
525 lift cam
holley high rise intake
edelbrock valve covers
As this will be my first 3rd purchase, I'd like to be reasonable well informed about what I'm getting myself into. With that in mind, I'm fairly ignorant of everything but the basics. All I can decipher is it's a 5.7 V8 with a manual transmission.
What kind of setup am I really looking here? Or better yet, what exactly am I getting myself into? What does a seasoned Thirdgenner gather from this?
Last edited by Dirk Edgewoode; Mar 19, 2010 at 12:25 AM.
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,187
Likes: 42
From: Littleton, CO USA
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
A very poorly matched set-up, which sounds like it's being described by a magazine mechanic (and was probably put together by one).
"350 5.7 V8" - I'd demand to see casting #'s. The full casting number is very difficult to see, as it's behind the driver side head on the bell housing casting, and the firewall is right there. The last three digits (all that really matter) are sometimes cast into the side of the block, requiring the car to be jacked up to see them. Be aware that a) about 3 of 4 "350 3rd gen Camaros" actually have a 305; and b) no 350 was offered in the '83 model year f-bodies.
"T-5 trans" - Weak. The factory never put them behind a 350. 305's break them with ease.
"3.73 posi trac rear end with a spool" - No such thing exists. It's either a posi, or it's a spool. A spool is a very bad idea if you intend to drive it on the street, figure on needing to install a posi carrier if it really has a spool. About a $600 expense. But, check to make sure it isn't an open carrier (jack up the rear end - with the transmission in gear, engine not running, of course, you should not be able to turn either wheel by hand. Check it out yourself, don't trust the seller).
"edelbrock 750 Carb" - Cheap. Probably the most common "speed shop" part sold, and about the worst possible choice for any use you can think of - especially with a T5 transmission.
"forged crank" - Prove it to me. I seriously doubt it.
"3 angle valve job" - Standard valve job.
"GM performance heads" - What exactly are they? Get casting #'s off of the heads themselves, which requires removing the valve covers. Dollars to donuts they're smog-era 882's or 624 junk with big valves, in the same class as the carb above.
"525 lift cam" - insist on seeing the cam card. You can have a cam with .525" lift that makes the car a dog.
"holley high rise intake" - Need exact intake details. "High rise" is as meaningful as "3/4 cam" or "Edelbrock performance carburetor". My guess is it's the Street Dominator, which is a stock replacement intake - slightly better than stock, but probably not a good match for the cam. Find out what it is.
"edelbrock valve covers" - If they're cast aluminum, they tend to leak less than stamped steel covers.
Check the exhaust. If it has the factory LG4 exhaust manifolds, plan on replacing every piece of the exhaust from the ports at the heads to the rear bumper if you expect any power out of this engine.
Not saying this is automatically a bad deal. But, I wouldn't put down a dime until all of the above questions are answered. And, you understand that it most likely wasn't a well thought-out package.
"350 5.7 V8" - I'd demand to see casting #'s. The full casting number is very difficult to see, as it's behind the driver side head on the bell housing casting, and the firewall is right there. The last three digits (all that really matter) are sometimes cast into the side of the block, requiring the car to be jacked up to see them. Be aware that a) about 3 of 4 "350 3rd gen Camaros" actually have a 305; and b) no 350 was offered in the '83 model year f-bodies.
"T-5 trans" - Weak. The factory never put them behind a 350. 305's break them with ease.
"3.73 posi trac rear end with a spool" - No such thing exists. It's either a posi, or it's a spool. A spool is a very bad idea if you intend to drive it on the street, figure on needing to install a posi carrier if it really has a spool. About a $600 expense. But, check to make sure it isn't an open carrier (jack up the rear end - with the transmission in gear, engine not running, of course, you should not be able to turn either wheel by hand. Check it out yourself, don't trust the seller).
"edelbrock 750 Carb" - Cheap. Probably the most common "speed shop" part sold, and about the worst possible choice for any use you can think of - especially with a T5 transmission.
"forged crank" - Prove it to me. I seriously doubt it.
"3 angle valve job" - Standard valve job.
"GM performance heads" - What exactly are they? Get casting #'s off of the heads themselves, which requires removing the valve covers. Dollars to donuts they're smog-era 882's or 624 junk with big valves, in the same class as the carb above.
"525 lift cam" - insist on seeing the cam card. You can have a cam with .525" lift that makes the car a dog.
"holley high rise intake" - Need exact intake details. "High rise" is as meaningful as "3/4 cam" or "Edelbrock performance carburetor". My guess is it's the Street Dominator, which is a stock replacement intake - slightly better than stock, but probably not a good match for the cam. Find out what it is.
"edelbrock valve covers" - If they're cast aluminum, they tend to leak less than stamped steel covers.
Check the exhaust. If it has the factory LG4 exhaust manifolds, plan on replacing every piece of the exhaust from the ports at the heads to the rear bumper if you expect any power out of this engine.
Not saying this is automatically a bad deal. But, I wouldn't put down a dime until all of the above questions are answered. And, you understand that it most likely wasn't a well thought-out package.
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