An interesting offer: put a 428 in an '88 Corvette.

[bsprowl]

An old friend has both.  The Corvette was running when parked several years ago and the body and interior are in excellent condition.  The engine was also running at about the same time.

If I promise to put the 428 into the 'vet I can have them and misc parts to warm up the 428. 

Is that possible? I know nothing about the size of the Corvette's engine bay. 

I suspect mating the 428 with the vet's transmission will be a challenge. Probably have to build headers also, I doubt that Jegs or Summit has an off the self set. 

But pissing off a bunch of Chevy folks really appeals to me. 

Comments please.

[jayb]

Do NOT let that opportunity slip away, Bob    FEs in a Corvette are not new, in fact I recall one in a 1960s car magazine.  No shock towers to get in the way, and the headers are do-able.  If the Corvette is an automatic, an adapter can certainly be made to work, perhaps with a different torque converter.  Or, find a C4 or C6 and swap engine and trans.  I think it would be cool to pop the hood on the ol' Vette and see something a little more respectable than some brand X small block.  Pissing off the Chevy crowd is just icing on the cake LOL!

[bsprowl]

A C4 transmission sounds like would be less work.

I'm thinking about a tunnel ram with carbs above the hood.  Only open the hood at the track for tech inspection if possible.

Bob

[Nightmist66]

How 'bout a cammer?

[thatdarncat]

[GerryP]

Corvette owners generally don't care what you do with your own stuff.  Yeah, a very tiny fraction are vocal about mods, but nobody pays attention to them.  I own a '72 Vette and think you should do it and hit the car 'n' coffee.

Don't forget that GM cars have a drivetrain offset to the passenger side.

[Dumpling]

This (literally 'in the weeds') El Camino had a 428.

[machoneman]

Yeah, that's the '63 Vette (corrected!) I believe Jay mentioned and I remember too as it was very unusual.....for sure! What was the year/month of that S&C article btw?

[Val406]

Like Jay said, waste no time in making this project happen. Lord knows the Chevy world deserves some payback for all the scrub motors that ended up between the frame rails of most Model A's. Get busy Bob!

https://themustangsource.com/forums/f647/corvette-powered-ford-463464/

[C6AE]

I have an M-22 behind a 428, no problem.
A machined ring (spacer) pressed around the front bearing retainer, a redrilled Lakewood bell and a custom throwout bushing. The clutch disc was off the shelf. Going on 15 years now, street use, (I like the all aluminum bit and preferred the 1st gear ratio.)

[Falcon67]

Corvette owners generally don't care what you do with your own stuff.  Yeah, a very tiny fraction are vocal about mods, but nobody pays attention to them.  I own a '72 Vette and think you should do it and hit the car 'n' coffee.

Don't forget that GM cars have a drivetrain offset to the passenger side.

So you're saying the are not Pontiac people.  Knew a guy that put a 351C in a Firebird - had to watch his back, that generated lots of hate at shows.   

[GerryP]

...
So you're saying the are not Pontiac people.  Knew a guy that put a 351C in a Firebird - had to watch his back, that generated lots of hate at shows.   

The world is filled with people who focus on the wrong things and therefore lead disappointing, unhappy, unfulfilled lives.  In the Grand Scheme of Things, what does any of this matter?  Yes, I know; what a melodramatic, dire view of the world.  Not that way at all.  I prefer to see a FoMoCo engine in a '32, but if you want to drop a Cummins 4BT (4 cyl diesel) between the rails, have at it.

Everyone I know and the general sentiment in auto forums is that the worksmanship is more important than the novelty of the idea.  If Bob does a shitty job on the swap, then that's what will be the impression.

[shady]

Yeah, that's the '64 Vette I believe Jay mentioned and I remember too as it was very unusual.....for sure! What was the year/month of that S&C article btw?

That's a '63 split window, the holy grail of Vettes. Nobody wanted them in'63 as most thought they were ugly. Some even cut the center brace out & put the one piece glass in from a ''64.

[wayne]

I think popular hot roding had a 428 cj in a vette go for it but be aware the chevy boys are thin skined and not like ford and mopar boys.

[ntheogen]

One of my father's closest friends shoe horned a 460 into a 25th anniversary Corvette way back when and used to take it to Vette shows just to piss off the corvette boys. Fights happened frequently.

Jack

[cammerfe]

There is a thread about Ford power in a chibrolay on Yellowbullet that shows up again every once in a while. As most know, the site was started by a chebby aficionado who, although he has sold it still continues to be a somewhat-moderator. There is probably an 80% preponderance of 'mullet-heads' on the main part of the site---known as TOBT---Trash Or Be Trashed---and many of them are obviously nitwits. It gets pretty lively.

KS

[FERoadster]

I've got  a 60 Vette that I bought as a basket case in 1977 for $2400 and looking at the engine bay there is lots of room for a FE. They have cross steering way forward so no interference with a steering box. I'm in the process of getting a 427 with 428 crank built with a toploader and 69 Mustang 9" rear axle that just happens to have the same width as the early Vette. The Vette is this winters project

[GerryP]

The C4 (that's 4th gen Corvette, not a transmission) engine bay is plenty big enough for an FE, Bob.  They put the LT5 Mercury Marine DOHC engine (Z06) in there without having to make modifications.  There are going to be issues with the electronics, but you would have that regardless of the engine going in.  You will probably have some issues with the front crossmember with a front sump FE pan.   

[wayne]

Thinking about it get a big truck oil pan and mustang motor mounts and go from their.

[RustyCrankshaft]

Plenty of room for the engine and Bendstends (spelling?) has adpaters to go from an FE to GM automatic. Before anyone had a good standalone controller for a 4r70w or 4r100 I put a 4l80e behind a 390 with one of their adapters.

But if you're already putting and FE in a Vette why not just run a C6 or toploader anyway? After fab work on engine mounts, mounting the trans should be easy enough.

A friend of mine has a 55 Chevy pickup that is a basket case. He would probably give it to me if I asked and I have thought long and hard about throwing the 521 in it that came out of my old tow truck. Just because I'm tired of seeing a SBC or LS in everything.

[falcongeorge]

the big question is, do YOU WANT an '88 Corvette? The idea that you are "going to piss off the chevy guys" is probably going to leave you pretty disappointed, the whole "ford motor in a corvette" thing is as old as the hills, and the tiny minority that are stupid enough to be pissed off by an FE in a corvette are also stupid enough that most of them probably wont recognize an FE anyway.
I think theres MUCH more satisfaction in building a car to make YOU happy, rather then to "piss off", or impress for that matter, a virtually non-existent "them". If an FE in an eighties Corvette is something you really want for its intrinsic value (FE powered car that has a low drag coefficient and handles well?), then by all means, have at it. Otherwise, it sounds like a colossal waste of time and resources.

[64PI]

Ed Roth had a 406 powered 55 Chevy.... I vote go for it! Dual quads sticking out of the hood, side pipes and keystone classics.

[machoneman]

the big question is, do YOU WANT an '88 Corvette? The idea that you are "going to piss off the chevy guys" is probably going to leave you pretty disappointed, the whole "ford motor in a corvette" thing is as old as the hills, and the tiny minority that are stupid enough to be pissed off by an FE in a corvette are also stupid enough that most of them probably wont recognize an FE anyway.
I think theres MUCH more satisfaction in building a car to make YOU happy, rather then to "piss off", or impress for that matter, a virtually non-existent "them". If an FE in an eighties Corvette is something you really want for its intrinsic value (FE powered car that has a low drag coefficient and handles well?), then by all means, have at it. Otherwise, it sounds like a colossal waste of time and resources.

Good points, indeed! I'm still for it yet resale value would be low to non-existent (no buyers at all).  A Vette still has value to many yet with a Ford engine buyers may be hard to come by, Yet, as the song says....it it makes you happy....go for it!

[My427stang]

I wouldn’t. If contingent on the sale, I would pass. Making something nobody really wants and likely lose the street performance and versatility unless you go high tech

[e philpott]

hardly any difference in resale value because who wants a 88 Vette in the first place ? rolling chassis might get a LS guy as for resale but they are dirt cheap out here and even mid-late 70's are bringing more money than mid late 80's . It sure would be a fun car to drive and a lot cheaper than a kit car but you would have to do it for yourself and not for any other reason as I agree on the people are to stupid to know what engine is in it to piss a chevy guy off and real chevy guys are not mid 80's Vette fans

[mbrunson427]

My neighbor has a red 88 parked in his barn. He never drives it, I've seen it out of the barn twice in 8 years. The other day we got to talking about it and he said "well I've tried to sell it a few times but nobody is really looking for an '88 Corvette so I figure I'll keep it in the barn as art".

Funny this conversation came up because the neighbor and I had just talked about this. He told me I could drive it anytime I wanted.....but it honestly kind of smells inside   

[GerryP]

My neighbor has a red 88 parked in his barn. He never drives it, I've seen it out of the barn twice in 8 years. The other day we got to talking about it and he said "well I've tried to sell it a few times but nobody is really looking for an '88 Corvette so I figure I'll keep it in the barn as art".

Funny this conversation came up because the neighbor and I had just talked about this. He told me I could drive it anytime I wanted.....but it honestly kind of smells inside 

I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that "...nobody is really looking for an '88 Corvette ..."  and "...it honestly kind of smells inside..." are probably related.  I'd be interested in a nice 1988 Corvette.  I wouldn't be interested in a clapped out '88 Corvette that has been used as a home for incontinent goats.

[TomP]

Quite a low hoodline on those cars so i'd doubt it will fit under without the distributor and carb(s) sticking out. Ground clearance may be an issue no matter what oil pan.
 Tranny adapter to fit the FE to the Chev tranny is easy to get and wiring would be simple.

A 69 Z/28 with a Boss 302 engine would be better but the Corvette will work and is cheaper.

[falcongeorge]

Quite a low hoodline on those cars so i'd doubt it will fit under without the distributor and carb(s) sticking out. Ground clearance may be an issue no matter what oil pan.
 Tranny adapter to fit the FE to the Chev tranny is easy to get and wiring would be simple.

A 69 Z/28 with a Boss 302 engine would be better but the Corvette will work and is cheaper.

Boss 302 in a Z-28. like!

[fastf67]

I remember hot rod magazine featured a 57 belair with a 460. Ya, next months comments was not pretty. Thought about putting my bogus boss in a 68 rs camaro but liked it in my 66 fairlane xl500 more. There is a facebook page on ford powered Chevy's. I say go for it, I'm sure you will get plenty of help here.

[plovett]

I vote no.  Unless that that is REALLY what you want.  I wouldn't do it just to do it.  I'd rather have an FE in a Ford or a Mercury.   

Just my opinion,

paulie

[My427stang]

Let me adjust my comment, if you took the time and money to make the old Ford do everything a computer controlled 88 EFI engine does and maintained the full function of everything in the car to include the dash, ECM, A/C, etc, you'd be building something cool IMHO  Valuable, probably not, but cool

However, slapping a carbed FE in an 88 shell would only be cool for a drag car, and then only if it ran hard

I don't know the market for a 88 Vette, but a little tweaking on a 383 or 406 with modern heads, it'd be a runner for cheap

[57 lima bean]

I'm sure Glendora will find a place in Stock Eliminator for the combo.

[falcongeorge]

I'm sure Glendora will find a place in Stock Eliminator for the combo.

ROFLMAO!!!

[bsprowl]

Sorry about the lack of response on my part.  My internet service dropped out on Tuesday morning and they promised a technician on Friday.  They never showed up and claimed I didn't report a problem but would have someone here by next Tuesday.  I used to get next day service.  I now have cable Spectrum after being with Windstream for 15 years.

My new email address is rvsprowl at geemail dot com.  Actually, it's gmail.  I will send email to many people with this update.  The change to gmail was going to happen anyway as I am moving from North Carolina to Alabama as soon as I can sell my house.

I agree with most of you about there being no resale market for a Vet with and FE, that it will have to run hard or it will be an embarrassment, and do I really want a GM product in my shop, etc.  I am planning on a strong engine built by Blair Patrick for drag truck.  I think I could put something together to get the Vet sorted out and then switch the engine - I think the aerodynamics of the Vet would be a better permanent home for that motor. 

No decision at this point.  Thanks for the input.