[hcompton]

Originally Posted by 1975yellowC3

I like your style tech! I have read several posts about changing the gears and it kind of scared me off. But what the heck, I hadn't ever torn down a 350 before I built mine. I put it together and it is still running!

Thanks for the encouragement...I think I might try to give it a whirl!

Have you seen what a empty case cost? 1200 is fair, does it include parts and gears. Then its a great deal. Take it. Cost most people 3Gs when tech sees the vette badge and typical owner. i got my car cause it had been rebuilt rotor to rotor. With gears and new posi parts. If you do rebuild, build them both and get top dollar its worth the effort!

In my youth i put gears in a bunch of cars by just feeling if the pinion was sticking. If it was, move a shim from one side the other or the other side if to loose. Usally the shims dont change much with just a gear swap. But..

Total rebuild is the way to go do it once and be done. Vette rears always cost money if you can get it done for 1200 parts labor drop the car off tonight. With 370 gear you will break the tire loose at 10 mph for 20 feet. Even 308 or 355 whatever sizes they have for your car would be a big change.

Trans do a th700r4 it is lighter than the 400 can be rebuild cheaper in higher hp trim. But dont runa stock one they can be had built in 1300 range shift kit and carb manual/auto lockup kit. It will pay for it self in gas if you keep the car long enough.

[vinniekq2]

couple typos, trailing "arms" and 1962 technology not 1062,sorry. the 1963 corvette has the same suspension we have now.

Also if you have the low profile hood I have to assume your car is down on power as there is not enough room under the hood for a good intake.
You can put 3 inch exhaust through the transmission x member if you do not have side piped

[F-BIRD'88]

Change to comp cam # 12-256-4... Much better with your 277 gears and stock converter.
Plenty of get up and go. Not every car needs a hige cam.

[spinn]

That is a big cam, plus you have an auto with 2.76 gears . Not good for driving fun. If you had a nice restoration take advantage of the long strokes torque boost with a reasonable cam. A cam with duration and lift like that is going to sound like a demented popcorn maker. Weird but that sometimes people like that. They make for poor overall performance, from a drivers perspective, to me at least. If you had .450-.470 lift it would make a sexy bubble. You made what made. Now spend a day swapping the ring and pinion to 4.10 and pay the piper.

If you built it for that cam, you should have gone high stall, big gears. Hot rod did this build?

Nothing to be scared of using a 262. Dynamically it is a better choice.

Finish the combination you made and enjoy it. It will be highwayable with 4.10s , just busy.

[techinspector1]

Originally Posted by hcompton

Have you seen what a empty case cost?

Either you're missing my point or I'm missing yours. What I suggested was to buy a used pig....I've seen them on craigslist for $300/$350. Take it home, tear it apart, install whatever gear you wish, do the pig swap over the weekend, then put your original pig on craigslist and recoup your $300/$350.

[hcompton]

Originally Posted by techinspector1

Either you're missing my point or I'm missing yours. What I suggested was to buy a used pig....I've seen them on craigslist for $300/$350. Take it home, tear it apart, install whatever gear you wish, do the pig swap over the weekend, then put your original pig on craigslist and recoup your $300/$350.

Those are not cheap parts at 300 its not bad but a good one you can depend on is going to be more. I do understand the cost can be recouped but its a lot to tie up in the job. I do suggest if you go that route rebuild the old unit as well and put it up for sale all cleaned up and ready to drop in. Corvette guys will pay for quality parts that save mech time. Since labor is a big cost in some areas.

Tech i am not disagreeing with you simply saying 1200 is fair these days. Ive seen ppl pay 1200 for brake pads. if you local mech is legit help his kids have a good christmas. Figure on bushings and other items that need to be repaced. Its best to get it worked out once and never worrie about it again. Im sure we can find some vette guys to tell you how bad they got shafted getting this work done. I know its just a gear change but we al know something may look great but when it comes apart you will find everything else that is wrong. I am happy when i take a gear cover off and see all the teeth on the ring.

Some jobs are better to take to the shop and drop it off. I do all my own work but dont recommend that to others let someone else break there arse on that rear if you have the option.

[1975yellowC3]

For anyone intersted, here is a link to the hot rod article I built my motor around. I did pretty much everything they did except my heads are different.

Small-Block Chevy Build - We Increase The Cheap 350's Grunt To 420 HP - Hot Rod Magazine

Also...here is a link to an article that did a comparison of several different cheapo heads. Mine are in there and are the floo-tek's. Might be useful to other folks.

Eight Budget Small Block Chevy Heads Tested - Car Craft Magazine

[prostreet6t9]

Any shop that charges more just because he see's a Vette badge is a BS shop. The Vette diff is not any more difficult that any other diff but the gear sets are a little costly. Once you have the diff on the bench the labor should be reasonable.

If that 1200 includes: Posi.. gears.. complete O/H kit and bench labor..Its a little high. If a posi was not included than it's too high.

If you wanna try it yourself get ya some parts and we can walk you thru it.

[hcompton]

Originally Posted by prostreet6t9

Any shop that charges more just because he see's a Vette badge is a BS shop. The Vette diff is not any more difficult that any other diff but the gear sets are a little costly. Once you have the diff on the bench the labor should be reasonable.

If that 1200 includes: Posi.. gears.. complete O/H kit and bench labor..Its a little high. If a posi was not included than it's too high.

If you wanna try it yourself get ya some parts and we can walk you thru it.

Agreed with the mechanics being BS but you knwo they are out there. Hard to find a good tech that also is cheap.

1200 being a bit high even in your area labor has to be 80-100 an hour. How many hours you figure to r&r a vette rear. Its does take time. You know the tech is not going to make his flat rate unless he does them everyday.

I do agree they are easy enough to do. Just lots of hard work that needs to be right if its going 100k miles. Just want to give the best advice based on car and work needing to be done. If it was a ragged 89 mustang i would have different advice. As the job is easier and car does not have large collector value. A vette with a toasted indepentent rear is parts. New rear done by a good shop is 3k more at time of sale. So that is where my advice is coming from.

[bygddy]

Originally Posted by 1975yellowC3

I have the original 3spd auto in there now. I believe it is a TH400. I think even if it is a TH350 they both have 1:1 final ratio.

ssmonty - I have toyed with the idea of OD tranny. I have really been reluctant to change gears because of the higher highway rpm. Not sure I want to do that, but I realize it's a tradeoff and without it I have what I have!

The motor sounds really really good right now. I honestly don't really care about the sound, just want some good off the line power.

So...I have read many a thread on here that gears are by far best bang for the buck. I am just curious how much it would really help. It will turn the tires from a stop as is (P295/50R15s)...you have to floor it and it will spin probably 20 feet. I started out on this journey just wanting some neck snapping take off. It takes off pretty well, but I was expecting much more. I am assuming it has to be my gears.

Do you think it is worth changing cams? Will I really notice that much seat of the pants feel between what I have and the 268 off the line?

I have less motor then you, stock converter, and 411's.....29" tall tire, and from a roll can destroy them as long as you keep your foot in it. Yah, on the highway I cruise at 3000rpm, but its so worth it lol. I recently hurt my TH350 so will likely build a 200r4 with a 3500 converter in the spring and get the best of all worlds.....

[prostreet6t9]

Originally Posted by hcompton

I do agree they are easy enough to do. Just lots of hard work that needs to be right if its going 100k miles. Just want to give the best advice based on car and work needing to be done. If it was a ragged 89 mustang i would have different advice. As the job is easier and car does not have large collector value. A vette with a toasted indepentent rear is parts. New rear done by a good shop is 3k more at time of sale. So that is where my advice is coming from.

I have 200K race cars dropped off at my shop and they get treated exactly the same as a guy with a rusted out Camaro. Both car's get the same quality work and both customers are treated with respect. As far as gear work... There is NO way I could spend 3K for diff work on that car. Way out of hand..

If the OP has some mechanical knowledge and some patience he can do it and try and save some money.

[hcompton]

Originally Posted by prostreet6t9

I have 200K race cars dropped off at my shop and they get treated exactly the same as a guy with a rusted out Camaro. Both car's get the same quality work and both customers are treated with respect. As far as gear work... There is NO way I could spend 3K for diff work on that car. Way out of hand..

If the OP has some mechanical knowledge and some patience he can do it and try and save some money.

The 3k more is the value added to the price the car will fetch with documented rebuild of rear. Not what it cost to get done. If you have had few vettes then you know what it can cost to buy a new rear if the old one is wasted from neglect and will ponny up some more bucks if your buyng it for a known problem solved. I paid extra for my car for the same reason and i plan to back half and 9 inch, the car at some point.

I agree with you. Just think getting it done at the shop has some good points as well.

In my area shops are happy to offer the sucker price. My wife took her deville in for brakes and the shop called said it needed rotors which it did need the one. I had already looked at it. They said it needed all four and they were special rotors cause its a caddy and the cost 189 each. While i was talking to the guy i hit rockauto.com and looked up the rotors bendix 29 bucks and 12 bucks for rear. Price seems right since they fit most big gm vehicles. These breaks are on freakin everything. I was upset and they offered to lower the rotors cost to 40 bucks each after saying the price on the net was wrong. I picked up the car and had to call in a favor to get them swap by a freind since i had to get on the road. If you were in md i would take my car to you for the big jobs i dont want to take on.