I just bought a 77 L82 corvette. I want to bump up the hp some. It is 210 now. The problem is i don't want to have to use an octane boost if i get the compression too high. Does anyone know what chevy used that year to get the 9.0:1 compression on this 350c.i. was it the pistons or the heads or a combination. I want to replace the heads w/ 64cc but don't want to over do it if they used only pistons to bump up the L48 8.0:1 compression to 9.0:1. Will this be ok and will i be able to use pump gas?  

if you were not  happy with the power why did you buy it????.....


instead of asking... why not read and read ... somewhere there will be the exact combonation...  more than likely you are just going to do a cam...

is the vette restorable..?????  is it worth any money in the future???? do the numbers match right now...  if so.,.. pull the complete motor and put it on a short motor dolly.,...  and push it under the work bench... then install a complete motor with the extra power you want...  either a crate motor or a custom build... with specs that you call for...  the whole idea of the magazines building motors every month is to let  the readers know what is workiing.. and what does not...   there are a million differnt ways to build an engine... and even building identical motors they come out with differnt outputs... there are so many tiny variables...


read read and read..a then make the decision on your learned knowlege..  or ask the guy behind the parts counter...  he read the catalog.... he knows which parts make the company more money...     or shall we remake the spagatti western... for a few horsepower more....staring.. clint stroker crank... and pop up piston coming out of retirement to make just one more horsepower movie...


i my self like an H230 grind cam from american cam...  .... rembember your vette was built with 55 in mind.. i put that cam in a bunch of differnt motors...  from 302 fords to 460 fords.. the guy who got on in his 460 though i have changed the motor.. ... the 360 dodge van i put on in.. increased the power and fuel economy... then that motor blew up do to a blown heater hose... the owner ordered another one.. ....   when i built a 351 W for a customer.. he wanted an rv grind.. he got it.. then complained about the lack of top end...  it would not go over 75... ... when he cracked the heads during a deep freeze i swapped out the rv cam... and put in the H230 he went from 11 mpg to 17...  and ran out of speedo at 85...  this is in a loaded econoline van......that got driven over 300 miles a day...

the people with 350 chevys love them...  the 67 chevelle ss396 325 hp idled with so much vaccum that i had to disconnect the diverter valve that dumpped air injection output into the back of the carb...the chevelle owner who has seen the car on the turntable in the felix chevy showroom got off the bus and bought it on the spot.. grabbed for his chest when i took him out for a spin. and punched it...