L34 or L78...the great debate

[Chris_69_SS]

O.k., so it really isn't anything more than me trying to decide how to build up a power train for my 69 Chevelle. Car is an original SS396 L34, M20 car and I want to replace the 600hp mill it currently has.

So, what would you do?

a) Build a correrct L78 engine. 840 heads, Crane Blueprint cam, manifolds, 163 intake....

OR

b) detune the 454 I have now and make it look like an L34? This would include a Qjet intake, Qjet, manifolds, .520 lift hyd cam. I would also use my ported oval ports (450 hp max)


Replacing the current TH400 / 4.10s will be a M20? and 3.23s?

Your thoughts?

Chris

PS...added the D96 stripe......
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h239/Chris_69_SS/d96.jpg

[92646]

Long term money is best if you go back to stock. If you go to the L-78 motor you will still get somebody saying the car is not real and it will get classified as a clone. There are great clones and bad clones but they all tend to be looked at the same. If it was me I would build a 540 and make it look like a L-34. I am enjoying the L-78 Nova I have now but I miss the 1969 Camaro that I had with the 540 that I dressed to look like a L-78. Just my opinion but please look at what goal you are trying to achieve and plan from there.
Mark Sheppard

[Mr70]

I'd choose b) detune the 454 I have now and make it look like an L34? This would include a Qjet intake, Qjet, manifolds, .520 lift hyd cam. I would also use my ported oval ports (450 hp max)

[bigchevydaddy]

Detune the 454 to look L-34. That way you've got the stock looks and close to L-78 performance (probably more torque even) with a minimal investment.

[WILMASBOYL78]

Another vote for the de-tuned 454...make it pump gas friendly...you'll still have plenty of power.

wilma http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif

[Chris_69_SS]

Thanks for the replies.

I think I am going to go the popular route AND add a 5 speed tremec. My 4.10s will be like 2.90s in 5th!

Bestc,

Chris

[Keith Tedford]

A couple of years ago I was at a cruise night and there was a guy complaining about all the fake L78 cars there. There were three including ours. Had he looked a little closer, each car had the GM of Canada documentation on the dash. Do whatever you want. Someone will be complaining no matter what you have. The cast iron intake and a well set up Q'Jet isn't going to slow down the car as much as you might think running a milder street engine. The L78 intake and 780 Holley can feed a fairly healthy engine too. The detuned 454 would be a real sleeper.....which is my idea of a fun car. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[P.J.]

sell that 454, replace it with the orig date correct motor,then restore the rest of the car with all of its orig bolts and parts.That is one nice car you have.When the car is finished it will be worth some coin if you decide to sell it some day.
I cant tell you how many cruz nights I go to and only one or two of all those cars are orig restored cars.There are thousands of nice modified cars.
I went to Hagens one night a few years ago and out of about 500 cars in the show only one was all orig, It was a blue 1969 chevelle.You know whose car EH! It really turned my crank.
PJ

[1969l78]

I agree detune it and make a nice sleeper. Sleepers are the best. Just my .02

[HiHorse]

I bought an original numbers match L35 1969 Camaro, first thing I did was rip off the 375HP decals that the previous owner put on. The vehicle is what it is and I am proud of it. I would never make it something that it is not. I also have a documented 1969 L78 Camaro and appreciate it for what it is.
I say go correct, you can never wrong.

[Jeff H]

Detune the 454 and make it look like an L34. Put a nice hydraulic cam in it and you'll love the car. I've put 3800 miles on my 70 L78 car in the last 22 months and if it had a solid lifter cam I would probably be hating it big time. If it's not fun/comfortable to drive then you probably won't enjoy it. Make it fun and keep it looking correct and you'll love it and get compliments too!

[Chris_69_SS]

Thanks again for all of the replies.

[Keith Tedford]

Our L78 Chevelle with its 163 cam is pretty docile to drive. Setting the lifters is a non-issue. I've driven the car over 30K miles and set the lifters once. They were so close that it didn't really matter. Our 427 was much the same. Back in '67 I had an L34 Beaumon and L78 cam. It woke the car up but was easy to drive. Original seems to be where the money is, but tweaked is where the fun is. The choice is yours.

[Chris_69_SS]

[ QUOTE ]
Our L78 Chevelle with its 163 cam is pretty docile to drive. Setting the lifters is a non-issue. I've driven the car over 30K miles and set the lifters once. They were so close that it didn't really matter. Our 427 was much the same. Back in '67 I had an L34 Beaumon and L78 cam. It woke the car up but was easy to drive. Original seems to be where the money is, but tweaked is where the fun is. The choice is yours.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, the issue I have is swapping cams in my existing 454 to something with less duration could get me into fuel issues as I am at 10.5 comp and a 230* at .050 cam will probably give me too much cranking pressure.... Might be a piston swap issue...

Like the idea of the L34 as I am taking a real shine to an all orange engine, esp. with a qjet. and manifolds.

I will probably end up with a mix of the 2. Fun and Stock...I mean, an 9-1comp. L34 clone with a hyd 280 cam, manual trans will be a blast.

Hell I may as well do a M20 to keep the flavor....