Factoids
*1984 was the peak year for C4 production, with 51,547 built. That's a whole lot of L83 Cross-Fire cars to avoid.
*The peak year for L98 Corvette production was 1985, with 39,729 built.
*The least-produced L98 is the '91, with 20,639 coupes and convertibles built.
*LT1 production peaked in 1994, with 22,882 built. That's 300 horses, baby.
*The '90 ZR2 Corvette-engineering mule car featured 454 Rat power and EFI. Considered as a possible stopgap between the base L98 mill and the super-expensive LT5, it never reached production, despite being shown to the press.
The source of the knock turned out to be a spun No. 3 rod bearing that still bore its 8-84 birth date. The wounded crank cleaned up after a 0.030 cut. In keeping with the budget theme, the stock forged pistons, cam, and lifters were reused. The total price of the machine work and parts was $657.89, which included one rod, fresh rings, bearings, and a gasket kit. | 
Here's the stuff that has to come off before the block can be hoisted up and out. Aluminum cylinder heads arrived in 1986 on all the 7,315 convertibles, but only the last 8,594 of the 27,794 '86 coupes built got the alloy goodies. From '87 on, all Corvettes had aluminum heads. This '85 makes due with stock iron castings. |
Thanks to a monthlong winter rainstorm and no dry place to do the assembly, my trusty Pinto hatchback became a mobile clean room. Notice the aluminum tubing for the Corvette's oil-cooler plumbing and extra-capacity Y-car oil pan. | 
When I'm not crawling around on TV, I'm at home having the time of my life with projects like this. |