Re: Haibeck Engine Upgrade
 

Having Marc work on my car versus anyone else was never in question. The only other person I considered was Aaron Scott at SGC. Aaron has moved on to other things while Marc’s support of our ZR1’s is unparalleled. I don’t get to all of the ZR1 functions in any given year, not even close. The one’s that I do get to attend seem to have two constants. The first is Mr. “Mom” ZR1 Net Registry is always in attendance and the second is Marc “the ZR1 Specialist” Haibeck is always there to help and share his knowledge. I can’t think of any two ZR1 corvette people I’d rather support.

The question that I continue to struggle with is what work I want Marc to perform. I’ve got a low mileage ZR1 that probably needs no more than the patience required to find a chronic vacuum leak. I’ve run out of patience. It probably would also benefit from a dyno tune performed by someone who specializes in ZR1’s. There is also a selfish side, however, that wants more. Marc has the car now is going to fix the seemingly minor problems and install 4:10 gears. So more specifically, the question is has anyone done Marc’s 500Hp package and been disappointed to the point that they wished they would have just done a stroker to begin with?

Bob, you helped me pull the plenum when we changed the injectors. My plenum passages looked more stock than they looked “modified”. I told you that the prior owner of my car had the top end extrusion honed. Maybe my car does run strong but I’m having a hard time believing it was the extrusion hone. I’ve seen what Marc does with the plenum and injector housings and there is no comparison. The only other ZR1 I’ve driven is my Red/Gray 91 that I sold a few years ago. My 91 ZR1 that Marc currently has (that has headers and a 3” exhaust) does pull reasonably hard but my seat-of-the-pants comparison has always been that is pulls like my stock 91 (red/gray) that had 4:10 gears. The logic for considering Marc’s 500Hp package is that the throttle body, injector housing, plenum and head porting, in addition to 4:10 gears, is going to make a yet to be determine but a presumably “significant” improvement.

I’ve asked similar questions different ways on the corvetteforum. I’m still looking for feedback. I’m interested, enjoy reading, and appreciate all of the thoughts that have been shared. Many thanks!

Re: Haibeck Engine Upgrade
 

PM sent

Re: Haibeck Engine Upgrade
 

You will never have enough power. I also have an SGC 350 with cams. It runs well too. I haven't had them together yet though.

I want more... but you probably don't know me to fully understand that statement. Marc's 350 package is a significant improvement over a stock car. My admiral blue car is stock with headers, B&B with x-pipe, SGC chip. The 4.10s in the yellow car make a neck snaping difference but it pulls a lot harder than the blue car throughout the powerband.

Do I think the 350 package is worth it? Yes
Do I think you will eventually get used to it and want more power? Yes
Is the cost of a stroker worth the gain ($/hp)? If you find the answer please help me out

You will not be disappointed with the 350 package for the $/hp bargain.

Re: Haibeck Engine Upgrade
 

I think Mr. Urbinati will soon have what you want Ted!!!...:mrgreen:

Re: Haibeck Engine Upgrade
 

Could this be the 441ci? we heard talk of last year at West Gathering??

Re: Haibeck Engine Upgrade
 

No question about Marc being a huge contributor to our hobby. If you live in the Southwest, don't forget Corey Henderson of New Braunfels, Texas ( near San Antonio ). Corey is a great ZR1 tuner and has a state of the art shop to accomplish just about any mod you would like to do. He flies a bit under the national radar but is excellent and fair priced.

Re: Haibeck Engine Upgrade
 

I 100 percent agree . i have has work done by corey and he is first rate a very fair in price his work the reason my car runs so hard (had a very modded pantera dinner last night):mrgreen:

Re: Haibeck Engine Upgrade
 

Corey :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Re: Haibeck Engine Upgrade
 

Right, I agree. They seemed smoother than mine looked before being ported, they didn't have that rough cast look inside. But they hardly seemed opened up. They lined up pretty well with the replacement gaskets.

But that said, your car sure seemed faster than mine. My injectors and IH were ported by Mark. And we both have headers. I suppose your exhaust is freer, B&B with an x-pipe vs my stock pipes, 3" mufflers, and LT4 resonator. So if it's not your extrude hone and cams making the power, what is it? I'm pretty sure my car isn't a slouchy '90, though I could be wrong.

It seems like Mark's 500 cars make power in a pretty tight ballpark. That's what he expressed to me, that he can pretty well predict the power a car will make when he does certain work to it. So it would seem the more power your car makes now, the less gain there will be from his full-on package. That doesn't mean it's not worth it, though.

Just a thought, but have you considered having him port the injector housings and plenum only? See what you gain there. Then if you want to have him port the heads later, the intake parts are already done. Doing it in halves, the total cost seems to be about the same as doing it all at once. The only extra would be disassembling the intake twice, which I suspect Mark is quite quick at doing. And of course two trips up to Chicago.

Like I said, just a thought.

Though maybe I am seeing the dilemma in terms of the decision I would make. If you are asking should you do the 500 package, or just go full bore on a stroker, well then bang for the buck is probably not as much of a factor as total bang. In which case, why not go for it?

Another "just a thought" in that case though, is if you do the full on 350 porting, having Mark do a 368, 385, etc, should be cheaper by the cost of the 500 package, as the port work on the top end will already be done (unless he ports more for bigger displacements?).

All I mean is you don't have to have it all done at once. The cost savings isn't so huge as to make it a waste to piecemeal it.

Re: Haibeck Engine Upgrade
 

PM sent.
=============================================

Isn't a 440 a Dodge engine ?