I am so confused. In one place, I have read that Chevrolet produced a 1960 FI, 290hp, then, in another, it states that it was a 315hp. Noland states 290 in one place, then 315 in another. In all the websites, it states 290 hp. In the 1960 Owners Manual, it states 315hp. Some books it states 290, NCRS states 315? HELP! I think! Maybe! I think that I am confused? Or, ... am I right, ..... or wrong? Does any body really no what time it is?
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Steve, In 1960, Corvette was planning on...
...introducing the aluminum head 283, to be rated @ 315 HP. The hope was somewhat premature in that the heads never quite made it to production. Nevertheless, the info had already been printed. Corvette backed off and utilized the cast iron heads with the 290 HP rating. Yes, some of these heads are out there as they were sold over the counter, but I believe no Corvette was delivered to a retail customer with them installed. I've seen a set priced at 10K, but have no idea what you would do with them. Well, they would make a good conversation piece or a paper weight or hold a door open... -
DC is right on. Suffice it to say that
if the Cunningham Corvettes (3) went to Le Mans WITHOUT aluminum heads, then the guy down the street had NO CHANCE to have them unless he bought them across the parts counter - and then he'd find out they didn't work.Comment
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Re: 1960 Fuel Injection - 290 or 315
Steve, That tidbid of info you just gave has driven me crazy with my FI business for an eon. I just tell the guys that the 7320 unit and engine were 290 HP in 60 and 315 hp IN 61. Then of course they quote similiar info that you did and I just do my best to settle them down and repeat what Dennis told you.
Similar misinformation haunts me forever on the late late 57 FI units. The 7014960 ones. Every once in the while SACC or NCRS will reprint a piece of GM literature stating that the '4960 unit had a cranking signal valve. I say out loud. Oh no not again. That unit did NOT have that valve. GM publication error that will haunt us forever and a day.
Two days ago though a fellow called and said he had a set of aluminum heads for a 61 and thinks they would be the cats meow for a bow tie car. I had to agree that they would as I was working on my trailer if you get the drift.
Old JP has been advertising a set of those aluminum jobs for many a years.
Loren- does Lances #3 car have aluminum heads??? I'm sorry but I couldn't quite grasp what you were saying about it. That is one sweet little car. John D.Comment
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Re: 1960 Fuel Injection - 290 or 315
Would these heads for 60 been 1.94s like the 461s used in 61 (and thus the 315hp rating)?Comment
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Re: 1960 Fuel Injection - 290 or 315
Yes, the 461s were essentially a cast iron version of the stillborn aluminum heads. The bigger inlet ports and valves yielded the additional power.
DukeComment
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Re: 1960 Fuel Injection - 290 or 315
I have been researching the 461X heads used in 1961 and was sent the following article that was written in the 1959 Hot Rod Magazine. You may need to maximize or minimize the picture to read the article about the "315HP 1960 Corvette".
Click on the above link or cut in paste into your browser and view an article from 1959 Hod Rod magazine about the 315HP 1960 Corvette.
Special Thanks to Joe Mish for the article.
RayRay Carney
1961 Sateen Silver 270-HP
1961 Fawn Beige 315-HPComment
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Re: 1960 Fuel Injection - 290 or 315
I tried the URL in the original post with no luck. Lets try this one. You will need to scroll down to the 1960 315 article.
Sorry Ray
Ray Carney
1961 Sateen Silver 270-HP
1961 Fawn Beige 315-HPComment
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Re: 1960 Fuel Injection - 290 or 315
JD:
No, it does not have aluminum heads.
All of the Cunningham cars ran Le Mans with motors that were built after the cars were built. On their return to CONUS, those motors were removed and sent to MI for evaluation. The originals were then re-installed; legend is that two of the motors got switched - no matching
numbers requirement then.
Car #1 (Cunningham/Kimberly) ran with one of the 4 motors assembled
on March 22, 1960 and stamped CZ - one of the 13 motors built with Aluminum heads for evaluation - but as shipped from GM to Momo's garage, it came with cast iron heads, and raced in that configuration.
Car #2 (Thompson/Windridge) ran with a "CS" (290 FI, cast iron heads) motor assembled by Engineering on April 29.
Car #3 (Fitch/Grossman) also had a 290 FI, assembled (per the same Work Order as #2) on April 29.
Car #4 ran the motor it was built with - engine shots at Sebring & Le Mans show it to be running a 7300 FI unit (car #3 also showed at Sebring with a 7300 but the 4/29 assembled motor got shipped to Europe with a 7320 unit).Comment
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Re: 1960 Fuel Injection - 290 or 315
Loren, I will never figure out why they were pushing the 7300 units on those race cars.
You can do so much more with a 7320 unit versus the left over 57 units. Course what it amounts to is that RP was trying to unload them as they had about 1500 of the 4800 units sitting around for service. You know the rest. I can see why they shipped #3 to Europe with a 7320 unit. Much better FI. Take care as Carlisle is coming in the AM. I will be off the PC until Monday. John
Thanks for the nice chart or list of the engine components.Comment
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Re: 1960 Fuel Injection - 290 or 315
Fascinating info, as always, Loren. I didn't know they actually made any of the CZ engines. I wonder how many survive?Comment
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Re: 1960 Fuel Injection - 290 or 315
If I'm interpreting this article correctly it said these heads have NO seat inserts and NO valve guide inserts. Is it my imagination or was this really the deal?
DukeComment
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John, it was NOT just the race cars that
got the 7300; per both the late Russ Sanders and the late Frank Schibica,the reason that you surmise is EXACTLY correct. RP was going to be left "holding the bag" on too many pieces,
In terms of an outline, my 2272 got a 7300, Fitch/Grossman's 25XX came with a 7300; the other 2 Cunningham cars at 3XXX & 41XX came with 7320s. All of the LATER "race motors" came with 7320s.
I have access to photos of an engine shot of the Fitch/Grossman car after the race motor was removed and Momo's and the original motor put back.
All 3 cars are believed to have been sold/given/consigned to/thru Bill Frick.
The picture I'm referring to is when the car was being drag raced by a Don Gist in Florida, WITH the 7300 unit back in the car.Comment
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Smitty: Right now, probably 200 *NM*
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Re: 1960 Fuel Injection - 290 or 315
Duke,
The "SS" heads used bronze guides and seats. These were raced at Sebring.
This was determined to be too expensive to use for production "Vettes.
The "metallurgists" supposedly found some special aluminum alloy, which contained Kryptonite. This would obviate the need for bronze guides/inserts.
The article, written by "Hot Rod" joyfully anticipated the arrival of these magical heads.
The magical heads were stillborn........probably because the "metallurgists" couldn't find any Kryptonite.
Interesting article though. Especially the part which explains how the "choke points" in the intake ports @ the pushrod intersection were treated as "venturis". So much for offset rocker arms.
JoeComment
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