Just have the manifold welded.  Would be a lot less money and work.

Suggestion is: don't do this.  Instead, take a look at Wayne's post
and build a shopping list to restore the Crossfire.

Also, try a post for Crossfire improvement suggestions in the C4 Scan
and Tune Forum:  < http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zeroforum?id=82 >.

Maybe I'm reading the situation wrong but, think you're looking for
'off-road' experience where emission control is not an issue.

I think the carb conversion will make for more complications, more $$,
less rear-wheel horsepower, and more fuel consumption.  OTOH, a new cam,
redoing the hood profile to accommodate a larger intake etc. etc.

There is a tach signal from those old distributors but it's a pulse from
the 12-volt module.  Your current tach signal comes from the ECM and
it's a digital signal.

Another distributor issue is the weak advance curves in the 77-79 HEIs.
You'd be starting out from square zero, building an advance curve.
Ten years ago, I rebuilt my '79 HEI -- mess of red oxide inside and
lower end had suffered a lube failure.  Expect most salvage distributors
to look the same.

hth

--
pj

he already stated his crossfire intake has a crack.
news:SkK4j.27806$JD.11198@newssvr21.news.prodigy.net

I was trying to talk someone out of bolting on a carb and a hood
scoop.  That would doom the car to a junkyard.

Actually the '84 vette was state of the art for it's time. The rest of GM's
line-up was sporting closed loop carb systems.

Conversion to carb can be done, but it requires an awful lot of bypassing
and removing of controls. As one poster commented, the transmission is an
electronic 700R4. It has no provision for a TV cable as used on other GM
models.

At this point with the ECU pretty much having to be by-passed, I have no
idea how it would effect the LED dash or the rest of the instrumentation.

Man, I wouldn't want to attempt what you want to do.

Good Luck!

All this over a crack in an intake manifold... are you nuts?!!

I would be all over a conversion if it were my car. where you going to
find the parts for a 1984 crossfire (something that was very limited
production).  

Other poster said this car has a electronically controlled 700R4...is
this true on a 1984 model car? Since I'm not a corvette nut I don't
know but that does not sound right.  You have the lockup converter
controlled by wire but I don't think this thing shifted by wire
(correct me if someone knows for sure)

Unless you have a pristine car and want to retain the stock engine....
I would basically trash the fuel and intake setup. Install an old
school HEI distributor (like came on a 78 z-28) you can buy a good
rebuilt unit from NAPA. Find out what low profile dual plane intake
and carb setup + air filter will clear the hood. Do away with computer
controls....etc...  Now this based on living where emissions controls
are lax or non-existent.

If you live where you have strict emissions controls... I would look
for a good tuned port motor out of a later model z-28 to swap over.

There are a number of companies that make all kind of stand alone
wiring harnesses for projects just like this.  Of course you would
have to know how to work on the car and have good basic mechanical
knowledge of the vehicle and any donor vehicle.

All around road manner and good power....I would be looking for a
tuned port setup to use (GM OEM Stuff) not aftermarket. I would look
to buy a complete engine assembly out of a wreck.

Maybe something out of a 02 Z-28 or even a LT-1 engine out of caprice
or road master would be good.

crossfire to me would be a pain in the a.s to screw with, given the
opportunity to get a new motor with a lot better fuel injection setup.

Was a crossfire not something like to mini-throttle body type injector
setups.  I would go with a more modern fuel injection setup any day
over crossfire.  You can buy entire engine assemblies + ecm + wirining
harness for $1,500 or so.

Seems to me that even the corvette used a transmission in the 1984
year that worked of either  kickdown cable or TV cable.   Unless the
84 has the odball trans mount setup I would change that too, and go
with a more modern version of the 700R4 with TV cable. Does the 84
have the oddball trans mount setup?

If under strict emission controls, you better check the rules on
engine swaps in your area to make sure what you can do in order to
pass emissions / inspection, othewise you may be up the creek.

If you get a complete engine assembly then get the wiring harness
and the ECM.  Othewise you'll need to obtain an ECM and can use
a wiring harness from painless.  

Swapping all this would not be an easy job. Don't know if that car had
an "electronic" dash...  and if so does the ECM have any direct
control over the gauages or inputs into the dash.  This would be a big
job to tackle, I would certainly do some research, espically if you
will have to pay someone or even do it yourself.

-----------
Elbert
ask@me.com

I've seen a lot of cars at junkyards that had been converted, usually
because the previous owner didn't understand EFI enough to fix it.  As
soon as emissions inspections come, the car is useless.  Strip the
body for parts and crush the rest.

It'll need a standalone controller for the converter lockup.  Such a
device is available.  The TV cable has to hook up to something or
it'll burn up the transmission.  A trans swap isn't an option due to
the driveline beam.

No it isn't.

Fix it right.  It's your car, of course.  You'll do what you want.

my 84/c4 runs very well with a carb.
high output coil and wires, hooker headers and free flow
exhaust.
I do wish it were more street legal....

the only thing I did was add a good temp gage because the
old one was broken.
the others gages work fine. the led dash also works fine.

mine does...