Developing a summer modification plan.
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Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 12,399
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From: San Jose CA
Developing a summer modification plan.
#1 mod that's gonna happen this summer, is dual exhaust.
Auxiliary mods are gonna be headers, and a rear fiberglass spring. I need to replace my rear shocks, so I figure I should do it sooner or later, so I can match the shocks to the spring.
I'm thinking of the 360 lb rear spring, as I'm fairly certain I have gymkhana suspension. (Car has a very tiny rear sway bar, and rides much rougher than most C3 Corvettes I've been in.) I wanna go w/ Bilstein shocks. Do you guys know how much exhaust clearance is necessary on the fiberglass spring? Am I going too harsh on the spring? I believe the stock Gymkhana was a 300, maybe 330. The vette seems to tend towards understeer, though.
I also plan on putting beefier sway bars on the car, and get some of this roll under control.
Any negative thoughts on headers w/ a daily driver?
-Steve
Auxiliary mods are gonna be headers, and a rear fiberglass spring. I need to replace my rear shocks, so I figure I should do it sooner or later, so I can match the shocks to the spring.
I'm thinking of the 360 lb rear spring, as I'm fairly certain I have gymkhana suspension. (Car has a very tiny rear sway bar, and rides much rougher than most C3 Corvettes I've been in.) I wanna go w/ Bilstein shocks. Do you guys know how much exhaust clearance is necessary on the fiberglass spring? Am I going too harsh on the spring? I believe the stock Gymkhana was a 300, maybe 330. The vette seems to tend towards understeer, though.
I also plan on putting beefier sway bars on the car, and get some of this roll under control.
Any negative thoughts on headers w/ a daily driver?
-Steve
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 3,631
Likes: 14
From: Fountain Hills AZ
Re: Developing a summer modification plan. (Pacin'California)
If a rough ride isn't your cup of tea, you might go with a lighter spring. I went with the lightest one available, 300lb, and am glad I did. My `65 had the standard suspension with no sway bar and I'd planned on adding one. The plastic spring improved sway so much that I haven't bothered to add a bar.
The benefit of headers increases in proportion to the power output of the engine. As for headers being used on a daily driver, it depends on the headers and their installation. Cheapie headers with thin flanges and cheap bolts, or poorly aligned good ones, are likely to develop frequent leaks. Good quality headers with quality bolts and proper installation can be as reliable as stock manifolds. I've run headers for years without any problems on several different cars (the same set for 8 years on my Vette). I've also had cheap headers that would develop a new leak every month! The most critical seal is at the head so thick flanges that won't warp and quality bolts (Stage 8 or ARP) are essential. Another potential problem is alignment of the exhaust system to the collector. If not right, normal engine and exhaust system movements will cause leaks at the collectors.
The benefit of headers increases in proportion to the power output of the engine. As for headers being used on a daily driver, it depends on the headers and their installation. Cheapie headers with thin flanges and cheap bolts, or poorly aligned good ones, are likely to develop frequent leaks. Good quality headers with quality bolts and proper installation can be as reliable as stock manifolds. I've run headers for years without any problems on several different cars (the same set for 8 years on my Vette). I've also had cheap headers that would develop a new leak every month! The most critical seal is at the head so thick flanges that won't warp and quality bolts (Stage 8 or ARP) are essential. Another potential problem is alignment of the exhaust system to the collector. If not right, normal engine and exhaust system movements will cause leaks at the collectors.
