Cheap mods, really worth it?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 787
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Cheap mods, really worth it?
In 1999 I had a near 100 percent original 13 year old 200,000 mile Z28. I got involved in thirdgen.org and did the cheap stuff - headers, exhuast, open element K&N, removed all smog stuff including Cat. I did not 'notice' any gains other than a better sounding car. I did notice a 2 mpg reduction (I would think the above mods would help, not hurt mpg).
All being said, I wish I had my near original Z28 back (original third generations F bodies seem to be rare).
The reason I bring this up is because I'm thinking about the same cheap stuff for the near original Corvette (Exhaust, Air Foil, TB bypass, open air box, etc.)
P.S. - I never raced it, so maybe I did get a gain (or maybe even a loss), but I can't perceive a difference.
All being said, I wish I had my near original Z28 back (original third generations F bodies seem to be rare).
The reason I bring this up is because I'm thinking about the same cheap stuff for the near original Corvette (Exhaust, Air Foil, TB bypass, open air box, etc.)
P.S. - I never raced it, so maybe I did get a gain (or maybe even a loss), but I can't perceive a difference.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 22,267
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From: Dallas TX
Re: Cheap mods, really worth it? (cOvette)
I think it's a good idea to do the free/cheap mods. They are worth a little bit in the end. When you move into the bigger mods, those smaller ones turn into medium mods since their addition gets multiplied.
I mean are you going to run a 406cid TT with stock exhaust .. hell no. Are you going to leave the original MAF on there... hell no .. are you going to have a regular air filter . hell no ... :jester
Now if the cost of those mods could be put towards a new cam and ported heads ... then I'd say don't do them and save up for the big things.
As for the airfoil.. do NOT waste your money. Wait until you upgrade to a bigger throttle body which has it built in.
[Modified by Glock'94, 9:21 PM 3/1/2002]
I mean are you going to run a 406cid TT with stock exhaust .. hell no. Are you going to leave the original MAF on there... hell no .. are you going to have a regular air filter . hell no ... :jester
Now if the cost of those mods could be put towards a new cam and ported heads ... then I'd say don't do them and save up for the big things.
As for the airfoil.. do NOT waste your money. Wait until you upgrade to a bigger throttle body which has it built in.
[Modified by Glock'94, 9:21 PM 3/1/2002]
Race Director
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From: I live in my own little world
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Re: Cheap mods, really worth it? (Glock'94)
I think it's a good idea to do the free/cheap mods. They are worth a little bit in the end. When you move into the bigger mods, those smaller ones turn into medium mods since their addition gets multiplied.as it built in....
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Athens AL
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Re: Cheap mods, really worth it? (Alchemist)
Do the easy mods: K&N open lid, MAF, TB bypass, 160 tstat. Then go on to bigger stuff like headers, exhaust, intake, hotcam. And be sure not to believe half the ads in Ecklers or MAD about increasing your hp
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: The Top of Utah
Re: Cheap mods, really worth it? (cOvette)
Generally, you get what you pay for. For little or nothing, you get little or nothing. Sometimes, less. There is no reason to believe that these trinkets will have any greater effect on your Corvette than they did on your Camaro. As before, if you have no intention of racing or modifying any further keep you wallet in your pocket. Unless you just like to spend money to make you feel good or have a terminal case of "tinkeritis", your money is better spent on the "trick" wax of the month. A view from a cynic.
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
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Re: Cheap mods, really worth it? (cOvette)
Headers are something that should give you a real hp increase. I pickeup up 23 hp and 32 pounds of torque by replacing my exhaust with long tube headers and flowmaster mufflers.
The thing is that my car was already modified so it took more advantage of it. It's one of those things where every little bit helps, but all of it helps more. A cam on a stock motor might give you as much as 40, good heads might give you 25-30, headers might give you 10-15. Add them all together and you have as much as an 85 hp increase, or so you would think. Well if you put them all in there as part of a system you can easily exceed 85 hp. The reason is that these are related parts, and the benefit of one multipiles the benefits of the others.
All the little "bolt ons" don't really hurt anything, but they probably won't help much if anything unless you do something else to take advantage of it.
The thing is that my car was already modified so it took more advantage of it. It's one of those things where every little bit helps, but all of it helps more. A cam on a stock motor might give you as much as 40, good heads might give you 25-30, headers might give you 10-15. Add them all together and you have as much as an 85 hp increase, or so you would think. Well if you put them all in there as part of a system you can easily exceed 85 hp. The reason is that these are related parts, and the benefit of one multipiles the benefits of the others.
All the little "bolt ons" don't really hurt anything, but they probably won't help much if anything unless you do something else to take advantage of it.
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Racer
Joined: May 2001
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From: Griffin GA
Re: Cheap mods, really worth it? (cOvette)
Mods? A lot of mods by them self you can't tell the difference with out dino. I ca't tell a difference in 5 hp but mods are a combination process. a little here a little there. and it all ads up.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: South Carolina
Re: Cheap mods, really worth it? (cOvette)
I think the little cheap mods are fun to do on your first vette, but after that the novelty wears off. Now if your vette is moderately to heavily modded, sure do it all, but if it's a stocker, don't waiste your money on Airfoils and other junk. The only cheap mods I'll stand behind is a K&N airfilter, Open Air-Lid, Lower therm and temp sending unit for aux. fan and maybe a prom with a lower cut on for the primary fan. Anything else is a waste of cash for the little if any performance gained. Exhaust mod that should be done if you don't mind a little resonance is mufflers eliminators, makes the car sound like it has a set. :) Just my .02
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: tulsa, okla, usa
Re: Cheap mods, really worth it? (cOvette)
ALL or NOTHING......that's my thinking. If you're not going to be THE fastest car around (900 HP plus), then you might as well enjoy the factory 300 or so HP, enjoy very good all around performance, and keep your money for other things in life. As you learned with your Camaro, with age, you appreciate a factory original performance car, it doesn't have to be a rocket sled to be enjoyed. Too much emphasis and wasted money on silly mods that gain very little, return very little. Keep it stock unless you're out to knock John Force off his throne!!! :lol:
Elite Torch Red Member
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From: Exit 89 GSP,Lakewood,NJ The Land Of Mojo
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Re: Cheap mods, really worth it? (Nathan Plemons)
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All the little "bolt ons" don't really hurt anything, but they probably won't help much if anything unless you do something else to take advantage of it.
All the little "bolt ons" don't really hurt anything, but they probably won't help much if anything unless you do something else to take advantage of it.
Mods? A lot of mods by them self you can't tell the difference with out dyno. I can't tell a difference in 5 hp but mods are a combination process. a little here a little there. and it all ads up.
Why is it that my buddy's supercharged 99 C5 dynoed at 440 hp at the rear wheels and Mackey's car 362 at the rear wheels and Mackey can blow him away?
It's in the setup. The C5 is a sixspeed car while Mackey's is an automatic with different gears and TC.
How come a stock automatic LT1 will 60' better than my stock LT1 six speed, but I have a higher mph and sometimes a better overall ET?
It's all in the setup.
I removed the mufflers from my car to get a better sound, I didn't gain a thing except a loss of 18 lbs. I actually lost mph in the 1/4.
On one of my trucks, the exhaust systemfell off completely, the truck ran like a slug. You need some backpressure. Unless you are doing other work, an exhaust mod(cat back) won't do much.
Like the others said, if you aren't going to race, then leave the car alone.