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So I bought my 1986 corvette right before I turned 18 with 77k miles on it im now 20 and making a little more money and would like to start to upgrading for performance. I'm not interested in swapping the motor because I will only be keeping my car for a few more years. Any ideas? I have some in mind but just want some oppioins...
If you only plan on keeping your 86 a few years I would invest in a good exhaust system, headers, pipes, and mufflers. Make sure your transmission maintenance is up to date. Appearance makes the sale so keep the paint and interior looking sharp.
If your doing the work yourself and know what your doing I really don't think you can get more performance for a cheaper price then a new cam and springs and if you have the money new RR. Under $500 for cam+springs and the car will be night and day.
You have the L98 and you're rpm limited. The L98 is a torque motor. That's a good thing for a street car.
A cam is nice but it won't raise the horsepower curve much.
I've been fighting all of this for a decade now.
The one thing that made the biggest different in my car was an aluminum flywheel. It just totally transformed the car. I had to change all of my shift points.
So I bought my 1986 corvette right before I turned 18 with 77k miles on it im now 20 and making a little more money and would like to start to upgrading for performance. I'm not interested in swapping the motor because I will only be keeping my car for a few more years. Any ideas? I have some in mind but just want some oppioins...
Is it an auto? I'd consider swapping out the diff. for one that has 3.07s. The stock gears for those years could be 2.73s or 2.56s.
Last edited by ex-x-fire; Nov 20, 2016 at 09:53 AM.
Research air intakes (I don't know much about 86s)
Long tube headers and exhaust
Gears (I'd do 3.73 or something close, I'd go 3.45 over 3.0x at the very least if 3.73 isn't available for 86s, like I said I don't know much about 86 corvette , but I have owned a 1987 l98 gta with the Borgwarner 3.27 rear)
Stall converter.
Then if I still wasn't happy, cam and 1.6 rockers with supporting valve train.
One of the better mods to the l98 is a intake manifold swap, the torque of a l98 is no doubt amazing, however I've found them to make more noise then power above 4500rpm. But it just depends on your driving style weather it's a good sacrifice to move your power band up or not.
I agree with the headers and exhaust first. If you do the cam, you gotta pull the intake.. might as well put a better one on while its off..and runners too. Be very careful of the " well, while I am at it".
Time flies by quickly. If you truly are only planning on keeping the car for a couple more years, I wouldn't do anything. Save the money you would spend on upgrades and put it toward your current Corvette's replacement.
Time flies by quickly. If you truly are only planning on keeping the car for a couple more years, I wouldn't do anything. Save the money you would spend on upgrades and put it toward your current Corvette's replacement.
You do need to establish a budget and then stick to it. While there are lots of aftermarket parts available, the costs can add up quickly. Just a set of good aftermarket aluminum cylinder heads can be a grand or more. You should also consider the labor costs if you can't do the work yourself. Internal engine mods like a cam or even cylinder heads will take time to do and a DIY job will require tools, a place to work, and the skills involved.
The '86 in stock trim does have reasonably decent performance. Something as simple as aftermarket mufflers and true duals will help and give you the sound of more power. If you spend a lot of money on performance stuff, it's possible that you may not recover that money. I would suggest that you concentrate on things like better brakes, suspension packages, and good tires.
Keep it simple. I would start with a super ram intake. That will give you the biggest performance gain on a stock motor. Then I would do gears, 3.54 is a good gear for these cars, they make a ton of torque and don't need more gear than that on the street. If you have any money left over a mild cam/lifter kit to match the intake and heads would be a good addition, stay under .470 valve lift to keep the factory valve train. Call comp or a reputable cam company and tell them about your setup and they can recommend a good grind for you.
Last edited by thurman_merman; Nov 21, 2016 at 02:34 PM.
Time flies by quickly. If you truly are only planning on keeping the car for a couple more years, I wouldn't do anything. Save the money you would spend on upgrades and put it toward your current Corvette's replacement.
Exactly. If I bought it, I surely won't give you a dime for your modifications. In fact, I might be suspicious that you flogged it.
You do need to establish a budget and then stick to it. While there are lots of aftermarket parts available, the costs can add up quickly. Just a set of good aftermarket aluminum cylinder heads can be a grand or more. You should also consider the labor costs if you can't do the work yourself. Internal engine mods like a cam or even cylinder heads will take time to do and a DIY job will require tools, a place to work, and the skills involved.
The '86 in stock trim does have reasonably decent performance. Something as simple as aftermarket mufflers and true duals will help and give you the sound of more power.
If you spend a lot of money on performance stuff, it's possible that you may not recover that money. I would suggest that you concentrate on things like better brakes, suspension packages, and good tires.
IF it is going to give you more power, you'd have to match it with the intakes and do exhaust and then dyno tune. That can add up. Now what is that new power going to break? That too adds up. Fix motor, break trans. Fix trans, break rear end.
Don't know. I have pulled the pipes off at the collectors before and made some runs with and without. No real difference. It might make more noise for the rice boys but without the headers, I have serious doubts it will do much.
Doubts? IMO, if the mods don't make the car harder to sell since the buyer might not like it or might wonder if you flogged it, I don't think he will give you much more for them. If he isn't keeping it, I wouldn't mod it.
Keep it simple. I would start with a super ram intake. That will give you the biggest performance gain on a stock motor. Then I would do gears, 3.54 is a good gear for these cars, they make a ton of torque and don't need more gear than that on the street. If you have any money left over a mild cam/lifter kit to match the intake and heads would be a good addition, stay under .470 valve lift to keep the factory valve train. Call comp or a reputable cam company and tell them about your setup and they can recommend a good grind for you.
BTDT on a L98 F-body. It was better but still had issues till I brought it to LPE and he tuned it right.
Headers, are a pretty good choice for a performance updrade. If you have a 4+3, then your car also has the Dana 44 rear diff. If the trans and diff are in good working order, they should stand up just fine to a few, bolt-on upgrades.
If you still have room in your budget a mild cam (with proper valve springs) will help a lot with performance and compliment the headers, you will want to also have a PROM (chip) burned so the motor runs well after the changes.
If you do headers, a mild Cam and have it tuned, I think you'll get a nice performance bump. Yes, an intake would be great, as would Roller rockers, but that would go way over budget.
if you want to enjoy it next yr or two go find yourself some good used headers dual exhaust the aftermarket catbacks are a rip imo muffler elims...springs and 1.6 rockers arent much.
Find a used aftermarket intake or port your own you can get your car in the 13s for it wihtout much it will still look stock. Far as resale just make it look clean. Personally that thought has never crossed my mind if it was that big a deal figure I need to work harder spend less.
Just go have fun with it who cares what some proverbial next guy thinks
Its like paying for a boob job and covering them up
Budget performance upgrades
if you want to enjoy it next yr or two go find yourself some good used headers dual exhaust the aftermarket catbacks are a rip imo muffler elims...springs and 1.6 rockers arent much.