I am curious with where my car is if there are any other modifications I am overlooking.

Primary use of the car is for fun drives with the kids and local Corvette Club events - top out 90% of the time. My car is very clean and all maintenance items are up to date. Car is turn the key and drive ready with no stories. I wouldn't say it has "needs" at all.

96 CE LT4 58K Miles
Zf6 - 3.54 gear

Current Modification list is:
Procharged at 8PSI - intercooled - Custom Tuned - 385 RWHP on 93 Pump Gas.
B&M Shifter - White Ball
Corsa Exhaust
Lowering Bolt Kit
Side Mirror Wind deflectors
Rear Hatch Vent striker (This and the Side mirror wind deflectors really help top off driving - seriously)
Tinted Windows
Side Sill Protectors
Mud Flaps
Wired for Battery Tender

Targa Bar is on it's way.
Stereo is sufficient - factory.

On my list are Long tube headers, AFR195's, a Blower Grind Cam, and bigger pump and injectors. The problem here is the commitment to downtime and then solving the tuning hurdle of having a 96. Yes, I know JET DST, but no local shops support and... well like I said it's hurdle not a stopping point. My issue is I don't see much use in doing one without the others other than the headers.

I am also looking at things besides just adding additional power. That is a given, we all enjoy that. How about other items that improve other aspects of performance or enjoyment. Like I mentioned above, the rear hatch vent striker and wind deflectors at the side mirrors increased driving enjoyment a lot. Am I missing anything I should be looking into?

 

I was going to say it, but then you did...
^That^


Can you HAVE fun drives with the Corvette Club? I joined CCoUT when I got my first 'Vette and OMG they were so ******* lame. SO lame. You club must be a lot different!

 

Depends on who, how many cars, and what the event is.

We do some AutoX low speed tight track events. Other clubs with better tracks in their area have higher speed events. The club is more for enjoyment than competition.

Some of us club members get out and about for non club drives and I do not restrict the use of my car to club only events

 

Sounds awesome. That is what I had hoped for. Instead, we had Cruises that mostly traveled straight roads. One time, we had "Cruise to the Tetons" -Jackson WY. That sounded good so I went. Super lame drive up there, then dinner was at the Jackson Pizza Hut. Really? We're going to drive 4 hours and eat the same Pizza you can eat anywhere? I opted out and took my wife to the Bar J chuckwagon which was local, awesome and unique. I wish our club was more like your club.

 

I'd say brake and suspension upgrades would be good. My favorite upgrades so far honestly were Alcantara seats and an aftermarket steering wheel. Those both have made a huge improvement.

You really should do a real track day, that'd be a great thing, but that's not a mod per SE. You'll have a whole new respect for the car.

 

Oh crap, I forgot is has the lowering bolts on my original list. Other than that, please elaborate. I have the J55 Brakes

Pics or it didn't happen LOL, I have no complaints about my seats or wheel. With it being a CE, I think I would want to keep the seats but I am interested in what you did with the steering wheel. Some extra thigh room wouldn't hurt.

I wouldn't track this car. Too nice and C4's are too plentiful as a base to start from. If I was going to track a C4, a L98 6-speed with >100k miles would be the ticket. I know it doesn't seem like much to others, but I have wanted a CE since 1996 and I finally checked that box off. I just wouldn't be able to look at myself in the mirror if I hurt the car. It's a cruiser that gets some spirited driving and does club events.

 

It's fun and we certainly don't eat at Pizza Hut for any of our events. The club isn't full of Hot Rodders and I am the youngest member. So there is more focus on enjoyment than modifications.
Events since I joined:
Big Car show for Children's Miracle Network - a class for all generations of Corvette plus classes for other cars
Bingo at a Retirement Home (We hosted, brought food, pulled the numbers, etc)
Christmas Party (Nice Local Place for a Banquet)
Visited Lingenfelter's open house
Had a meal and drive for Toys for Tots
Drove the open track day at MIS (Michigan International Speedway)
Fall Colors tour... about a 2hr cruise and a nice out of the way place to eat at the end.
Monthly Members meeting at a nice local restaurant
Monthly Board Members meetings at the same place

I haven't been a member long... but what got canceled due to COVID-19

Another Bingo Event we were going to put on for retired folks
Local Maple Syrup festival parade
Auto Cross Event

However, that is just for our club. We are eligible to participate other club events, in fact clubs rely on this, for national participation points. There are other regions where the clubs are much more focused on competition.

 

The mods you listed are an all or nothing type thing to me. If you're doing one just do it all lol. But I understand the tuning thing. No one wants to touch mine and renting a dyno for tuning is expensive. Data logs at the track will only get you so far too. I would suggest having the intake ported (or swapped) if you do upgrade as well... it'll only help.

Sounds fun (more fun?) Either way.

 

Agreed and the car will probably be down for an extended period of time. I have young kids and all, so the car is something I get to work on in "spare" time as my hobby. I don't just get large blocks of time to work on the car.
That is why I am asking, is there anything C4 related that I am missing that will increase the enjoyment and other performance areas of the car that are quicker and cheaper than doing cam, heads, headers.

Like on my IROC, I would suggest to everyone to get a shock tower brace and sub-frame connectors. Drives like a completely different car. Then there is the proportion valve spring trick and other small items. I am not as familiar with the C4 platform to know if there are other components that can make a big improvement to the overall enjoyment of the car. That is what happened with the targa bar. I didn't know that was a product that was still sold, when I found it I snatched one up quick. It only make sense and I am expecting to not feel as much of a difference top in/out. Very important to me since the top is out 90% of the time.

 

I'd swap the ring and pinion WAY before I started tearing the engine apart, and probably also before installing headers. In fact, for a car that gets used as you describe, I'd never get into further engine mods or headers. What gain would you expect to see that would be worth the down-time and expense?

Live well,

SJW

 

Its funny, I personally don't notice that much of a difference top on or off unless I start pushing the car hard. Granted my thing drives sketch to begin with so it seems... really have to check the alignment and have wheels that don't have different back spacing side to side.

I do not doubt that it works. I just dont run it hard enough to really need it. Not twisty enough roads around.

 

DRM brake bias spring. ~$25...makes the brakes better and car dives less.

 

Does this only apply to the later cars or the early ones. I ask because I had a few "oh $#it" moments driving the car and it braked surprisingly flat and hard. Actually sent my hard hat from under the rear hatch into the passenger foot well and knocked my laptop on the floor. Oops. Curious if the later cars changed?

 

I think it works on all cars, but not sure. It simply adds more pressure to the rear. It's a good mod for little $$

 

See, didn't know that was a thing for the C4.

Do you know the diameter and spring rate? in the F-Body world we order cheap springs from grainger or McMaster

 

I think the 3.54 is well suited for a 5800RPM Engine. And I am supercharged so traction is already an issue. I think I would have to go to a drag style tire to make it worth anything to go to a lower gear... and I am all about gears! Yes, if after I get the Cam done if I can pull to 6500 I think it might be time to step the gear down a bit, but only really because of the exchange of low end for top end.

Gain I exepect with AFR's, headers, cam, injectors, and a tune... I would expect to be around 480-500ish RWHP. @dizwiz24 has a very similar set up to the one I am looking at except running 12PSI of max boost. He is in the 500-540WHP range.

I think a C4 at 500RWHP is going to be a lot of fun and be able to surprise some folks if I get in a little country road sprint.

 

unless like 800 + hp, i wouldnt mess around with the drawbacks of drag radials

toyo mAkes a road race tire , the toyo r888r that will hold these power levels , even in first gear - at least for my 6spd supercharged car (prob 540ish rwhp on a centrifugal blower).

 

I have tracked my 2012 Centennial GS. At Sebring. Go in with the right attitude and prep, you'll be fine and blown away.

Regarding suspension and brake upgrades, new sway bars, shocks, coilover, c6z06 brakes are all great upgrades that you and the car would enjoy.

I'll have to get some pictures of my seats and wheel. I've actually been thinking of swapping the wheel out with a different one, my current is leather and very small, I'd like a big more diameter and Alcantara.

 

I don't. I have one I'm about to put in the Kart. I could measure it if you'd like....

 

3 things: fuel system upgrades to support a mid-level ethanol blend (E40-E50), increased manifold pressure, and appropriate tuning. This alone should be worth around 100 whp with minimal cost/effort.

Heads and exhaust are of little value on a supercharged engine at this power level. Manifold pressure, air charge density and detonation control are all that matter. An LT4 with centrifugal supercharger should make good power to 7k rpm.

If that's not enough, adding overlap does help, so maybe a cam only for idle sound effects and improved scavenging. Avoid blower grinds intended for positive displacement blowers. A good N/A grind will work just fine. I'd tend to leave it alone though, since you're already getting a torque boost due to the relatively high compression for a blower car. Just avoid detonation via fuel and tuning as already mentioned.