Two Years and a Day
Thread Starter
Coolest Guy Evar!
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 3
From: Fairfax VA
Two Years and a Day
The time goes by so fast...
Two years and a day ago I purchased my brand new 2003 Torch Red Z06 from a small dealership in Lampassas, Texas. I still remember pulling up and seeing that Torch Red beauty and thinking to myself "no way is that car going to be mine, this all must be a dream."
Everything about the day was great, and I was in and out of the dealership (Jim Hoffpauir) within an hour thanks to working the deal on the telephone the week prior. The sales team and General Manager were all courteous and seemingly as excited as I. After signing the required paperwork, I hopped in to drive away but not before my salesman took a few pictures. Pictures which he later forwarded to me in the form of a calendar and business card. Here's how it looked when I got it home just after I removed the BSM's.
After getting the car home and getting used to driving it, I embarked on that slippery slope of mods. First up was a tint job. Following that I think I read every post here on the forum for information on what to do and how to do it. So I next I added bezel rings, and did the zip-tie mod.
Armed with forum mod knowledge, the very next month I set off for DFW to take my car in to the guys at 21CMC. I didn't get to meet John Page at that time due to the family's tragic loss of John Lingenfelter; however I was welcomed by Andy, Patrick and Jon. I decided to get a baseline on my car and go with mild mods until I could decide which direction I wanted to go regarding power upgrades i.e. F/I, or H/C. Here's my dyno sheet which shows my stock car with zip-tie compared to my stock car with LS-edit, Borla Stingers and zip-tie.
Many months of enjoyment would go by all the while I would do more and more small things to my car until I could decide what serious power upgrades I wanted and who I wanted to do them. Those things included lowering the car, adding the Hurst shifter, adding NX wet kit (which I still have not used but damn it looks pretty installed), adding PIAA fogs, adding screens and exhaust plate, and painting the lower rear bumper.
Early this year I finally came to the decision to go the heads and cam route and shipped my car to 21CMC for the job. Of course going there for me would be like sending a kid to a candy store. Thank God I have more sense than money or I probably would be driving the 427TT++ and not having a place to live or food to eat. After the H/C pkg was installed I rounded off the package with Motorsport wheels and Baer Eradispeed two piece front and single rear cross drilled rotors. Pimp'n! I drove my "new-again" car back home and of course began thinking what next. Here's how it looked when I got it home and the dyno sheet.
Well since then I have had my car back at 21CMC for a tweak to my tune which netted an additional 10hp and torque. I then added a B-K harness bar with video mount and digital camera. I have also recently made some changes such as a clutch swap to the LS7 assembly, single piece rear Eradispeed rotors to the plus 1 two piece, and a shifter swap to the new B&M unit. Here's how it looks now, two years and a day ago from brand new purchase.
So what's next???? Well I bought some ACI parts from a forum member and I'll probably add 3.73 gears. As for the motor, I love the naturally aspirated power delivery so I'll probably end up back at 21CMC for the LPE 427 like Andy had in his car.
-RR
Two years and a day ago I purchased my brand new 2003 Torch Red Z06 from a small dealership in Lampassas, Texas. I still remember pulling up and seeing that Torch Red beauty and thinking to myself "no way is that car going to be mine, this all must be a dream."
Everything about the day was great, and I was in and out of the dealership (Jim Hoffpauir) within an hour thanks to working the deal on the telephone the week prior. The sales team and General Manager were all courteous and seemingly as excited as I. After signing the required paperwork, I hopped in to drive away but not before my salesman took a few pictures. Pictures which he later forwarded to me in the form of a calendar and business card. Here's how it looked when I got it home just after I removed the BSM's.
After getting the car home and getting used to driving it, I embarked on that slippery slope of mods. First up was a tint job. Following that I think I read every post here on the forum for information on what to do and how to do it. So I next I added bezel rings, and did the zip-tie mod.
Armed with forum mod knowledge, the very next month I set off for DFW to take my car in to the guys at 21CMC. I didn't get to meet John Page at that time due to the family's tragic loss of John Lingenfelter; however I was welcomed by Andy, Patrick and Jon. I decided to get a baseline on my car and go with mild mods until I could decide which direction I wanted to go regarding power upgrades i.e. F/I, or H/C. Here's my dyno sheet which shows my stock car with zip-tie compared to my stock car with LS-edit, Borla Stingers and zip-tie.
Many months of enjoyment would go by all the while I would do more and more small things to my car until I could decide what serious power upgrades I wanted and who I wanted to do them. Those things included lowering the car, adding the Hurst shifter, adding NX wet kit (which I still have not used but damn it looks pretty installed), adding PIAA fogs, adding screens and exhaust plate, and painting the lower rear bumper.
Early this year I finally came to the decision to go the heads and cam route and shipped my car to 21CMC for the job. Of course going there for me would be like sending a kid to a candy store. Thank God I have more sense than money or I probably would be driving the 427TT++ and not having a place to live or food to eat. After the H/C pkg was installed I rounded off the package with Motorsport wheels and Baer Eradispeed two piece front and single rear cross drilled rotors. Pimp'n! I drove my "new-again" car back home and of course began thinking what next. Here's how it looked when I got it home and the dyno sheet.
Well since then I have had my car back at 21CMC for a tweak to my tune which netted an additional 10hp and torque. I then added a B-K harness bar with video mount and digital camera. I have also recently made some changes such as a clutch swap to the LS7 assembly, single piece rear Eradispeed rotors to the plus 1 two piece, and a shifter swap to the new B&M unit. Here's how it looks now, two years and a day ago from brand new purchase.
So what's next???? Well I bought some ACI parts from a forum member and I'll probably add 3.73 gears. As for the motor, I love the naturally aspirated power delivery so I'll probably end up back at 21CMC for the LPE 427 like Andy had in his car.
-RR
Thread Starter
Coolest Guy Evar!
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 3
From: Fairfax VA
More facts and figures:
Cost new: $47k
Cost of mods to date: $10k
Power new: 338rwhp 325rwtq (with zip-tie and rich condition)
Power now: 455rwhp 400rwtq
MPG 27.5 highway/20 city-mixed
-RR
Cost new: $47k
Cost of mods to date: $10k
Power new: 338rwhp 325rwtq (with zip-tie and rich condition)
Power now: 455rwhp 400rwtq
MPG 27.5 highway/20 city-mixed
-RR
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Beautiful car you have. The black wheels look very nice. 
Thread Starter
Coolest Guy Evar!
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 3
From: Fairfax VA
Thanks guys, it has truly been a labor of love. I'm not sure why my pictures aren't showing up on here as clear as the originals, but here's another one.
(Specially for my Nebraska Vette-mates.)
-RR
(Specially for my Nebraska Vette-mates.)
-RR
