Especially the vert. IMO. 
Which C5 is best
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 15,685
Likes: 1,330
From: Machineguns, because I don’t compromise
The late '03 all '04 have a fuel filter in the tank that cant be changed. Also, when the dreaded (dead fuel guage) fuel sending unit or fuel pump needs to be changed... you can't just access it from the side of the tank like early '03 and previous.... you have to pull the tank and access the panel from the top... much more work.
Also the returnless system.
**********
I like to change my fuel filter, not just accept that it's "good for the life of the car inside the tank" and if/WHEN the sending unit fails....and fails again ten years from now... I want to be able to change it without fuss.
'01 & '04 Zo6s are good, but '02-early '03 are my choices along with a valve spring change.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,993
Likes: 25
Yeah, I had a 73 with an LS5 390 HP and a Muncie back in about 1976-1978. Holley 850, Edelbrock, Crane Cam, Hooker Super Competition headers, MSD distributor and ignition, 3.73 Posi, custom paint with 14 coats of clear, BFG LR50 15s etc. I let my friend drive it and he hit the ditch at about 80 mph and went through a barbed wire fence, taking out 6 fenceposts. The insurance company wrote it off because the paint damage alone was $7,000, let alone the fender, bumper and door. Insurance co gave me $10,000 and the car and I made my friend buy it for $7,000. He fixed it up and was killed in it 3 years later, the collision was his fault.
The old cars are like old girlfriends, you remember them better than they were many times (especially the really HOT ones).
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 924
Likes: 11
From: Rack City
2015 C5 of Year Finalist
can any one explain where the difference in power ratings came from between 2001 and 2002?
pretty sure this is what hes talking about, recent thread going on too
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...or-smells.html
pretty sure this is what hes talking about, recent thread going on too
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...or-smells.html
I believe that the power increase in 2002 came from a more aggressive camshaft and different exhaust.
In addition to what's posted by Dudeiwin86....
The late '03 all '04 have a fuel filter in the tank that cant be changed. Also, when the dreaded (dead fuel guage) fuel sending unit or fuel pump needs to be changed... you can't just access it from the side of the tank like early '03 and previous.... you have to pull the tank and access the panel from the top... much more work.
Also the returnless system.
**********
I like to change my fuel filter, not just accept that it's "good for the life of the car inside the tank" and if/WHEN the sending unit fails....and fails again ten years from now... I want to be able to change it without fuss.
'01 & '04 Zo6s are good, but '02-early '03 are my choices along with a valve spring change.
The late '03 all '04 have a fuel filter in the tank that cant be changed. Also, when the dreaded (dead fuel guage) fuel sending unit or fuel pump needs to be changed... you can't just access it from the side of the tank like early '03 and previous.... you have to pull the tank and access the panel from the top... much more work.
Also the returnless system.
**********
I like to change my fuel filter, not just accept that it's "good for the life of the car inside the tank" and if/WHEN the sending unit fails....and fails again ten years from now... I want to be able to change it without fuss.
'01 & '04 Zo6s are good, but '02-early '03 are my choices along with a valve spring change.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
From: Richmond Virginia
Yeah...few of these threads are wrong...it was 01 that the LS1 went from 345 to 350hp. It was 00 that they started Heads Up Display (HUD) which I highly recommend. It was 02 Z06 for first HUD. In 01 they got the extra 5hp by swapping the old intake with the same LS6 Z06 Intake...
So yes...I would recommend 01 and up LS1's or 02 and up LS6's.
So yes...I would recommend 01 and up LS1's or 02 and up LS6's.
I get to drive a sweet 99 FRC with active handling and HUD along with dual climate controls ....this is the year to buy IMHO cause its bad *** and the first time in over thirty years for a true hard top and the first year for HUD. 1998 was the first year for Active handling and was improved in 2001 ..but mine stays off most of the time anyway
Not only that 30hp is pretty easy to come by if you look for it!!!! 
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 769
Likes: 2
From: Zahnd Indiana
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,170
Likes: 0
Why 14 coats of clear, that's SILLY. My 69' small block got 10mpg on a GOOD day, and only 4 gears and no Overdrive made for some HIGH rpms on the highway-it was FUN when I opened the bottle and added another 100+hp to that hot small block though. I still think my 01' would spank it in every way. The only think the old ones have are looks, it's nice not worrying about stress fractures like the old cars, you'd repaint a panel and the next year you'd find a new stress chack somewhere else. The body panels were a PIA too, most were boneded to the car and/or each other-the new ones are SOOOOO much nicer to repair/repaint-they all come off except the rocker panels.
The old cars are like old girlfriends, you remember them better than they were many times (especially the really HOT ones).
The old cars are like old girlfriends, you remember them better than they were many times (especially the really HOT ones).
on the trunk. The paint looked about a foot deep due to all the coats of clear. That's how they did it back in the day. C3 bodies were wavy right off the dealer's lot but this car didn't have a ripple in it.Sure, my Z06 can spank alot of cars but I'm tired of the rounded look. I don't think I've ever put anything in my trunk besides beer. I want something sharper and more menacing. I've narrowed it down to a 68-70 big block Corvette or another Pantera.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Here is where you can some pics of my car. I had to take them in the garage as I didn't want to take the car out, we had a good snow fall as you can see in some of the pics. Seems like you take pic of other cars never yours. http://s928.photobucket.com/albums/a..._01?my%20vette
Last edited by gghg; Dec 11, 2009 at 06:23 AM. Reason: added url for pics
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,993
Likes: 25
It was the 70s and the car was a showcar when I bought it. The car had ghost flames and a mural on the trunk. The paint looked about a foot deep due to all the coats of clear. That's how they did it back in the day. C3 bodies were wavy right off the dealer's lot but this car didn't have a ripple in it.
Sure, my Z06 can spank alot of cars but I'm tired of the rounded look. I don't think I've ever put anything in my trunk besides beer. I want something sharper and more menacing. I've narrowed it down to a 68-70 big block Corvette or another Pantera.
on the trunk. The paint looked about a foot deep due to all the coats of clear. That's how they did it back in the day. C3 bodies were wavy right off the dealer's lot but this car didn't have a ripple in it.Sure, my Z06 can spank alot of cars but I'm tired of the rounded look. I don't think I've ever put anything in my trunk besides beer. I want something sharper and more menacing. I've narrowed it down to a 68-70 big block Corvette or another Pantera.
14 coats of any paint is a recipe for huge chips in the paint. I assume you rarely drove it. All the old paints used thinners that took forever to evaporate, that many coats is also a recipe for early paint failure from those solvents. The way I did my lasat C3 was I stripped it, regelcoated, block sanded, shot high build primer, blocked it again, shot sealer, blocked it, then shot a single stage Urethane, blocked and polished. Was very straight when I finished.