You guys are talking about adding horsepower for more fun around town, but the horsepower gains you are talking about are generally going to be in the 5k+rpm range. Even upgrading the cam can yield a 50hp increase but the additional power isn't really going to be realized until about 4k+.

Like most are saying, gears are what you're looking for, but unless you are not satisfied with your acceleration from a stop or in first gear, then you might as well just drive in a lower gear and THAT will actually give you a horsepower increase at a given speed.
Let's say you normally drive through town at 40mph in 5th gear at 1700rpm, but if you drive in 4th gear at about 2200rpm you will have just increased your horsepower output at that vehicle speed. (just arbitrary numbers for example).

I say, do a mild cam to pick up the torque numbers throughout the entire rev range and also drive in a lower gear if you wanna feel more ZIP.

 

Yep. Gears from $1.2 to $1.5k. Headers from 1.4K to $2k

 

I just want to thank everyone for all their input. As I'm leaning towards 4.10 for the spring, my BIL hits me tonight with "Let's get Harley's and go cross country". He's not kidding either. I put that in his head 20 years ago, now it comes back to me. I figure I don't need a Harley to do that but a descent enough bike to get me there and back and cheap enough to just give away and jump on a plane back home if it gets to be too much. Now I'm way off topic. But thanks again everyone.

 

3.73's with the MN6 are great and workable

Here check out this chart:
http://mysite.verizon.net/foofoo2/c6/

If you decide LT's and X-pipe then a tune will be necessary

Thanks,Matt

 

WHen I was shopping for a C5, there were a number of beautiful cars on the market in my "price range". I looked at and played with early 2000 6 speed cars and bought the one with 4.10 gears in. Other than air intake and a few minor upgrades, exhaust, brakes and rotors, clutch, differential brace, tune, etc... it's stock. The power plant is definately stock, but with cold tires, it I can break them loose pretty much at will in any of the first three gears, and sitll have that great braod flat torque curve the LS1's are known for from pretty much right off idle. with hot tires, comes off the line amazingly well and will leave similar cars with factory gears behind big time.

Note that this also puts all of the gears closer together, so wherever you are speed wise, it is easier to put the engine right where it makes the most power and keep it there for "spirited driving". If I were going to drag race the car, I might want less gear in it to avoid so many shifts, but for around town, it is a blast to drive.

If it made a lot more power, ie if we do a blower or top end, I would want to swap down to 3.90s or lower. with a lot more power, 1st gear would be pretty much useless without a lot of rubber on the ground.

cons are that you do need to shift a fair amount more in town. I find that I "cruise' in 45 mph zones in 5th gear, but often skip gears when shifting. Highway speed just shy of 80 the engine is turning around 2200 - 2400 rpms. fuel economy ranges from 16-23 in town (average), to 29-30 on the highway when the air filter is clean.

Hope this is helpful. Cheers!

 

4.10 gears will make the car feel like it gained 50 HP.

 

So guess what. I opted for the motorcycle. A few grand later and lots of fun, nonetheless, I can't get the gears on the vette out of my mind. Oh boy!

 

I did 3.90's to my vette when it was stock. At first it was fun and "felt like I gained 40hp", but within a week it was obvious most of the "benefit" was I was shifting more. I'm not against doing gears, I have 3.73's now, but if I had to choose between real power and gears I'd get the real HP first.

 

I did my pipes first.
HUGE mistake: had to drive almost a year without the 410s. Luckily I didn't know what I was missing!

 

I went with 4.10 gears on my MN6 and kick myself for not doing it sooner. I absolutely love the life that it brought to the car. I am not a top speed junkie, but like the torque. 1st gear is short but strong. If I am feeling lazy I start in 2nd then 4th then 5th. Really depends on what you are doing (i.e. traffic or freeway). I hear a lot of people complain that they hated the gears because it was a lot of shifting. MY GOD folks did you get a manual trans to complain about shiftting? GET AN AUTOMATIC THEN. It pulls great on the freeway (getting you to LEGAL speeds faster of course).

 

3.15 = performance axle ratio for A4 tranny

 

Gears are the way to go for in-town response and fun. If you're worried about them being too deep, you could always do 3.90's. Personally, in a car with 3.42's I wouldn't spend the $$ for 3.73's - I'd do at least the 3.90's.

I'm planning on 4.10's for mine in the next month or two.