Hello all,

Relatively new C5 owner - 2003 Z06, MY with 41k miles. Decided to give myself an early birthday present. Since I'll be turning 25, I probably bring the average age of the forum down a couple of years.

But anywho, I have a question regarding the air bridge on the C5 and aftermarket intakes. Car-wise, I come from a turbocharged import background, so when designing intake piping I'm used to seeing aluminum piping with an emphasis on minimal bends.

I can deal with most reputable aftermarket intakes being plastic - I'm a fan of aluminum, but I've seen the comparisons on IATs and know there is very little difference either way. My preference would be to be blingy aluminum, but I could live with molded plastic.

What I can't understand is aftermarket intakes keeping the air bridge design instead of a standard round piping. Is there really any evidence that this flows better than regular straight piping? This doesn't seem to be a clearance issue since I see most C5 super/turbocharged guys seemingly running 3.5" intake piping with no problems.

My point being I imagine is that I'm having a hard time justifying a $300-$500 intake with, to my eyes, seemingly inferior design (coming from imports where as an example AEM aluminum intakes generally fall in the $200 range with a more complicated pipe design and more raw material) when most Corvette intake aftermarkets place the filter right where the stock one is for double the cost.

Why wouldn't someone pick up a couple of couplers, some pre-bent aluminum, and a high quality filter and make their own in an hour for 35% of the cost?

 

Now that is funny....

 

Everything sold for a Corvette is sold at a ridiculous price. It IS a Corvette after all - they figure if you'll spring for the car - that you ain't too bright in the first place and won't notice that you're getting raped on the aftermarket add-ons.

 

Haha. I work in investment banking - don't tell my bosses your suspicions. I wouldn't have a job the next morning.

 

Something to think about: the blower guys almost always have a different hood, which helps pipe clearance. Not sure if a 3-3.5" pipe would clear the hood on a stock car.

+1 on the Corvette tax

 

I'm no expert but most supercharger kits where you see a 3.5" round tube being used, the radiator has been tilted back to allow clearance between the hood and shroud for the tube running to the throttle body. There doesn't seem to be many aftermarket kits in aluminum like your looking for. I personally went with a carbon fiber bridge with an aftermarket air intake from halltech. This air intake is no longer available but they do make something similiar to it. However it doesn't pass through the radiator shroud like mine. Mine get its air from underneath the car. My guess is water ingestion concerns. In the pic my air filter is just below the shroud and can be seen from under the car.

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hamhead,
Welcome to the Corvette Forum
Here is my 98's air bridge.

 

As a race car crew chief (SCCA) I realize that there is a tendency to want to improve on performance for obvious reasons. That said, the Corvette is a product of serious refinement by the engineers over the years and as far as I am concerned the C5/C6 (emphasis on C5 in my case) is a fantastic performing car right out of the show room. I made two decisions when I bought my coupe. 1 the only change will be to the radio so I can make use of more modern technology in that department and 2 I will drive my car daily, rain or shine, light snow etc. I do not plan to make any other changes to the car. I am definity not against others doing it differently and certainly do appreciate what some have done to their ride....

 

I'm not sure what you're talking about. When originally purchased at the dealer, all the original purchaser needed to do was check the 427CI option box and you can get an 4 inch aluminum intake tube included.

Not many chose that option.

 

Corvette Tax is a very real and proven thing.
You have just had your first lesson in it.

 

BBK sells an aluminum air bridge but its rather expensive, is more restrictive than most others and its soaks up a lot of engine heat contributing to the dreaded heat sink. If you decide to go with plastic, go USED and save a few bucks. My two cents.

 

Pretty sure that most guys who have 4"+ aluminum intakes have the radiator tilted to provide more clearance.

My C5 has a 3" one off aluminum air bridge (without modifying the radiator, and it just BARELY clears the hood. Pretty sure it rubs the hoodliner.

 

I have a cradle from ECS that tilts the radiator and allows me to run the 4 inch tubing with my normally aspirated build. FWIW: With the stock airbridge it would pull 7-8 Kpa at full throttle. With the 4 inch tube I only drop about 1Kpa.

 

hamhead:
Thats what we need, some new thinking. Make one up and post it so I can copy it.

 

Welcome and thanks for lowering the median age. No matter mods or just everyday advise you will find it friendly and good on this forum. Congrats on your C5! Enjoy!

BTW, a couple weeks ago the boys were camping and daughter-in-law wanted to take 'vette to a basket ball game. On return she said, "I first thought the Nissan (read rice burner) would stay with it, but when I really pushed it I knew there was no comparison."

 

One reason for "Lack of round aluminum pipes under the hood". The C5 has a very low hood line, the air bridge you mentioned can't be round, it's wide and flaten out to fit that area over the radiator to intake, thus aftermarket just made them wider and fatter to gain more air capacity. As far as plastic, it's easier and lighter which helps cut down the weight in an already light sports car, also it doesn't hold the heat as much as aluminum. Well that's my opinion..

 

I searched a long time to find a deal on a polished BBK. I got it because I like the way it looks.

 

Bridge with hydro graphics. Vortex Rammer intake.

 

Love your sense of humor.

 

Thanks for the picture without the radiator tilted - this is about what I have in mind and gives me an idea of available clearance. I was digging around my garage to see if I had any old piping laying around just to check fitment yesterday.

This is good information to have - thanks for that. Doubt I'll take it that far, but just for informational's sake, did ECS sell the bracket for tilting the radiator outside of the supercharger kit to you or did you manage to scrounge it off a supercharger kit part-out?