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$2000 to spend- need recommendations

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Old Dec 12, 2016 | 03:14 PM
  #21  
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A new sound system won't break any other part. Call Dennis at Double D.
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Old Dec 13, 2016 | 10:36 AM
  #22  
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Return the headers and cam.

Add the extra money and buy an A&A supercharger kit.
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Old Dec 13, 2016 | 02:10 PM
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Save up more and get a blower.
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Old Dec 13, 2016 | 02:21 PM
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Listen to the last 2 users, do not touch the engine and get a blower, if you doing the heads anyway you may want to upgrade

Comp Cam Rocker Arm Trunnion Kit
Comp Cam Belt Tensioner

See my signature for additional details

Last edited by typeav; Dec 13, 2016 at 02:22 PM.
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Old Dec 13, 2016 | 03:27 PM
  #25  
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Originally Posted by typeav
Listen to the last 2 users, do not touch the engine and get a blower, if you doing the heads anyway you may want to upgrade

Comp Cam Rocker Arm Trunnion Kit
Comp Cam Belt Tensioner

See my signature for additional details
Any particular reason why not to touch the enginee and get a blower instead?
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Old Dec 13, 2016 | 03:39 PM
  #26  
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What is it that moves owners to come here and ask complete strangers what we think they should do with their property? If you know that little about what you own you own the wrong thing. Jeez. Then there are those who offer up all the suggestions as if they know what the guy needs or should do to make his car experience better. Jeez2.0.
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Old Dec 13, 2016 | 05:10 PM
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Originally Posted by harryk387
Any particular reason why not to touch the enginee and get a blower instead?
I found myself like you one time, with heads, cams, suspension and everything else. After I finished with the add ons all I got was 100 rwhp more and not even forged. I should have save all those THOUSANDs, get a force induction from the beginning and gain 200 to the rwhp for 1/3 the cost.

Is better if you can do both, reinforce the engine and get the force induction but is costly, we are talking about $100 per hour. The correct path is to get a bigger cubic inch engine like a LS3 or rebuild your engine with forged component. If you not planning to do any of this two do not touch your engine.

*In some other cases getting a used C6 is even better.
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Old Dec 13, 2016 | 05:15 PM
  #28  
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save and get an s/c...biggest bang for the buck. You will have a on your mugg all the time!
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Old Dec 13, 2016 | 05:25 PM
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In your car you must want to replace your valves with steel ones for this you need to pull out the heads, because of that you also want to replace the pushrods and the lifters, you also need the Comp Cam Rocker Arm Trunnion Kit, new bolts, seals, etc.

Replacing the CAM ? Best time to replace the Harmonic Balancer and the Timing Chain, also why not upgrade to the high volume oil pump is only $100 more. If you doing all this mods you have to keep going, all this make no sense if you keeping your stock throttle body so you want to upgrade the throttle body to the LS2 this is another $300. I replaced my magnetic shocks with the 2013 Z06 shocks and I found it to soft so I decided to replace them for the Bilstein Sport B8 and I like them.

and the list goes on.....
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Old Dec 13, 2016 | 05:57 PM
  #30  
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Surprised that I see no mention of getting a tuning device. You should talk to Chuck at Corvettes of Westchester. He can adjust your files and do custom tunes to take advantage of all the engine upgrades.
Lot's of advantages to the CoW Booster and getting new tunes by e-mail.
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Old Dec 13, 2016 | 08:35 PM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by norcalace
What is it that moves owners to come here and ask complete strangers what we think they should do with their property? If you know that little about what you own you own the wrong thing. Jeez. Then there are those who offer up all the suggestions as if they know what the guy needs or should do to make his car experience better. Jeez2.0.
Isn't that the point of these forums to begin with? To get advice from other people who have been there/done that? And to bounce ideas off each other? I don't think it at all means I don't know what I own.

Anyway, the car is my daily driver. I live in southern california where traffic is completely unavoidable, where 500+rwhp is almost never fully used to its max potential. I'm looking to increase power by a bit while keeping it fully streetable and keeping all stock reliability. The purpose of this thread is to see where other people think the best money would be spent given my intended use of the car.

Last edited by harryk387; Dec 13, 2016 at 08:38 PM.
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Old Dec 14, 2016 | 12:00 AM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by harryk387
Isn't that the point of these forums to begin with? To get advice from other people who have been there/done that? And to bounce ideas off each other? I don't think it at all means I don't know what I own.

Anyway, the car is my daily driver. I live in southern california where traffic is completely unavoidable, where 500+rwhp is almost never fully used to its max potential. I'm looking to increase power by a bit while keeping it fully streetable and keeping all stock reliability. The purpose of this thread is to see where other people think the best money would be spent given my intended use of the car.
In the OP the only info you provided as to intended use was it was a DD. Your last paragraph here should have been the first there. Hope you get the info your after.
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Old Dec 14, 2016 | 05:17 AM
  #33  
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Default TUNE by CoW and 4.10 rear...... DONE!

Originally Posted by harryk387
I've got the mod bug like most of you on here and have saved up $2000 to put towards my 2004 Z06.

Ive already got a vararam intake installed, have LG super pro headers on the way, LG G5X1e cam with comp 921 valvesprings also on the way and will be dyno tuning once the cam and headers are installed.

My question is, what's the next logical upgrade?

Port and polish the stock heads, throttle body and intake manifold? How much rwhp/rwtq can I expect from that?

Suspension upgrade? The c5z is my daily driver and will probably never take it to the track. So while coilovers are probably unnecessary, should I spend the money on upgrades shocks/struts? If so, which ones? I've been looking at Konis (although nonadjustable and I'd like some adjustability) or Ridetech which I believe are adjustable.

Open to other suggestions that would compliment my performance upgrades.
TUNE by CoW and 4.10 rear...... DONE! End of story.

914-490-0902
short answer of the day.

Last edited by Chuck CoW; Dec 14, 2016 at 05:18 AM.
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Old Dec 14, 2016 | 06:47 AM
  #34  
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at the end of the day....I think you will get the most value for an s/c set up. It drives like stock, a ton of fun and good return for $$$ spent. The engine doesn't need to be built to support it as you can keep it under 6xx rwhp and be safe. When you do get the chance to use it.....you will have a blast....where I'm not sure you will get the enjoyment out of doing all the other items you and others have listed. Maybe you can meet up w some peeps from this forum, some local vette guys or visit a shop and take a ride in an s/c vette and you will have your answer.

cliff notes: save more, spend a little more up front and enjoy long term w big smiles all day long.

Last edited by IMXCITD; Dec 14, 2016 at 06:48 AM.
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Old Dec 14, 2016 | 06:55 AM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Chuck CoW
TUNE by CoW and 4.10 rear...... DONE! End of story.

914-490-0902
short answer of the day.
Hey Chuck, I'm sure its been said before but thanks for your policy change...with a $50.00 credit for veterans.
Thanks again.
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Old Dec 14, 2016 | 06:57 AM
  #36  
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I like the idea of what Chuck suggested...a tune and 4.10 gears.
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Old Dec 14, 2016 | 10:07 AM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by runner140*
I like the idea of what Chuck suggested...a tune and 4.10 gears.
@Runner140*
Have you done the 4.10 gears? I am trying to collect info from C5-ers who have actually done this.
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Old Dec 14, 2016 | 12:15 PM
  #38  
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I'm not a 1/4 mile racer so I void 2 MODS............The first one is the 4.10 and the second one is the Aluminum Flywheel. But I'm sure plenty of workshop would love to sell you the idea.

-4.10 means pulling RPM faster in short distance
-Aluminum Flywheel means dropping RPM faster when shifting gears

Ask yourself why the engineers don't use any of this two in first place.
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Old Dec 14, 2016 | 12:20 PM
  #39  
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You and your wife/gf should go on a nice vacation. Money better spent IMHO!!
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Old Dec 14, 2016 | 01:09 PM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by typeav
I'm not a 1/4 mile racer so I void 2 MODS............The first one is the 4.10 and the second one is the Aluminum Flywheel. But I'm sure plenty of workshop would love to sell you the idea.

-4.10 means pulling RPM faster in short distance
-Aluminum Flywheel means dropping RPM faster when shifting gears

Ask yourself why the engineers don't use any of this two in first place.
I have asked myself some "why the engineers" questions. Why are the stock sway bars so wimpy? Why are the headlights so horrible? Why didn't they put in a better exhaust manifold? Etc.
I am sure that the list could go on and on.
My conclusion is that the engineers don't make the final decision. And that while these cars are high-performance machines, they are not perfect and there is room for improvement.

Back to the 2 options you eschew - do they hurt miles per gallon?
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