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This last iteration of Vetted C5 has been a long one, over a year, with some bumps along the way. It started with a trip to West Virginia, I was doing some "playing" on the freeway when there was a loud bang, and then knocking. I thought I had blown the engine, but when I pulled off the road and checked under the hood, the engine seemed fine and there was no sign of the knocking that I heard. When I resumed driving the knocking returned and there was no power, so I figured the clutch was gone as well as the throw out bearing because the knocking coincided with clutch engagement. Long story short, I made it back home and took the car into the shop. Not being one to like spending a lot of money just to get back to zero, I upgraded the clutch to and McCleod RXT from the then current RST. I also had a 3.25" pulley installed (from 3.8") and alcohol injection. This was November 2021. At this point I had also ordered Corvette Creationz front and rear wide body fenders. My intended target was Corvettes at Carlisle, August 2022, for the mechanical and body work. Well.... When Adam got into the car (Aquadale Speed Shop), he found that it wasn't the clutch at all. One of the bolts had backed out of the drive shaft and was rattling around. The power loss was due to hose blown off of the super charger.
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So now I also needed a new drive shaft. Adam was able to source one, I still went with the RST clutch for the anticipated hp gain. The car ended up putting down more boost than the MAf sensor could handle so he put in a 2 bar MAP sensor and retuned speed density. It stayed there so long, I also ended up getting 2 piece front rotors and having him put those on. Finally got the car back on July 8th, 2022. The car is now a beast! Running around 10lbs of boost. Still stock heads/bottom end. Horsepower gain was ok, but the torque took a big jump. Went from 633/596 to 668/654.
So at this point I know there is no way I'm getting the body work done before Carlisle, but I'm going anyway. Had a great time, I took my son with me and after spending the full day Friday I could tell he was a little over it, so come to find out there was an IMSA race at VIR on Saturday which was on the way home so we packed up Saturday morning and headed over. I ended up getting a spot in the Corvette Corral and seeing the C8Rs run, so everything worked out. Next time I go, I'm going by myself ;-) .
So now it's September, I have my fenders and new wheels (more on that later) and having a heck of a time finding a place willing to take on the car. I came across a place that had a booth set up at Cars and Coffee and a C6 Corvette that they had painted, and best of all, they could take me in a couple of weeks. At this point I had the fenders and the new wheels so I was set to go. I dropped off the car and they said it would be 4 - 6 weeks. This was Sept 20th, so I'm thinking I should have the car back by Christmas. Nope. The fenders took quite a bit of finishing to get them smooth as well as the usual fiberglass pin holes. In hind sight I should have went with the carbon fiber as the finishing labor more than made up for the cost difference. Oh well, live and learn. Fast forward to February 9th and I get the call, the car will be ready on the 14th and I can come pick it up. Unfortunately I had scheduled to take my wife to Atlanta for valentine's day, soooo, I'd be back on Thursday, but they were going out of town so Feb 22, I finally get the car. My son rides out with me, and I let him drive it home so that I can look at it on the road. My feeling of joy was fleeting unfortunately as I noticed as he drove by me on the freeway that the rear tire was almost flat . I get him to pull off at the next exit and we pull into a gas station. By this time, the tire is completely flat, we try to put air in it, but it won't hold any pressure at all. These are brand new wheels and tires that have never been on the road before, so of course I'm not happy. I don't have a spare, but I do still have the stock wheels (no tires though), but I'm thinking a stock size rear tire shouldn't be that hard to find, I'll get that mounted and at least be able to get the car home. Unfortunately, it's now rush hour and by the time I get home to get the wheel it's 6:00. The tire shops are showing that they close at 7, but due to labor shortages, they all closed at 6. It's Wed night and I check Tire Rack and I can have a replacement tire by Friday, so we take the stock wheel and go back to swap. We left it over night like this...
When we got the wheel to NTB they found that the valve stem wasn't tight (it's a metal two piece) so that's why all of the air came out. They tightened it and it held air, but unfortunately the sidewalls were shot.
The back side looked even worse! Anyway, the new tire came in and was covered under road hazard by Tire Rack, even though technically it was a mounting error by NTB, but all is well that ends well. I cleaned up the car from 4 months of body shop dust and went out on a photo shoot with my son (the water mark shots are his). So without further ado, here she is in all her glory!
You're car has always amazed me. Looks awesome. Sorry for your luck though, you seem to be in the same boat as me. I'm finding issues with the guys that painted mine now too and I'm not happy at all. Glad I'm not in Arizona anymore because I'd have had to take it back more then once and I don't want them touching it anymore. Your wheels.......YES!!! 😎👍
I knew from our previous conversations you have been busy, but also that it was taking longer than planned. Ain’t that always the case with modding!
Thats really pushing that stock bottom end, but I know you don’t rag on her too hard.
You must be very happy now that all of that is completed. I went through so many headaches with mine last fall and winter that I didn’t want to touch a thing this year. Every time my car has left my hands, there has always been something I had to do or redo myself to make it right.
I’m about to start my annual preventative maintenance to get ready for driving. Then a good cleanup inside and out. Also starting a part time job, so my personal time won’t be quite as free.
Stay safe. Maybe our paths will cross again someday soon.
You're car has always amazed me. Looks awesome. Sorry for your luck though, you seem to be in the same boat as me. I'm finding issues with the guys that painted mine now too and I'm not happy at all. Glad I'm not in Arizona anymore because I'd have had to take it back more then once and I don't want them touching it anymore. Your wheels.......YES!!! 😎👍
I feel that the work was more than satisfactory for the cost. The fenders needed a lot of work to be smoothed and they did not charge me all of the hours at full rate. I'm sure the last 10% to perfection would have almost doubled the cost. I'm pretty happy with it and I try not to focus on the flaws, plus, I drive it a lot so it wouldn't have stayed that way anyway. Thanks for the compliment!
I knew from our previous conversations you have been busy, but also that it was taking longer than planned. Ain’t that always the case with modding!
Thats really pushing that stock bottom end, but I know you don’t rag on her too hard.
You must be very happy now that all of that is completed. I went through so many headaches with mine last fall and winter that I didn’t want to touch a thing this year. Every time my car has left my hands, there has always been something I had to do or redo myself to make it right.
I’m about to start my annual preventative maintenance to get ready for driving. Then a good cleanup inside and out. Also starting a part time job, so my personal time won’t be quite as free.
Stay safe. Maybe our paths will cross again someday soon.
Thanks Lewis, you know you're my hero! I think it's finally where I want it, I have a few odds an ends to do, but my vision is complete. Now to enjoy it and drive the crap out of it!
That's really pushing that stock bottom end, but I know you don’t rag on her too hard.
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I know I'm at the end of my rope on the stock bottom end. I'm kind of secretly hopping the engine let's go so that I can do a 427 LS3 swap and make some real power! I can't justify replacing a perfectly good engine though, so this is where I'll stay for the time being.
I know I'm at the end of my rope on the stock bottom end. I'm kind of secretly hopping the engine let's go so that I can do a 427 LS3 swap and make some real power! I can't justify replacing a perfectly good engine though, so this is where I'll stay for the time being.
Best wishes. That's exactly how I wound up with my forged LS2 402 Stroker !
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Finally! Vetted C5 is Back!
. I get him to pull off at the next exit and we pull into a gas station. By this time, the tire is completely flat, we try to put air in it, but it won't hold any pressure at all. These are brand new wheels and tires that have never been on the road before, so of course I'm not happy. I don't have a spare, but I do still have the stock wheels (no tires though), but I'm thinking a stock size rear tire shouldn't be that hard to find, I'll get that mounted and at least be able to get the car home. Unfortunately, it's now rush hour and by the time I get home to get the wheel it's 6:00. The tire shops are showing that they close at 7, but due to labor shortages, they all closed at 6. It's Wed night and I check Tire Rack and I can have a replacement tire by Friday, so we take the stock wheel and go back to swap. We left it over night like this...
