I'm going through a list of mods I want to make, and wanted to know what you guys thought the best order of them would be for bang-for-the-buck, "safe" HP, or any other reason. Here's my list:

Intake: Intake/filter, hi-flo MAF, hi-flo air bridge, ported TB, TB bypass, Z06 intake manifold.

Exhaust: Kooks headers, free-flo cats, performance exhaust.

Engine & drivetrain: Low-temp thermostat, plugs/wires (but which ones?), Cam, heads, lightweight flywheel, performance clutch, 3.90 gears, F1 tires

Other: Hurst short shifter, slotted rotors, steel-braided brake lines, dyno-tune.


Here's what I've done so far:

Twin-flo intake (soon to be a Vararam, from what I've read), air bridge, MAF, headers, cats, exhaust, F1 tires, short shifter, rotors, and brake lines. I also have a stock Z51 suspension, which I think is great, the car is absolutely flat around corners.

So what order would you recommend the rest of the stuff? What's more important than theothers? Is anything overkill? Where should I concentrate my money?

My overall goal covers a lot of ground. I want to perform well in the 1/4 mi, on a road track like Willow Springs, and from light to light on the street (not that I would, but if I did...)! I guess I want a great, all-around performance machine that I can drive everyday if I wanted to. I want it all, I admit it. Besides, this modding thing is fun...

So waddya think?

 

I'm going through a list of mods I want to make, and wanted to know what you guys thought the best order of them would be for bang-for-the-buck, "safe" HP, or any other reason. Here's my list:

Intake: Intake/filter, hi-flo MAF, hi-flo air bridge, ported TB, TB bypass, Z06 intake manifold.

Exhaust: Kooks headers, free-flo cats, performance exhaust.

Engine & drivetrain: Low-temp thermostat, plugs/wires (but which ones?), Cam, heads, lightweight flywheel, performance clutch, 3.90 gears, F1 tires

Other: Hurst short shifter, slotted rotors, steel-braided brake lines, dyno-tune.


Here's what I've done so far:

Twin-flo intake (soon to be a Vararam, from what I've read), air bridge, MAF, headers, cats, exhaust, F1 tires, short shifter, rotors, and brake lines. I also have a stock Z51 suspension, which I think is great, the car is absolutely flat around corners.

So what order would you recommend the rest of the stuff? What's more important than theothers? Is anything overkill? Where should I concentrate my money?

My overall goal covers a lot of ground. I want to perform well in the 1/4 mi, on a road track like Willow Springs, and from light to light on the street (not that I would, but if I did...)! I guess I want a great, all-around performance machine that I can drive everyday if I wanted to. I want it all, I admit it. Besides, this modding thing is fun...

So waddya think?
vararam good choice
maf do you reallt want to waste your money twice
you already have headers but didnt say what kind again spending money twice
air bridge same thing spend money twice (a larger air duct wont do much anyways if the inlet and outlet side or the same diameter as stock
exhaust - cutouts will work just as good as an aftermarket exhaust if you can deal eith the noise i have borlas but i got mine used for what it would cost for cutouts
bang for the buck the headers and cats and the vararm will be the biggest gains of all the stuff mentioned
3:90 gears will be the most in the seat of the pants gain next to heads and cam

 

your order depends on your money situation
heads and cam are the most expensive but will more than likely net you the most gain
headers are the next step as for as performance in hp and at 1200 bucks or so 2nd highest in price for hp
3.90 gears wont gain any hp but will feel like a good 75 hp in acceleration terms
vararam good for 20 or more hp at speed probably 15 on the dyno
exhaust system not gonna pick up much in hp but exhaust is for sound anyways cutouts will give you the best of both worlds loud when you want and quiet when you want and is cheaper than any catback system out there (about 350 installed for electric cutouts)
maf - junk nowhere worth the money and lots of people getting codes after changing them
dont know about clutch but i imagine do this when you do the heads and cam otherwise you might fry the factory one with the extra hp
air bridge -- these things im iffy on considering yes they are bigger than factory but the openings are the same as factory so you really flow no better than factory if not worst than factory ported throttle body maybe a little pickup but not much if any
throttle body bypass - air passes through it so fast i dought that the heat would really affect it
but what do i know im not an expert just a pretty smart guy with a few ideas based off the laws of physics
but i know a little

 

Intake: Intake/filter, hi-flo MAF, hi-flo air bridge, ported TB, TB bypass, Z06 intake manifold.
Skip the hi-flo MAF, hi-flo air bridge, ported TB, TB bypass... questionable gains and poor hp per $ mods. I believe 2001 C5's have LS6 intake....

Exhaust: Kooks headers, free-flo cats, performance exhaust.
The headers will wake up your catback ... pretty high cost per hp$ on the catback

Engine & drivetrain: Low-temp thermostat, plugs/wires (but which ones?), Cam, heads, lightweight flywheel, performance clutch, 3.90 gears, F1 tires

Add a underdrive pulley while your there... hey you saved some bucks on the other stuff... if I was doing it over and no smog 224/228 580ish with AFR 205 heads...pin the crank pulley while your there... incase you go FI down the road

Also you will need a tune.... I'd do headers next.... gears and clucth together, avoid doubling up the labor

 

What are cutouts, and what would I do to the underdrive pulley?