So I've read the posts for over a month now, and I'm getting the feeling the h.p. gains between blackwing.halltech,vararam, etc. are about the same. That being said, it also seems like few actually fit correctly, which doesn't make any sense to me. I mean, we used to "make stuff work" when we were in high school, and there was no such thing as "bolt ons". So if this stuff is a crappy fit, why do people contiue to buy it? So which one fits, I mean truly "bolts on".

Thanks in advance

 

For what it's worth, I thought my Hurricane went in pretty damn easily and fit well, considering all that was replaced. IMO I can't see how the Blackwing or Haltech could possibly have fittment issues... They just sit on the end of the MAF.

If you go with either of them, I would suggest doing the cold air scoop mod....
http://www.conceptualpolymer.com/Rad...op%20inst..pdf

Tim
Hurricane CAI w/Volant Airbridge, Corsa Indy's, B&M Ripper
Vent screens, Front blackouts, Red letters, Chrome Y2K wheels w/painted calipers

 

Very interesting cold air mod. McGyver would be impressed.

 

My Blackwing went on with no issues.

Chuck

 

Best fit and finish I've seen is Callaway Honker.

 

well personally after reading and reading I bought a used Vararam 2B and installed it last night. not too bad on the install can't really truely feel a difference.... i mean even if it is a 40 -50 hp gain, i don't think you can "feel" it on any car. The car's throttle response is quicker and the MPG on the DIC is reading 5-7 MPG more on average than before. Overall I am happy.... I wouldn't spend the money on any of the intakes new... but I was very happy on getting mine slightly used and in great shape for 200 bucks....

HTH,

Sully

 

I personally went with the Haltech, but I think most fit some just requiring more time to install because of their construction. You can skip the work of the "cold air" mod by just drilling 4- 1 1/4" holes in each fog lite surround.

 

I went with the Halltech as well, no complaints about the fit. It hugs the radiator shroud nicely, and I didn't have to 'force' any parts into place. It was a tight fit, but it did fit. Very quick install.

 

I would highly recommend the Donaldson Blackwing with a Volant bridge or the Halltech intake. Both are easy to install and uses stock mounting locations and harware.

Chad

 

I had the halltech sidewinder. Fit great, looked good, had nice hp gains.

Went FI and now I would like to sell it. let me know if you want to see it, you live close.

 

Breathless Vortex.... happen to have one installed on a shroud if you're interested. I really like it and no fitment issues with it..........

 

We agree: fit and finish are very important factors when selecting performance parts. In the C5 Honker design, Callaway engineers invested a great deal of effort to determine the optimum materials, design and manufacturing procedures to provide the best fit and finish possible.

We're also familiar with bolt-ons that turn into projects, and that never quite work right, once you get them installed. We like to think that we do the engineering so you don't have to.

I'm sort of surprised that you'd conclude that hp gains are the about the same for all Corvette intake systems, though. Especially considering the claims in some of the threads. Actually, among the Corvette systems that are currently offered, there are significant differences in design (not only quality). Some designs simply provide less flow restriction and, consequently, more power than others.

 

I guess I don't understand the disparity between the C6 and C5 honker. Why is the C6 one hundred dollars less that the C5 counterpart? I would buy a honker in a heartbeat for $390.00 for my C5, but not for $100 more.

 

Corvettes of Houston has C5 honkers for 399, if you call and mention you are a forum member. Mine is on back order, they said they would ship this week.

 

Callaway engineers invested a great deal of effort to determine the optimum materials, design and manufacturing procedures to provide the best fit and finish possible.

I think that's a great sales pitch, and I'm sure the honker is an excellent product, but let's not pretend that Callaway invented the wheel. All your engineers did, is the same thing I do (as a mechanical engineer) everyday....improvment/optimization of existing design. GM engineers did all the leg work and calculation for the corvette intake system. Callaway simply improved on an existing design, and made it fit to an existing design. Hardly a marvel of engineering.

 

Donaldson Blackwing, the rest stock.

 

don't know about the others but, the Blackwing uses the factory mounts on the front frame section, it doesn't just mount to the MAF.

 

Not claiming that the Honker is "a marvel of engineering", nor do we "pretend to have invented the wheel".

But the C5 Honker design is not an optimization of any existing design. Certainly, other aftermarket systems get inlet air from outside of the engine compartment. However, Callaway engineers relocated the MAF sensor to eliminate the air bridge and consequently increase laminar flow, before GM's airbridge-less C6 design was introduced. It's still the only C5 system that has no separate air bridge. (And please don't think we're being so presumptious to believe GM engineers study Callaway's product designs.) In addition, the Honker's main air duct was specifically shaped to minimize restriction and maximize potential air flow. PTC's ProEngineer software laid the foundation and numerous hours were spent on the flow bench to optimize all of the contours and radii inside of the Honker duct. In comparing the airflow characteristics to the OEM air filter system, it's obvious that other factors must have been important design criteria for the GM engineers (i.e., intake sound suppression, prohibition from using outside engine compartment inlet air, crash worthiness, others?). We'd never suggest that we're smarter than the GM design engineers. We simply work with a different set of design parameters. At the end of the design process, the Honker C5 actually exhibited less airflow restriction (higher flow rate) than any aftermarket system we could test.

Please excuse me if my earlier response sounded like a "sales pitch". Maybe it was a little over the top. I just wanted to point out that we agree that proper fit and finish, which was the thread topic, is a very important design element. Based on the fit and finish of some of the other aftermarket systems that are available, I think it might be safe to say that Callaway engineers spend more time on fit and finish issues than some others.

 

I installed the Halltech TRIC on mine and you COULD notice a difference. Using the template on the shroud it wasn't hard to cut the hole for the intake to go through and I don't have to worry about making it a cold air system. The filter sits in front of the radiator and condensor so it's the coldest air your going to get.

 

The reason I went with the Honker was the fact that it was so well designed and the quality so much better than many I have seen. There are many intakes on the market and though they all do basically the same thing , there is vast differences in the approach that each company has taken. I also really appreciate the fact that representatives of some of these companies like Callaway and LG are on this forum and take part in discussions and provide info. Anytime anyone talks about one of their products it could be taken as a "sales pitch" to some, but I disagree with that.To me it shows they care.