I posted this in the Z06 section, but I am reposting it here to hopefully get some more responses.

Ok, just got my bonus from work and have decided to put some of it for mods. I've had the car for 8 months and have only done real small things, i'm getting that mod itch.

Right now my 01 Z06 has 47K miles on it and the only mods are an air bridge and stock replacement K&N filter. The car is not really a DD, but if the work situation changes (wife or I get a different job) it will be my DD. I will be occasionally drag racing the car and I want to get out to some HPDE's.

My budget is limited will allow me to only do a few things. I also do not have a garage to do the work myself so I will have to pay someone to do most of the installs.

Idea 1:
Have a cam installed. I will not immediatly be able to get it tuned as this will probably take 90% of my budget. I will have to save my extra cash for a few months and get the car tuned and get the CAI (Vararam or Honker). I will need a cam that passes the cali smog sniffer.

Idea 2:
CAI, Stat, Tune and new shifter. I don't think this would give me as much as the cam would and when I got the extra money to do the cam, I would have to pay again to have it re-tuned.

How safe would it be to drive the car with a bit bigger cam un-tuned? I am going to stay away from LT headers because of the visual smog issues.

I am also going to be getting some HP driving instruction too.

 

you should consider some 4:10's.

 

Being from Calif myself and in a county that uses the snifer and rollers I passed smog with a .221/.221 @ 114 LSA Lift doesn't really matter--LSA is more important--don't go less than 114--Also without a tune you will have idle issues and driveability issues making it a pain in the butt to drive around town--I wouldn't consider a cam without a tune--
Before i went with a cam i went with the 1.8 rockers and that was a nice mod--about 25 RWHP--go with the CAI ,shifter , maybe a Shaner T-body and a tune --it'll be a nice setup--- ( I made 332 RWHP with my A4 with a similar set-up--- with your M6 you should be at 374 RWHP---for now--THEN when ready for a cam--sell the rockers--

 

I wouldn't do a cam unless I was getting it tuned, but hey thats just me. You also won't need a tune if you just get a CAI. Like somebody else mentioned you should consider gears. 3.90s are a popular choice for a z06. A Vararam and gears should yield some good results.

 

Unless I'm missing something, or you plan to do the cam yourself, the install price of the cam isn't anywhere near a CAI + tune + shifter. I mean, the cam itself is cheap, but most install prices range between 2-3k.

Don't waste your money on the stat. Unless you really drive your car hard, all it will do is help lower your fuel economy and increase emissions (definately not good for gestapo-forn-i-a).

 

Also on the CAI. If you are concerned about CARB E.O. then you want the Callaway Honker. Vararam does not have a CARB E.O. number.

 

I've been thinking about gears but i'm not sure about them.

The quote I got for doing the cam was about $1400 including the cam. I know the shop that would be doing it and trust their work.

The quote I got for the CAI Tune stat was ~$1200 installed/tuned.

I can swap the CAI out for smog so I'm not worried about that.


My sis in law said I can use her driveway to do any work I want to do so I may do the labor myself and save some $$. I could do a cam + tune that way. If I could pick up 30-40hp i'd be happy.

 

You are a fool if you install a cam without aftermarket headers, so scratch option 1 out.As for option 2,I would NEVER turn a vehicle without headers,especially if you are planning to mod your vehicle more in the future.You are kissing 350-500 down the toilet.

My question to you is what is your budget?

 

I'll tell you what my process has been so far:

1. Vararam intake
2. Long tube headers and x-pipe
3. 226° / .585" / 112°LS camshaft (timing chain, oil pump, pushrods, UD pulley)
4. Tune
5. FAST intake plus self-ported TB
6. 30# injectors
7. M/T drag radials
8. Final dyno tune (in a couple of weeks)

I drove my car a few hundred miles with cam and headers on the stock tune. It surged at low rpms and the idle hunted up and down. It wasn't all that big a deal. I did all my own work, so it helps a lot on the budget. If you have the time, tools, and ability I would highly recommend doing your own work. It is very rewarding.

 

That's extreamly low for an installed cam. Yes, you can just install the cam, but it is far from recommended. To do it right, you should also swap springs, etc. For example, Jason (Cajundude) and EG are offering 2k cam only specials right now. That's special pricing. ECS offers a cam only solution for 2999 on thier website.

I'd be leary of seeing someone who will do it for 1400. If it works out, great, and more power to you!!!!
Still, make sure you ask all the right questions before you take that route.
And if you can install a cam, there's no way in hell not to install your own CAI. Even the Vararam only takes a few tools and a couple of hours.

 

The cam kit is around $7-800 with springs and the guy doing it will be doing it as a 'side' job. The ~$2K jobs I have seen have included a tune.

That being said, my budget is around $1500 right now. In my first post I did not have a place to do the work myself. After talking to my sister-in-law I can use her driveway to do it. I have the tools. I have the ability so if I go with a cam I will probably do it myself.

It seems a cam without headers is pretty much not worth doing. I may just suck it up, get some LT's with cats and find a way to smog it. I think I may wait another paycheck or so and get enough $$ to do headers w/cats and a vararam. I may have the TB ported as I have had done on my past cars (2004, 2005 GTO, Turbo buicks). Not much hp, but better throttle response.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Keep em coming!

 

I would go with a Vararam and new shifter. Then start saving the duckies for FI. Thats what I should have done . But it all depends on what you would like your end results to be, Me I am looking at or around 650RWHP. Stock Z's driven well can move...

 

Update:

Vararam is on its way. I'm working on a set of LT headers since I found a way to deal with the smog check.

 

I disagree about headers being a requirement. I was told by a number of people that a h/c install without the headers would net almost no power. I was able to pull over 75hp on a stock exhaust system with only a cheatr cam. It will definately save money to have everything done at once but a re-tune is usually not too expensive. Besides, it's actually fun to tear the motor apart and have it start up when you're done .

 

Do the cam when you have money for a tune as well