Please Help me spend my $2000.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,877
Likes: 1
From: Ok! So you don't believe in conspiracies, but will you acknowledge the possibility of there being coordinated activities in secret places? Texas
Please Help me spend my $2000.
I have a 1998 C5 with 3.15 gear, a Honker, and B&B Bullets. I have $2000 to play with.
What would you recommend I buy?
I'd like the most perceived power, but I'd like it to be add-on-able.
Can I do 3.90 gears and a good 3200 stall converter installed for that?
I know I can get headers (used) and a tune.
I was thinking cam, but I'd need a converter and headers anyway, right?
I'm not interested in Nitrous.
Please advise?
Thank you!
What would you recommend I buy?
I'd like the most perceived power, but I'd like it to be add-on-able.
Can I do 3.90 gears and a good 3200 stall converter installed for that?
I know I can get headers (used) and a tune.
I was thinking cam, but I'd need a converter and headers anyway, right?
I'm not interested in Nitrous.
Please advise?
Thank you!
Tech Contributor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 10,924
Likes: 78
From: Forney Texas
Seriously, get some good long tube headers. LG, Kooks, Dynatech. If you have any money left over, get something like a Varaam intake. The nice thing about headers is you can buy them used and don't have to worry so much about someone wearing them out while they were using them. Look in C5 parts, Craigslist, Fleabay.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,123
Likes: 116
From: North Dallas Forty Orange County, Ca.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13, '15,'21
Seriously, get some good long tube headers. LG, Kooks, Dynatech. If you have any money left over, get something like a Varaam intake. The nice thing about headers is you can buy them used and don't have to worry so much about someone wearing them out while they were using them. Look in C5 parts, Craigslist, Fleabay.
100%, it was the best bolt on mod I've done to any car. Between the improved exhaust note, to the increased power with a tune = 30 RWHP.Have fun!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,464
Likes: 2
From: Cedarburg, WI
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 3
From: East Hampton CT
What are your goals? A cam and tune will definitely give you the most hp per $ spent.....but you'll need supporting mods like an intake, heads and headers to get the most power out of it.
Figure you can get at least 50rwhp with a very streetable cam and tune.
Headers are closer to +20rwhp on a stock LS1 at most....heads are about +20rwhp too.
Heads+Cam+LT's usually ='s at least 75-125rwhp depending on how aggressive you go with the cam.
I did LT's with tune first, then heads+cam+intake+tune later....but there wasn't much SOTP from the headers, just more noise and o2 issues.
If I had to do it all again, I'd save up the $ spent on headers, heads, cam, intake, etc and buy a blower. By the time you add up all the supporting mods for heads/cam/springs/intake/tb/retainers/timing chain/oil pump/injectors/tune....you're VERY close to a good supercharger kit. However centrifugal superchargers allow for STOCK drivability and fuel economy when you're not boosting and can easily hit 500+rwhp.....
FYI, if you do the work yourself, you can get a set of NEW ported LS6 heads (Patriot or Texas Speed for instance) plus a cam and supporting parts for around $2k. That'll give ya around +75rwhp tuned....
Figure you can get at least 50rwhp with a very streetable cam and tune.
Headers are closer to +20rwhp on a stock LS1 at most....heads are about +20rwhp too.
Heads+Cam+LT's usually ='s at least 75-125rwhp depending on how aggressive you go with the cam.
I did LT's with tune first, then heads+cam+intake+tune later....but there wasn't much SOTP from the headers, just more noise and o2 issues.
If I had to do it all again, I'd save up the $ spent on headers, heads, cam, intake, etc and buy a blower. By the time you add up all the supporting mods for heads/cam/springs/intake/tb/retainers/timing chain/oil pump/injectors/tune....you're VERY close to a good supercharger kit. However centrifugal superchargers allow for STOCK drivability and fuel economy when you're not boosting and can easily hit 500+rwhp.....
FYI, if you do the work yourself, you can get a set of NEW ported LS6 heads (Patriot or Texas Speed for instance) plus a cam and supporting parts for around $2k. That'll give ya around +75rwhp tuned....
Last edited by Billdog350; May 22, 2008 at 09:07 AM.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 436
Likes: 1
From: Gatineau Quebec
1 - used long tube..big impact
2- T C ..a bigger impact, had I had a 3.15 I would not had gone with a 3.42 its spins and spins I cant amagine going to a 3.90, so there would not be much difference in performance from3.15 to 3.42 the key is the TC it will get you off the line big time.
3- a tune I saw a super big difference whith a diablo tune that little box sure woke it up..
4- I would save the differential $ for a cam.
This only my opion everyone has one hope this helps.
2- T C ..a bigger impact, had I had a 3.15 I would not had gone with a 3.42 its spins and spins I cant amagine going to a 3.90, so there would not be much difference in performance from3.15 to 3.42 the key is the TC it will get you off the line big time.
3- a tune I saw a super big difference whith a diablo tune that little box sure woke it up..
4- I would save the differential $ for a cam.
This only my opion everyone has one hope this helps.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: Jackson MI
Headers and X for sure. Check the parts for sale section, you can get great deals on long tubes.
I of course found that section after i bought my dynatechs brand new!!!!! Get a tune and your Good To GO! My 98 was bone stock except for baer eradispeeds, did blackwing, dynatech LTs, catted X and Borla Stingers, and WOW what a difference.
Used to be even, maybe a SLIGHT favorite against my brothers 02 LS6 SS. Now im walking all over him in every part of the throttle, thats with him having Drag Radials! Not even a race anymore!
I of course found that section after i bought my dynatechs brand new!!!!! Get a tune and your Good To GO! My 98 was bone stock except for baer eradispeeds, did blackwing, dynatech LTs, catted X and Borla Stingers, and WOW what a difference.
Used to be even, maybe a SLIGHT favorite against my brothers 02 LS6 SS. Now im walking all over him in every part of the throttle, thats with him having Drag Radials! Not even a race anymore!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,877
Likes: 1
From: Ok! So you don't believe in conspiracies, but will you acknowledge the possibility of there being coordinated activities in secret places? Texas
Thanks for the advise.
The Supercharger suggestion was along my line of thought.
The, "save the differential money for a cam and do headers and a tune" suggestion makes great sense. I hadn't really considered the extra tire spin as a performance equalizer.
Thanks again.
The Supercharger suggestion was along my line of thought.
The, "save the differential money for a cam and do headers and a tune" suggestion makes great sense. I hadn't really considered the extra tire spin as a performance equalizer.
Thanks again.