How to Build a 12.5 second C5
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 295
Likes: 0
From: Clovis California
How to Build a 12.5 second C5
Ok, here's my situation. A buddy of mine just recently bought a 2008 Ford Mustang GT. So far he has a JLT intake, some sort of Bamachip tune, and a magnaflow exhaust. He says he can do 12.5 in the 1/4 mile, and won't shut up about how his car is faster than my stock automatic C5. Obviously income tax season is coming up, and I've decided that I want to shut him up. My Corvette is a daily driven car, and I don't want to effect the reliability. So, here's my question...what is the most cost-effective, and most reliable way to get a stock C5 to the mid to low 12's in the 1/4 mile.
Remember the car is currently bone stock. Lets try to keep it under $3,000. Although any advice would be awesome!!!
Remember the car is currently bone stock. Lets try to keep it under $3,000. Although any advice would be awesome!!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,787
Likes: 22
From: Lititz PA
Ok, here's my situation. A buddy of mine just recently bought a 2008 Ford Mustang GT. So far he has a JLT intake, some sort of Bamachip tune, and a magnaflow exhaust. He says he can do 12.5 in the 1/4 mile, and won't shut up about how his car is faster than my stock automatic C5. Obviously income tax season is coming up, and I've decided that I want to shut him up. My Corvette is a daily driven car, and I don't want to effect the reliability. So, here's my question...what is the most cost-effective, and most reliable way to get a stock C5 to the mid to low 12's in the 1/4 mile.
Remember the car is currently bone stock. Lets try to keep it under $3,000. Although any advice would be awesome!!!
Remember the car is currently bone stock. Lets try to keep it under $3,000. Although any advice would be awesome!!!
What gears do you have?
AMP Racing
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 10,757
Likes: 589
From: Washington TWP NJ
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2017 C5 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12
Gears, headers, sticky tires, and a tune.
That is all you should need to get to low 12s
Check out the Bolt-on C5 fast list in the Performance forum. See what others have done.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/perf...imes-list.html
I did 12.8 with just a CAI and Borla exhaust - on street tires.
That is all you should need to get to low 12s
Check out the Bolt-on C5 fast list in the Performance forum. See what others have done.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/perf...imes-list.html
I did 12.8 with just a CAI and Borla exhaust - on street tires.
Last edited by C5 Pete; Jan 28, 2009 at 12:49 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 295
Likes: 0
From: Clovis California
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
I agree with capthuff on the mods, but come on w/the mustang gt and his 12.5 quartemile times with his mods. The shelby 500 typically posts high 12's for times and thats @500 hp. My money is on you even being completely stock.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,151
Likes: 67
From: Mechanicsburg PA
Since I own the same Mustang (an 07) with an intake an tune, I can tell you he is full of it. No where near 12.5. Even with drag radials high 12s at the best and for that he'd have to be very good. I've actually been on the strip against a Shelby GT500, I went mid 13s and he did high 12s. Make him a bet, you will win it easy.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 455
Likes: 11
From: Clovis CA
Car is bone stock. Just wondering what brand headers and gears? I'm new to modding a Corvette, I used to drive a Honda...hahaha. Keep in mind, this is a daily driven Corvette. I live in Fresno, and drive to Los Angeles about once a month. Thanks for all the replies so far!
Vararam
2800 stall
3.42's
LS6 intake
smooth coupler (may or may not help...but looks better than an acordian)
taylor wires
drag radials
corsa touring mufflers (recently replaced with straight pipes)
all the aforementioned netted 307hp at the tires. Not a really impressive number, but you loose a little with an auto and you loose a little more with the stall. The Vararam obviously does nothing on the dyno. I would guess with a M6, dyno numbers might be closer to 325.
You could do this for way less than $3k and still keep the car essentially stock.
In fact, if you want, hit me up and we can set up a race with your buddy. I can show him what the taillights of an honest 12.5 car look like!!!
Last edited by red88L98convert; Jan 28, 2009 at 01:36 PM.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 327
Likes: 0
From: Metamora IL
Converter (3600-4000) will drop .5 off yer ET-Huge gain and makes the car feel MUCH more aggressive!! Still very driveable
Nittos- great launching street tires (or just get cheap slicks)
Headers- can often find used ones very reasonably
Exhaust- get some used aftermarket stuff
Nittos- great launching street tires (or just get cheap slicks)
Headers- can often find used ones very reasonably
Exhaust- get some used aftermarket stuff
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,205
Likes: 2
From: Chicago-NW Burbs Illinois
Team Owner
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 23,480
Likes: 9
From: East Meadow NY
St. Jude Donor '12
Ok, here's my situation. A buddy of mine just recently bought a 2008 Ford Mustang GT. So far he has a JLT intake, some sort of Bamachip tune, and a magnaflow exhaust. He says he can do 12.5 in the 1/4 mile, and won't shut up about how his car is faster than my stock automatic C5. Obviously income tax season is coming up, and I've decided that I want to shut him up. My Corvette is a daily driven car, and I don't want to effect the reliability. So, here's my question...what is the most cost-effective, and most reliable way to get a stock C5 to the mid to low 12's in the 1/4 mile.
Remember the car is currently bone stock. Lets try to keep it under $3,000. Although any advice would be awesome!!!
Remember the car is currently bone stock. Lets try to keep it under $3,000. Although any advice would be awesome!!!
Headers, CAI, tune and a cat back should do it if he can magically make 12.5
Racer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 435
Likes: 0
From: Northern California
under 3 grand easy. i spent 290 on the vararam, 600 on a used 3.42 differential from this forum, and got the yank ss3600 very streetable at 725. at ls1speed.com it has no shipping cost over 100 bucks. so you will save 50 bucks on just the converter. i bought a hand held for 350 from another site brand new with 0 for shipping as well. plugs 17 wires 60 trans cooler 60. thats about 2100 bucks and i installed it my self in my garage. id be happy to send you the sites that i bought all of these from
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 11
From: Newport, RI
I would NOT start with converter, headers and/or gears. You might not need them to get to 12.5 seconds. And those are bigger items that WILL affect drivability.
I'd begin with CAI (cold air intake) and catback and tune. Also, I'd run non-runflat tires, which will be quicker, quieter and smoother than the RF's (assuming you still have them). Here's a comparo of RF to non-RF: http://www.corvette-express.com/news.php
You can check your rear gearing by looking at the RPO (Regular Production Option) sticker in your glovebox door. The sticker will have a bunch of 3-character codes (hopefully, you've already got 3.15 gears). You can go to a site like this one to decode all those:
http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/.../2004rpos.html
For rear gears in auto trans C5 (any year), I believe these are the two RPO code possibilities:
GU2 Axle, Rear, 2.73 Ratio
G90 Axle, Rear, 3.15 Ratio
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Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
