LS7 swap or Supercharger?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 9,220
Likes: 17
From: San Diego California
LS7 swap or Supercharger?
I would like to see some opinions from people who frequent this section.
I have a 04 C5 coupe that currently has a H/C making 438 rwhp/378 rwtq. Suspension mods are in sig. The car was done right by Excelsior Motorsports, a perfectionist who took his time. The car runs great and I have had no problems. I love the ride. This car is set-up the way I like it and I'd like to keep it.
Now, lets just say this set-up is too hot for the street. I may have to make some adjustments but I'm addicted to the performance. This would have to be a smog legal application.
I've been thinking of two directions to take. A supercharger kit, probably A&A, or an LS7 swap (probably goto RPM Motors, and it has to be a crate LS7). For the purposes of this thread I'm not looking at a built stroker. The supercharger option is cheaper and will ultimately generate more HP. The LS7 option will nearly double the cost, but be reliable and provide great low end torque. S/C is technically a bolt on, while the LS7 is a major modification.
So what are the some real world pros and cons. I do mainly canyon carving. Could a S/C give the lower rpm performance of an LS7? Assume cost is not a prohibitive issue.
I have a 04 C5 coupe that currently has a H/C making 438 rwhp/378 rwtq. Suspension mods are in sig. The car was done right by Excelsior Motorsports, a perfectionist who took his time. The car runs great and I have had no problems. I love the ride. This car is set-up the way I like it and I'd like to keep it.
Now, lets just say this set-up is too hot for the street. I may have to make some adjustments but I'm addicted to the performance. This would have to be a smog legal application.
I've been thinking of two directions to take. A supercharger kit, probably A&A, or an LS7 swap (probably goto RPM Motors, and it has to be a crate LS7). For the purposes of this thread I'm not looking at a built stroker. The supercharger option is cheaper and will ultimately generate more HP. The LS7 option will nearly double the cost, but be reliable and provide great low end torque. S/C is technically a bolt on, while the LS7 is a major modification.
So what are the some real world pros and cons. I do mainly canyon carving. Could a S/C give the lower rpm performance of an LS7? Assume cost is not a prohibitive issue.
Last edited by SDLS1Rider; Aug 11, 2011 at 04:31 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 23,682
Likes: 9
From: Flagstaff Az.
I had the same choices and went with Andy's supercharger set up. Drive train is mostly stock so he kept the RWHP to a little over 580 and said when and if I beefed up the drive train there was plenty left. Car is easy to drive, gets mid to low 20's on fuel mileage and has a fair amount of HP. His kit has a C.A.R.B. sticker and if your cam isn't too radical car should pass smog. 
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 9,220
Likes: 17
From: San Diego California
Last edited by SDLS1Rider; Aug 12, 2011 at 12:52 AM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,902
Likes: 21
From: Oak Hill Virginia
If it were me I'd probably go with the supercharger since it'll make similar power at a fraction of the cost and make it significantly easier to revert back to stock if I ever needed/wanted to. Then I'd put the rest of the money I'd have spent on the LS7 into some other things (custom D-Bottom Steering Wheel, nicer seats, audio, wheels etc.) or possibly something non-vette related that you want...
The thing is, an FI car is going to have very different performance characteristics than an NA car. How are you planning on driving it? Strip, track, street only? I think you should probably find an FI corvette to drive (surely someone in a corvette club near you has one) then find a C6Z06 to test drive and see which one you like better.
If you do the build right the first time, and it kinda sounds like you're going to, I'm not sure I'd be more concerned about the reliability of one setup over another...
JMHO. Either way you're going to have a badazz vette. GL
The thing is, an FI car is going to have very different performance characteristics than an NA car. How are you planning on driving it? Strip, track, street only? I think you should probably find an FI corvette to drive (surely someone in a corvette club near you has one) then find a C6Z06 to test drive and see which one you like better.
If you do the build right the first time, and it kinda sounds like you're going to, I'm not sure I'd be more concerned about the reliability of one setup over another...
JMHO. Either way you're going to have a badazz vette. GL
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 9,220
Likes: 17
From: San Diego California
If it were me I'd probably go with the supercharger since it'll make similar power at a fraction of the cost and make it significantly easier to revert back to stock if I ever needed/wanted to. Then I'd put the rest of the money I'd have spent on the LS7 into some other things (custom D-Bottom Steering Wheel, nicer seats, audio, wheels etc.) or possibly something non-vette related that you want...
The thing is, an FI car is going to have very different performance characteristics than an NA car. How are you planning on driving it? Strip, track, street only? I think you should probably find an FI corvette to drive (surely someone in a corvette club near you has one) then find a C6Z06 to test drive and see which one you like better.
If you do the build right the first time, and it kinda sounds like you're going to, I'm not sure I'd be more concerned about the reliability of one setup over another...
JMHO. Either way you're going to have a badazz vette. GL
The thing is, an FI car is going to have very different performance characteristics than an NA car. How are you planning on driving it? Strip, track, street only? I think you should probably find an FI corvette to drive (surely someone in a corvette club near you has one) then find a C6Z06 to test drive and see which one you like better.
If you do the build right the first time, and it kinda sounds like you're going to, I'm not sure I'd be more concerned about the reliability of one setup over another...
JMHO. Either way you're going to have a badazz vette. GL