I recently bought my first Corvette, 2002 Silver with a 6 speed with just over 40k, and I'm interested in making it a little faster. I live in Pittsburgh, so it's probably not going to be driven much until spring. I'm new to this, but my basic understanding is more air+more fuel=more go. I'm looking at intake and exhaust and have come up with a Callaway Honker, FAST 90mm intake manifold and throttle body, and Corsa Xtreme cat back. Am I pointed in the right direction, will I need anything else, or will this kill my car? Hoping I dont come off as TOO much of a FNG. I appreciate any and all help guys, thanks.

 

Headers!!! I did a Corsa catback and while it sounds much better, that's about what it did for me. Don't get me wrong. Do it. But do headers if power is what you are after. In fact, from what I read... that intake won't do much without headers.
I did a Haltech intake, Corsa catback, 160* thermostat, and an ECS mailorder tune. Also added a PCV oil catch can which I am glad I did as it has a good 1/4 cup of oil in it at every oil change that would have sucked into the intake system. While I won't say my car is any faster, because it's not. But it runs cooler, isn't ingesting all that oil into the intake, gets better air filtration, and sounds 1000X better than it did stock. Also with the tune... got rid of the column lock issue, wheel/tire size correction with my aftermarket setup, and got rid of the horrible skip shift.
Now, my next mods will be in the next month or two since my car is put away for winter and to fix some damage from an accident I had. I'm going with coilovers and new wheels and tires. And if Pfadt finishes their new C5 Tri-Y headers.... will be installing those too.
I'm gonna hold off on a new tune though. I plan to save up and plan for the next upgrade which will be either an LS6 intake/TB or a Fast intake/TB and an England Green cam package. Then I will get it street tuned to take advantage of all the engine mods.
Good luck with your project.

 

Well maybe it's a good thing your car is taking a winter siesta. This gives you more time for reading. Read, read, and read more. There is a ton of information here. Use the search function on this forum. BEFORE you make up your mind, take a moment of pause and don't get caught up in some one else's hype.

You need a plan to build a house. Too many members rush to judgement and make unwise choices trying to MAKE their C5 the END of ALL C5s.

Go read the parts for sale section. Look at the performance section and read how well meaning owners put too big of a cam in their C5 only to have it be so unstreetable, they no longer enjoy the car.

There are some mods you can do for little to no cost. Then there are the ones that make noise, but not much else. There are mods that make a lot of power, and yet how often does the owner use it?

I've been a member for 8 years, have owned 5 C5s and all of them different. There are some C5s on this forum I would pay extra for, because they were built right. The owners of these cars didn't just buy the loudest exhaust or the biggest cam or the most expensive headers or the lightest clutch. These owners put together their own package which works for them. What works for you?

There are way too many members who think their car is the best. For them it might be, but for some one else, maybe not so much. Personalizing your C5 is great fun and can be a rewarding experience. Or, rush in and throw money at this and that and find out like others have, parts need to work in harmony to produce their best results.

So sit back with a cup of hot chocolate and read, and read and read and ask, just be careful before you pull the trigger that the mod you are making, is going to work with the rest of your plans.

The C5 is a great foundation from which to build. But like building a house, the wrong additions to the home can result in catastrophic consequences.

If any one member tells you they have the perfect combination for YOU........go drive their car. Then, decide if their car is the way you want YOUR car to be. Individuality is a great thing. That's why we have so many different C5s. Everything from Stock to Rock, above all else, read, read, read and make your own decision based off information, not some one's opinion.

Just my .02 to a fellow Pennsylvanian now living in Arizona. We don't put our C5s away out here.........so I'll drive extra in your honor until Pauxatauny Phil the groundhog says it's okay to get yours out. been there, done that and have a tee shirt and hat saying it.

 

Twin turbos!

 

good advice. i make rash decisions, like having the car in the driveway before the wife knew i was looking

 

however i would like strong performace, a very mean sound, and a very stock looking exterior.

 

centrifugal supercharger

 

I have said this before but not as well. Research, plan,exacute.
Good luck.

 

Like what was said, first come up with a budget and a timeline, and then see what best fits with that.

Don't forget that 400+ horsepower and torque doesn't do you a whole lot of good unless you have good enough tires to give you traction, and tires aren't cheap.

I personally just like to browse the for sale section, you can get all sorts of performance parts a lot cheaper than buying them yourself. Be smart and consider the real cost of what you want to achieve.

Also set an upper limit and goal for yourself to keep sane. Also keep in mind that at about 500-550 hp you need to start upgrading your fuel system and drivetrain ($$$$$$).

I would either go straight for a supercharger (probably best bang for buck), or go for headers, fast intake, exhaust, and a small cam, which gives such a beautiful and aggressive exhaust note, and just makes your vette sound mean, and have the power to match.

 

Some stuff that you have to plan for.... When you increase engine HP and Tq,, you have to make INVESTMENTS in other things.

1- Your C5 Clutch isnt the strongest stock clutch. when you pass the working limit of your clutch, it will start sticking to the floor.

2- Like "PhysicsDude55" stated, making 600HP doesnt do you any good if all you do is roast the tires. Traction gives up the ghost very early without proper tires..

3- Any Modifications worth the time and effort to install will require TUNING for optimum and efficient performance. Come up with a GOAL, obtain ALl your performance parts and install them so you only need to tune the PCM once.

4- Dont fall for MOD HYPE. Here are the things that DO NOT increase HP: Fancy Sparkplugs, Fancy Sparkplug Wires, expensive after market coils, removing the Throttle Body coolant hoses, turbinators, chips, fuel line magnets, thermostats, chrome, stickers, spoliers and removing the CATS (unless you employ forced induction) Unless you pass the 500Hp mark, you wont need to change the TB or MAF either!

5- When you significantly increase HP/Tq, the following things will need to be UP-GRADED also....
-Differential output shafts
-Clutch
-Fuel Injectors
- New TUNE


BC

 

Do you have a long term goal?

Long tube headers will give you more bang for the $$ than a FAST 92 intake and throttle body. You don't really need the FAST 92 until you're into a cam and ported heads.

 

Just don't forget the hot chocolate.