I guess I'm in a small minority here...seems most folks are interested in drag racing performance. While I do love the NHRA Top Fuel, I'm just not into it myself and am quite happy with my vette's current acceleration.

What I do enjoy is challenging, high speed road courses...as some in Blue Thunder can probably attest to after our latest cruise in the Hill Country. I like a qaulity country road with banked turns and open straights...a road where you slow to 90 in the curves and accelerate out to 140+ in the straights...then maybe some good twists in the 75+ range, accelerating out again to 140+. That's my kind of driving fun, and the C5 is a natural at it for sure.

So, my questions are what kind of mods are appropriate for my kind of driving? Good brakes for sure, but what about gearing, engine, intake, cooling, and the like? I love the smooth responsive action of the LS1, so don't want to make a big, loping cam monster....I'm after F1 style performance...but not the F1 $$$!!! What areas should I target? I can hit 140 easy, but it'd be nice to do better. I'd like to be able to quickly and easily hit 170+. What does it take to hit 200+? Besides HP, radical suspension upgrades too? Or the purchase of an Enzo? ;)

Any and all comments are much appreciated! :cool:

 

Here is just a snapshot:

H/C with good editing will net you real power gains w/o loss of torque. My cam and CNC heads matches my prior power cure to 3K and than it heads north like a monster! You will need at least 420+rwhp to achieve 185-195 mph top speeds with a 3.42 rear MN6 (gears are expensive, but really help coming out of the corners, but anything lower than a 3.42 will damn near eliminate your big top speeds desire in fifth due to running out of rpm-even if it is raised higher). A Z06 gearbox or 3.90's will help out, but with 420+ RWHP it makes your lower gears spin easier-but the uppers pull harder.

I recommend lowering to the factory bolts, driving it around for a week and have it alligned with the same amount of weight you would be driving racing with. Also, make sure you still have the proper nose down rake (about 1/2 lower lower in front from the inside rails-don't go and slam the rear and not the front as this can cause high speed instabiltiy! Stiffer shocks and sways are mandatory, and stiffer leaf sprins. Most Z06 running gear is a good and cheap place to start.

Rims and tires. Look for lighter than stock. Your wagon wheels are the heaviest. 2001+ factory five spokes and Z06 rims are significantly lighter.
For every pound off of a rim, multiply it by four and that will give you an idea of its significance.

You must look towards increased cooling of ALL of your fluids. Extended high speeds will fry fluids-and can cause failure.

 

HI poe,

I'm like you. I'm not into the 1/4 mile but I love roadracing. I have no problem getting into the high 140's on the straights. But Its slowing down for the turn that you have to worry about which brings me to the 2 2 important things: Braking and brake cooling. I would highly recommend that you hang out in the roadracing section.

 

:cool:

All good tips...thanks guys...and thanks for the pointer to the forum...didn't know it was there....I'll be hanging out there now...
:cheers:

 

What roadracing section ????...I'm in, where is it ? I bought the Vett for it's CORNERING ability, not to flip it on and off like a light switch !
I've been setting mine up for SCCA time trials :steering: See left turn, right turn shift, left turn, right turn, shift... that's FUN :D

 

It's under 'General Corvette Topics'

And yeah, if you're into drag racing buy an f-body, they're better suited to it anyway, and you won't be WASTING an amazing corner carver.

 

:iagree: I'm also more interested in road racing and autocross! My mods have been geared toward that goal rather than the quarter mile sprints. I need to add cooling (radiator) and braking (pads and rotors) mods to my list. I also didn't know about the Road Racing Section on this forum. Cool! :thumbs:

 

Joe,
You and the other quys that are not into the sprints , but go some distance should come where the crazy people are look at Open Road Racing: http://www.openroadracing.com
http://www.silverstateclassic.com
http://www.bborr.com

These races are between 80-130 miles in length with the fastest people averaging 170-200 mph and top speeds in the 220's. This is the funnest events I have ever been too.

Jeffy'