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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 05:48 PM
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So I'm new to Corvettes, but not new to wanting more HP. I'll keep this one simple. I've read the fun threads of GS vs Z06 and this isn't about that at all. It's about me always wanting to do more to my cars.

I'm going to be buying a used vette, whether or not it's a GS or a Z06 is still in the air. I have about 12k - 15k to spend on mods once I get the car. I typically spend money on go fast parts as I'm a big fan of cars looking stock. It appears that the market for the LS3 is much larger than the LS7, but I'm not 100% sure.

My biggest worry is if the GS is going to be enough car for me. I currently have a 550rwhp Pontiac and really don't want to feel like I'm taking a step down in muscle. I'm not real big sport track person, but I do enjoy racing in something other than a straight line sometimes.

So I guess it comes down to which is easier to mod? Is there a decent market for the Z06? There's something about 7L that is just drawing my attention, but I know the LS small blocks are very solid engines (that's what I currently have). As you can see, my head is spinning and I've been debating on this for about a month now. I had to finally sign up and make a post to get some guidance! So please help me out if you can. I appreciate it.
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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 05:57 PM
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Hello,

Get a nice Grand sport and add the Edlebrock 600Hp Supercharger and you will have a car lighter and faster than you can handle.

Douglas in Green Bay
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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 06:13 PM
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if you want super stealth get a base model and blow it ftw
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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 07:37 PM
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IMO LS3 is easier/cheaper to mod than LS7 (with reliability/durability).
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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 07:39 PM
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Raazor's suggestion has validity but with the blower on a base 1LT 08 or newer for the LS3 engine, you'ld need to get bigger tires/wheels and that would mean wide body kit. Get a Grand Sport, MN6, and Edelbrock blow it and you've got the wide body kit and wheels, just need some Nitto Invo tires to help it stick. Drive a Z06 before you think you need more horsepower. You're talkin 3300 lb. max for a Z06 and 505 hp, 440 rwhp. The power to weight is alot more than your 550 rwhp G8 Poncho 4 door sedan. Again, for what you want I'd suggest a Grand Sport 6 speed stick and put a huffer on it.
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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 07:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Mach2
Raazor's suggestion has validity but with the blower on a base 1LT 08 or newer for the LS3 engine, you'ld need to get bigger tires/wheels and that would mean wide body kit. Get a Grand Sport, MN6, and Edelbrock blow it and you've got the wide body kit and wheels, just need some Nitto Invo tires to help it stick. Drive a Z06 before you think you need more horsepower. You're talkin 3300 lb. max for a Z06 and 505 hp, 440 rwhp. The power to weight is alot more than your 550 rwhp G8 Poncho 4 door sedan. Again, for what you want I'd suggest a Grand Sport 6 speed stick and put a huffer on it.
Of course we are only talking rear tires. How much wider (through inset) will the base take?
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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 07:49 PM
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Hello,

Get a nice Grand sport and add the Edlebrock 600Hp Supercharger and you will have a car lighter and faster than you can handle.

Douglas in Green Bay
Done it on C6 coupe and

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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 08:01 PM
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If your into horsepower why not get a 2012 Camaro SS/RS 770HP SLP Supercharged instesd of dinking around with low horsepower Corvettes?
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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 08:23 PM
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Why not get a Camaro? Because Chevy will still put 235 tires on it and it will still look like hell. Sorry if took that as your corvette doesn't have enough HP. I was posting a question about an opinion I had. Really wasn't hoping anyone would get PP hurt this early.

I'm all about hp for sure, but I still want it to look good. That's where I'm at with my current "Poncho must be on a vet forum GTO." I never once said I thought your corvette doesn't have enough hp for you, but it doesn't for me. Hopefully that's ok...

Thanks for the info on the C6 vs the GS. I felt like the GS just has more options on it than the base model and I'd end up replacing a bunch of stuff on the base. I don't know how much it would cost to upgrade the wide body, tires an anything else (brakes I think I've read?), but I feel like it's easier for me to start with the GS.
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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 09:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Lukkyseven
Why not get a Camaro? Because Chevy will still put 235 tires on it and it will still look like hell. Sorry if took that as your corvette doesn't have enough HP. I was posting a question about an opinion I had. Really wasn't hoping anyone would get PP hurt this early.

I'm all about hp for sure, but I still want it to look good. That's where I'm at with my current "Poncho must be on a vet forum GTO." I never once said I thought your corvette doesn't have enough hp for you, but it doesn't for me. Hopefully that's ok...

Thanks for the info on the C6 vs the GS. I felt like the GS just has more options on it than the base model and I'd end up replacing a bunch of stuff on the base. I don't know how much it would cost to upgrade the wide body, tires an anything else (brakes I think I've read?), but I feel like it's easier for me to start with the GS.
No offense taken! By the way the GS is just another C6 just like the base, Z06 and ZR1 models. The GS has the lowest power to weight ratio of any Vette but still goes pretty good up to 80 mph where it's poorer aerodynamics, greater frontal area and higher rolling resistance starts taking it's toll. Regardless, it's a great car in the summer on smooth dry surfaces.
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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 09:26 PM
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Originally Posted by rcallen484
Of course we are only talking rear tires. How much wider (through inset) will the base take?
You can get Nitto Invo 265/35 x 18's on the front 18 x 8.5" wheel and 305/30 x 19's on the rear 19 x 10" wide wheels. When the Firestone Wide Ovals are done that's what I'm going to.
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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 09:33 PM
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Are the internals on the LS7 better? The LS7 isn't a forged block is it? I really enjoy my LS2 which is boosted right now and would feel very comfortable going to the LS3.

I don't plan on taking the vet out regardless of which on I buy if it's raining. The more and more I look, I'm really leaning towards the GS. I'm sure I'd be happy with it. I just don't want that "wish I would have bought a Z" feeling later.
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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 09:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Mach2
You can get Nitto Invo 265/35 x 18's on the front 18 x 8.5" wheel and 305/30 x 19's on the rear 19 x 10" wide wheels. When the Firestone Wide Ovals are done that's what I'm going to.
The GS and Z's will take wider than 305s though correct? I'm pretty sure I've read that you can fit up to 335s? under them without mods?
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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 09:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Mach2
You can get Nitto Invo 265/35 x 18's on the front 18 x 8.5" wheel and 305/30 x 19's on the rear 19 x 10" wide wheels. When the Firestone Wide Ovals are done that's what I'm going to.
But I am curious if you could go with a wider wheel in the back, say 1", and thereby MUCH wider rear tire, as long as the entire 1" is inward? I would do this purely for better acceleration grip----- the cornering seems fine to me with stock tire width.
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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 09:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Lukkyseven
The GS and Z's will take wider than 305s though correct? I'm pretty sure I've read that you can fit up to 335s? under them without mods?
Yes, you're correct. I was hijacking, just a tad bit, your thread and answering rcallen484 IRT a narrow body C6 set of wheels.

If you were to get a GS, you could put some very nice, big, sticky tars on that bad boy. The blower would still annihilate the bigger rears though in 1st & 2nd. So what, huff that bad boy GS and love it.
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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 09:43 PM
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Originally Posted by rcallen484
Of course we are only talking rear tires. How much wider (through inset) will the base take?
I run 325/30/19 on my rears those are GS/Z06 sizes, all you need is some CCWs and the boost will get you there
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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 09:48 PM
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Originally Posted by peter pan
I run 325/30/19 on my rears those are GS/Z06 sizes, all you need is some CCWs and the boost will get you there
I was wondering if I could just add 1" (apparently costs about $150.00 per wheel) to the rears I have and then go with the 325s.
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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 09:59 PM
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I know all about not having 1st or 2nd gear. My GTO only has 265's on it... it's not fun in the low gears.

And I do not mind thread jacking at all. I honestly don't know enough about these cars so I learned something else that would have potentially been another thread down the road. So thank you!
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Old Mar 15, 2012 | 11:26 PM
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Modding involves more than just the engine for a well balanced car but I don't know that one engine is 'easier' than another to mod. Other Corvettes I usually run with/against are virtually all naturally aspirated LS2, LS3 or LS7 engines and modified to one degree or another (FI is not popular with the road course guys). I know guys running 454 strokers in C5's. You're only limited by your preferences and how much money you want to spend. Have a blast with whatever you decide on doing.
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Old Mar 16, 2012 | 09:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Lukkyseven
So I'm new to Corvettes, but not new to wanting more HP. I'll keep this one simple. I've read the fun threads of GS vs Z06 and this isn't about that at all. It's about me always wanting to do more to my cars.

I'm going to be buying a used vette, whether or not it's a GS or a Z06 is still in the air. I have about 12k - 15k to spend on mods once I get the car. I typically spend money on go fast parts as I'm a big fan of cars looking stock. It appears that the market for the LS3 is much larger than the LS7, but I'm not 100% sure.

My biggest worry is if the GS is going to be enough car for me. I currently have a 550rwhp Pontiac and really don't want to feel like I'm taking a step down in muscle. I'm not real big sport track person, but I do enjoy racing in something other than a straight line sometimes.


So I guess it comes down to which is easier to mod? Is there a decent market for the Z06? There's something about 7L that is just drawing my attention, but I know the LS small blocks are very solid engines (that's what I currently have). As you can see, my head is spinning and I've been debating on this for about a month now. I had to finally sign up and make a post to get some guidance! So please help me out if you can. I appreciate it.
The LS7 is still a "small block", it has the same bore centers as the LS1.

Instead of paying $5,000 to $7000 for the wide body /wide tires GS get the LS3 narrow body and add sticky tires for a few hundred $$ and use the big money for forced induction. An LS3 narrow body w/FI and sticky tires is going to be faster, easier to mod and more dependable than an LS7 w/equal HP.
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