Metal-Man

Anbother question to ask all the CF members what kind of Mods should consider to the Z06 and I have listed a few and I am open to plenty of suggestions (again it will be driven on the street not lookiung for cams or superchargers but open to tunes, exhaust (no headers), intake)!

1. Vararam Intake or another suggestion (had this on ym C5 Z06 and it was awesome)?

2. Mild to Wild or should I change the exhaust?

3. Tune? COW Tune?

Any other minor bolt ons?

RUBYREDVET

Mild to wild
MGW shifter
air intake and tune Only cause you might lose your 5 yr/100K powertrain warranty if there is a engine problem and GM detects a tune. If you don't care bout the warranty, then

SVTLOL

Intake, longtubes, corsa , tune .

GARY2004Z06

Will you be drag racing this car? What exactly do you wish to achieve? This will affect many responses.

Metal-Man

No drag racing just a drivber and what I had in the past on my C5 Z06 was the COW Tune, Vararam Intake and Borla Exhaust! I was figuring the same package but are there other options since I am new to the C6 Z06? Will I GO to the track well maybe just once or twice! Are exhaust systems Cat Back worth it (HP) or is it just a sound?

Unreal

A&A kit, clutch, tires. 600+rwhp, drives like stock, and fun.

GARY2004Z06

Based on this, you may be served best with a CAI and a tune. We have had excellent results with Halltech's new MF 103 and Beehive. (Our prior C5Z utilized the Vararam.) The halltech product is easy to install and is of superb quality. The results at the track confirmed that we made the right decision. As for a tune, I would recommend a good dyno tune as oppose to a mail order tune. This will extract the most potential. If you PM me, I can make a recommendation for that.

morris

mgw shifter, corsa, coilovers and sways. YOu can stop there or then move on to cam and headers.

This is of course if you like your car to be a good bit sportier in terms of how it rides and sounds, it definitley will not be as subdued as it is now. If you want a stock ride then dont go with anything after the mgw shifter except for an intake and tune then call it a day in that case.

OnPoint

Have you seen the recent thread of Ranger's 1/4 mile run in a bone stock Z?

One could argue it's a pretty good testament to leaving the engine stock.

That said, I've certainly modded cars in the past - including a Z - just for the fun of it. Whatever you do, research it hard first with clear goals in mind a eyes wide open to the compromises involved (and there always are compromises).

Mopar Jimmy

100%, plus if you don't have a catback system and want a REALLY exhaust note to hear your LS7 sing, then I recommend a good affordable USED catback systems, as these cars I WAY too quiet from the factory. You can find a good set of GHL or Bullet Exahust for around $600 but need to keep your eyes peeled. I have the Bullets, sound good, but interior drone is for only the hardcore. If that bothers you look for the Corsa Exhaust or B&B Fusions which drone way less, and allows the mild to wild swith to work where Bullets and GHLS do not! You can also modify your stock exhaust system for around $250 and it actually sounds REALLY good, similar to a corsas, and VERY mean and aggressive at WOT. A cheap way to go, so a search here and on youtube to hear it in action and allows you to still use the stock actuators on the exhaust, so you can still go from mild to wild!

Headers, waste of of money for at least $2,500 installed on a LS7 engine that will remain stock, as the shorty factory headers flow REAL good, and on a stock LS7 engine not worth the big $ for small gains, unless your looking to extract every ounce out of the engine, and if that is the case and you have $ to burn, then go for it (if your willing to tune)!!

Now, you do realize you will jeopardize your 5/100K factory drivetrain with a tune, and if your not willing to do that (which I don't blame you) then I would hold off on the CAI until you are willing to get a tune b/c you are not going to feel 10HP, and in some instances CAI has caused people to run slower than they would with a stock air box if the car is not tuned (I am living proof of that). On my car my CAI intake caused my car to run PIG RICH in the 10s air/fuel ratio at WOT, verified on 2 seperate dynos, and I am not willing to jeopardize my GMMP warranty, so back to the stock air box I will be going (until such time I am willing to tune the car).

If you want to preserve your GM 5yr/100K warranty, throw on the above referenced cat back system or mild to wild, and call it a day, and the best mod for you is the driver mod, and learning how to drive this POWERFUL car and be careful with it, its a BEAST, CONGRATS on your 2009 Z, a great year for Z06s.

palindrome1H

I read in a previous thread that the stock intake from GM actually out performs most aftermarket ones. They said the design is a factory cold air system that fits up perfectly to the front intake grill maximizing airflow. It also said it would only be beneficial to change the air filter with a nondisposable oiling filter such as k&n. It was infered that most aftermarket ones don't have the same fitting to the front intake and actually disrupt airflow. Anyone have any info on this? Im not saying it is true it is just what I read here previously. Thanks!

Jasil

All the cars running at MIR are impressive Ranger, Jamie, Rob, etc etc all are driving demons anywya, but being at MIR makes it.........IDK not repeatable.

Adam@Amp'dAutosport.com

Carbotech Brake pads

JoesC5

09 Z06 here. Installed the M2W and the GAGS eliminator. I use the stock air breather with the stock Donaldson filter element(best on the market) but installed a Vette-Air "cold air" scoop behind the grille. I had to make a flat diffuser plate to prevent it from throwing codes, as it was working to good, ramming air into the mouth of the air breather. I have the wings that attach to the top of the radiator shroud, from an Airaid air breather kit, that are to minimize the hot air from the engine compartment from seeping over into the air breather compartment when the car is not moving, that I will be installing next spring.

I believe that getting "cold" outside air to the stock air breather works just as well as any CAI kit for 99% of the uses my car sees. I might not be gaining 10 HP at 160 MPH(at Talledaga), but I believe it's more important to keep from losing 20-30 HP at low speeds(where most of my legal highway driving occurs) because the engine is digesting hot air( and pulling lots of timing), thus my "cold-air" scoop and the Airaid wings.

After my 5 year driveline warranty is up in a year and a half, I might consider a mild tune, just to clean things up a little. No way am I going to tune the car on the ragged edge just to gain a couple more horsepower that I'll never feel, thus a "mild tune".

Oh, and don't forget the "427" GM emblems on the hood.

Mopar Jimmy

The 427 emblems are ALWAYS a must do!

Metal-Man

This morning I killed my deal on the car so I am back on the market looking for another Z06 please read my post in C6 General Discussion. Thanks again for the advice and all well wishes and recommendations!

Unreal

Just because a great driver on a perfect day on a well prepped track can run 10s stock doesn't mean your average person or person who lives at 4000+ft elevation doesn't need more power. With all my mods before I made the same power as a stock z06 at sea level yet people said I was dumb to mod it and get more power.