I don't know that there is any correct order of mods. Each of us has different experience, and may approach things differently but come out with the same result. In my opinion, there is no one and only correct way to approach modifying a car.

However, there should be a plan. And.......even with a plan some things work out better than others. I have been playing around with cars longer than I care to admit and "stuff happens" things break, parts don't fix as they should, parts don't work as well together as you thought they would and then there is the "tune" that sometimes works really well and then sometimes it doesn't work well at all.

In the end we all have seen the 650 Hp car run a 12 second quarter mile on stock rubber and the 348 HP car run the same quarter mile on stock rubber.

Hey, Spinmonster don't worry about the flame suit as I think we all can agree....... traction is the biggest problem with our cars no matter what you do with them. How we mod them makes no difference as no one is getting their car to hook (see quarter mile times in 1/4 mile performance challenge)

Once guys start playing with larger rubber we should see the drag times and lap times get better and then we can all go about doing our own thing.

 

I was shocked signing on and finding no nasty fight about aircleaners...aka...intakes.

Wow.
I got a PM about the Z51's gearing. I wasn't saying that you gear to the max but if your 4th gear allows you to use 3.90's in addition to the Z51 trans gearing then do it. If you find your car having no traction....you are done with mods.

I just wanted to restate the original intent again because I am seeing some variation here. I am NOT suggesting a proper order for mods. Not even suggesting you have to use gears.

I WAS suggesting that if you have a limited budget and wanted some performance that there were two that made no sense to me for the first mods.......air cleaner and exhaust. To drop 1500-1700 on an exhaust for no perfromance gain at all (or one that you have to convince yourself that you felt on the butt-dyno) makes no sense whent here are a ton of mods that cost the same and make a difference especially when gears cost 1500.

Headers....fine
gears...best
FAST manifold....10-12 on a bone stock car
UD pulley...9
cam ....anywherein the band
tune..20?
1.8's...worked for me
heads....yup

exhaust and air cleaner...no measurable gains by any private party unless they tuned the car.

My next mod: mini-tub and tires....sending the stock rears to get widened by 2 inches to run 345/30/19 mich pilot run flats from the viper and same up front (275) on a 1 inch wider wheel. The wheels will not be much heavier and will look 100% stock since they are the lightest out there to start with. I am doing the mini-tub from scratch...30 bucks?...not a 900 dollar kit. The inner panel will be cut and moved in 1 1/4 inches, epoxied down after reshaping, glassed over, painted, and the wheel well liner will get the same. As usual if there is anyone wanting info on it after I'm done...its yours for free.

 

Horray.It's a pleasure seeing words of value in print.....I am an old time racer.from a Hemi-Cuda to a 10 sec 1976 Vette,I agree with your conclusions.but most here it seems have just started and listen to too many posts from people who know as much as they do..again.A Pleasure indeed.

 

Hard to deal with positive feed back. Thanks.