21st Century Muscle Cars/LPE 403 Trip & Install Experience (long read w/pics)
09-03-2006, 12:06 AM
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21st Century Muscle Cars/LPE 403 Trip & Install Experience (long read w/pics)
The Lingenfelter 403 package conversion is something I’ve wanted to do for quite a while. My initial concerns about replacing my almost new, trouble-free C6 motor and losing portions of my factory warranty were pacified by the 2 year/24,000 mile 21st Century Muscle Cars (LPE) warranty. Also, the thought of driving or transporting the car to LPE in Indiana was daunting. Once I learned 21st Century Muscle Cars was an authorized Lingenfelter Installer, that made the proposition seem workable….Dallas was much closer to my home in Tucson, Arizona.
I did my due diligence and contacted several other C6 owners that had the LPE 403 package and received favorable reports from everyone….I was off and running.
The modifications I’m making are the Lingenfelter 403 package conversion with the Corsa Sport exhaust, LG Pro long tube headers (coated) with high-flow cats, the Elite Engineering tunnel plate, Z06 sway bars and the LPE CAI. After speaking with the 21st CMC mechanic, I decided against installing the DTE C6 rear end brace. I also postponed replacing the stock shifter with a B & M or Hurst shifter.
Working with 21st Century Muscle Cars has been a great experience. John Page (owner and John Lingenfelter’s Son-in-Law) answered all my questions and emails promptly (a courtesy lacking at some other well known tuner shops). I had some scheduling concerns but John Page clinched the deal by telling me he could have the entire job finished in 4 days! I could drive the car to Dallas, drop it off Monday morning, have a short vacation and drive home on Friday. I sent John a deposit so the new Lingenfelter prepared motor would be ready and waiting when I arrived.
With a 14+ hour / 1,000 mile solo drive from Tucson, Arizona to Carrollton, Texas, I left Tucson at 8AM Saturday morning. I was somewhat concerned about the run-flat tires in the unlikely event I got a flat. If a run-flat had to be replaced in BFE on a Sunday, it could have made for a very long delay. Besides my other ‘Good Scout’ items, I carried a small air compressor; a patch kit; and (God forbid) even a can of ‘Spare Tire’ for a dire emergency. Cruising in the C6 was a pleasure….temperatures were relatively mild and once in Texas, I drove in and out of several rainstorms. I drove about 12 hours and stopped for the night in Abilene, Texas. This allowed for an easy drive into Dallas the next day.
Without the benefit of a Navigation System or a passenger/navigator, I had AAA maps and written directions generated by www.mapquest.com. The trip was a no-brainer until I hit the freeways in the DFW area. Besides reviewing the route and map in advance, I printed the written directions in fairly large print which made it easier for me to follow and make freeway changes on-the-fly. Sunday traffic was light into DFW and I made it to the hotel, without incident, before noon. I stayed at the Courtyard/Marriott (about 5 minutes from 21 MC) and rented a GMC Yukon while I was there. For anyone contemplating the trip to 21st CMC, there is an abundance of hotels and restaurants in the immediate area.
My C6 made the 1,000 mile trip to Dallas flawlessly. Without the wiggle-room afforded by my ¾ ton, 4x4 Suburban, I stopped frequently for gas and to stretch my legs. Often cruising at 80 mph (about 1,500 rpm in 6th gear), I averaged over 31 mpg on certain legs of the trip. The fact that the C6 is an ‘economy car’ for gas consumption is simply amazing!
I arrived at 21st Century Muscle Cars around 8:30 AM Monday morning. As the rain started I went around back and met mechanics Doug and Patrick (the lead mechanic). The Owner, John Page arrived a few minutes later….everyone was friendly, hospitable and extremely helpful. It seemed an efficient but laid back operation with an attractive and well-stocked customer area….custom wheels, performance parts and other Corvette accessories were everywhere. Where some garages do everything to keep you out of the work area….these guys invite you back and truly make you feel at home. Numerous C5s and C6s in various stages of dismemberment dominated the shop area. There were Vettes on every lift, lined-up along the walls and parked in-between (with a few custom motorcycles sprinkled-in). Patrick informed me that many of the Corvettes there were ‘two hour jobs’ merely waiting for parts….they would move out quickly once the part(s) arrived.
After talking with John and Patrick a while, I decided to go with the ‘mid-range’ cam. My car was up in the air in a matter of minutes and the air wrenches were turning. I decided to get out of their way and return the next day. I wanted to come-by each day to see the progress but not be there enough to be a PITA. By 11:30 AM the next day, my ‘old’ motor was pulled and the new Lingenfelter prepared motor (with the coated LG Pro long tubes attached) was already installed. I came by again on Wednesday, bought the guys lunch, ate and hung-out for a while before leaving.
I arrived Thursday around 11:00AM to find my C6 up on the dyno and Patrick hard at work getting everything dialed-in. Hell, I was concerned about a break-in period and driving the newly modded car 1,000 miles home and here it is, fresh out of the box (so to speak) and it’s blasting almost 7,000 rpm’s on the dyno. When all was said and done….my 403 LPE C6 is now exceeding a stock Z06 in hp and torque (although the Z can push 400 more rpm’s). Not a gradual climb in hp and torque either….we’re talking instant-on….I’m impressed.
Patrick said everything has gone exceedingly well. Finally, after some serious test drives (telling me with a smile “This car is f’ing faaaast,”) Patrick encountered a problem where the engine goes to reduced power mode. A quick call to Lingenfelter engineers in Indiana confirmed Patrick’s diagnosis and one final adjustment is made. The reduced power problem has not returned. Both Patrick and Doug give me their cell phone numbers to call in case any problems develop. I picked-up the finished car around 3:30 PM on Thursday…drove it around a bit, cleaned it up at the local ‘self-spray’ car wash and returned to the hotel. Trying to avoid the Friday (holiday weekend) traffic jams, I’m on the road at 4:30AM heading home.
I was mildly apprehensive about driving my ‘new’ car 1,000 miles home the very next day and about driving with the LPE CAI in the rain (which it did). Although Patrick previously showed me how the C5 was much more susceptible than the C6 to hydro lock and he assured-me my car could handle all but deep standing water and perhaps torrential downpours, I did put-in a quick call to Patrick en-route (during a somewhat heavy rain) for further reassurance. Although the rainfall in Texas was frequent and sometimes moderately heavy, thanks to Patrick and Doug’s reassuring words, I resisted the urge to stop and ‘wait it out’ and made it through all the rain just fine. I varied rpm’s along the way and still managed over 28mpg. I drove the 1,000 miles straight through and arrived home in Tucson around 7:00 PM. Throughout the entire 14+ hour drive home, I did not encounter any obnoxious drone (which Patrick thought more likely with a Borla exhaust systems).
Once you start the LPE 403 engine with the LGM headers and Corsa exhaust….it sounds awesome….like a Corvette should sound. The mid-range cam in the 403 motor at idle definitely rocks the car. This is no mild-mannered C6. Start this car and heads turn….they know this car is something special! Now the trick is learning to keep it quiet when the friendly LEOs are close by.
Now that it’s home and I’ve had a chance to go WOT….all I can say is OH MY GOD!
My thanks again to everyone at 21st Century Muscle Cars….I like these people professionally and personally. Their service and finished product is first rate and I highly recommend them!
EDIT: finally found time to post 2 of the dyno printouts below
I did my due diligence and contacted several other C6 owners that had the LPE 403 package and received favorable reports from everyone….I was off and running.
The modifications I’m making are the Lingenfelter 403 package conversion with the Corsa Sport exhaust, LG Pro long tube headers (coated) with high-flow cats, the Elite Engineering tunnel plate, Z06 sway bars and the LPE CAI. After speaking with the 21st CMC mechanic, I decided against installing the DTE C6 rear end brace. I also postponed replacing the stock shifter with a B & M or Hurst shifter.
Working with 21st Century Muscle Cars has been a great experience. John Page (owner and John Lingenfelter’s Son-in-Law) answered all my questions and emails promptly (a courtesy lacking at some other well known tuner shops). I had some scheduling concerns but John Page clinched the deal by telling me he could have the entire job finished in 4 days! I could drive the car to Dallas, drop it off Monday morning, have a short vacation and drive home on Friday. I sent John a deposit so the new Lingenfelter prepared motor would be ready and waiting when I arrived.
With a 14+ hour / 1,000 mile solo drive from Tucson, Arizona to Carrollton, Texas, I left Tucson at 8AM Saturday morning. I was somewhat concerned about the run-flat tires in the unlikely event I got a flat. If a run-flat had to be replaced in BFE on a Sunday, it could have made for a very long delay. Besides my other ‘Good Scout’ items, I carried a small air compressor; a patch kit; and (God forbid) even a can of ‘Spare Tire’ for a dire emergency. Cruising in the C6 was a pleasure….temperatures were relatively mild and once in Texas, I drove in and out of several rainstorms. I drove about 12 hours and stopped for the night in Abilene, Texas. This allowed for an easy drive into Dallas the next day.
Without the benefit of a Navigation System or a passenger/navigator, I had AAA maps and written directions generated by www.mapquest.com. The trip was a no-brainer until I hit the freeways in the DFW area. Besides reviewing the route and map in advance, I printed the written directions in fairly large print which made it easier for me to follow and make freeway changes on-the-fly. Sunday traffic was light into DFW and I made it to the hotel, without incident, before noon. I stayed at the Courtyard/Marriott (about 5 minutes from 21 MC) and rented a GMC Yukon while I was there. For anyone contemplating the trip to 21st CMC, there is an abundance of hotels and restaurants in the immediate area.
My C6 made the 1,000 mile trip to Dallas flawlessly. Without the wiggle-room afforded by my ¾ ton, 4x4 Suburban, I stopped frequently for gas and to stretch my legs. Often cruising at 80 mph (about 1,500 rpm in 6th gear), I averaged over 31 mpg on certain legs of the trip. The fact that the C6 is an ‘economy car’ for gas consumption is simply amazing!
I arrived at 21st Century Muscle Cars around 8:30 AM Monday morning. As the rain started I went around back and met mechanics Doug and Patrick (the lead mechanic). The Owner, John Page arrived a few minutes later….everyone was friendly, hospitable and extremely helpful. It seemed an efficient but laid back operation with an attractive and well-stocked customer area….custom wheels, performance parts and other Corvette accessories were everywhere. Where some garages do everything to keep you out of the work area….these guys invite you back and truly make you feel at home. Numerous C5s and C6s in various stages of dismemberment dominated the shop area. There were Vettes on every lift, lined-up along the walls and parked in-between (with a few custom motorcycles sprinkled-in). Patrick informed me that many of the Corvettes there were ‘two hour jobs’ merely waiting for parts….they would move out quickly once the part(s) arrived.
After talking with John and Patrick a while, I decided to go with the ‘mid-range’ cam. My car was up in the air in a matter of minutes and the air wrenches were turning. I decided to get out of their way and return the next day. I wanted to come-by each day to see the progress but not be there enough to be a PITA. By 11:30 AM the next day, my ‘old’ motor was pulled and the new Lingenfelter prepared motor (with the coated LG Pro long tubes attached) was already installed. I came by again on Wednesday, bought the guys lunch, ate and hung-out for a while before leaving.
I arrived Thursday around 11:00AM to find my C6 up on the dyno and Patrick hard at work getting everything dialed-in. Hell, I was concerned about a break-in period and driving the newly modded car 1,000 miles home and here it is, fresh out of the box (so to speak) and it’s blasting almost 7,000 rpm’s on the dyno. When all was said and done….my 403 LPE C6 is now exceeding a stock Z06 in hp and torque (although the Z can push 400 more rpm’s). Not a gradual climb in hp and torque either….we’re talking instant-on….I’m impressed.
Patrick said everything has gone exceedingly well. Finally, after some serious test drives (telling me with a smile “This car is f’ing faaaast,”) Patrick encountered a problem where the engine goes to reduced power mode. A quick call to Lingenfelter engineers in Indiana confirmed Patrick’s diagnosis and one final adjustment is made. The reduced power problem has not returned. Both Patrick and Doug give me their cell phone numbers to call in case any problems develop. I picked-up the finished car around 3:30 PM on Thursday…drove it around a bit, cleaned it up at the local ‘self-spray’ car wash and returned to the hotel. Trying to avoid the Friday (holiday weekend) traffic jams, I’m on the road at 4:30AM heading home.
I was mildly apprehensive about driving my ‘new’ car 1,000 miles home the very next day and about driving with the LPE CAI in the rain (which it did). Although Patrick previously showed me how the C5 was much more susceptible than the C6 to hydro lock and he assured-me my car could handle all but deep standing water and perhaps torrential downpours, I did put-in a quick call to Patrick en-route (during a somewhat heavy rain) for further reassurance. Although the rainfall in Texas was frequent and sometimes moderately heavy, thanks to Patrick and Doug’s reassuring words, I resisted the urge to stop and ‘wait it out’ and made it through all the rain just fine. I varied rpm’s along the way and still managed over 28mpg. I drove the 1,000 miles straight through and arrived home in Tucson around 7:00 PM. Throughout the entire 14+ hour drive home, I did not encounter any obnoxious drone (which Patrick thought more likely with a Borla exhaust systems).
Once you start the LPE 403 engine with the LGM headers and Corsa exhaust….it sounds awesome….like a Corvette should sound. The mid-range cam in the 403 motor at idle definitely rocks the car. This is no mild-mannered C6. Start this car and heads turn….they know this car is something special! Now the trick is learning to keep it quiet when the friendly LEOs are close by.
Now that it’s home and I’ve had a chance to go WOT….all I can say is OH MY GOD!
My thanks again to everyone at 21st Century Muscle Cars….I like these people professionally and personally. Their service and finished product is first rate and I highly recommend them!
EDIT: finally found time to post 2 of the dyno printouts below
Last edited by Wayne O; 09-03-2006 at 05:10 PM.
09-03-2006, 03:43 AM
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Originally Posted by Mr.Big
John, Patrick and the boys are GREAT people... Glad to see another pleased C.F. brother...
Jeremy
Jeremy
09-03-2006, 10:50 AM
#9
Le Mans Master
Congrats. I've had the pleasure of spending some time driving a LPE 403 C6 and it's a perfect balance between power, driveability, and reliability. Good choice!!
09-03-2006, 05:08 PM
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I started my short novel hanging out in the hotel in Texas. When I posted it, I just returned home and hadn't had time to scan the dyno printouts.
Here they are....I'll post one pull showing my numbers compared to a stock C6 MN6 and the other pull showing my numbers compared with a stock Z06.
On the second pull comparison to the stock Z06....I was Max Power = 478.1 Max Torque = 458.5
and a stock Z06 was Max Power = 458.5 Max Torque = 438.6
Edit: Cam specs are......228/232 588/598 114 LSA
Here they are....I'll post one pull showing my numbers compared to a stock C6 MN6 and the other pull showing my numbers compared with a stock Z06.
On the second pull comparison to the stock Z06....I was Max Power = 478.1 Max Torque = 458.5
and a stock Z06 was Max Power = 458.5 Max Torque = 438.6
Edit: Cam specs are......228/232 588/598 114 LSA
Last edited by Wayne O; 09-05-2006 at 07:33 PM.
09-03-2006, 06:55 PM
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Just curious as to what caused you to go with the 403 rebuild insted of a trade on a c6z06. And what about traction on the c6 wheels? Any troubles staying on the road and hooking up on launches?
09-03-2006, 09:58 PM
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Originally Posted by jasone
Just curious as to what caused you to go with the 403 rebuild insted of a trade on a c6z06. And what about traction on the c6 wheels? Any troubles staying on the road and hooking up on launches?
09-03-2006, 09:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Wayne O
On the second pull comparison to the stock Z06....I was Max Power = 478.1 Max Torque = 458.5
and a stock Z06 was Max Power = 458.5 Max Torque = 438.6
and a stock Z06 was Max Power = 458.5 Max Torque = 438.6
Once I went to the Z06 rubber and LPE Konis I was able to put the power down. 21CMC is great. They do all my work. I wouldn't take my car anywhere else
09-05-2006, 08:20 PM
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For those that asked, I did edit-in the cam specs (228/232 588/598 114 LSA) above.
To respond to some of the other replies....
I seriously thought about going with the Z06 but I love Magnetic Red and the targa top....both features unavailable with the Z. My 2005 C6 only had about 9,000 miles on it and I've never had any problems with it (after about a year I did get some minor stress noise from the roof so the roof panel has been replaced). I'm not a person that trades-in his car every year or two. If I still love my car and it runs well, I prefer to make a great car even better.
For what I spent on these mods, I could have traded-in my car and bought the Z06....true, I won't get some of the gee-whiz features of the Z06 but I still have a car I love (with some feature a Z doesn't have) and it flat screams. I also like the concept of a sleeper....everyone see's a Z and they know it goes fast but with mine, other than how it sounds and the Lingenfelter badge....it looks stock. I kind of like it when the other guy says "What the Hell is in that thing?"
As far as putting all that power down on the pavement, I'm still in a learning curve. The installer did caution me to always take traction control off or go into comp mode before going WOT. I took a couple opportunities to get after it....WOT in first gear instantly smokes the tires but with a little feathering it starts to hook-up nicely. The power drift seemed very controllable.
I'm more inclined to run a road course but one of these Friday nights, I will take it out to a 'test and tune' night at the dragstrip to see what kind of numbers I can get out of it (with the stock tires). I'm not looking to break my rear-end at the strip but I'm curious what it'll do?
For now....I'm simply having a blast with it!
To respond to some of the other replies....
I seriously thought about going with the Z06 but I love Magnetic Red and the targa top....both features unavailable with the Z. My 2005 C6 only had about 9,000 miles on it and I've never had any problems with it (after about a year I did get some minor stress noise from the roof so the roof panel has been replaced). I'm not a person that trades-in his car every year or two. If I still love my car and it runs well, I prefer to make a great car even better.
For what I spent on these mods, I could have traded-in my car and bought the Z06....true, I won't get some of the gee-whiz features of the Z06 but I still have a car I love (with some feature a Z doesn't have) and it flat screams. I also like the concept of a sleeper....everyone see's a Z and they know it goes fast but with mine, other than how it sounds and the Lingenfelter badge....it looks stock. I kind of like it when the other guy says "What the Hell is in that thing?"
As far as putting all that power down on the pavement, I'm still in a learning curve. The installer did caution me to always take traction control off or go into comp mode before going WOT. I took a couple opportunities to get after it....WOT in first gear instantly smokes the tires but with a little feathering it starts to hook-up nicely. The power drift seemed very controllable.
I'm more inclined to run a road course but one of these Friday nights, I will take it out to a 'test and tune' night at the dragstrip to see what kind of numbers I can get out of it (with the stock tires). I'm not looking to break my rear-end at the strip but I'm curious what it'll do?
For now....I'm simply having a blast with it!
09-05-2006, 08:24 PM
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Originally Posted by cmb13
Awesome. I'm so jealous! Can you give us an approximate cost? In the neighborhood of $15k, I'd imagine?
09-05-2006, 08:53 PM
#19
Burning Brakes
Originally Posted by Wayne O
For those that asked, I did edit-in the cam specs (228/232 588/598 114 LSA) above.
To respond to some of the other replies....
I seriously thought about going with the Z06 but I love Magnetic Red and the targa top....both features unavailable with the Z. My 2005 C6 only had about 9,000 miles on it and I've never had any problems with it (after about a year I did get some minor stress noise from the roof so the roof panel has been replaced). I'm not a person that trades-in his car every year or two. If I still love my car and it runs well, I prefer to make a great car even better.
For what I spent on these mods, I could have traded-in my car and bought the Z06....true, I won't get some of the gee-whiz features of the Z06 but I still have a car I love (with some feature a Z doesn't have) and it flat screams. I also like the concept of a sleeper....everyone see's a Z and they know it goes fast but with mine, other than how it sounds and the Lingenfelter badge....it looks stock. I kind of like it when the other guy says "What the Hell is in that thing?"
As far as putting all that power down on the pavement, I'm still in a learning curve. The installer did caution me to always take traction control off or go into comp mode before going WOT. I took a couple opportunities to get after it....WOT in first gear instantly smokes the tires but with a little feathering it starts to hook-up nicely. The power drift seemed very controllable.
I'm more inclined to run a road course but one of these Friday nights, I will take it out to a 'test and tune' night at the dragstrip to see what kind of numbers I can get out of it (with the stock tires). I'm not looking to break my rear-end at the strip but I'm curious what it'll do?
For now....I'm simply having a blast with it!
To respond to some of the other replies....
I seriously thought about going with the Z06 but I love Magnetic Red and the targa top....both features unavailable with the Z. My 2005 C6 only had about 9,000 miles on it and I've never had any problems with it (after about a year I did get some minor stress noise from the roof so the roof panel has been replaced). I'm not a person that trades-in his car every year or two. If I still love my car and it runs well, I prefer to make a great car even better.
For what I spent on these mods, I could have traded-in my car and bought the Z06....true, I won't get some of the gee-whiz features of the Z06 but I still have a car I love (with some feature a Z doesn't have) and it flat screams. I also like the concept of a sleeper....everyone see's a Z and they know it goes fast but with mine, other than how it sounds and the Lingenfelter badge....it looks stock. I kind of like it when the other guy says "What the Hell is in that thing?"
As far as putting all that power down on the pavement, I'm still in a learning curve. The installer did caution me to always take traction control off or go into comp mode before going WOT. I took a couple opportunities to get after it....WOT in first gear instantly smokes the tires but with a little feathering it starts to hook-up nicely. The power drift seemed very controllable.
I'm more inclined to run a road course but one of these Friday nights, I will take it out to a 'test and tune' night at the dragstrip to see what kind of numbers I can get out of it (with the stock tires). I'm not looking to break my rear-end at the strip but I'm curious what it'll do?
For now....I'm simply having a blast with it!
Why would he caution you to take off TC before going WOT? Let us know how you make out at the track.
