Performance upgrade
Thread Starter
5th Gear
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Performance upgrade
Wats up my vette peeps....got a c6 and main goal is to reach a minimum of 600 ponies. Vette has manual tranny, NPP exhaust, LG long tubes, K&N , and diablo tune on hand. Looking to work on head and cam. Should i keep stock ls3 head and port them? Any suggestions...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,136
Likes: 139
From: Port St Lucie Florida
If I was you I would get someone that knows what they are doin to just go ahead and port my heads. But you are goin to need alot more to get to 600hp is that 600 motor hp or at the wheels??
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 27,246
Likes: 130
From: Short Hills, NJ
If I were doing heads & cam on an LS3 I would likely stay with the stock heads and have them ported/polished...though the new TFS LS3 heads do look somewhat promising as well.
Maybe give Cartek Racing a call (www.cartekracing.com - 908-317-4496), they've built some truly fast heads & cam cars over the years and will be able to get you set up with a strong package.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,314
Likes: 4
From: Cape May, NJ; Guntersville, AL; Orange Beach, AL
600 HP (not RWHP) is going to be a tall order without FI on a pretty much stock bottom end LS3. With H/C/I only and wanting 600 HP I would imagine the drivability would be terrible. I have been in a 525 RWHP car that was NA and its drivablilty was very rough.
For what you want get a SUPERCHARGER. To get the power you want NA you will have to drop some serious $$$$$$. I would guess you would be upwards of $15k+ with the new engine and all the parts and labor. Is there any reason you don't want to go the FI route?
For what you want get a SUPERCHARGER. To get the power you want NA you will have to drop some serious $$$$$$. I would guess you would be upwards of $15k+ with the new engine and all the parts and labor. Is there any reason you don't want to go the FI route?
Last edited by gunterwalker; Apr 17, 2011 at 09:12 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 6,149
Likes: 11
From: Greater Detroit Metro MI, when I'm not travelling.
No head/cam package in the world will do that on a stock bottom end LS3. You need to either stroke it, or get a supercharger.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 27,246
Likes: 130
From: Short Hills, NJ
Well then I wish you much luck. 
Some very very BIG ones LOL 
...but even the biggest cam that can fit in there won't yield you 600 to the wheels on a stock shortblock LS3. The upper limit is likely 540-550rwhp and even that might come with some somewhat harsh street manners.
You might want to consider a stroker crank and all of the other supporting internals and shoot for 416+ cubic inches, that will help you reach your goal with far less sacrifice in drivability as well.
...but even the biggest cam that can fit in there won't yield you 600 to the wheels on a stock shortblock LS3. The upper limit is likely 540-550rwhp and even that might come with some somewhat harsh street manners.You might want to consider a stroker crank and all of the other supporting internals and shoot for 416+ cubic inches, that will help you reach your goal with far less sacrifice in drivability as well.
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Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 11,331
Likes: 18
From: Missouri City Texas
Big Cam and Nitrous is what I would do to get an LS3 car over 600rwhp.
500rwhp on motor for the days you're picking up groceries and 650+ on command when you want to turn up some pavement at the track.
I wouldn't waste time with a heads/cam setup if the goal was to break 600rwhp. Cam + Nitrous or Forced Induction are your most practical options. The Cam/Nitrous setup would certainly be the cheapest and probably half the cost of the Forced Induction setup. Nitrous fills don't get that expensive, because most people don't run through but 1-2 bottles a month if they're using it a lot. I generally only went through 1 bottle a month on my Firebird because I was only spraying at the track.
A big stroker build with a nasty heads/cam setup could do it, but for the cost involved I'd rather go one of the other routes.
500rwhp on motor for the days you're picking up groceries and 650+ on command when you want to turn up some pavement at the track.
I wouldn't waste time with a heads/cam setup if the goal was to break 600rwhp. Cam + Nitrous or Forced Induction are your most practical options. The Cam/Nitrous setup would certainly be the cheapest and probably half the cost of the Forced Induction setup. Nitrous fills don't get that expensive, because most people don't run through but 1-2 bottles a month if they're using it a lot. I generally only went through 1 bottle a month on my Firebird because I was only spraying at the track.
A big stroker build with a nasty heads/cam setup could do it, but for the cost involved I'd rather go one of the other routes.
Last edited by FloydSummerOf68; Apr 18, 2011 at 09:15 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,314
Likes: 4
From: Cape May, NJ; Guntersville, AL; Orange Beach, AL
Former Vendor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 706
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From: Scott, LA 337-354-9970
Your best bet for 600 rwhp and a car that is still worth driving is to go forced induction. We have lots of customers running around this way and having loads of fun. Give me call and I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Shawn
Shawn
Former Vendor
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,327
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From: Oxnard SoCal www.aacorvette.com www.superchargersuperstore.com
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 3,063
Likes: 82
From: Tumwater, WA
Any redeployment specials? lol
Former Vendor
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,327
Likes: 7
From: Oxnard SoCal www.aacorvette.com www.superchargersuperstore.com
I will be looking you guys up in Jan when I get back from Afgan and have some spending money. Me and the wife will have to drive down drop the car off and get a rental and do a little vacation there while we wait for the SC to be put on. Be seeing ya soon.
Any redeployment specials? lol
Any redeployment specials? lol
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 45
From: Castleton VA
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
You have the choice of any two of: fast, reliable and cheap.
Put another way: Which ever of the two you pick, together they will define the third as unachievable.
What are your goals? That will define your choices.
FI can be dead stone reliable, or it can grenade a motor in short order. How much you spend for quality parts, labor and know-how and how much power you try to get out of your set-up will determine how reliable.
HTH.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
Likes: 1,718
From: Springfield MO
A friend has a Grand Sport and he has a Maggie at 7.5 psi boost, long tubes, mild cam, magnaflow 3" all the way back and a conservative tune for 91 octane. He has 603 whp. Car drives like stock. The only thing he needs is a larger radiator as it will get hot on a hot day stuck in traffic, and the A/C shuts down.
