C6 performance upgrade
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas
C6 vette 1/4
Hey everyone so a couple of things to ask. I have a stock base model 2013 automatic vette and my friend wants go up against it on the drag strip with an automatic 2014 mustang GT 5.0. All I have so far is a corsa exhaust. I want to add a little bit of upgrades but I also don’t want to lose warranties on my vehicle. Also I have no drag experience. Should I just let it go in auto mode or use the paddle shifters. How do I get the best 1/4 as possible. I gotta hold a good rep for my fellow corvette members 
I’ve been more of a casual driver, but the drag races have sparked my interest. Any help or advice is appreciated
I’ve been more of a casual driver, but the drag races have sparked my interest. Any help or advice is appreciatedLast edited by Parker Melanson; Mar 26, 2018 at 05:32 AM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 762
Likes: 31
From: Lakewood NJ
Info
Auto mode would work just fine. With a stock car, go and get a tune for it,and that will help make a world of difference! And as you get more and more parts eventually you just have it retuned! It will defiantly help you out racing 1/4 mile. Also make sure you have a good set of rear tires! 
We do offer all performance work and tuning here in Lakewood,NJ ;-)
We do offer all performance work and tuning here in Lakewood,NJ ;-)
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,537
Likes: 1,403
From: Bethesda MD
The race is going to be won or lost at the start. Getting your timing and launch down are the most important thing you can do. Go to the track and get some practice so you react to the lights properly and can launch in manner to get your best 60'. The driver mod will help more than any mechanical mod you will do.
Sticky rear tires will also help if your current tires are not good.
Sticky rear tires will also help if your current tires are not good.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas
Auto mode would work just fine. With a stock car, go and get a tune for it,and that will help make a world of difference! And as you get more and more parts eventually you just have it retuned! It will defiantly help you out racing 1/4 mile. Also make sure you have a good set of rear tires!
We do offer all performance work and tuning here in Lakewood,NJ ;-)
We do offer all performance work and tuning here in Lakewood,NJ ;-)
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas
The race is going to be won or lost at the start. Getting your timing and launch down are the most important thing you can do. Go to the track and get some practice so you react to the lights properly and can launch in manner to get your best 60'. The driver mod will help more than any mechanical mod you will do.
Sticky rear tires will also help if your current tires are not good.
Sticky rear tires will also help if your current tires are not good.
is there any tips on how to get the best launch? Should I give it as much gas as I can on launch or will I keep spinning on the line? Should I have traction control on or off?
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,537
Likes: 1,403
From: Bethesda MD
I have an M6 and launch with traction control off. I have turned it off on other cars with automatics. Others with the A6 will chime in with help. In the meantime, find an empty parking lot or safe place where you can experiment with launch styles to see what seems to work best.
What tires do you have? For me, street tires often work best when pressure is 2 - 3 lbs below recommended pressure.
From time to time, I've seen threads on what to expect when you go to the track and how to prepare. You might google that. Go early and watch some runs. Then get some practice runs. It's fun and you won't be nervous when you go against the Mustang.
If you fill in your location, others with experience may look for you and help you out. My experience has been that fellow racers are willing help new folks if they know you're coming.
What tires do you have? For me, street tires often work best when pressure is 2 - 3 lbs below recommended pressure.
From time to time, I've seen threads on what to expect when you go to the track and how to prepare. You might google that. Go early and watch some runs. Then get some practice runs. It's fun and you won't be nervous when you go against the Mustang.
If you fill in your location, others with experience may look for you and help you out. My experience has been that fellow racers are willing help new folks if they know you're coming.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 552
Likes: 58
From: western NC, USA
So, what's to be gained by racing a Mustang? The best you can do is say you beat a Mustang. The worse you can do is say you lost to a Mustang. Take up Buddhism. It'll help you know when your Ego is getting in the way of a sensible life.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas
I have an M6 and launch with traction control off. I have turned it off on other cars with automatics. Others with the A6 will chime in with help. In the meantime, find an empty parking lot or safe place where you can experiment with launch styles to see what seems to work best.
What tires do you have? For me, street tires often work best when pressure is 2 - 3 lbs below recommended pressure.
From time to time, I've seen threads on what to expect when you go to the track and how to prepare. You might google that. Go early and watch some runs. Then get some practice runs. It's fun and you won't be nervous when you go against the Mustang.
If you fill in your location, others with experience may look for you and help you out. My experience has been that fellow racers are willing help new folks if they know you're coming.
What tires do you have? For me, street tires often work best when pressure is 2 - 3 lbs below recommended pressure.
From time to time, I've seen threads on what to expect when you go to the track and how to prepare. You might google that. Go early and watch some runs. Then get some practice runs. It's fun and you won't be nervous when you go against the Mustang.
If you fill in your location, others with experience may look for you and help you out. My experience has been that fellow racers are willing help new folks if they know you're coming.
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Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,537
Likes: 1,403
From: Bethesda MD
@RobJoy,
Win or lose, drag racing is fun and the fact that they are going to the track and not doing it on the street is good karma.
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 24,035
Likes: 2,342
From: Gilbert AZ
Tires, tires tires.
That is pretty much all you can do without warranty issue, and what separates a lot of cars at the strip.
My wife's 2012 5.0 will run high 11s all day long on a decent tire. I think in one night alone, when it was hot it ran 30+ 11.90s in one night.
That is pretty much all you can do without warranty issue, and what separates a lot of cars at the strip.
My wife's 2012 5.0 will run high 11s all day long on a decent tire. I think in one night alone, when it was hot it ran 30+ 11.90s in one night.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas
Those tires should do ok. FWIW, On my Cadillac ATS, I get the best launch when I foot brake the car to a few hundred rpm short of max and then roll hard into the gas with no or a little amount of spin.
@RobJoy,
Win or lose, drag racing is fun and the fact that they are going to the track and not doing it on the street is good karma.
@RobJoy,
Win or lose, drag racing is fun and the fact that they are going to the track and not doing it on the street is good karma.
but to find max I just smash the brake and see how much rpm I get, then just go a few hundred below that number? I also heard reving at around 1300 rpm is good as well? What tires can I get that are more sticky than these?
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,537
Likes: 1,403
From: Bethesda MD
What I suggested works on my Cadillac, but it has a different torque converter so I actually can foot-brake it to over 2,000 rpm. That's why I suggest experimenting with different methods.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 2,108
From: Peoria/Phoenix AZ
C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
A 3600 stall converter will help your 1/4 mile time more than any other single mod short of a power adder.
Lowest cost mod to help your time is the $2 shroud prop. It's also reversible in mere minutes.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-question.html
Unless your '13 was a late year in service or you bought an extended warranty that strictly prohibits all mods, your warranty is already gone.
A properly installed converter won't cause breakage of other parts, but actually make them last longer due to reduced shock.
Launch in Sport mode with TC off, while foot braking to around 1200 RPM.
Lowest cost mod to help your time is the $2 shroud prop. It's also reversible in mere minutes.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-question.html
Unless your '13 was a late year in service or you bought an extended warranty that strictly prohibits all mods, your warranty is already gone.
A properly installed converter won't cause breakage of other parts, but actually make them last longer due to reduced shock.
Launch in Sport mode with TC off, while foot braking to around 1200 RPM.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 134
Likes: 8
A 3600 stall converter will help your 1/4 mile time more than any other single mod short of a power adder.
Lowest cost mod to help your time is the $2 shroud prop. It's also reversible in mere minutes.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-question.html
Unless your '13 was a late year in service or you bought an extended warranty that strictly prohibits all mods, your warranty is already gone.
A properly installed converter won't cause breakage of other parts, but actually make them last longer due to reduced shock.
Launch in Sport mode with TC off, while foot braking to around 1200 RPM.
Lowest cost mod to help your time is the $2 shroud prop. It's also reversible in mere minutes.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-question.html
Unless your '13 was a late year in service or you bought an extended warranty that strictly prohibits all mods, your warranty is already gone.
A properly installed converter won't cause breakage of other parts, but actually make them last longer due to reduced shock.
Launch in Sport mode with TC off, while foot braking to around 1200 RPM.
When you order your tires make sure you get the nto5R's The R is the sticky tire. For the vette I like the Toyo proxy r888R 285/35/19 there a much better cornering tire and just as good in the 1/4 mile as the nto5r's I have them both. Toyos win! Add pressure to the front tires(40lbs) to let the car roll. My bolt on ls3 goes 11.8/121.19 I just pulled the trigger on a 3400 stall. I'm looking for a 11.3 and 1.5 60' I cant wait till it comes in! Its not getting any colder here in FL.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas
A 3600 stall converter will help your 1/4 mile time more than any other single mod short of a power adder.
Lowest cost mod to help your time is the $2 shroud prop. It's also reversible in mere minutes.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-question.html
Unless your '13 was a late year in service or you bought an extended warranty that strictly prohibits all mods, your warranty is already gone.
A properly installed converter won't cause breakage of other parts, but actually make them last longer due to reduced shock.
Launch in Sport mode with TC off, while foot braking to around 1200 RPM.
Lowest cost mod to help your time is the $2 shroud prop. It's also reversible in mere minutes.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-question.html
Unless your '13 was a late year in service or you bought an extended warranty that strictly prohibits all mods, your warranty is already gone.
A properly installed converter won't cause breakage of other parts, but actually make them last longer due to reduced shock.
Launch in Sport mode with TC off, while foot braking to around 1200 RPM.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas
When you order your tires make sure you get the nto5R's The R is the sticky tire. For the vette I like the Toyo proxy r888R 285/35/19 there a much better cornering tire and just as good in the 1/4 mile as the nto5r's I have them both. Toyos win! Add pressure to the front tires(40lbs) to let the car roll. My bolt on ls3 goes 11.8/121.19 I just pulled the trigger on a 3400 stall. I'm looking for a 11.3 and 1.5 60' I cant wait till it comes in! Its not getting any colder here in FL.
and I’m now trying to find a 3600 stall converter 
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 14,062
Likes: 602
From: Henderson Nv-Rohnert Park/Sonoma C o. ca/born in NY Rockaway Beach.
The OP is just trying to have some legal fun with his car friends. Geez
Seems like the others are getting some good advice.
The stall and tires and tune will work wonders.