I have close to 25k to spend on a new car, and I know i could do a huge 396 or something on my lt1 but its gettting old, all the squeaks and little things that break are a thorn in my side. So i am looking for either a 99-02 SS , or WS6 , preferibly a SS , 6 spd. ttops or vert. I was wondering what mods can i do with the money i have left over from the car, maybe 7-10k worth, to beat a vette? maybe z06 ? Im considering doing forced induction, but have never done it before. but heads and cam sound great too. (with full bolt ons,{lid,maf,headers,off road y, catback, ls6 intake, 1.6 rr's, ect.}) any opinions would be appreciated

 

Get a lid, catback, and learn how to drive the car. You will beat 90% of the vettes out there cause most vette owners don't know how to drive them (putting on flame suit now). Or just throw a supercharger on it and that'll solve all your problems.

 

Keep in mind, 'Vettes ('97+) and F-bodies ('98+) all come with the LS1, except the Z06, which has the LS6. SO, for 1/4 mile racing, they are all very comparible. While the 'Vettes are a little lighter than F-bodies, they have IRS vs the solid axle in F-bodies, and it's not as good for drag racing (I'm assuming that's where you want to beat the 'Vette? ).

Anyway, if you pick up any LS1 powered F-body, do a few bolt-ons (do headers) and add a camshaft. You'll outrun any STOCK LS1 out there ('Vette or F-body) no problem. I don't think the Z06 is that hard to catch either? Unless you race a guy who is really good at driving the 6-speed, you can have a good chance with an LS1. I saw a Z06 running 13.2's the same night I was running 13.4's at the track with my car.

If you did a full heads/cam package on an LS1...........the sky is the limit!

 

Yeah, from what i head learning how to drive well (m6) is the cheapest and most effctive mod out there! Yes drag racing is what i was talking about. Besides the IRS, aerodynamic advantage, and lower weight , and 30 extra horse 85 for the z06 , what advantage does the vette have? So could you run say under 500 hp , and keep it streetible? By streetable i mean it will be driven almost every day, not in rain and it gets put in storage for the winter. Would a blower be a better choice than heads and cam? any suggestions to run around that hp would be appreciated! thanks

 

Heads/Cam and a blower/turbo

 

i would sure love that! but for now i gotta choose one or another. but its gonna be a stomper for sure!

 

IMO, I think you would get the most benefit out of a heads/cam package, because then you can custom match the parts together so that everything works most efficiently.

The problem I see with bolting a supercharger onto the LS1 is that the compression ratio is already 10.1:1 or 10.2:1 (I can't remember which ) and that is getting high for adding a s/c. Not that you can't bolt one on, as many people do, but I don't think it's as effective as putting one on an engine making ~8.5:1 or 9:1, because the boost that you can run on the 10.2:1 compression is much lower.

Maybe others can chime in with HP #'s for blown LS1's, but I know that it's pretty damn easy to make well over 400 rwhp with heads + cam.

 

8# STS kit runs 516 RWHP and over 520 RWTQ
with methanol injection

 

According to this thread, you can beat a vette and pretty much everything else( at least to 60) stock!!!

http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...hreadid=252057

You just have to be a psyco....err drive like a psyco.....I mean drive like psyco.

 

I outran a vette stock.

 

If I had $25k to blow on a used car...I wouldn't be looking to beat a Vette, I'd be looking to buy a Vette.

There are plenty of '00-'01 Vette's going for $25-28k. There are even some '01 Z06s listed for $28-30k.

Unless you're all about straight-line acceleration. In that case, yeah...go look for an F-Body.

'01-'02 F-Bodies have the LS6 intake from the factory (all '01+ LS1s do). LS1s have 1.7 rr's stock.

 

personally if i were you i wouldnt even look at a convertable. if your looking to get some major hp in that f-body your not gonna want to do it in a conv. beacuse you have a better chance of twisting that frame due to the lack of sterdy roof to help stabilize......get t-tops, they look awesome 1) because there isnt a piece of crap rag top abover your head 2) more reliable than rag top.

 

i out ran a stock C5 with my hardtop SS with my catback and lid 6speed, i can drive it pretty good. i got a hardtop jsut in case i ever decided i wanted to mod my camaro out to crazy fast, hardtop is the best platform to build off of.

 

96SFLZ I know , I know but if i got a vette it would have to be a vert , ive wanted one since i was a little boy. and those are hard to find for that price with low miles on them. plus i wouldnt be able to mod it at all b/c there would be no money left. I dont know , every car i have ever owned has had a hardtop and my maxima has a moon roof and im hooked!
But just like 99 z28 Haas said , if your gonna be throwing a ton of power out of that car then you risk twisting the unibody frame. If i did get a vert it would have a cage put in it. (ive always liked that look) but then again they sometimes can be mistaken for a sebring . I mainly want the fbody b/c of drag racing, but the convience of having a spot 2 put 2 other people is always nice. thanks for all the opinions . more are welcome!

 

In regards to convertible or T-top, definitely get the T's! I absolutely LOVE them!! Probably one of the best features of F-bodies..........and especially since GM finally designed storage inside the car for 4th-gens!

There are certainly pro's and con's between getting a C5 and not modding it, or getting an LS1 F-body and doing mods to it. In the end you gotta decide what's more important to you. The car on its own, or more simply, speed. Right now, I choose speed. The LS1 F-bod's are still very nice cars inside, and they go like crazy with just a few basic mods. There will always be 'Vettes around when you decide you can afford one and mod it too, so for now you'd probably be happier with an F-body that would smoke the average C5.