Best bang for the buck mods
 

I have put close to $1000 in my car over the few years that I have owned it, and its all been appearance modifications. I decided today I need to make some performance modifications. What are the best bang for the buck mods for the LT1? I am pretty satisfied with my cutout, dont really want to drop the $$$ on a catback system.

I would love to have headers, and am considering getting some mid length ones. The problem is they would absolutley have to be coated because of the winters here, and the roads are simply too bad to get longtubes.

I was thinking about getting some new rear end gears, but was told by several people I wouldnt notice much of a difference.

Suggestions?

Is your code GU2 or GU5? If you have 2.73's and put in 3.73's you will DEFINITELY notice the difference, it will really wake up the car. Pacesetter headers are affordable and really not bad for the price. I had coated mids on my last Z and unfortunately uncoated longtubes on my current Z and haven't had any fitment problems at all. In fact they tuck up to the body a lot more than other brands.

I live about an hour north of you (near Peoria) and have been debating selling my barely used Magnaflow catback. If you got midlength Pacesetters, an ORY and a catback and got it tuned you would feel a nice improvement in power. Also look for an aftermarket intake on the forums, they don't really wear if you don't mind buying a new filter or cleaning the one included and will help the motor breath. Gimme a PM sometime.

Check the Lounge, I am setting up a cruise in soon :thumb:

I have a cheap cone air filter I bought at autozone stuck on there. Not sure which gears I have, I'll look tomorrow.

haha i live about an hour or so south of you near marion...

as far as power mods

get a good tune up first. plugs, wires, etc

headers and intake will help quite a bit

and gears depending on what ratio will help out alot!!

I guess all the IL guys are on here tonight, I'm in bloomington-Normal. I would consider 3.73's a good idea, perhaps a custom cold air intake (they can be obtained pretty cheap on ebay), if you haven't replaced the trans filter may want to do that and put in a shift kit, and a mail order tune with increased shift points/strength etc.

The Yank SS 3600 is the best bang for the buck, along with gears ,headers and a tune.

Agreed

Yup, and get rid of the rigged cone filter and replace with a proper intake that puts the filter down into the bumper past the engine bay, seperated by a shield of some kind. :)

stall, drag radials, cai, headers, nitrous

thats the order i would go

You can get great deals on used LT1 parts on our classifieds here. You can piece together a shorty/mid length exhaust system for $400-500 pretty easily and gain ~20hp.

I would first look into a CAI $250.00 (IMO cheapest gain out there) Pacesetter LT headers into true dual exhaust $475.00, Yank SS 3600 TQ $725.00, Thunder Racing 3.73 kit $469.00 and a Mail Order Tune $125.00

I think this route will give you some good numbers and make that thing run and sound awesome.

what the hell CAI are you buying for 250?
You can buy the lingenfelter supertube for 165

Forget the coated headers,get S/S LPP or Kooks. Cai,gears stall.In that order...JMHO. :)

Nitrous.

How do I identify if my car is a code GU2 or GU5?