I just bought my first Z-28 It's a 1996 model. So I thought I would ask the pros here for a little advice. What are some of the first and best mods I can do to get the most out of my LT1?

 

do a search, you will find many answeres

bascially
a cold air intake, heades, catback, gears and torqu converter (if its an auto) are great 1/4 mile pushers

sub frame connectors, lower control arms and lowering springs are great for suspension.

Nitrous is a great power mod and pretty damn safe despite what the fast and the furious have to say. I vote nitrous.

 

first off, new air cleaner, like K&N or Accel Kool Blue. Then new carb, new cam, and eventually you can start putting together a new exhaust system, unless u wanna do that first...new headers, maybe x or h pipe, mufflers...

 

It comes down to improving the car in the areas where you think it needs improvement the most. Many members on this board will steer you towards power increasing modifications first, like the two above. IMO, handling should be addressed first. These cars are already pretty fast but they really come up short in the areas of body stiffness and brakes (that's why so many of the Z28s in the junkyard are smashed in the front).
I'd start with:
!CAGS and a shift light if its an M6
subframe connectors and a shock tower brace and maybe LCAs
improved brakes, either 98+ f body front brakes or aftermarket
THEN hp increasing mods
!tb, CAI and headers

Enjoy your new car!!

 

CAI ~$180
Cat Back ~$400-$1000
Programming ~$100

Those should get you started. They well help you get the most power out of the stock motor. After that you have alot of options: Headers, gears, heads and cam......... END LESS!!

 

I had to comment on this.......
I agree with the air clearner, but don't just get a filter buy the enitre Cold Air Induction (CAI). The closet thing to the carb on your car is the throttle body and that well be a waste of money until you start moding the motor itself. A cam isn't a good place to start at all, like I posted before get all the exhust and air done first then you can think about the motor, those project are time and money consumming! In regards to what he said about exhust, THERE IS NO X PIPE OR H PIPE on a 96 Camaro, they are is Y Pipe that should be replaced when you do headers but not a good "first" mod. There are plenty of guys running 12s with stock headers and y pipe.

Just had to comment on that post.