jnenos

have a totally stock 81 vette but already ordered a flowmaster 40 exhaust but i was wondering what yall guys recomemeded to upgrade if i was looking to spend no more than $1000..... college student on a budget. Will be doing more upgrades but want something that i wont have to replace anytime soon and get something quailty

Big2Bird

Apply the $1,000 towards a Masters Degree, then buy a ZR-1 when you land that first job.

gingerbreadman1977

If you really want to blow 1000 on it and thats your limit then best bang for your buck is swap out the rear gears to a set of 3.55,s for example as long as you are not doing bulk highway driving. It's not always the engine that gives you performance. Next on the list would be trading the trans for a non loc up and higher stall but once again only if your not doing highway commuting.

LongIsland C3

Awesome. +1.

Easy Mike

The ZR-1 might require a Ph.D's salary.

jnenos

well thanks for all the jokes... but for real any suggestions ?

Easy Mike

Using the money for school is a real suggestion.

Big2Bird

Yep. No joke.

rdroe

Since you are getting the exhaust, spring for a simple set of headers to go along with it. Summit Racing has a great selection. This won't be your last vette so understand that, use it as your daily driver, if need be, enjoy school, and when you are done, be like my son, and get that C6!

540 vette

A set of headers and a good ignition system. Wires, cap rotor distributor, MSD box.

Shark Racer

I'm much further along with a master's degree than I ever would have been with just a high school diploma.

Not to mention, as a software engineer I've taken a few electrical courses which helps with a basic understanding of a lot of auto wiring. (until you get to transistors, anyways.)

Plus, being a software engineer, EFI doesn't scare me one bit!

A lot of the stuff I did while in high school & college I had to half-*** due to limited funding. Now that I'm back into the car with better funding, I'm regretting a lot of the decisions I've made and having to do more than just the job over again in some cases.

Big2Bird

An 81 already has HEI, and headers on an 81 will get maybe 1hp.
Having an 81 for years, I would have to say not much bang for the buck there.

wajulia

I am 53 years old, I have a masters degree, four kids in college and there is NO way I could find $1000 for performance mods to my 81!!!

I have a stock 81, and my research tells me that if I did have $1000 for performance upgrades it would be new heads and a dual exhaust. That will open up a lot of potential. After that it is a cam -- but the ECM on an 81 does not like to big a cam. (reduction in vacuum and confuses ECM, but others have addressed this.)

But having an 81 my experience is that it will take some money for maintenance to keep it running for a daily driver, so perhaps you should leave a little for the parts that will inevitably break on a 30+ YO car.

MIKE80

If you are looking for upgrades, save your money up and get a 383. That will get you your biggest difference in performance.