Many new mods in place, writeup and impressions (long post)
09-28-2004, 03:37 PM
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Melting Slicks
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Many new mods in place, writeup and impressions (long post)
I just returned from a 3,000 mile road trip in the Coupe, with the benefit of having Andy Green of A&A Corvettes install several modifications halfway through the trip. I had such a good time, and the before and after comparison is interesting enough, that I thought I would take the time to post this (long) recap. Read ahead at your own risk, this may be a two beer post…. 
The Coupe is a 2003 A4 Anniversary Edition, the only mods in place when I left Portland OR were a Donaldson Blackwing and Michelin PS ZP tires. The drive from Portland to Oxnard, CA was just shy of 1,000 miles and was very enjoyable, a straight shot down I5 almost the whole way. This was my first road trip in the Corvette (usually make long drives in a 2000 Cadillac STS), I was a little concerned about the comfort factor, cabin noise, etc. but it was not a problem at all. The temperature in some of the central CA spots was hovering between 98-102 degrees and the transmission console did heat up, though.
Just before I left Portland I ordered a GM bra from Fitchner (they did a great job of getting it to me in time to leave….Thanks guys!
). I’m glad I did. The filth on it when I arrived in So Cal was amazing, I’m glad I avoided getting it on my nose. Oh, I can also report with certainty that a properly installed GM bra will remain in place at speeds in excess of 115mph (more on that later).
I got to Andy’s place at about 2pm on Sunday to drop the Coupe off. Andy was extremely kind and gave me a ride to the car rental place in his supercharged SS pickup truck. Sweet ride and thanks again Andy. Unfortunately it was a Hyundai Santa Fe waiting for me once I got there.
Picked up the coupe the following Saturday. It was ready a day or so earlier but I couldn’t drive up from Irvine until Saturday morning. Andy is such a perfectionist, he took advantage of the extra day to perform a few more dyno pulls and make some more adjustments to the tune.
OK here’s a list of the modifications Andy put on, and my analysis after driving for a week in the LA area, then a road trip to Las Vegas (about 300 miles) and my return trip to Oregon (about 1100 miles).
Kooks LT headers with 3” cats and x-pipe
Corsa Touring exhaust with Tiger Shark tips
Cold plugs and wires
Upgrade 3.15 gears to 3.42s, Pro Torque 2800 converter, and TransGo shift kit
Z06 sway bars
Cross drilled and slotted Eradispeed rotors and ceramic pads
Ceramic coated tunnel plate
Custom dyno tune
The immediate difference as you would expect is the enhanced acceleration from moving the power band lower. The acceleration is breath-taking, neck-snapping fun.
It would have been interesting to install each of the transmission mods one at a time to see the effect each would have had individually, but I can tell you the combined effect is astounding. The car now feels like what I had imagined a Corvette would feel like in terms of acceleration; it is instant and almost linear as it shifts up through the gears. Andy recommended the 2800 rpm converter and I am glad we didn’t go any higher. There is a barely noticeable lag before the TC locks up. And, no more powerbraking required to get a squeal out of the tires. 
The headers and exhaust sounded great on the dyno as they ran all the way up to the rev limiter. The Corsas don’t have that deep “basso profundo”, it’s more of a howl that builds to a roar. I can definitely hear a different note in the cabin at steady RPMs but it is not at all obnoxious, I was able to listen to music and talk comfortably on my cell phone headset. On acceleration though, watch out. Even at high speeds on the highway, accelerating to make a pass really wound the sound up. Still not obnoxious, absolutely no cabin resonance, but I sure like listening to it howl.
I also notice an enhanced throttle response at all speeds. In fact it goes beyond just the responsiveness, it is an overall increase in throttle precision. It is easier to make the engine do what I want it to do on acceleration, cruising, and also on deceleration. More power is there right where I want it (low end and also stomping on it for a downshift). There is more precise control when navigating twisty sections of road.
The car pulls effortlessly. This was truly appreciated on I-15 between Vegas and So Cal, and again in the remote areas through Bakersfield north to Sacramento and into northern CA and southern OR. Normal cruising speed for most vehicles on that stretch seems to be about 85mph, with the Passport 8500 I had cruise set to 90 and was able to get it up well past that on the empty stretches. Wow, the motor just kept on pulling. Plenty left when I backed down off 115 mph a few times, I had been there before but it seemed to get there quicker this time. I never had planned on going to the track but now I really want to see what the car is capable of doing.
The brakes feel a little different but once I got used to the difference I believe they are much improved. The stock brakes had an immediate "bite" that I felt made it a little too easy to brake harder than intended. The new rotor and ceramic pad setup gives me a slightly more graduated bite as pedal pressure increases, then when you really step on them, they grab completely. Plus, the rotors look great with the aluminum hats, and there was almost no brake dust in the wheels or on the body panels whan I got home. This alone makes the pads worth it. And the rotors look great!
The suspension mods are more subtle but well appreciated. The Z06 sways, particularly with the MSRC set to “Sport”, helped a lot. I don’t usually have much reason to corner hard, but on the long sweepers and carousels on CA52 into Bakersfield, and again on I5 through Weed, Shasta, and into Medford, OR there was a lot less feeling that the car was leaning into the outside front tire. Easier to point and go.
The tunnel plate lends a noticeable stiffness to the chassis that is very apparent over bumps, highway expansion joints, and speed bumps. Much less shake, rattle, and roll from torsion. This is a great mod that I recommend to everyone, regardless of which available plate you choose. In terms of heat insulation, I know the new headers generate more heat than the stock ones did, but even so, instead of having a radiator next to my right leg, it’s more of a heating pad feel now. I suppose adding a KoolMat would have helped reduce even that, but oh well….
Running at 90mph+ through 101 degree heat, it was much more comfortable. I can definitely feel a temperature change when stomping the throttle, though. And did I mention how good it sounds when I do that???? 
Other performance notes:
Pre-mods, on the highway run to So Cal I averaged 24.8 miles per gallon according to the DIC at an average speed of 72mph. On the return trip from Vegas to Portland, I averaged 21.9mpg at an average speed of 78mph (I was anxious to get home after 2 weeks). I doubt the 3mpg difference was only from the additional 6mph in speed, although some of it may also be from changed driving habits to feel the acceleration and hear the exhaust now. Anyway, 3mpg seems a small enough difference for a car that is not my daily driver and provides me with miles of smiles.
I noticed only one small problem with the Coupe on the entire trip. When traveling for long distance runs in hot weather (92 degrees or higher) at high speeds (85mph or more) I was getting intermittent “Service Tire Monitoring System” messages on the DIC. The system was losing contact with the front right tire, after anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes I would start getting readings again. I’ll need to do a little research and maybe make a post on C5 Tech to get some ideas on why this may have been happening.
All in all it was a great trip. The Corvette was an extremely enjoyable car to drive before mod fever, but now it is a flat out amusement park ride. Andy, great job. Hopefully mod fever will subside for a while (but a new cam and heads may be needed to effect a full cure?)
Thanks to everyone who read this far down the post, and letting me share my experiences with you. And thanks to the many cool Corvette drivers who returned my wave
along the way!
Now it's time to break out the Zaino and get to work....
The Coupe is a 2003 A4 Anniversary Edition, the only mods in place when I left Portland OR were a Donaldson Blackwing and Michelin PS ZP tires. The drive from Portland to Oxnard, CA was just shy of 1,000 miles and was very enjoyable, a straight shot down I5 almost the whole way. This was my first road trip in the Corvette (usually make long drives in a 2000 Cadillac STS), I was a little concerned about the comfort factor, cabin noise, etc. but it was not a problem at all. The temperature in some of the central CA spots was hovering between 98-102 degrees and the transmission console did heat up, though.
Just before I left Portland I ordered a GM bra from Fitchner (they did a great job of getting it to me in time to leave….Thanks guys!
). I’m glad I did. The filth on it when I arrived in So Cal was amazing, I’m glad I avoided getting it on my nose. Oh, I can also report with certainty that a properly installed GM bra will remain in place at speeds in excess of 115mph (more on that later). I got to Andy’s place at about 2pm on Sunday to drop the Coupe off. Andy was extremely kind and gave me a ride to the car rental place in his supercharged SS pickup truck. Sweet ride and thanks again Andy. Unfortunately it was a Hyundai Santa Fe waiting for me once I got there.
Picked up the coupe the following Saturday. It was ready a day or so earlier but I couldn’t drive up from Irvine until Saturday morning. Andy is such a perfectionist, he took advantage of the extra day to perform a few more dyno pulls and make some more adjustments to the tune.
OK here’s a list of the modifications Andy put on, and my analysis after driving for a week in the LA area, then a road trip to Las Vegas (about 300 miles) and my return trip to Oregon (about 1100 miles).
Kooks LT headers with 3” cats and x-pipe
Corsa Touring exhaust with Tiger Shark tips
Cold plugs and wires
Upgrade 3.15 gears to 3.42s, Pro Torque 2800 converter, and TransGo shift kit
Z06 sway bars
Cross drilled and slotted Eradispeed rotors and ceramic pads
Ceramic coated tunnel plate
Custom dyno tune
The immediate difference as you would expect is the enhanced acceleration from moving the power band lower. The acceleration is breath-taking, neck-snapping fun.
It would have been interesting to install each of the transmission mods one at a time to see the effect each would have had individually, but I can tell you the combined effect is astounding. The car now feels like what I had imagined a Corvette would feel like in terms of acceleration; it is instant and almost linear as it shifts up through the gears. Andy recommended the 2800 rpm converter and I am glad we didn’t go any higher. There is a barely noticeable lag before the TC locks up. And, no more powerbraking required to get a squeal out of the tires. The headers and exhaust sounded great on the dyno as they ran all the way up to the rev limiter. The Corsas don’t have that deep “basso profundo”, it’s more of a howl that builds to a roar. I can definitely hear a different note in the cabin at steady RPMs but it is not at all obnoxious, I was able to listen to music and talk comfortably on my cell phone headset. On acceleration though, watch out. Even at high speeds on the highway, accelerating to make a pass really wound the sound up. Still not obnoxious, absolutely no cabin resonance, but I sure like listening to it howl.
I also notice an enhanced throttle response at all speeds. In fact it goes beyond just the responsiveness, it is an overall increase in throttle precision. It is easier to make the engine do what I want it to do on acceleration, cruising, and also on deceleration. More power is there right where I want it (low end and also stomping on it for a downshift). There is more precise control when navigating twisty sections of road.
The car pulls effortlessly. This was truly appreciated on I-15 between Vegas and So Cal, and again in the remote areas through Bakersfield north to Sacramento and into northern CA and southern OR. Normal cruising speed for most vehicles on that stretch seems to be about 85mph, with the Passport 8500 I had cruise set to 90 and was able to get it up well past that on the empty stretches. Wow, the motor just kept on pulling. Plenty left when I backed down off 115 mph a few times, I had been there before but it seemed to get there quicker this time. I never had planned on going to the track but now I really want to see what the car is capable of doing.
The brakes feel a little different but once I got used to the difference I believe they are much improved. The stock brakes had an immediate "bite" that I felt made it a little too easy to brake harder than intended. The new rotor and ceramic pad setup gives me a slightly more graduated bite as pedal pressure increases, then when you really step on them, they grab completely. Plus, the rotors look great with the aluminum hats, and there was almost no brake dust in the wheels or on the body panels whan I got home. This alone makes the pads worth it. And the rotors look great!
The suspension mods are more subtle but well appreciated. The Z06 sways, particularly with the MSRC set to “Sport”, helped a lot. I don’t usually have much reason to corner hard, but on the long sweepers and carousels on CA52 into Bakersfield, and again on I5 through Weed, Shasta, and into Medford, OR there was a lot less feeling that the car was leaning into the outside front tire. Easier to point and go.
The tunnel plate lends a noticeable stiffness to the chassis that is very apparent over bumps, highway expansion joints, and speed bumps. Much less shake, rattle, and roll from torsion. This is a great mod that I recommend to everyone, regardless of which available plate you choose. In terms of heat insulation, I know the new headers generate more heat than the stock ones did, but even so, instead of having a radiator next to my right leg, it’s more of a heating pad feel now. I suppose adding a KoolMat would have helped reduce even that, but oh well….
Running at 90mph+ through 101 degree heat, it was much more comfortable. I can definitely feel a temperature change when stomping the throttle, though. And did I mention how good it sounds when I do that???? Other performance notes:
Pre-mods, on the highway run to So Cal I averaged 24.8 miles per gallon according to the DIC at an average speed of 72mph. On the return trip from Vegas to Portland, I averaged 21.9mpg at an average speed of 78mph (I was anxious to get home after 2 weeks). I doubt the 3mpg difference was only from the additional 6mph in speed, although some of it may also be from changed driving habits to feel the acceleration and hear the exhaust now. Anyway, 3mpg seems a small enough difference for a car that is not my daily driver and provides me with miles of smiles.
I noticed only one small problem with the Coupe on the entire trip. When traveling for long distance runs in hot weather (92 degrees or higher) at high speeds (85mph or more) I was getting intermittent “Service Tire Monitoring System” messages on the DIC. The system was losing contact with the front right tire, after anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes I would start getting readings again. I’ll need to do a little research and maybe make a post on C5 Tech to get some ideas on why this may have been happening.
All in all it was a great trip. The Corvette was an extremely enjoyable car to drive before mod fever, but now it is a flat out amusement park ride. Andy, great job. Hopefully mod fever will subside for a while (but a new cam and heads may be needed to effect a full cure?)
Thanks to everyone who read this far down the post, and letting me share my experiences with you. And thanks to the many cool Corvette drivers who returned my wave
along the way! Now it's time to break out the Zaino and get to work....
Last edited by PDXBigMan; 09-28-2004 at 03:58 PM.
09-28-2004, 03:48 PM
#2
Team Owner
Awesome writeup! Very nicely documented.
AFA the tire sensors, lots of us with aftermarket wheels/tires, wheels or just tires seem to experience this. It seems to be predominantly the RF sensor that looses contact. The RF is the furthest from the receiver which is in the LR wheel well so it seems to fade in and out.
Thanks for the excellent post.
AFA the tire sensors, lots of us with aftermarket wheels/tires, wheels or just tires seem to experience this. It seems to be predominantly the RF sensor that looses contact. The RF is the furthest from the receiver which is in the LR wheel well so it seems to fade in and out.
Thanks for the excellent post.
09-28-2004, 03:55 PM
#3
Safety Car
Originally Posted by Patches
AFA the tire sensors, lots of us with aftermarket wheels/tires, wheels or just tires seem to experience this. It seems to be predominantly the RF sensor that looses contact. The RF is the furthest from the receiver which is in the LR wheel well so it seems to fade in and out.
Nice write up by the way. I have always heard nothing but good things about Andy at A&A...too bad he's 3000 miles away from me.
09-28-2004, 03:58 PM
#4
Team Owner
Very nice write up. That sounds like a fantastic trip. Pretty cool to stop in the middle and add some mods.
Paul
Paul
09-28-2004, 04:01 PM
#5
Melting Slicks
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Originally Posted by Patches
AFA the tire sensors, lots of us with aftermarket wheels/tires, wheels or just tires seem to experience this. It seems to be predominantly the RF sensor that looses contact. The RF is the furthest from the receiver which is in the LR wheel well so it seems to fade in and out.
If the receiver is located in the LR wheel well, the fact that I had two bulky suitcases in the hatch might have added to the problem, too.
Thanks for the info!
09-28-2004, 04:06 PM
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Congrats on the new mods!
Sounds like a nice trip you had there.
I've only delt with Andy on a couple of small mail order items, but he was always very considerate and took time to answere any and all questions I had.
Sounds like a nice trip you had there.
I've only delt with Andy on a couple of small mail order items, but he was always very considerate and took time to answere any and all questions I had.
09-28-2004, 06:53 PM
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Sounds like you had a great trip and the mods just made it all that much better. Congrats.
09-28-2004, 08:02 PM
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Originally Posted by Patches
AFA the tire sensors, lots of us with aftermarket wheels/tires, wheels or just tires seem to experience this. It seems to be predominantly the RF sensor that looses contact. The RF is the furthest from the receiver which is in the LR wheel well so it seems to fade in and out.
My RF sensor does the same thing...but only on the freeway. Around town, it's never a problem.
09-29-2004, 12:11 AM
#16
Melting Slicks
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Originally Posted by VetteSiNz
Congrats on your mod. Nice trip....and vacation too.
I wish it was vacation. I had to be in Irvine CA for business for a couple of weeks, so decided to take advantage of the situation and drive down to have Andy work on the Coupe. The 5 days in the car on the way there, to Vegas and back home again was the vacation!
09-29-2004, 12:18 AM
#17
Team Owner
I can attest, that is one NICE ride! I didn't get to drive it far, but the power is insane, and the tranny shifts so smooth and sure, it ain't even funny.
What a nice piece of work!
Thanks for letting us take it for a spin!
What a nice piece of work!
Thanks for letting us take it for a spin!