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Just (finally) joined the C6 world after a C3, C4 & C5. Picked up a clean 2006 stock 2LT base coupe. What are the suggestions for first round of performance upgrades? Already installed a Varram SC & Z51 rotors and calipers. Plan on Z51 sway bars, Z06 shocks and B&B Fusion NPP. What’s next and what order? X pipe, free flow cats, Diablo, MAF, headers? Does a 170 thermo or better plug wires make much of a diff?
You want power,stop with the nickel and dime stuff. Get headers and a tune and you'll be good to go. After that??Supercharger.Heads + cam.Something like that.All that other stuff will cost you lots of money for very little gains. Most assuredly do the z51 suspension stuff. Oh and welcome!Enjoy the Vette.You're in NY so you have Vette Doctors out near Amityville soenwhere or ECS in Jersey and CHUCK COW up in Westchester for modding.They all know their stuff so you can't go wrong with any of them for mods.
Last edited by not08crmanymore; 02-13-2013 at 06:39 PM.
[QUOTE=not08crmanymore;1583115369]You want power,stop with the nickel and dime stuff. [QUOTE] Oh, most assuredly! I'm talking about mild upgrades to wake her up for now and get the most out of it without major work.
BTW, I'm a NY transplant in CA now. Got sent out on a 6 month biz trip in '94.....
Watch your step adding power. I added a bunch of power to my C5, upgraded the intake, heads, exhaust, sway bars, etc. The lost control and wrapped it around a tree. Forgot to widen the tires. The extra torque to the rear wheels and C6 Z06 sway bars on 275 tires caused a major amount of over steer and fish tailed all over the road and straight into a tree.
BE CAREFUL my friend! Make sure you can keep it on the ground and control it.
You want power,stop with the nickel and dime stuff. Get headers and a tune and you'll be good to go. After that??Supercharger.Heads + cam.Something like that.All that other stuff will cost you lots of money for very little gains. Most assuredly do the z51 suspension stuff. Oh and welcome!Enjoy the Vette.You're in NY so you have Vette Doctors out near Amityville soenwhere or ECS in Jersey and CHUCK COW up in Westchester for modding.They all know their stuff so you can't go wrong with any of them for mods.
BTW, I'm a NY transplant in CA now. Got sent out on a 6 month biz trip in '94.....
6 months lasts longer then I remember!! There's a good tuner out there,up north in Seattle maybe.Andy something or other is the guys name.I forget the name of his business.
Just (finally) joined the C6 world after a C3, C4 & C5. Picked up a clean 2006 stock 2LT base coupe. What are the suggestions for first round of performance upgrades? Already installed a Varram SC & Z51 rotors and calipers. Plan on Z51 sway bars, Z06 shocks and B&B Fusion NPP. What’s next and what order? X pipe, free flow cats, Diablo, MAF, headers? Does a 170 thermo or better plug wires make much of a diff?
Welcome to the C6! Great car, isn't it. You have a good start already. My next move would be a set of longtube headers and a catted x pipe to wake it up, along with a dyno to to maximize your current modifications and get everything working the way it should. I have seen the intakes throw off the fueling quite a bit and a dyno tune will fix that.
I personally do the 160 thermostats during builds also, and have them in my own car. Allows the car to run a bit cooler. Plug wires don't make a difference in performance, but you may need them to clear the headers, sometimes the stock ones will lay on the primary and burn up, not good!
After that, time to either beef it up naturally aspirated, or step up to a forced induction set up. Here's a fantastic heads/cam build we did on an '05 LS2 - 2005 Corvette Heads & Cam Package. That car had fantastic driveability and hauled some serious butt. I'm also a big fan of the A&A kits, check out this build - 2008 A&A Kit & Headers. Nothing like bolting on 200hp in a couple days.
NY Chief, let me steer you away from Z06 shocks on your C6. You plan to have Z51 sways but use Z06 shocks. I had a 2010 C6 Coupe with Z51 Sways & Poly Bushings, Z06 front & rear shocks, lowered on stock bolts. The z06 shocks were too still for the stock C6 1LT springs and made the car very twitchy exiting corners under power. I changed to Z51 shocks,keeping the Z51 sways, and it settled down nicely. Remember, there's 3 sets of springs that work with the various models of the C6 and using Z06 shocks with 1LT springs upsets the balance.
I went from 374 rwhp & 377 rwtq to 394 rwhp & 396 rwtq with 160* thermostat, Z06 Air Intake, Kooks long tube headers, Kooks catted X-pipe, Borla Touring exhaust and a tune. With a Beehive CAI and Killer Bee schroud you would be over 400 rwhp & 400 rwtq.
Appreciate the suggestions, fellers! Keep 'em comin' and thanks for the caution on the Z51 bars and Z06 shocks. I had the same thoughts when someone suggested that combo to me.
Sure am enjoying the next gen up! Only complaint so far is the tighter foot well. I had to move the hood release to clear my dogs. And a little more seat adjust would be helpful.
Getting a HUD dropped in by Andrew on Sat and just ordered a Kenwood NAV from DD!
Shortly after getting my 2009 C6 vert with A6 I started doing some minor mods, some for performance and some for looks. Spent money and time always looking for something different. Then I decided to stop wasting my money and went for the ultimate Mod. I traded the 2009 for a 2013 427 vert, now i have what i have been always looking for.
You want power,stop with the nickel and dime stuff. Get headers and a tune and you'll be good to go. After that??Supercharger.Heads + cam.Something like that.All that other stuff will cost you lots of money for very little gains. Most assuredly do the z51 suspension stuff. Oh and welcome!Enjoy the Vette.You're in NY so you have CHUCK COW up in Westchester for modding.
Thanks for the referral....
Call me any time if you have questions or want suggestions for how to proceed...
We're right near the Tappan Zee bridge and can get you going with anything you need.
You want power,stop with the nickel and dime stuff. Get headers and a tune and you'll be good to go. After that??Supercharger.Heads + cam.Something like that.All that other stuff will cost you lots of money for very little gains. Most assuredly do the z51 suspension stuff. Oh and welcome!Enjoy the Vette.You're in NY so you have Vette Doctors out near Amityville soenwhere or ECS in Jersey and CHUCK COW up in Westchester for modding.They all know their stuff so you can't go wrong with any of them for mods.
Headers and x-pipe are next followed by your truly wise choice to go with hi-flow cats in lieu of a catless application. With this mod, you will be running lean and so you will wisely get that tune you always wanted.
You want power,stop with the nickel and dime stuff. Get headers and a tune and you'll be good to go. After that??Supercharger.Heads + cam.Something like that.All that other stuff will cost you lots of money for very little gains. Most assuredly do the z51 suspension stuff. Oh and welcome!Enjoy the Vette.You're in NY so you have Vette Doctors out near Amityville soenwhere or ECS in Jersey and CHUCK COW up in Westchester for modding.They all know their stuff so you can't go wrong with any of them for mods.
Sage advice, a ported intake and throttle body is not a bad idea either for a N/A setup. First priority should be to get a tune to go with that Vararam. Save your money on useless stuff like plug wires and thermostats.
How do you intend to use the car....are you into drag racing, parking lot autocross events, road course racing or will it be strictly a street car? You're not going to modify and setup a car for the drag strip the same as a track (road course) car. If you're into road racing you probably won't want to use forced induction. You can make certain 'all-purpose' performance modifications but having a specific use or goal really helps define what you do to get the most from your car.
__________________ 2005 Corvette C6 Coupe
Magnetic Red Metallic II/Cashmere, MN6, 1SB, F55
Lingenfelter 403 Conversion, LG Pro Headers (coated), Corsa Sport Exhaust, Lingenfelter CAI, Accusump, LGM Coil-Over Suspension & Bump-Steer Kit, T1 Sway Bars, Pfadt Control Arm Bushing Kit, Elite Eng. Tunnel Plate & Oil Catch-Can, SKF Racing Hubs/Bearings, AP Racing Brakes, DRM Brake Ducts, Custom Roll Bar, Sparco Seats, Wide-Booty, CCW C10 Wheels,Setup: LG Motorsports
Corvette Store
Performance upgrade suggestions from base coupe?
Oh, most assuredly! I'm talking about mild upgrades to wake her up for now and get the most out of it without major work.
There's a good tuner out there,up north in Seattle maybe.Andy something or other is the guys name.I forget the name of his business.
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