red2k2ss

iTrader: (7)

Alright guys im picking up my c5 z06 this week. Which headers and intake should i go with? Lg Street headers, or Kooks or TSP? Which intake, blackwing viramm? not to sure about the best bang for your buck. I had at cammed SS and new what to do to that car, not to sure about a corvette. Also what pulley? Thanks guys. All help is greatly appreciated.

LS1LT1

iTrader: (16)

Kooks (or American Racing) headers with (or without) high flow cats & X-pipe, Vararam, dyno tuning and some drag radials (and eventually a new clutch)...could be a mid 11 second car all day long.

red2k2ss

iTrader: (7)

Anybody else guys? Thanks Ls1Lt1 for the info. Thats the plan for now for the car. Are the TSP headers worth it?

scramblerman

iTrader: (16)

I went with kook's with the orxp and the vararam. Great setup and the Stainless Steel headers look great.

Now the vararam may not give you and hp on the dyno, put in the real world it will.

My buddy with LG headers(non street series), vararam, corsa catback and a tune put down 400rwhp on the dyno. Very strong running car. His clutch was fine along with the nitto's. The nitto's was his first mod, lol!

SCM_Crash

iTrader: (2)

Vararam on my 03 Z made a MUCH bigger difference than the Vortex Rammer (better than the blackwing) on my 02 Z. The Vararam gives you a LOT more punch.

LG headers I've seen net the most power. But you'll be good with Kooks, American Racing or LG.

My car bone stock with just the Vararam ran 12.6 @ 115 in the 1/4 at 3000ft DA!!! The Vararam works.

~JOSHUA

iTrader: (92)

My advice for the best prices anywhere are to look for used parts. They are sold typically $.40~$.60 on the dollar depending...

Here and on www.corvetteforum.com are good places for treasure.


When it comes to headers, look at the XS series longtubes sold on the corvette forum by "superman09" -He's a personal friend, but I must say, he's got American Made polished stainless steel longtubes for something like $7xx with cats shipped. (if memory serves right, less for non-catted) Check him out for details.

I have the Blackwing, it's good, and used they are only $125 all day long. The Vararam is crap in terms of build quality and there are lots of complaints of tuning needed... I've avoided that mess due to my desire for clean installs. It's functional, but it's like a cold-war era Soviet built it.... and the new price is robbery with a pen. Too bad for the doods that got buttfucked over the hood of their car upon payment.

G/L

allngn_c5

iTrader: (3)

ARH and a good CAI. Despite what Joshua said the VaraRam isn't as bad as stated. I do admit I saw some really bad ones. I must've been lucky and got a decent one, although I did have to do a little work to make it seal properly. NO TUNING needed. You simply start the car and after letting it run for a few minutes go drive for 30 miles or so. I love how it feeds my 402 when I'm pushing her on the big end. I'd love to be able to measure how much air is coming in at 150+ mph. Must make stock look like a garden hose while the vararam is a firehose.

I think someone else mentioned it but another good mod is a softer stickier tire. That is if you want to accelerate off the line. The stock tires should be fine to go WOT from 2nd gear on.

Philip@HPE

iTrader: (3)

Another vote for Kooks and Vararam here. I run the same setup on my car.

robert miller

I agree with him,, on the vararam, I also have the LG headers coated the with the heat rap on them to get more heat from under the hood. Works great for any set up.

red2k2ss

iTrader: (7)

alright thanks alot guys this is helping alot. Ok im leaning towards Kooks or Lg Headers. Now Which Lg headers? Their are 2 if im not mistaken. THe streets and Pros. What is the difference between the two. Im about to order the varamam. And thanks again guys for all the input.

SCM_Crash

iTrader: (2)

I'm more inclined to agree with some of what Joshua said (for once) about the Vararam. Although it's totally the most functional CAI I've seen, it's build quality was lacking in some aspects.

One of the things I said before about the Vararam was that I'd let the fact that it was made out of Popsicle sticks and Elmer's glue because it works so well...

Tuning has only been reportedly needed on Z06s. My Z06 required tuning. It was throwing lean codes every 500-600 miles. I tuned the car for the Vararam and since my car has been perfect. I did, however, buy my Vararam used and when I got it, the inside lining that seals the filter to the cover was already coming apart. I fixed it before I installed it and never had an issue. Fitting it in was a nightmare. It pushes pretty hard against the radiator shroud.

HOWEVER, even after all the work it took to fit the Vararam, it was still very much worth the work and money. Honestly, it doesn't look like anything less than stock once it's installed. I pulled the "VR" sticker off mine so nobody can tell it's aftermarket without actually knowing what they're looking for. That makes smogging it easy since it's not CARB certified.

scramblerman

iTrader: (16)

the first gen vararam's were pretty crappy. I bought a new second gen vararam and it was a little PITA to install, but it was sooooooo worth it. Tho the fitment was alot better than what I had seen with the first gen.

scramblerman

iTrader: (16)

depends on what you are going to do with the car. If you are going to leave the car with just those mods, then go with the streets. If you are going to add a supercharger/nitrous or go cammed then get the pro's. My friend has the pro's on his car and loves them. I went with the 1 7/8" kooks instead of the lg's. They were a couple hundred dollars cheaper and they were bigger. The bigger tubes will cause you to lose some more down low but they will produce more mid to upper range hp than a 1 3/4" header.

I had paid $1250 shipped for my kooks with the 3" ORXP. Getting the headers in was a bitch tho.

blkc5vette

get american racing headers

Speed Density

iTrader: (38)

I did Kooks 1 7/8's on both of my sleds and the second time installing them was easy, they fit great and are SS.

SCM_Crash

iTrader: (2)

I agree. I cleaned the VR filter today and it wasn't as bad as cleaning the Vortex Rammer filter. But it was still kind of a pain to get the cover back on again since the damn hood was in my face. LOL

ysb02

ARH headers w/ Halltech CAI here. I wouldn't install a vararam if it was free.

red2k2ss

iTrader: (7)

awesome thanks guys. This helps out alot. I think im going with the vararam and kooks headers with no cats. Will the 3 inch x pipe hook up to the factory Ti exhaust?

ysb02

Yeah but the catback uses 2.5" pipes so it narrows a bit. Make sure you route the o2 wires far away from the headers.

red2k2ss

iTrader: (7)

ok so would it be better to do the 3 inch or get the one with the 2.5 inch outlet? I plan on keeping the factory TI exhaust for a while.