Hey guys! Just finished ordering up some parts, and I thought I'd ask what you're all planning on doing this winter to your CTS-V's.

Here's what I've got in my queue:

1. Black satin powercoated CTS-V wheels with new black centercaps to replace my battered, plasti-dipped wheels for winter driving. Got tired of plasti-dipping them all the time. Should be putting the old wheels up for sale soon--spare wheels for everyone!
   
2. LSA heads with lightweight sodium LS3 valves and stock LS3 intake manifold. I'm not sure if I want to waste the time and money putting these on my LS2 while I wait for the LS3 shortblock, but we'll see how bored I get. According to the guys at Texas Speed, the loss in compression due to the 68cc volume (243 heads are 64cc) won't affect performance nearly as much as the longer runners will. Supposedly, the car will lose a lot of torque at low RPM.
   
3. A full set of black McGard Spline Drives (65357BK) and 65300 driver for both sets of wheels. Expensive...but everyone swears by them, so I'll give 'em a shot.
   
4. POR-15 for the underbody and subframe, after going back and forth with SevillianSTS. Figured I'd do it while I'm working on other things in the car. Also got a couple cans of 3M rubberized paint to hit the fender liners with.
   
5. Creative Steel motor mounts (got them super cheap, and I've heat insulated the living crap out of them for insurance), Revshift 95A control arm bushings, 95A differential bushing (replacing the failing Creative Steel bushing), and 95A subframe bushings, and the Revshift driveshaft 95A/aluminum driveshaft coupler. And I got an awesome Benzomatic MAP torch. I already know I'm going to be like this guy, but with the subframe.
   
6. A second set of projection foglamps and CTS cores to refine my foglamps from earlier this year. I want a better seal against moisture and more adjustability this time.
   
7. 100 feet of titanium DEI header wrap with fresh ties, header bolts, and GM gaskets. Since I'm going to have to remove the headers to get the motor mounts in, I figured I'd re-wrap everything.
   
8. T56 bandaids...PISNUOFF's bronze linkage bushings, bronze isolator cup, PVC bushings, new shifter detent spring and ball, etc.
   
9. Addco 2290 solid front sway bar with Energy Suspension urethane bushings and zerk fittings. I'm interested in trying this now that I've softened up my suspension with the dual-rate spring combo (no more riding around directly on 700+ in-lb linear springs). I was reading about the "soft spring big bar" theory online, and this could be potentially awesome, provided that the solid Addco bar is significantly stiffer than my hollow Hotchkis bar. Either way, I'll have a sway bar to sell.
   
10. 10" MDF subwoofer ring
    10" MDF subwoofer ring
    for my Infinity 1062w. The subwoofer has been slowly cracking that plastic deck to shreds, so I'm going to remove the entire plastic piece and bolt everything down myself so that nothing can vibrate.
    
11. Another $300 of b-quiet Ultimate and Luxury Liner Pro to hit the front doors. Definitely going to have a lot left over this time. Looking to improve sound isolation and eliminate that annoying squeak when you rest your elbow on the top of the door.
    
12. Still experimenting with speakers...going to try out the Boston Acoustics SC65 on the front doors, and if I don't like them better than existing Infinity component speakers, I'll sell them or toss them.
    
13. A fresh windshield, because my old was pitted from driving behind salt/rock trucks during the winter of 2010.

Bonus: I found an unworn employee CTS-V hat. What do you think?

 

Pull engine and trans out and install heads, cam, oil pump, double roller, ARP rod bolts fast intake, injectors, LS2 TB, Powrmaf,Monster Clutch kit, bronze cup bushing, linkage mods to trans, new alternator, water pump, and maybe wrap headers. I am hoping to pull them out friday after work I am going out the bottom with both ought to be a real time saver.


Not to hate on POR-15 but it is designed to be used over rust, blasted sheet metal, or properly cleaned and prepped bare metal. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/a...p/t-54121.html POR-15 is a good product just make sure it is applied properly or you are wasting your money. You could go buy some catalyzed (2 part) paint and achieve good results.

 

What oil pump and double roller? Are you going to have to grind or shim anything to get it to work?

I'm planning on using POR-15 over properly cleaned and prepped bare metal. Did I mention that I bought a box of 3M Reloc Bristle discs?

 

I'm going Lava wrap when I redo my headers, seems more durable than titanium wrap. My titanium wrap looks like *** and I even silicone sprayed it, the stuff is totally rotted out.

 

Continue work on the carputer.

I had a plumbing (major) job and then the flu (still) just knock the **** out of me and whatever schedule I thought I could work to.

With the V apart I have to drive Mr. Vette.

 

For number 5 I would recommend using a drill to get out the rubber. I tried a torch.... Don't like having shift on fire underneath my car. The drill method is pretty easy as well and much less risky.

 

But I'm going to remove the subframe!

 

its a busy year:

-brute speed blower cam
-AFR 230cc v2 heads
-8.1 custom crank pulley (already on) 3.4" head unit pulley. (lets see this thing maxed out)
-Alky
-diamond -8.6cc pistons / AP steel ring set / manley rods arp 2000
-balanced, align honed, tq plate hone / pin main caps - 347, the lil engine that could...
studs for heads and mains

-Monster twin disk clutch stage II

-fueling - a whole lotta stuff (twin stock buckets with X for jet pump - gss341's)
8 feed / 6 return - regulated after rail.
80# injectors (currently running deka measured flow of 668cc )
tuning by LSMan - me.

- rear end - watching the thread on the 8.8...
not sure yet.

- rear wheels / tires - tossing some options around.

-T56 - have not decided yet which route to go.

Im sure i have missed a few things...

Or I drive this junk flawed designed car off a cliff.. haven't decided yet.

 

Built t-56
Katech Ls9r clutch
B&m shifter
Custom 4 link solid axle ford 9"
4" aluminum drive shaft
Iron block 408 12:1 compression
West coast ported Ls9 heads
Nw 102
Fast 102
60lb injectors
Aluminum fuel cell with magnufuel
Custom fully adjustable coil overs
Small shot of dope

Some of this is already in the car but most not

Also got a fresh paint job and the wheels and grills done. With the rear end will be running an 11" tire and hopefully some 335 or 345's on them. Build thread will be posted when car is complete. So don't worry it's comin.

Probably a few more things I'm forgetting but that's the plan. Should be ready by February.

 

Holy crap! Can't wait to see this thread for Franken-V!

 

Using a Comp billet double roller. I am sure I will have to shim the pump, maybe grind the cover no big deal engine will be out so I can fit stuff.

 

If you remember, could you make a mental note of what you had to do to the pump? I like the Comp double roller design over the C5R (if one chain breaks, it should give you a couple of seconds to shut the engine down) but I'm worried about fitment vs pump.

 

The shims for the pump usually come with the double roller timing set. There is a boss on the back of the cover that needs ground down. The pickup tube may need bent slightly or the attachment hole enlarged. Really simple. You can see the shim behind the pump in the second pic below.

 

Ooo...excellent. Thank you for the explanation!

 

im overdriving the rear pulleys on the maggie,throwing a 100 shot thru a plate and port matching the maggie manifold to the heads. and figure out why my 8.8 still hops lol

 

you guys all seem so elaborate, I'm just doing headers, wheels/ tires, the entire revshift catalog, and seats. and then enjoy the hell out of it, because this winter corolla is getting boring already, and its only been 2 weeks.

 

One step at a time. We all started where you're at now. Like as not, you'll be where we are in a year or two.

 

I'm very curious how overdriving the rears works out, keep us posted!

 

Very interesting, I remember BadVMan attempting a solid axle, I dont remember if he ever finished though.
Are you complete this part?

 

me too man. not many have spun a 112 to 14-15psi. my iat's arent that bad at 10psi so we'll see soon. im running the IW crank,flip the rears and prolly a 3.0-3.4 jackshaft depending on boost and iats