Corvette Performance
C5 | Z06 | C6 | ZR1 | C7

Heads or Gears ??

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Dec 3, 2006 | 01:14 PM
  #1  
Brad02Z06's Avatar
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: Huntsville, AL
Default Heads or Gears ??

My wife wants to get me something for x-mas for the car. I'm debating on getting gears or TFS heads.

My tuner said if I get the heads that stock gears will be fine because of the up compression and better torque curve ,etc. Plus he said I should push close to 500 rwhp with the heads.


He said If I stay the same route I'm in right now MS3, Ported Fast, Ls2 TB, Kooks , off road x-pipe 465 rwhp 416rwtq. That 3.90 Gears would help a great deal.

So what would you guys do GEARS or HEADS!
Reply
Old Dec 3, 2006 | 04:22 PM
  #2  
EPP's Avatar
EPP
FormerVendor
iTrader: (22)
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 13,063
Likes: 2
Default

I'd go with the 3.90 gears. I think you'll see a bigger performance difference with the gears. Bob
Reply
Old Dec 3, 2006 | 06:29 PM
  #3  
c5_ls1_6spd's Avatar
Banned
iTrader: (-1)
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 800
Likes: 0
Default

I'd go with heads
Reply
Old Dec 3, 2006 | 06:32 PM
  #4  
mikep2002's Avatar
9 Second Club
iTrader: (10)
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 508
Likes: 1
From: Oxford, Chester County,Pa
Default

I would do the gears so can you get the output shaft with it. The heads only help you break gears faster. However the gears are gonna stress some other things.
Reply
Old Dec 3, 2006 | 07:46 PM
  #5  
Brad02Z06's Avatar
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: Huntsville, AL
Default

This car will probably not see the dragstrip maybe twice a year.
Reply
Old Dec 3, 2006 | 08:07 PM
  #6  
mikep2002's Avatar
9 Second Club
iTrader: (10)
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 508
Likes: 1
From: Oxford, Chester County,Pa
Default

Yeah, thats I said before. I just ordered rear and trans. My stock rear and trans have 15K only at track 3 times maybe 15 passes. I`m gonna put those in a bag and use the RPM equipment. The rear is gonna give more torque probably ride nicer in traffic instead of the lugging feeling I get around 55/65 mph back and forth between 5/6gears. Gonna beat up on your gas milage however.

I see already in one sentance. Went from "probably not see the dragstrip" to "maybe once or twice a year." Have fun its your car
Originally Posted by Brad02Z06
This car will probably not see the dragstrip maybe twice a year.
Reply
Old Dec 3, 2006 | 09:42 PM
  #7  
wavrdr's Avatar
Launching!
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 287
Likes: 0
Default

I went with heads....I do know that the gears will make a large difference by puting you in the sweet spot quicker and allowing the car to accelerate harder provided that you can get it to hook....

I wouldn't say which is better to do, but which is better to do first is the question....

I personally am itching to do a 3.90 gear in my car as I could care less for it to be a dyno queen(higher gears will net less on the dyno), I want this thing to move out!

On a side note: I was at the strip with a h/c Z that makes less power than my h/c Z and while he was outhooking me marginally my best pass was an 11.61 while his was an 11.37.....the difference was he was running a 3.90 and his car short tracked mine out of the hole....1.6 60's versus my 1.8's.

A higher powered h/c Z with gears is nasty!
Reply
Old Dec 4, 2006 | 01:30 AM
  #8  
vince3's Avatar
TECH Apprentice
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 322
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
Default

465 cam only!!!
leave it alone, if anything do the gears don't mess with anything on that motor.
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-5

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-9

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Dec 4, 2006 | 07:28 AM
  #9  
Sigforty's Avatar
11 Second Club
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,537
Likes: 0
From: Was New Orleans, but swam to Baton Rouge
Default

Heads are a nice addition, but if you are looking for better drag racing stuff go gears. They will help to optimize the quarter mile by using more of 4th gear instead of shifting into it right before the traps.
Reply
Old Dec 10, 2006 | 12:15 PM
  #10  
PewterC5-2000's Avatar
Teching In
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: Austin, Texas
Default

Of all the mods I've done on my H/C motor the 3.90's were the best butt-o-meter bang for the buck (note my car is a daily driver with no strip time).
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:33 AM.

story-0
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Slideshow: This heavily modified 1971 Camaro mixes classic muscle car styling with a fifth-generation Camaro interior and modern LS3 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:06:42


VIEW MORE
story-1
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-2
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-5
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-6
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-7
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE