http://ls1howto.com/ has some nice how to articles.

 

To quote you... "Main goals to make it louder and somewhat faster, but long term drive-ability is important."

If those were my goals and it were my car, I would do the following:

- Gears (~$700 for cost of gears, labor etc.)
- LS6 intake manifold (~$300)
- Tune (~$300)
- New catback (varies let's just say ~$500)

The gears will greatly enhance your acceleration. The intake manifold and tune will increase your hp/tq. You could swap out the 80 series Flowmaster for another catback that is louder and sounds better than what you currently have, may even pick up a couple hp there since the 80 series is restrictive. All said and done you're out less than $2000. See how you the like car after the above and you may end up with an extra $500+ in your pocket.

Edit: You could sell the Flowmaster exhaust to recoup a few $$$ or like others have mentioned you could swap the muffler out for something different. I wouldn't recommend going with a cutout unless you want the car to sound redneck especially since you have the stock cam. Been there done that.

 

^^^^ This - I have the same situation in CA and similar goals.

I agree with the clutch upgrade others have recommended and/or gears, maybe shocks. Shop around for the heads or port your 241, mild cam and supporting parts . Labor is the most expensive part + tune. Personally I took off the Flowmaster and put on a Magnaflow. I still have the stock exhaust back to the muffler. Anytime I take it in for emission inspection or I'm at an intersection, the car is a real sleeper, but WOT look out.

Visual Inspection is the most important, so the heads have to look "stock". Mild cam sounds like stock if tuned correctly. This combo will provide reliability and power without being over the top and still pass inspection.

 

I'd pick up shocks to be honest. Of all the money I spent on my car, the thing I noticed more than anything else (outside of the exhaust) was the shocks. The stock shocks blow so hard. But being able to corner is something you can do to amp up the level of fun in the car without having to spend a ton. The Konis will eat up 1/3 of your budget, but the Bilsteins would be like 1/6.

I'd leave the Flowmaster on there. It sounds good. It is crap, but it sounds good.

If you had a little more money, you could do ported 5.3L heads, timing chain, oil pump, pushrods, trunion upgrade, lifters, cam, and new clutch (Monster Stage 2 or something similar).

Get a cam designed for the stock exhaust manifolds. Something like a 220/232 117. You'll hit 400rwhp with ported heads, pass emissions, and retain a lot of good drivability. The issue is the heads/cam will eat up 2500 without labor. So you could drop the heads/lifters and do the cam/timing chain/oil pump/valve springs/pushrods. Then eventually add heads down the road.

 

Appreciate everyone's input! I just wish VA was not so strict, I want this thing to roar, but they are just holding me back!

 

So does the Magna flow give an improved tone? I've heard good things about it, but hard to find a good comparison vs a flowmaster.

Thanks!

 

magnaflow gives a more mellow tone...
If you just wanted to replace the muffler only I'll do a hooker muffler or hunt down a corsa muffler.

If I had 3 grand first thing I'll do is get another muffler, headers, gears, shift light, custom tune and also firecore 50 plug wires. They are awesome.

 

What part of Virginia you in? I pass state inspection with no problem and I have long tubes. I know they can reject you but I haven't come across one to do it yet.

 

I've done it with two cars now. It doesn't sound redneck at all if placed properly, especially with stock cam and manifolds. I've had several people compliment it and be surprised that it's such a simple thing. Now, with headers it does have a dump truck personality, but with stock manifolds and Y, it sounds great.