8k to spend on FRC
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Minnesota
8k to spend on FRC I would like some input from all the experts. I recently bought a corvette FRC. The car is in awesome "like new" shape. Over the winter i'm going to be modding my car. Of course i want the best bang for the buck. I dont need anything too crazy. 450 RWHP would be great. This car will be used at the track maybe once or twice a year. I'm planning on sticking with street tires. I hope the clutch will last, but i realize it will probably need to be replaced once im making a lot more power. I was thinking of doing a cam, long tubes, and some of the other good bolt ons. A lot of companies advertise the package deals. It seems pretty expensive if you want to do full bolt ons heads and cam set up. (7k or more). Another thing is I would like to be able to do the install myself. I have average skills and some mechanical knowledge. If I need to pay a shop to do the work that is fine, but I would like to tackle it myself. Any input appreciated.
Launching!
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
You can do it yourself. Just get the complete step-by-step instructions @ ls1howto.com, and make allowances for extra time without your car. It took me three weekends to do mine with a couple of setbacks. I don't recommend a complete package from one of the big names, as you can get as good, or better results putting together your own package, for a lot less $$. Spend a month or more doing the research, using the forums, and vendors for information, before committing to any major expenditures. My personal recommends are of course, biased towards what worked for me, so take them with a chunk o' salt. Heads...don't scrimp. Get good aftermarket castings such as TEA/Trickflow (my choice) or AFR, or ETPs. Cam choice is important. Lots of guys have gone for the big #s and overcammed their cars. This is OK if a wicked idle is your primary concern, but the big sticks leave alot of torque on the table. This is the stuff that makes you happy driving your car, not the bigass shake at the traffic lights. Read Patrick G's cam threads, as they're very enlightening. I have to say LG headers for the Corvette are the easiest to install, and tops in performance/quality too. Your FRC might respond well to gears, unless you have the3.42s and are happy with them. Hope this helps.
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 6,524
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From: Western Burbs of Detroit
Are you trying to stay motor only, are you interested in spraying it with a 150 shot.
You should be able to do an exhaust swap(LG Pro Long tubes) on you own with good tools. Add a cold air intake, and an underdrive pully plus and EWP by Meziere, jump up to a 90/90 combo for you TB and Intake (won't see full effects until you get your heads and cam though) and you should see around 65-70 rwhp increase, maybe more with a good quality tune. That's all I can add at this point. That's about 4500 so far doing it yourself and having the pros do a tune. Another 3500 should get you your Heads, Cam, and all necessary valvetrain upgrades. Good luck. I put down 473 rwhp and 431 rwhp and I only used a FAST 78 mm with a ported 78 mm TB.
You should be able to do an exhaust swap(LG Pro Long tubes) on you own with good tools. Add a cold air intake, and an underdrive pully plus and EWP by Meziere, jump up to a 90/90 combo for you TB and Intake (won't see full effects until you get your heads and cam though) and you should see around 65-70 rwhp increase, maybe more with a good quality tune. That's all I can add at this point. That's about 4500 so far doing it yourself and having the pros do a tune. Another 3500 should get you your Heads, Cam, and all necessary valvetrain upgrades. Good luck. I put down 473 rwhp and 431 rwhp and I only used a FAST 78 mm with a ported 78 mm TB.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Minnesota
Originally Posted by exSSer
You can do it yourself. Just get the complete step-by-step instructions @ ls1howto.com, and make allowances for extra time without your car. It took me three weekends to do mine with a couple of setbacks. I don't recommend a complete package from one of the big names, as you can get as good, or better results putting together your own package, for a lot less $$. Spend a month or more doing the research, using the forums, and vendors for information, before committing to any major expenditures. My personal recommends are of course, biased towards what worked for me, so take them with a chunk o' salt. Heads...don't scrimp. Get good aftermarket castings such as TEA/Trickflow (my choice) or AFR, or ETPs. Cam choice is important. Lots of guys have gone for the big #s and overcammed their cars. This is OK if a wicked idle is your primary concern, but the big sticks leave alot of torque on the table. This is the stuff that makes you happy driving your car, not the bigass shake at the traffic lights. Read Patrick G's cam threads, as they're very enlightening. I have to say LG headers for the Corvette are the easiest to install, and tops in performance/quality too. Your FRC might respond well to gears, unless you have the3.42s and are happy with them. Hope this helps.
What about this head/cam package? http://www.lmperformance.com/5911/4.html
I dont want to do gears. I had a 02 GT mustang with 4.10's.. It was kind of cool, but no traction. I like the gears on my car im pretty sure they are 3.42's goes about 100 in third 140 in 4th.
Originally Posted by exSSer
You can do it yourself. Just get the complete step-by-step instructions @ ls1howto.com, and make allowances for extra time without your car. It took me three weekends to do mine with a couple of setbacks. I don't recommend a complete package from one of the big names, as you can get as good, or better results putting together your own package, for a lot less $$. Spend a month or more doing the research, using the forums, and vendors for information, before committing to any major expenditures. My personal recommends are of course, biased towards what worked for me, so take them with a chunk o' salt. Heads...don't scrimp. Get good aftermarket castings such as TEA/Trickflow (my choice) or AFR, or ETPs. Cam choice is important. Lots of guys have gone for the big #s and overcammed their cars. This is OK if a wicked idle is your primary concern, but the big sticks leave alot of torque on the table. This is the stuff that makes you happy driving your car, not the bigass shake at the traffic lights. Read Patrick G's cam threads, as they're very enlightening. I have to say LG headers for the Corvette are the easiest to install, and tops in performance/quality too. Your FRC might respond well to gears, unless you have the3.42s and are happy with them. Hope this helps.
