What's my next mod?
 

So Im pretty sure I have got most if not all bolt ons done, did an m6 swap and a tune, about to install mgw short throw shifter and 4.10 gears In a few weeks. Now what's next? I'm running long tube with straight pipe 3" all the way back, no muffler, no cats, did all free mods I could think of, throttle body bypass, egr/air delete. Msd ignition coil, Msd wires, 52mm throttle body. Cai. Probly more, anyways I don't mean to rant. So what other mods can I do? I'd like to stay away from engine internals. I have a spare lt1 that I'm going to bore, stroke, cam, the works, my engine now has 71k and I don't want it to blow soon. S what's next? Thanks guys! Damn I love this site lol

I say LS1 front brake conversion so the car will actually stop and suspension mods so the car can put down the power it will eventually have.

Yeah I was looking into suspension, haven't thought about ls1 front brakes, better than stock drilled/slotted?

Yes... Yes yes. IMHO there are no "upgrades" to the front stock brakes. I had LS1 calipers with drilled and slotted stoptech rotors with Hawks HPS pads, brakes believe it or not made the car more fun because you'll feel more confident when your really pushing the cars limits. Also another mod... Paint your brake calipers red for an extra 75hp.

a nice set of lowering springs (strano, BMR etc.) and shocks (koni or bilstein) will go a long way in making the car handle much better. sway bars are a nice upgrade as well for handling, I love my strano bars

FYI, any 98+ fbody has the bigger brakes regardless of engine size. Go to the junk yard and pull the whole front setup off of a v6 car since they are the ones usually in the yard. I would start doing suspension mods also. If it was me I would put a muffler on it just because it would sound better IMO.

Ditto on the LS1 fronts, it was quite a difference when i did the swap, makes it stop like a modern car and not like something with drums on all 4 corners. decently cheap too if you can find spindles for a good price

If you have a little bit bigger budget start with suspension, Strano springs and Koni STR.T's are a great combo (what i'm currently running) with some comfort preserved. Strano sway bars are icing on the cake, crazy flat and composed cornering.

Suspension as others have said, I'm very much a UMI guy so I'll recommend them strongly; I'll list some parts that would really help you out. Let me preface this by saving suspension is expensive; the other poster who said 3-5k is pretty spot on.

- Strano Springs: $300
- Bilstein Shocks: $400
- 2 point UMI strut tower brace :$100
- UMI relocation brackets: $100
- UMI adjustable torque arm full length: $400
- UMI 2 point weld in sub frame connectors :$200
- UMI poly / roto LCA on car adjustable: $250
- UMI poly / roto PHB on car adjustable: $200
- UMI tunnel brace + DS safety loop: $120
- UMI transmission relocation crossmember: $250
- UMI Sway Bar 35mm front and 22mm rear: $390
- UMI billet sway bar front and rear mounts: $250
- Blaine Fab reinforced front sway bar brackets black powdercoat : $95

This should have replacing and upgrading everything suspension wise EXCEPT for k-member, lower a-arm and upper a-arm.

Total here is $3,055 USD

Oh also when doing the shocks and springs get everything from rock auto brand MOOG (upper shock moutns, upper isolators, lower spring seats). This helps to replace everything dealing with the shocks.

Coil spring seat MOOG: K80927 (1 for each side)

Coil Spring Insulator Front Upper MOOG: K6573 (1 for each side)

Coil Spring Seat MOOG: 719-k80927 (1 for each side)

MOOG: K6516 and K6517 are both the Driver Side and Pass Side upper shock mounts.

Well it seems like the consensus is suspension and brakes. Think I'll start with brakes since it's a cheaper route, 3 grand for suspension is a bit out of my budget. But definetly in thenfuture, want to build a good base lline so I will have a solid frame to put the other built motor in

Where are you located?

fort hood texas, why?

I'm a big fan of the SLP Bilsteins and Eibach springs on a daily. At least here in the Northeast you can really upgrade the handling without completely screwing your car over on the sh*tty roads. In Texas, you can probably get why with a bigger drop.

And if you haven't done them, get subframe connectors. Before any of the other stuff.

Well I'll b up in ct I'm about 6ish months, term will b up, so yeah I'm not gonna drop her too low. An haven't heard of subframe connectors, I'll look into that

$187.50 weld in

http://www.ws6project.com/user_stor/catalog/93-02-umi-boxed-subframe-connectors-weld-in-/?osCsid=172da9740c74fd694164a171defa6d22

Suspension doesn't have to cost that much, Craigslist and the classifieds are your friend. If you get rear lcas, get at least roto joints on 1 end, poly solids suck ass at flexing in turns. Torque arm and shocks are where you get expensive, the right torque arm setup is a long style adjustable, plus a $250 torque arm relocation mount.

I'd start with ball joints, control arm bushings, outer tie rod ends, ls1 steering rack or at least eliminate the rag joint, 99 and older WS6, 1LE or SS front 32mm sway bar, and Bilstein HD or Koni shocks, and ls1 or c5 front brakes. Add a set of 17 or 18" wheels and tires from Craigslist, just search "corvette" in the wheels section and grab a whole set for $400 and sell yours to recoup some money. Transforms the handling like you would not believe. Then add either Strano or BMR springs (the BMRs, as much as this is controversial and starts stupid fights in the suspension section, are the same as the stranos as they have the exact same spring rate). Eibachs are notorious for the rears sagging early.

Power wise your pretty maxed out bolt on wise unless you run FI. Work on the suspension.

Certain suspension companies offer decent discounts if you pick them up in person.

For the love of GOD do LS1 front brakes or step up to CTSV (but need 18" wheels).

After that put an actual suspension under the thing. Decent set of shocks/springs/tires/alignment will transform the car.

After suspension, do tires and the driver mod. Get some seat time at the 1/4 mile, autocross and road course and become one with the car and get everything dialed in.