Need Help!
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From: Lincolnton, NC
Need Help! I know a lot of you like to do bench racing and price comparisons. Therefore, I am in the market for headers/cats/xpipe set up. My own search has left me at LG's at $1900, Kooks at $1500, SLP at $1500 and Supermaxx at $1500. Keep in mind that I want to get the headers coated so throw in another $200. With that which one would you go with and would you delete the headers to cover the cost of coating them? I am trying to do this as cheap as possible. I have looked at the SLP setup which comes coated and is Stainless. I like the price of everything for $1500 and they are already coated. I do not like the many pieces they come in.
So for those of you who are bored do a search on these and tell me your thoughts. Right now I do not know. I am leaning towards the Kooks and the SLP's. Thanks for any input.
So for those of you who are bored do a search on these and tell me your thoughts. Right now I do not know. I am leaning towards the Kooks and the SLP's. Thanks for any input.
I know nothing about headers for Vettes, other than if you don't get the best, you won't get much bang for your buck. The stock Z06 manifolds are supposed to be about the best anyone has ever produced. That said, if the SLPs are anything like the rest of their product line, I'd definitely buy something else.....
Eric, welcome to my world yet again 
I personally like an uncoated stainless header it doesn't really scratch and the the "dulling" can be buffed if desired at a latter time.
I would say FORGET SLP everything except for trim and show items I've gotten from SLP are junk, they don't care about their customers at all I just hate dealing with them.
I would say the Kooks or the Dynomaxx. The dynomax is an easy install and the whole thing is stainless, plus it comes from a company that manufactured it, instead of more custom pieces like the others mentioned.
Kooks is much harder to install you have to pry the motor to the side to get them in but they have one big advantage and that is the 3 inch mid pipe cats while the dynomaxx is 2.5.
So if your installing them yourself which after being under a vette seems like cake I'd go with the dyno's if your paying someone you trust then the Kooks might be a good setup.
They all are pretty close power wise that you can't go wrong. If your REALLY on a budget Kooks has an adapter to go with your Factory cats and h-pipe, then you could buy the catted x pipe at a latter time. That is probably the route I'm going to take. The headers themselves are only like 800 and the adapter to the stock cats is something like 55.
Hope that helps I'd do Kooks with stock cats first work on the rest of the mods and when you have 600 to throw at it get the Kooks 3 inch mid pipe. I doubt were talking 5hp though the big advantage is in a smoother exaust although I like the snap crackle pop Trust me the x-pipe install at a later time is cake it would take you longer to get the car into the air then to change them out.
My .02
I personally like an uncoated stainless header it doesn't really scratch and the the "dulling" can be buffed if desired at a latter time.
I would say FORGET SLP everything except for trim and show items I've gotten from SLP are junk, they don't care about their customers at all I just hate dealing with them.
I would say the Kooks or the Dynomaxx. The dynomax is an easy install and the whole thing is stainless, plus it comes from a company that manufactured it, instead of more custom pieces like the others mentioned.
Kooks is much harder to install you have to pry the motor to the side to get them in but they have one big advantage and that is the 3 inch mid pipe cats while the dynomaxx is 2.5.
So if your installing them yourself which after being under a vette seems like cake I'd go with the dyno's if your paying someone you trust then the Kooks might be a good setup.
They all are pretty close power wise that you can't go wrong. If your REALLY on a budget Kooks has an adapter to go with your Factory cats and h-pipe, then you could buy the catted x pipe at a latter time. That is probably the route I'm going to take. The headers themselves are only like 800 and the adapter to the stock cats is something like 55.
Hope that helps I'd do Kooks with stock cats first work on the rest of the mods and when you have 600 to throw at it get the Kooks 3 inch mid pipe. I doubt were talking 5hp though the big advantage is in a smoother exaust although I like the snap crackle pop
Trust me the x-pipe install at a later time is cake it would take you longer to get the car into the air then to change them out.My .02
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From: norfolk va
I agree with evryone else eric, slp is junk! you couldn't give me any of there performance parts. I have always heard good things about kooks. I have not heard to much about the others, except the lg's but for that price you could get someone to build you a set out of whatever you want. I would look for the best fit and the most power, last thing you want to do is be prying on your motor or have to cut stuff out of the way. As far as clamps i would just put it all together and drive right to the exhaust shop and have them weld evrything together, but thats just me.
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From: Lincolnton, NC
Interesting responses and good input. Okay, I will take everyone's advice on the SLP's and dump them. Rick, those QTP's are $1300 for the headers alone. No cats, no x pipe. Nada, so they are out. I really like the remaining three. The Supermaxx are the same design as the LG's but are 2.5" pipes after the cats. The Kooks and LG's are 3". I can get the LG's with the off road x pipe for the same price as the Kooks and Supermaxx. The downside for the LG's is that I would have to buy 02 sensors which could be money to coat one of the others. Thoughts?
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From: Lincolnton, NC
Scroll down this link and you can compare both the Kooks and Supermaxx: http://www.tbyrne.com/c5catalog.html
Here are the LG's: http://www.lgmotorsports.com/shop/pr...5b8822831f564a
Here are the LG's: http://www.lgmotorsports.com/shop/pr...5b8822831f564a
It comes down to money really, Kooks from TTP are going to be the cheapest but hardest to install.
Supermaxx will be a close second in price and be the most complete well thought out of the three in my opinion and you can get them for 1300 for everything on GP's and sales. I bet Tybrne would hook you up or Nate from Corvette garage.
The LG's are going to probably give you the most power under the curve. But $600 bucks more.... I don't think so but alot do. To me 600 for MAYBE (and that is a big Maybe) for 10rwhp at 3500rpm is a bit much. But in an all out application then it would be worth it to some. If your putting on that SC later then I'd say it doesn't really matter at all and the $600 could be spent somewhere else like a cam kit and get 35-40rwhp everywhere, or a 100 shot setup etc etc
Your making this harder then you have to though, all three are great products and you can't go wrong. I'm going to go with Kooks most likely because of price and so I can do it sooner with the stock setup then do the better mid section later.
If I had the money up front....I'd probably do the Supermaxx.... If I was loaded and just wanted the best even if by a little bit I'd do the LG's. But for me I'm not on the "vette" budget, so I have to get the most hp per $$...
Supermaxx will be a close second in price and be the most complete well thought out of the three in my opinion and you can get them for 1300 for everything on GP's and sales. I bet Tybrne would hook you up or Nate from Corvette garage.
The LG's are going to probably give you the most power under the curve. But $600 bucks more.... I don't think so but alot do. To me 600 for MAYBE (and that is a big Maybe) for 10rwhp at 3500rpm is a bit much. But in an all out application then it would be worth it to some. If your putting on that SC later then I'd say it doesn't really matter at all and the $600 could be spent somewhere else like a cam kit and get 35-40rwhp everywhere, or a 100 shot setup etc etc
Your making this harder then you have to though, all three are great products and you can't go wrong. I'm going to go with Kooks most likely because of price and so I can do it sooner with the stock setup then do the better mid section later.
If I had the money up front....I'd probably do the Supermaxx.... If I was loaded and just wanted the best even if by a little bit I'd do the LG's. But for me I'm not on the "vette" budget, so I have to get the most hp per $$...
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From: Lincolnton, NC
Words of wisdom, Bobby. Thanks. I was just looking at all the items that come furnished with the Supermaxx and did a search over on Z06vette. I think I have found a winner in them and my goals. Now, I am going to have to find a GP for them.
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From: norfolk va
The smaller pipe diameter, in the dynomax ones will help with bottom end tourqe, for you car eric that would be alot better than power at the top.
We all know that slow *** vette needs more power on the top j/k
I think after looking at all the systems you mentioned, that one would probely be the one i would go with if my car was still a daily driver. If it were my car you know what would be going on.
We all know that slow *** vette needs more power on the top j/k
I think after looking at all the systems you mentioned, that one would probely be the one i would go with if my car was still a daily driver. If it were my car you know what would be going on.
Yeah, you'll lose a little torque on the bottom end with 3" pipes, & you also pick up a few hp on the top end like Jason said. For what you have planned, I doubt you'd notice the differences. But you'll also have to put up with that louder, lower exhaust tone like my car has. (3" from the headers back) There is always a trade-off.
Originally Posted by WAHUSKER
Yeah, you'll lose a little torque on the bottom end with 3" pipes, & you also pick up a few hp on the top end like Jason said. For what you have planned, I doubt you'd notice the differences. But you'll also have to put up with that louder, lower exhaust tone like my car has. (3" from the headers back) There is always a trade-off.