430-435 CHP now.....What can I do to get 500-510 CHP?

[Vette73]

Originally Posted by XfireZ51

My motor has gone thru an "evolutionary" upgrade, with Phase 1 being ported top end and port matched heads + headers/tune(my own). That put it at
398+rwhp.

Phase 2 was fully ported (GVD) heads + Pete's intake cams + my tune
430something rwhp. Very nice combo. Smooth power delivery

Phase 3 added Pete's exhaust cams + top end port touch up + SW Xpipe w
DynoMax muffs. Again, my tuning both on part throttle driveability and WOT.
This combo did more for torque which just feels great. As much as I liked Phase 2, I would not go back. Idle is a bit rougher, but all is forgotten once in motion.
454rwhp/402rwtq.

Sounds very good....

Right now I am basically happy with the performance of the car but seeing there is much you can do to the LT-5 I'm all ears..

Pete did my plenum and I/Hs and air horn...Picked up nice power...From what I hear if you do the heads and some cam work on the LT-5 much like your phase two, you can get a nice boost in horsepower ....

With that said,the cost ? That's what I have to find out before undertaking anything...I really don't want to get to the point on the Z where I'm spending a lot of money on mods and the value is basically going to stay the same...

I see a lot of modded C5 ZO6s on the corvette forum and that has peaked an interest.....The thing about my Z is that it's clean as hell and runs tops- knock wood......Only thing since owning it that went were, the starter,antenna, and now one of my rear speakers....The rear shocks are leaking and I have a good used set from one of the members that I will install soon..

[XfireZ51]

Well I would suggest that many of us put money into our cars for the enjoyment of it, not expecting any kind of return from the investment. The car is just a absolute blast to drive w 500hp+. Frankly, I think u r looking at diminishing returns when considering C5s which are pretty much a dime a dozen.
If u r going to be at BG, u r welcome to take a ride in my car and then tell me if you think the mods aren't worth it.

[We Gone]

Sorry but if your looking to get a return on your mods $ Personally I don't think it will happen in my lifetime. Including the buy in price for a 9k mile ZR-1 back in 02 I have over $45K in my now 60k mile car, but have loved every mile of it that money can't buy. Cars are for enjoyment not investment.

[G8nightman]

I agree MODS are moneys lost but always a plus for the next guy.

[1990 quasar blue]

You and I are in a similar boat. Similar mods and I'm at 390rwhp sae corrected. I go back and forth myself, as I know the next 35 hp don't come cheap. (Count on five grand easy.)Part of me thinks that I should do it, and part of me figures it's a 26 yo car that traps over 118 and can pull 30mpg if the circumstances are right. That usually makes me want to leave it alone and in a couple of years add something else that'll curl someone's hair. Right now a c5 z06 with a blower can be had for 25k. How long before a C6Z with heads and cam is at a similar price?That's less than I paid for my Z bone stock. They both will also make 500+ at the wheels. Now I'd never sell my Z for either but, I may save my pennies for another couple of years and give it a brother. Just a thought from someone in a similar circumstance. YMMV.

[Vette73]

Originally Posted by 1990 quasar blue

You and I are in a similar boat. Similar mods and I'm at 390rwhp sae corrected. I go back and forth myself, as I know the next 35 hp don't come cheap. (Count on five grand easy.)Part of me thinks that I should do it, and part of me figures it's a 26 yo car that traps over 118 and can pull 30mpg if the circumstances are right. That usually makes me want to leave it alone and in a couple of years add something else that'll curl someone's hair. Right now a c5 z06 with a blower can be had for 25k. How long before a C6Z with heads and cam is at a similar price?That's less than I paid for my Z bone stock. They both will also make 500+ at the wheels. Now I'd never sell my Z for either but, I may save my pennies for another couple of years and give it a brother. Just a thought from someone in a similar circumstance. YMMV.

Yeah I hear Ya....The Z in my opinion is a very unique car and has a really good cockpit feel.....I sat in a new C7 and yeah it was a beautiful auto.The feel in the drivers seat just wasn't the same.....I'm not saying for this reason I would turn one down, but with the Zs sloping doors and cockpit feel, it's unique....

Just like you I go back and forth with adding the additional power....To port the heads with a tune is like 5,500 turn key...

[secondchance]

Originally Posted by G8nightman

I agree MODS are moneys lost but always a plus for the next guy.

As for me, there won't be the next guy.

[cuisinartvette]

Headwork larger stroke etc youll dig it
Portmatching the heads not worth it $$

[ghlkal]

Originally Posted by 1990 quasar blue

I go back and forth myself, as I know the next 35 hp don't come cheap. (Count on five grand easy.)

I was in the same position. While I really _wanted_ the 500HP crank, it was just too expensive. For many it's worth it to get into the heads and get that extra 35-40HP, but it wasn't worth the big bucks to me. I'm happy to merely have the 460 HP

[Paul Workman]

Originally Posted by ghlkal

I was in the same position. While I really _wanted_ the 500HP crank, it was just too expensive. For many it's worth it to get into the heads and get that extra 35-40HP, but it wasn't worth the big bucks to me. I'm happy to merely have the 460 HP

You make an excellent point! As Miarc's web sit shows, you can get to "whatever" hp level you want a bit at a time as budget allows.

Maybe the best "bang for the buck" is porting the top-end: the plenum, the IH's, and port matching the heads (and a tune afterward, of course) and headers. You'll get 90+% of the performance increase one would expect after also doing the heads, for a fraction of the $$$. AND...ALL of it can be done w/o removing the motor. The next step in the evolution is porting the heads (at least). Because to do so is a "quantum leap" $$$$ wise, this point is characterized as "PHASE-I".

At this level the performance is transformed. My trap went from 113 mph to 118 mph without loosing a bit of dirveability or reliability in the process. And, honestly, if it were not for a burnt valve (probably due to the bad injector) I may have stayed at that level. But, since the motor had to come out to fix the valve, etc., I opted to finish my porting.

And, that said, although I picked up ~ 35 hp at the wheels for the effort (and $$), it wasn't the 'kick in the butt' I got from "PHASE-I"

Speed cost $$. So, get your wallet out for the next step.

The next "PHASE" (call it PHASE - II) i.e., porting the heads, involves removing the motor, the porting itself, re-phasing the cams, reinstalling the motor and then a live dyno tune...at a minimum.

At that point you'd be at your "510" goal. However, for far less than the incremental cost to port the heads, NOW would be the ideal time to install cams too! Cams more or less double the wheel hp you would expect from porting the heads alone. And, if the TB has not been opened to 63mm by now, doing so completes what all but the most intrepid modders would call PHASE II. Rear wheel (Dynojet) HP at this point will be around 450 SAE (where it matters). But, for bragging rights - dividing 450 by .82 to .85 will give you a nice chp number look at and show your friends.

As far as costs go, obviously the more of the work you can do yourself, the less out of pocket expense will be - not to mention the experience gained in the process!

In my mind, the next two phases (NA) are bore (sleeves, to be exact), and maybe off-set grinding the crank. The last phase is adding closed deck sleeves and a crank, tho the closed deck option could be done any time the motor is out for whatever reason, $$$ provided, of course.

Those boys that have done "the whole 9 yards" (427 or 441s) can attest to the raw snap of the neck one gets from going all the way. But, it ain't for those with thin wallets, fer sher!!