If I had $2500 for mods on an 02 Z28, what should I do with it?

[ShadowHawk]

I may be getting a car in a few days and I'll have $2500 left for mods...any advice? Here's what I'm thinking...this is just off the top of my head so don't pick it apart too much. Prices are guestimate but for the most part reasonable. I can get more crap if I find better prices used. I'd also like a set of 10 spoke SS rims, SS hood and spoiler too, if anyone knows a cheap place to get them. I may buy that stuff first to be honest because I can always sell the stock rims/hood/spoiler to recoop some of it.

-All the free mods
-LT headers/off-road Y-pipe(found both for $500, maybe $560 shipped?)
-SLP loudmouth cat-back($350)
-02 sims($100)
-HPP3 or similar($310)
-Eibach springs($260)
-Strut tower brace($125)
-Weld in subframes($350)
-SLP maf + smooth bellows($225)
-Whisper lid($140)

Basically I want 12's on street tires the quickest way possible but I don't want to do nitrous, heads/cam, or gears(car has 3:42's and i want to keep them as it'll be a daily). Out of that list, if I had to keep it to $1400 what should I keep or get rid of? Any advice would be appreciated.

[juiced99ws6]

-All the free mods
-LT headers/off-road Y-pipe(found both for $500, maybe $560 shipped?)
-SLP loudmouth cat-back($350)
-02 sims($100)
-Weld in subframes($350)
-SLP lid($100)
-KYB AGX adjustable shocks up front ($230)
-KYB gas shocks in rear ($100)
-Lower Control Arms ($110)
-LCA relocation Brackets ($80)

Much better list IMO.
is this car going to be an A4 or M6?

[ShadowHawk]

oh yea, A4, forgot to add that

[ShadowHawk]

Leave out the programmer? I heard they're worth 15+ hp. I figured it'd be one of the first things I did.

[ss~zoso~ss]

strut tower brace

subframe connectors

[GottaHaveLS1]

[QUOTE=nighthawk355x;693884]
-All the free mods
-LT headers/off-road Y-pipe(found both for $500, maybe $560 shipped?)
-SLP loudmouth cat-back($350)
-02 sims($100)
-HPP3 or similar($310)
-Eibach springs($260)
-Strut tower brace($125)
-Weld in subframes($350)
-SLP maf + smooth bellows($225)
-Whisper lid($140)
QUOTE]

I wouldn't get LM with headers and ORY, it will prally sound like crap. aftermarket mafs and programmers don't do shit. you can get weldin subframes for 150 or less and then pay to have them installed. i forgot what year your car is but if its before 01, i would get the ls6 manifold. I don't know much about suspension, but i would suggest LCA's and torque arm and panhard rod to help you hook up. Also, don't forget you'll have to pay for paint on a new hood and spoiler.

[secondgearscratch]

and i wouldnt waste money on a power programmer. get a solid tune, end of story.

[rajiv1998]

This is wut id do.
Port the TB ($75-100)
Lid ($100)
Gears ($200ish)
LT's and catted y ($500-600) depending on which you buy
Pulley ($200)
SFC's ($200)
All the free mods

Then id look into a cam. A decent cam package should cost $800-1000. Along with a dyno tune, you should see about 400 at the wheels depending on how agressive the cam is. You might be over about $200.

[ShadowHawk]

This is wut id do.
Port the TB ($75-100)
Lid ($100)
Gears ($200ish)
LT's and catted y ($500-600) depending on which you buy
Pulley ($200)
SFC's ($200)
All the free mods

Then id look into a cam. A decent cam package should cost $800-1000. Along with a dyno tune, you should see about 400 at the wheels depending on how agressive the cam is. You might be over about $200.

I wanted to stay clear of gears and just do a slightly bigger stall converter, the converter will probably give me the best track results of any mod. I want the car to be a nice highway cruiser but still be able to take down most cars I run into. I also don't want my gas mileage to go to sh*t with 4:10's or 3:73's. I figure a mild converter will kill the mileage slightly, but I only want like a 2400 stall. Do they make such an animal? I'm bad with auto. What's the stock stall speed anyway?

[rajiv1998]

ur auto right, then forget wut i said about gears and getta converter

[Zboner]

do N20, best bang for the buck, and you still keep your mileage.

[INMY01TA]

Stall convertor, long tubes, drag radials,cut out, tune.

[slims00ls1z28]

HPP3= not worth the money professional tune is around 450-500 and you get way more for the money.
STB= doesn't do anything for the 1/4
Pulleys=not recommended on an auto unless you get the od alternator
MAF= not worth the money in comparison to other mods. Port yours if you get the tune or you could get the tuner to do it MAFless and skip it totally
O2 Sims= also deleted through tune
LT headers and good exhaust (not flowcraper) 700+
Lid and Filter 150ish
Stall 450-700
Drag radials 300-400

Option B buy cutout instead of the catback and save some money and then try other things like pullies or nitrous or various suspension parts.

As you can see a good tune is around 450-500 dollars but you are going to spend more with the HPP3+SLP MAF+o2 Sims and still will make more hp and they can change shift points, bump rev limiter a tad (no more than 6200 on stock pushrods) remove top speed limiter (if you have an auto Z28 with 2.73's and 16 rims you have a fuel cutoff at around 130). Then free the breathing with the Headers and lid and cutout if you wish. Add drag radials to hook that stalled launch and your good to go until you get the itch to go faster.

Should get you where ya want to be. But thats roughly 2500 all in speed parts cosmetics such as hood etc well that's whether you want to look fast or be fast Hoods run anywhere from 450-1000 which you might get 350-400 for the stocker. Rims and spoiler ditto you'll get half of what you pay for the upgrades less with the rims (you can get stock 16's all day long for around 150-200.

Remove the Z28 leave stock body parts and keep a quiet exhaust until it comes time to open the cut out then roast them.

[juiced99ws6]

oh yea, A4, forgot to add that

ok cool since your an auto then I would go a 3000 stall with a 2.2 STR and you should drive just about like stock. If you do the mods on my list you are right at your 2500$ mark and will prep you the best for future mods. also with what I mentioned a tune wont even be needed and you will be in the 12s all day long.

[ShadowHawk]

Thanks for all the replies guys...just picked up my 00 Z yesterday. It has a few things already done, Borla cat-back, LS1 motorsports lid, and a K+N, also has cross drilled/slotted front and rear rotors(who am i to argue).

I wanted to keep the stall speed somewhat low and stick with stock gears or maybe 3:42's if it doesn't have them. I was thinking maybe 2400ish for the converter. What's the stock stall speed, anyone know?

[slims00ls1z28]

They will all be different depending on weight of the car, I'm sure the stall is the same across the board (roughly 1800-1900) if im not mistaken. But you just have to see what you can foot brake it to and what the tq converter unlocks at. Cruise around at relatively calm speeds until the tq goes into lock then just apply enough gas to make it unlock (shouldnt take much at all) and watch where the tach starts at that is roughly your stall speed. Footbraking a car isn't always accurate I can footbrake mine to 2500 on the stock stall before the tires give way but I know I don't have a 2500 stall.

[SMKDFRD]

If the car doesn't already have a lid that's one of the first things i would do. cheap mod and makes a difference.

[ShadowHawk]

Here's where I'm at now...I won't do this stuff for a while, but this is my current planned mods list...car has a Borla cat-back, cross drilled/slotted rotors, lid and K+N so that's done.

-SLP line lock(already in the mail)
-Welded subframe connectors
-LT headers + ORY
-3:42's
-Shift kit
-2400 stall converter(I just want a little above stock)
-professional tune
-ceramic brake pads
-All free mods except maf descreen(did the lid cutout yesterday)
-160 degree hypertech thermostat
-Eibach Pro kit
-SS hood/wing
-chrome 10 spoke SS rims
-pull off the front grill
-5% tint on rear/side windows
-black halo headlights
-HID conversion
-tail light blackouts
-White face indiglo gauges
-tint the clear plastic gauge cover(I'm going to have it so the gauges light up whenever the car's on, even when the lights are off...the cluster will look blacked out until you start the car)
-My own custom dual gauge pod(patent pending)
-2 1/16 oil pressure + water temp gauges


How's it sound...the car should look evil as all hell when I'm done and hold it's own against all the new cars. I just want 12.99 or better out of it, shouldn't be too much of an issue. I just made my car domain page for the new Z28, If you look at page 2 on there I have my old Z up...I basically want that in black, it's going to be MEAN!

[slims00ls1z28]

I'd go ahead with 3.73's over the 3.42's. I have a set that is still in my closet because After riding in a 3.73 car and a 3.42 car and having my own 2.73 car the 3.42's arent an option anymore. There won't be much of a gas mileage difference between the 3.42 vs the 3.73 but after doing much reasearch and a couple test drives 3.73 is about the best ratio for an automatic. Going from a 2.73 (probably what gear you have with an auto Z) to a 3.42 you might feel a gain taking off but from a punch when the tranny kicks down it will feel neutered vs the 2.73 whereas the 3.73 feels like a whole new engine at any speed compared to the 2.73. All that should put you under 12.99 if you can hook which will be your biggest problem especially with a stall even if that is a small stall. And if you are getting a professional tune go ahead and descreen and port the MAF and TB if you can handle it.

[ShadowHawk]

I'd go ahead with 3.73's over the 3.42's. I have a set that is still in my closet because After riding in a 3.73 car and a 3.42 car and having my own 2.73 car the 3.42's arent an option anymore. There won't be much of a gas mileage difference between the 3.42 vs the 3.73 but after doing much reasearch and a couple test drives 3.73 is about the best ratio for an automatic. Going from a 2.73 (probably what gear you have with an auto Z) to a 3.42 you might feel a gain taking off but from a punch when the tranny kicks down it will feel neutered vs the 2.73 whereas the 3.73 feels like a whole new engine at any speed compared to the 2.73. All that should put you under 12.99 if you can hook which will be your biggest problem especially with a stall even if that is a small stall. And if you are getting a professional tune go ahead and descreen and port the MAF and TB if you can handle it.

Sounds good, thanks for the advice...the gear ratio wasn't written in stone yet for that reason, I had 3:73's in my old car and they were great, guess that's where I'll be going again! Only thing I don't want to do is descreen the maf...the gain doesn't outweigh the risk to me. I just checked it out today and there were a few small pieces of debris, just pieces of leaves and sh*t...but if the maf were descreened it would have been in my motor...




Oh and here's my old Z28, basically picture that in black with the halo headlights...

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2625382/2