My Quest to 500 HP, the right way...

[MattinSD]

All, I am trying to get to 500 hp on my '07 Thunder Grey "V". I have a 100k warranty that I would like to violate as little as possible. I am looking for a road map over the next 6 months with a budget of 5-8k. I am looking for direction from someone who has been there and done that. I always buy the best performing products on all my cars and I tend to wait to do it right instead of cheap and fast. I have already added LPE intake. I also have a local trusted Vette mechanic who is going to be doing all the work. He has given me plenty of ideas but I want to hear it from a "V" owner, not a Vette owner. Thanks in advance.

[Cowan480]

Will you consider all MODS??? for example maggie or NA???

[qqik4u]

Maggie (Magnuson Supercharger) would be the first choice for most gain - 500 hp maybe hard to get at the wheel with that much, good luck.

I sure you will get plenty of input from this forum

Mick

[MattinSD]

Is Maggie needed? If so, I need to put on the shopping list. Nitrous anyone? I dont truely even know how it works.

[Cowan480]

Well I will be honest, If it doesnt matter how you do it and you have a budget of <8k than nitrus is cheap and easy HP...

however, you better start looking for used parts because it's going to cost 6-8k in "used" parts only.. I think there might be a maggie on ebay right now.. not sure if it's still there or not..

[CTSV_510]

Every way to 500 hp will "violate" most of your 100k mile warranty.

Getting 500 rwhp on on a 5-8k budget will have to include nitrous, unless you were doing all the labor yourself and it sound like you're not.

The only Forced Induction that will almost fit into your budget AND get you 500rwhp would probably be a Procharger kit from EPP, which is I think $8700 installed. I don't think they sell the kit alone though.

Can you tell us if you're just looking to add 100 hp to your V or if you're looking for 500 rwhp?

Adding 100hp is easy and a maggie will get you that and a little more for about $6-$7k installed.

Getting 500 rwhp (adding about 200 hp) is more expensive.

[CTSV_510]

I forgot something...if you put all numbers aside, I don't think you can beat a maggie as an easy, great bang-for-buck mod that will give you loads of extra power and give it to you right where you can use it all the time. I daily drive my car and yes, the maggie made it a rocket ship (and it sounds like one), but the all-around comfort and increased drivability of the car is what I enjoy everytime I drive it.

Just the fact that the cars pulls easily from 1500 rpm and HARD from 2000 rpm all the way up is what in my opinion, counts more than peak power numbers. The torque curve is flat as a pancake and I can't get traction until the top of third gear with my current tires. Any more power at this point would be a waste of money until I can get everything I have planted to the ground.

Where are you from? Maybe you could find a local V with some mods that you can check out in person.

[Cowan480]

^^^^^ good point 510.. I was assuming Mattin was after 500rwhp

[heavymetals]

Maggie it.

By the way, there is nothing wrong with Vette owners (most of them anyways).

[Naf]

Slow down, as one of the few stayin NA i can say you will enjoy your found power curve a lot more...

If you want to get 500hp at the fly wheel its pretty easy and Slightly legal / illegal...Depends on your dealer...Mine is fair as long as i show them GM Pns...I am no where close as of yet, but i just need the right cam and it will put me pretty close...

U just need to find your sweet spot and everything will fall into place...The easiest way is FI but the most fun is NA...My friend has two FI cars with 485+ at the wheels, but loves ridin with me for the sound and thrill...Its not Kick all the time, but when the power comes to the plate you better hold on...

[rand49er]

To get to the power levels you're talking about, nitrous would be the cheapest, as already mentioned. But, inevitably there will come a time when you want the extra power and you'll be out of juice or else find it inconvenient to keep it filled.

You can get the power with a cam and associated valvetrain upgrades, but then you'll have altered the motor significantly. Just as a doctor would tell a patient when surgery is discussed, if you don't have to go in there to do what you want, then don't. I've heard mechanics say that very thing.

There's nothing wrong with FI. Since everybody's still waiting for a turbo setup that's in kit form with some miles on it as proof it's a viable alternative, that leaves us with a Maggie or a ProCharger.

Staying with the Maggie since it achieves the power you want whereas the ProCharger might be overkill, it's less intrusive than a cam et al as far as altering the motor (you only replace the intake manifold), it's on tap ANYTIME you want it without regard to what's left in the bottle, it's proven to stay within the constraints of the stock motor internals, it's readily available in kit form, it retains excellent driveability as a DD, it's easily reversible, guys are still getting warrantly work done by a lot of dealers (though maybe not all), and it might be JUST within your budget, though it's close. It does overshoot your desired power level significantly especially when coupled with LT headers.

Also, as suggested above, see if you can drive a V setup with a bottle, one with a good cam setup, and a maggie before you take the plunge, do it.

[NormV]

For warranty sake you could route and easily temporary remove Nitrous Oxide and most dealerships will not know. This will hold you until warranty is over and cost less than $1,000.

Norm

[MauiV]

Trick flow heads, Vindicator cam, Kooks LTs plus upgrade some internals. But what do I know I have a Maggie and only get 437 to the wheels.

Trukk should be checking in anytime now......

[MattinSD]

Wow. I have come to the right place. 1st out, thanks for the time taken to help out. BTW, I am in San Diego. And the Vette mechanic is great; I just have to keep him on a leash with his ideas sometimes. I want my V to look and feel close to the same way it does now, but with the power when I need it. I haven't found a care in my area that can contend with this "silent assassin". I want to be able to effortlessly throw a beat down on SRT-8, Cobra's and anything else Detroit has in that arena and go after bigger game in those pompous ass European models. It sounds to me like the gods have spoken here and I need Maggie, exhaust and a tune and I am significantly closer to my goal. Anyone in So Cal?

[UnsafeAtAnySpd]

If you're in SoCal and can't find a car that can contend with a stock V, you're not looking very hard.

...I miss California.