[BeelzeBob]

Okay. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately - and I know I previously expressed no interest in modifying my car for performance... But I've also been feeling that it may be a waste to do nothing at all. Can I have an LT1 and do nothing with it? Maybe... Maybe not...

I'd like to have a BIG thread with everything in one place regarding what can be done to these engines - and some side notes as to what affects they'll have on the car (good and bad). I'd like to discuss the LT4 modification kit that one person mentioned, supercharging options, etcetera.. Okay?

So let's begin.. Where does one start-off?

 

[BeelzeBob]

Now we're talking! <opens notebook, gets pen>

 

[BeelzeBob]

Okay. This sounds like a great start.. Pictures? Sure, I can use them. I'm not mechanically inclined - but I have tools and intend on trying this out myself..

Delete homeplate.. Okay.. What's a 'hockey puck' that I'll be replacing it with? And why does homeplate restrict intake while the hockey puck doesn't?

Delete first base.. Okay..I guess after I make this new PCV pathway, just connect the two whatevers that are no longer connected. Right?

Airbox.. Cut out the bottom and front - then put it back.. That's it?

Exhaust.. Summit Turbo Mufflers.. Okay...

Throttle Body Coolant Bypass.. I guess I could always reconnect it during the Winter if it gets really cold. But what if I don't?

Thanks.. This all sounds easy enough.. If this can bring me up near 280hp, that would be very nice...

 

[BeelzeBob]

I tried taking a look at that link but the page must have been taken down.. Is there a replacement yet? I'm not really looking to race the car or anything. I just miss the power of my ETC.. A little better wouldn't hurt...

The mods mentioned in here so far couldn't hurt. Right? It seems they're all pretty much things to quiet things up.. What would YOU do next after these?

 

[BeelzeBob]

Thank you! I'll be paying a lot of attention to this thread for awhile. And I'll sign up over at those other forums as soon as I can...

 

[BeelzeBob]

I still get a kick out of those movies.. My first mods will be the simple ones you mentioned, TMT. I really don't want to sacrifice the longevity of the engine - but it just feels like the car is really held-back by something - besides weight. I guess it's intake and exhaust... All I want is a little more 'get up and go'... When I get to that point, I guess I'll see where I stand..

What's the deal with that round cone K&N filter I'm seeing.. Can I just add that in instead of doing the swiss-cheese mod?

 

[BeelzeBob]

I hear the Custom Cruiser was the equivelant. As for that 1LE elbow - is it easily available?

 

[BeelzeBob]

Okay. Tell me if I've got the right idea here...

First, I'll remove Homeplate and First Base and replace that whole setup with the 1LE Elbow from a Z28 at about $50.00 and piping which connects to the air filter.. All is covered there?

Then, I'll remove the entire airbox and replace it with a K&N Cone Filter. Is there a specific model number? And again, is all covered at that point? Or do I need to cutout the stock airbox a certain way?

Next, I re-route the Throttle Body Bypass..

Next, I replace the Cat Back Exhaust with one designed to replace the Cat Back Exhaust on a 94-96 Impala SS - and use an H-Pipe (what advantage does this give me) to fill a 6 inch gap...

Next is gears.. Upgrade to 3:42.. Where can I get these? Cadillac? Or will any performance shop do?

What happens with the transmission? Being that it's only designed to handle 350ft lbs of torque, am I pretty much killing it at this point? Is there a replacement? Performance rebuild that I need? Or will the new larger gears make this a non-issue?

Before I sold my Vette, I went to a pretty good local Corvette repair shop to get things fixed.. Can I have the PCM reprogrammed there? They mostly deal with LT1's... Is getting the computer reprogramming something they'll charge me a lot for?

And.. Finally.. At what point in my mod-list would I need to get this reprogramming done? I mean - if I'm going to have to do it more than once - and it's expensive - then maybe I'll just wait and do everything at once..

Oh, also.. What do you guys generally think about the K&N Air Filter? Does it let more dirt into the engine?

Thanks for all the help.. This is getting really interesting...

Off this latest topic - what do you guys generally think about Super-Charging the LT1?

 

[BeelzeBob]

Haha. Well, I'm extremely limited by budget and technical knowledge.. I'll have to slowly save to get these things done.. I can do some of the stuff myself - and probably will.. But the more important stuff will probably take me until Spring to afford...

 

[BeelzeBob]

Well, I love this car and I'm going to have it for a long, long time.. So, I might as well have it at its best.. I thought I was getting out of the racing-game with this big car, but now I've just got other big cars wanting to play.. I guess it never ends. But I enjoy it...

 

[BeelzeBob]

Thanks.. Very helpful.. It sounds like I should learn to do my own programming though...

 

[BeelzeBob]

Quick question in regards to programming.. If I don't do this after the intake and exhaust mods (the cheap ones), will even these be worthless after a short period of time - due to the automatic learning/re-adjusting?

 

[BeelzeBob]

It sounds interesting enough that I want to learn about it - but I don't want to break anything while I'm at it...

 

[BeelzeBob]

Can someone give me a general idea of my Fleetwood Brougham before and after these mods? I'm interested in doing the intake stuff mentioned, the cat-back exhaust (or just the mufflers - not sure yet) and the 3:42s - and of course, the programming...

I'm interested in ball-park horsepower changes, torque changes and 0-60,1/4 mile times...

 

[BeelzeBob]

Bueller? ...Bueller?

 

[BeelzeBob]

I'd like to hear more about this.. Sounds very interesting...