Corvette LT1, LT4 and L98 DIY

[PLRX]

Vette Enthusiasts,

Lets hear your 2011 stories about any DIY you performed on your beloved Corvette. What are your DIY plans for 2012?

Ghost:

The 3.91 gears
Lost time and few bucks with this story but, the 3.91 gears are fun and one half

Petes curve experience
Learn about limitations, coilover re-installation, double knob set ups, how to measure a Vettes frame/multiple points. C4 frame are stronger than you think!

New Blacked-Out HID Headlights
Cheaper on EBay

ZF Amsoil Experiment
Works better than Castrol TWS

Seat Brace
Fixed Betty Boops broken in half plastic seat frame. Fixed it with steel.

Teflon Washers
Rear hubs teflon washers "clink" noise went away. I learned from Friz later on that the noise is because they become loose and not bad. They torque to 200 ft-lbs

Trailing Arms
Replaced the crappy one year only (96) fiberglass TA with Van Steels solid steel TA.

High Volume Fuel Pump
The 383 in the Ghost was starving the system. Thanks to Wayne, he recommended me a HV pump and the high RPM weakness is gone.


For 2012
I got nothing planned out yet but, Ive been thinking about the Wilwood 6-piston caliper for the 17" wheel.

[Sweet 90]

Just new upper & lower rad hoses and some weather stripping, unless the old girl has other plans

[Frizlefrak]

Marco gets (badly needed) new Bilsteins on all 4 corners. I'm not happy with the brakes either....contemplating my next move with them.

OH....almost forgot....Marco gets a trip to SoCal for a Bomber Run.

[PLRX]

Originally Posted by Frizlefrak

Marco gets (badly needed) new Bilsteins on all 4 corners. I'm not happy with the brakes either....contemplating my next move with them.

OH....almost forgot....Marco gets a trip to SoCal for a Bomber Run.

All of us cant wait. I have a route mapped out from Redlands thru Big Bear, Apple Valley, Victorville, 395 north, 14 west, 101 north and meet up with Larry.

[WW7]

Mechanically my 89 is in great shape, I have replaced just about everything on the car in the last 3 years.I did put in a Edelbrock high flow water pump and Stewart high flow stat this year. The only thing I have left to do is remove the front spoiler from the car, have 2 small cracks in it glassed and painted from tapping a curb (from the previous owner not me) and reinstall it..I also have about 2 more datalogs before Mick is finished my tune completely.. Hopefully this year I can just drive the car......WW

[Frizlefrak]

Originally Posted by PLRX

All of us cant wait. I have a route mapped out from Redlands thru Big Bear, Apple Valley, Victorville, 395 north, 14 west, 101 north and meet up with Larry.

Route sounds great....though we do traverse some Hippie territory in there. We must remain vigilant in case they try to flank us.

[Taurus]

I pulled the radiator cap off and drove an LS1 under it..................

[PLRX]

Originally Posted by Taurus

I pulled the radiator cap off and drove an LS1 under it..................

Did you take a break John?

[PLRX]

Originally Posted by Frizlefrak

Route sounds great....though we do traverse some Hippie territory in there. We must remain vigilant in case they try to flank us.

Yes, if we see a croc crossing it could be an ambush for sure.

[WW7]

Originally Posted by Taurus

I pulled the radiator cap off and drove an LS1 under it..................

Any special tools required??..WW

[RedLS1GTO]

Originally Posted by WW7

Any special tools required??..WW

Just 1...

[Taurus]

Originally Posted by WW7

Any special tools required??..WW

Only me

[Taurus]

Originally Posted by PLRX

Did you take a break John?

No, but I had the to install the floor mats as well, that was more than enough for me.

[PLRX]

Originally Posted by Taurus

No, but I had the to install the floor mats as well, that was more than enough for me.

There was a thread about a Z06 owner who broke his femur installing the passenger side. He regretted the fact he didnt buy the installation for $99.99.

You were lucky; I bet you needed icy-hot and a motrin after such installation.

[Taurus]

Originally Posted by PLRX

There was a thread about a Z06 owner who broke his femur installing the passenger side. He regretted the fact he didnt buy the installation for $99.99.

You were lucky; I bet you needed icy-hot and a motrin after such installation.

No, just 2 Vicodin and a week in traction.

[WW7]

Originally Posted by Taurus

No, but I had the to install the floor mats as well, that was more than enough for me.

Hope you got them on the right sides this time.....WW

[Taurus]

Originally Posted by WW7

Hope you got them on the right sides this time.....WW

Wait, they're side specific??????????????

[mike100]

Originally Posted by PLRX

Vette Enthusiasts,

Lets hear your 2011 stories about any DIY you performed on your beloved Corvette. What are your DIY plans for 2012?



ZF Amsoil Experiment
Works better than Castrol TWS-
As you know I did this one too -too many people believe the 60w TWS hype...factory fill was 5w-30ish- I don't see the problem with the Amsoil 5w-30 refill. not changing back to Castrol.


Teflon Washers
Rear hubs teflon washers "clink" noise went away. I learned from Friz later on that the noise is because they become loose and not bad. They torque to 200 ft-lbs
Figured this one out on the purple '95

I don't even remember everything I did- there was a thread on it during the summer. It was already about 20 items long, but I will add the recent steering column repair I successfully accomplished.

I think I got 5 or 6 grand into parts and repairs the ZR to make it right- shoot...my last C4 only cost $7k.

anyways: for next year it's fairly simple:

-find and buy actual hard targa top (used)
-get cd player repaired to play MP3's
-get stock LT5 cat-back to make custom 2-3/4's exh system out of.
-*optional* buy chip emulator hardware to have on-the-fly ecm tuning. might need this if i ever give the finger to the smog man and get long tubes.

[PLRX]

Originally Posted by Taurus

Wait, they're side specific??????????????

Yes John, we are sorry.

You see, they are not the same. You no longer have the C3.

[WW7]

Originally Posted by PLRX

Yes John, we are sorry.

You see, they are not the same. You no longer have the C3.

Pete, you would have thought he'd of realized this when he had to turn the right one over with the flags upside down to make it fit on the left side.......WW