Heldenzeit's Garage.

[Heldenzeit]

Hi everyone, this is a new thread dedicated to my Corvette, also known as a Y-body. This thread will serve as a blog to track my progress on the car. Yay!

1993 Chevrolet Corvette

5.7 Liter V8 300hp, 340lb ft.

Weight:3333lbs.

Modifications I do to the car will be listed here as they appear.













WOOT!
Someone can lock the other thread because I have no use for it. It served its purpose.

 

[mustangGT90210]

Well, it's a 5.7 with only 300 horses, so my first idea for you, jack up that horsepower! Insurance be damned.

 

[Joey D]

Well, it's a 5.7 with only 300 horses, so my first idea for you, jack up that horsepower! Insurance be damned.

Why would the insurance care? For the most part the insurance company doesn't know about modifications to a vehicle, nor do they really care. They just won't pay to replace them if you are in an accident.

If you are interest in go fast performance parts I would suggest starting here:
http://www.slponline.com/car.asp?C=1992-1996 Corvette

I would get rid of those god awful, uber early 90's, chrome rims in favour of something lighter weight and better looking. A nice 5 spoke would look nice but I would try to get the lightest one you can. I'd also suggest getting some good tires as well. The car has a decent amount of power already so I would focus on upgrading handling components first.

 

[Slicks]

I don't know what you're on about, Joey. Those wheels look good.

They do, however, need to be shod in Falken Azenis. Stat.

 

[Joey D]

For one they are chrome, I've never been a huge fan of chrome rims on any thing.

 

[gibson]

Drop a 383 in it!

 

[Heldenzeit]

Yes, I am changing those lame 90's chrome wheels. They probably weigh 45 lbs each. Fiske makes some good looking wheels, as does BBS, so thats probably what I'll go with.

The car has brand new Khumo Exsta tyres on it. 255/45ZR17s in front and 285/40ZR17s rear, but wider tyres are always better.

MSD makes a replacement for that troublesome Optispark which is what I might do first. Its preventative maintenence and an upgrade!

Long term, I want to switch out the slushbox to a T-56 6-speed, but that might be awhile.

 

[Rue]

Why would the insurance care? For the most part the insurance company doesn't know about modifications to a vehicle, nor do they really care. They just won't pay to replace them if you are in an accident.

Are you sure about that, Joey? I would assume that putting performance increasing parts on your car without telling your insurance company would be tantamount to fraud and the insurers would do their best to make the authorities aware of this in order to allviate themselves of paying out any of their money.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

Best thing you can start doing for a GM vehicle of that era is free the suffocating engine. Improve the intake, exhaust, and ignition, and put in a sports ECU and get a dyno tune.

 

[Joey D]

Are you sure about that, Joey? I would assume that putting performance increasing parts on your car without telling your insurance company would be tantamount to fraud and the insurers would do their best to make the authorities aware of this in order to allviate themselves of paying out any of their money.

Maybe it depends on the insurance company but I've never heard of anyone doing that. It's just if they end up wrecking the vehicle the insurance won't cover the modified parts.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

Maybe it depends on the insurance company but I've never heard of anyone doing that. It's just if they end up wrecking the vehicle the insurance won't cover the modified parts.

My insurance has big issues with performance enhancing parts. Too much and they won't insure me.

 

[Jay]

Maybe it depends on the insurance company but I've never heard of anyone doing that. It's just if they end up wrecking the vehicle the insurance won't cover the modified parts.

Insurance companies over here want to know everything, you can run into major complications with them if you make a claim and they find obvious modifications not declared.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

Insurance companies over here want to know everything, you can run into major complications with them if you make a claim and they find obvious modifications not declared.

Yeah, complications involve things like: They won't insure you for 2c if they find something on your vehicle that wasn't meant to be there after you had your accident.

 

[Joey D]

Ya I didn't expect it to be the same in other parts of the world, or even different states. I just can't really imagine why the insurance company would care though? It just seems easier if they wouldn't insure the parts you replaced.

 

[Jay]

I just can't really imagine why the insurance company would care though? It just seems easier if they wouldn't insure the parts you replaced.

So they don't have to pay up at all, like nd 4 holden spd just said above. It does happen here.

 

[Tornado]

Drop a 383 in it!

The 345 can easily make 400+ horsepower without too much money spent on it (mostly intake and exhaust work, which usually doesn't even require replacement parts). The ceiling on his car won't be how much power the engine can extract, but rather how much power the 700R4 transmission can take without exploding (which would probably only a be little bit over 400).

 

[YSSMAN]

I'd probably just change out the throttle body, and run a brand-new exhaust system from the headers down. I'm under the impression that you could add between 35-50 BHP easily with that based on what I've seen with Camaros of the same vintage, all for less than $600 with a full kit.

 

[Jim Prower]

Maybe, Maybe not. I imagine Camaros were a little more restricted than Corvettes, traditionally. I might be safe saying 15-35 HP.

As for the wheels, go to the GM dealer, paruse the GM Performance Parts catalog. I'm pretty sure the later Z06 wheels would easily fit, and would be not only light, but safe as well. Might also look at other goodies for your car: The GMPP range is actually quite extensive.

EDIT: Actually, you can look at the catalog online...if you have a fairly fast connection and don't mind downloading a 33MB .pdf file.

http://www.gmperformanceparts.com/_res/pdf/gm_performance_parts_catalog_2008.pdf

 

[Joey D]

I'm pretty sure the later Z06 wheels would easily fit, and would be not only light, but safe as well. Might also look at other goodies for your car: The GMPP range is actually quite extensive.

Appears so:

Largers photo:
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/corvette-photos/data/509/Mine1.jpg

 

[RedTransAm]

Yes, I am changing those lame 90's chrome wheels. They probably weigh 45 lbs each. Fiske makes some good looking wheels, as does BBS, so thats probably what I'll go with.

May I suggest a set of ZR-1 wheels? They'll be an improvement over what you have and will be A LOT cheaper than anything from BBS or Fiske.

Long term, I want to switch out the slushbox to a T-56 6-speed, but that might be awhile.

Can that be done? Even so, I think it would be much easier to swap in the ZF 6-speed that manual C4's originally came with. It's a strong transmission, but they're expensive to fix, but so are T-56's.

Well, it's a 5.7 with only 300 horses, so my first idea for you, jack up that horsepower! Insurance be damned.

When did 300 horsepower become "only" 300 horsepower? That's always been a pretty respectable power figure to me at least...

 

[Tornado]

Largers photo:
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/corvette-photos/data/509/Mine1.jpg

That is awesome in a way I didn't know was possible.

 

[mustangGT90210]

When did 300 horsepower become "only" 300 horsepower? That's always been a pretty respectable power figure to me at least...

Don't get me wrong, it's VERY respectable! Just seems a bit under what a typical 5.7 runs.

But at the end of that day, that's still gonn be one fast lil bugger

 

[Heldenzeit]

I was thinking about the Z06 wheels and the ZR-1 wheels, which would look cool, but what about C6 ZR1 wheels?

The power is good for now, suspension and wheels always comes first in my book.

 

[Jay]

Don't get me wrong, it's VERY respectable! Just seems a bit under what a typical 5.7 runs.

300hp is pretty standard in what a 5.7 runs these days, in those days it was pretty good, epecially coming out of the 80's.

Personally first thing I would be looking into a manual conversion.

 

[Tornado]

I dunno. I'd think it would be rather expensive and time consuming for the improvement you get.

 

[Jay]

I dunno. I'd think it would be rather expensive and time consuming for the improvement you get.

For me the enjoyment and satisfaction when driving is much higher which makes it worthwhile, especially in a car like a Corvette (for me), it is a personal thing and I respect others that feel different.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

I quoted on a manual transmission swap for a BA Falcon (from an auto to manual) and the price easily escaladed to $20k. I guess aftermarket might be cheaper and better I don't know, but dayum that's a lot of money.

 

[Jay]

I quoted on a manual transmission swap for a BA Falcon (from an auto to manual) and the price easily escaladed to $20k. I guess aftermarket might be cheaper and better I don't know, but dayum that's a lot of money.

Yeah factory new stuff of course, but you go to the wreckers for all the parts for the conversion, do it yourself and it will be much much cheaper, it's a common conversion here in Japanese imports and VP-VS Commodores (hence the high price for Commdore manual flywheels).

My friend with a AU II XR8 (220kw version) had his autotrans die while on warrenty, he asked if he could have a manual fitted instead...... Ford guys laughed

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

I was thinking about the Z06 wheels and the ZR-1 wheels, which would look cool, but what about C6 ZR1 wheels?

The power is good for now, suspension and wheels always comes first in my book.

New ZR-1 wheels? Well first find out if they're even available. You can't get anything FPV specific in Australia unless you have that model of FPV, then you need to send away a form providing proof etc. It's so every Tom, Dick and Harry doesn't make their base model look like the top of the line schiz. You pay a high price for a car, and the dealer typically makes sure your car remains exclusive.

Yeah factory new stuff of course, but you go to the wreckers for all the parts for the conversion, do it yourself and it will be much much cheaper, it's a common conversion here in Japanese imports and VP-VS Commodores (hence the high price for Commdore manual flywheels).

My friend with a AU II XR8 (220kw version) had his autotrans die while on warrenty, he asked if he could have a manual fitted instead...... Ford guys laughed

Yeah, we did laugh, because it's cheaper to just buy another car with a manual already in it!
You'd have to be mechanically apt to DIY. I know I couldn't. But the improvements would be substantial indeed, probably well worth it. Acceleration will greatly improve.

 

[Jim Prower]

New ZR-1 wheels? Well first find out if they're even available. You can't get anything FPV specific in Australia unless you have that model of FPV, then you need to send away a form providing proof etc. It's so every Tom, Dick and Harry doesn't make their base model look like the top of the line schiz. You pay a high price for a car, and the dealer typically makes sure your car remains exclusive.

Nah, GM's not that way. Besides, you can find used versions readily online, too, as well as replicas from other wheel manufacturers.

I was thinking the best wheels might be C5 Z06ers, in gunmetal.