2012 Grand Sport - INFRNO - Because C5s break too much :(

[Seven]

So here's the info I posted at the end of the C5 project thread...

Originally Posted by RideZX6R

OK so here's an update to kind of explain things since I've been silent here for a while...

On Monday evening 7/28 the Corvette suffered engine failure. The cause of which was from a faulty methanol pressure switch... When it failed, it left the methanol pump stuck ON while the car was idling at a stoplight... which filled the intake/t-body/intake manifold with methanol, and when I went to pull out at the stoplight it hydrolocked the motor.

The damage is mild, looks like some very minor cylinder wall scoring (nothing a very quick ball hone won't fix) and likely 1 bent rod (ordered a replacement. All the pistons look fine, all other parts are fine too.

I'll be parting the car out, selling most of the modified parts and replacing with stock except for brake pads, lines, rotors, and suspension mods. A friend has a stock LS1 he's going to sell me and we're going to throw that in and the car will be for sale as a "stock with suspension/brake mods C5" for about $19500 obo.

The motor will be for sale, with the new con rod and a hone (and clean bill of health) for $2800 Which would give someone a $4.5k bottom end for a pretty good deal.

My heads, cam, injectors, fuel rails, fuel pumps, meth kit (with a new pressure switch), head lights, corner lights, tail lights Forgestar wheels (all 6 with tires), entire turbo system with new 64mm billet wheel turbos aem wideband, aem tru boost, twin 38mm wastegates (turbos showed up the day after the engine went), and diff brace are all for sale. Amongst some other stuff I probably forgot - A lot of which are spoken for or sold already.

I sold my 2011 GTI DD Thursday 8/14 and the C5 should be ready to be put up for sale by the end of the Sept.

I picked up a 2012 Inferno Orange Corvette Grand Sport last Wednesday (8/13) for a fellow Corvetteforum member and hell-of-a nice guy, which will be the new project. It's a 4LT with every box checked except an auto trans. Should make for a great DD/only car. Plans are fairly mild but I'll start a new thread for that...

Quick pics from previous owner...




And a quick IG one from home... C5 with hood on top of roof included...

Got the windows Tinted and some vinyl that is similar to the C5 done this weekend...

Only mods on the car when I got it was the NPP cat-back and a mild-to-wild switch for it.

Going to do performance mods in 2 stages because of it being my only car for the foreseeable future...

Headers/x-pipe (1 7/8 and catless), ported TB and Intake mani, cold air intake and tune...

Second stage will be in winter when I can put the car down for a couple weeks while taking the bus to work and traveling for the holidays. That'll including sending the heads to TEA or AI for port work, buying some sort of mild cam kit... something that'll do well with a blower but idle close to stock. And then ECS' Novi 1500 or 2000 kit. 650ish whp on 92 ideally.

For suspension and brakes...
Sway bars only (but adjustable ones) as the Mag Ride is great and I don't want to mess with it much. It rolls a little more than I'd like, sway bars will do the job and that'll be it.

Brakes will be HPS all around, no need to do HP Plus up front like I normally do because of the HUGE brake hardware, less dust too.
Will have carbotechs for track days only and swap em at the track or night before.

Wheels/Tires...
Has polished early-Z06 style wheels (which I don't care for) with Michelin Pilot Super Sports which are GREAT track tires, but wear somewhat fast. So I'm going to buy a set of Black Chrome Z06 Spyder wheels for my car and throw my INVOs from the C5 on the fronts (same size) and buy a pair of rears and drive on those. Then order some replica early black Z06 wheels in stock sizes... when they come in, I'll throw the PSS tires on the black z06 wheels, sell the polished (oem) ones and buy a set of 18x12 early black z06 wheels and put the 18in drag radials I have from the C5 on them - 10 wheels total, all replicas basically.

Appearance...
Already started with black gloss vinyl on the roof, b-pillar and hood stinger (see pics), and 5% tint. Will be buying ZR1 style wider side skirts, a extended ZR1 style rear spoiler, and ZR1 style front lip. Will be replacing the tails with tinted eagle-eye ones, swapping the chrome grand sport fender badges for black ones. lastly when the heads/cam/blower is being done I'll send out the headlights to be done in black. Should have a nice black and orange look.

Thinking about swapping the plate from INFRNO (from PO) to GR8 PMKN in March when the tags have to be renewed haha.

[ambitiousCK]

I'm jealous of your targa top...really wish I could take my roof off lol.

[Seven]

Originally Posted by ambitiousCK

I'm jealous of your targa top...really wish I could take my roof off lol.

call up LMR and order the Reaper package and you'll be happy you have a Z06 instead of a GS ;)

[ambitiousCK]

Originally Posted by Seven

call up LMR and order the Reaper package and you'll be happy you have a Z06 instead of a GS ;)

Not jeleous of the GS....just your targa top lol.

[jpalamar]

Been thinking of unloading mine for a targa as well.

[Seven]

So far I'd say it's worth it.

The car is great stock, even if a little on the slow side

[Seven]

Couple quick pics over labor day weekend...

Pics from the outside and the garage really show the difference that bright sunlight vs low-light/fluorescent light can make in how the color looks. Looks REALLY orange outside but basically tomato red inside...








Black grand sport fender badges have arrived, but are not yest installed.
Think I'm going to end up doing black-chrome Z06 Spyder wheels in the end.

[Seven]

Picked up a used Vararam last week. Also ordered some headers last week and an xpipe. Buying my buddy's stock NPP Z06 catback as an upgrade - this'll allow me to keep my M2W switch and have 3in piping (GS is 2.5)
Going to order a ported TB and Intake mani from BER as well... after the core returns (bought a spare TB so I have 2 to return and 1 Mani) it'll only cost me $180 for all the porting.
I figure that stuff and a decent tune should be about 425-440whp - which will feel nice.

Car is at the dealer for a fuel pump module replacement under warranty, having them try to replace shifter bushings/re-aling the shift as it feels a little out of whack, if that doesn't fix it I'm going to buy new poly bushings and a short shifter.

Wheels/tires and cosmetics next... Z06 Black Chrome Spyders and likely C7 Carbon's ZR1 CF Lip and race diffuser, and 1 in extended side skirts, along with the ZR1 extended CF Spoiler and paint-matched sidemarkers from corvettemods - Should complete the look.

[Seven]

Found a good deal on a used ECS Novi 1500 today. Put a deposit on it, guy will be removing it from his car this week. Vararam will be for sale as a result.

Car is still at the dealer.... shifter issue they decided warranted a while trans rip down to replace synchronizers.... I think they're milking GM for warranty money, but I can't complain about a free fresh trans.

Different direction on wheels, boughtt a set of early Z06 wheels that the finish is bad on, going to paint them gloss black with an Inferno Orange stripe on the lip. Buy a pair of 18x12s that are black and paint the same stripe on them for my DRs.

Will be selling the polish C6Z wheels I have no and the tires when the paint on the other wheels is done.

w00t.


Parts currently sitting in the garage...

-TSP 1 7/8ths LTs and catless X-pipe (3in)
-3in Z06 NPP exhaust with muffler mod
-Vararam (which will be sold before install, see below)
-Black GS fender badges
-AEM wideband
-80# injectors
-Walbro 400lph pump
-Eagle Eye LED tail lights

Ordered or bought and waiting for shipping...

-Set of OEM C6Z (early style) wheels with poor finish to paint (Will be gloss black with orange stripe on lip)
-Used ECS Novi 1500 kit
-C7Carbon CF Replica ZR1 front lip
-C7Carbon CF Replica ZR1 extended rear spoiler
-C7Carbon CF Race Diffuser
-C7Carbon CF ZR1 1 inch wider than stock sideskirts
-BER ported LS3 intake mani, and TB

[Seven]

Blower paid for and being shipped today. Wheels should arrive today as well, off for refinishing and paint shortly

[JRickson]

Originally Posted by Seven

Blower paid for and being shipped today. Wheels should arrive today as well, off for refinishing and paint shortly

yummy.

[Seven]

Originally Posted by PhillyLS1

You're going to outgrow that V3 pretty quick. May as well start looking for head unit upgrades. LS3 will run great with a JT Trim.

Street car sir, and a daily driver at that... going to make 700whp or a little more... Want it to be drivable on the stock motor without issues.

Originally Posted by JRickson

yummy.

I agree!

[PhillyLS1]

You're going to outgrow that V3 pretty quick. May as well start looking for head unit upgrades. LS3 will run great with a JT Trim.

[Seven]

Updating this below.

Originally Posted by Seven

Parts currently installed...
-Eagle Eye LED tail lights


Parts currently sitting in the garage...

-TSP 1 7/8ths LTs and catless X-pipe (3in)
-3in Z06 NPP exhaust with muffler mod
-Black GS fender badges
-AEM wideband
-80# injectors
-Walbro 400lph pump
-Used ECS Novi 1500 kit
-C7Carbon CF Replica ZR1 front lip
-C7Carbon CF Replica ZR1 extended rear spoiler
-C7Carbon CF ZR1 1 inch wider than stock sideskirts

Parts off for work...

-Set of OEM C6Z (early style) wheels with poor finish to paint (Will be gloss black with orange stripe on lip)

Ordered or bought and waiting for shipping...

-C7Carbon CF Race Diffuser
-BER ported LS3 intake mani, and TB