suggestions on add-ons

[gregmondro]

Hi everyone. I just bought a 1999 Dark Green (Is it called Teal? The Chevy Camaro website doesn't have the color listed anymore)

Anyways, it's a 4 speed automatic and it's bone stock. Right now I don't know what gears it has, but i'm gonna check that out when I get off of work.

Right now since I've just bought the car most of the cash is going towards car payments and *gulp* insurance payments.

Basically what i'm asking is what mods would you guys suggest to make it a bit faster, sound nicer (exhaust growl), and perform better overall without totally gutting the car [img]smile.gif[/img]

thx in advance [img]smile.gif[/img]

[99Camaro99]

search the forum for what to do but basic intake (Lid, K/N, CAI) and exhaust (Dynomax, Flowmaster, Edelbrock, etc...) and you should be set. All in all the car should become a bit peppier above 4,000RPM doing some of these basics. It can cost you about $300-$400 or so for all of the above. Enjoy and have fun with your new car.

BTW to check your gears open up the driver side door panel and look for a GU* code. GU6 denotes a 3.42 rear end, a definate goodie. :D

Also if you have Y87 listed, be even happier.

[gregmondro]

that sounds pretty good. another question though.
would that greatly improve the exhaust noise of the car? Right now, imo, in stock condition its REALLY weak and doesn't do the car justice at all.

thanks again [img]smile.gif[/img]

[gregmondro]

sorry, forgot in my last post.
in your opinion, are there any cons if i do those mods you suggested?

[Seal]

gu4 is 3.08 gears, thats what i had err hehe, if you want some loud *** sound from your car, get flowmaster, if you want less *VRAAAAA* get dynomax.
price would be around:
flowmaster: around 250 with install
SLP CAI: 120 if u buy new (i have used)
Whisper lid to increase the airflow: 140 or so
KN: 50 bux or so

thats what ill have for now, I am hoping it will give me 20 extra hp.

and i dont think these will give you any cons. they will lower your mpg maybe. and maybe something big can get into the cai (like a rock) and puncture the filter... i dont think anything else bad would happen [img]smile.gif[/img]

[99Camaro99]

downside? a lighter wallet maybe. I have a dynomax catback (all piping done from the cat to the tips) and it's loud IMO. Sounds like a 3 chamber flowmaster...quite rumbley idle and a nice sounding V6 at the top end...it'll never sound like an 8.

[Arctc Wolf]

overall good mods: slp cai, K&N filter, shock tower brace, exhaust. these won't lighten your wallet too much, but make a big difference on the car.

[gregmondro]

i checked the gears from the stats in the door panel.
3.08 which I really think sucks because I can't even do a burnout even when i mash the pedal when the car is in drive (reverse is no problem, but... you get the point).

anyways, i want the car to be a contender (there is a 98-02 Firebird (possibly a Ys6) in town, a Mustang Cobra (90 something, not that old, not that young) and another Firebird that looks pretty much the same as my Camaro (it's older tho.) there is also some bs eclipses and a few others not needed to be mentioned).

i haven't checked around much for exhausts because i'm not really sure what I need to know. (what catback is, etc). Like I said, i don't really wanna gut the car and my wallet in the process, but i'm kinda looking for dual exhausts that look mean and sound nice (the cai and other air induction methods you guys recommended will help this out probably i'm assuming).

so what would be your suggestions again from that new info.

-99 Teal Camaro (dark tinted windows, probably not that far from being illegal), 3.08 gears :( , Stock everything else.

[Seal]

well, 1st thing:

tell us how much u want to spend...

my budget was not to pass around 300 (but i did [img]tongue.gif[/img] )

[greencamaro]

what is a gu5 then

[Seal]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by 99Camaro99:
I have a dynomax catback (all piping done from the cat to the tips) and it's loud IMO. Sounds like a 3 chamber flowmaster...quite rumbley idle and a nice sounding V6 at the top end...it'll never sound like an 8.<hr></blockquote>

wanna compare the loudness with mine? :D lol

[gregmondro]

i haven't put a set ammount of cash away to start modding yet, and being a hs student doesn't help matters @ all. so that's how the situation is, but I DO want to mod the car to my likings.

the car is also my only means of transportation (to school daily) so i don't want to have a mess on my hands if something goes horribly wrong and i can't drive.

i hope that kinda clears up the situation a bit, but like i said. no gutting of the car (much), and no real gutting of my wallet (not so much ;P )

also, i had some questions on the mods that you guys suggested. first off, what is the shock tower brace for and what does it help improve?

the exhausts: I want something that'll make it sound nice/mean and possibly give it some power, but at the same time look nice (hoping for dual exhausts, somethign looking like those on the SS Camaros, straight chrome pipes).

cai vs whisper lid: what do you guys think would be better and more cost effective? I noticed some people said that the CAI had a hard time fitting in 99 Camaros and required some cutting of the body inside the engine compartment, i don't want to have to do that.

SS Hood & Spoiler/Trunk: I want to put these on my car in the future (not right away, not anytime soon probably). will this affect any of the mods I wanna do?

burnouts: w/3.08 gears, is it possible? If not, how can I get it working (burnouts = great respect factor imo) WITHOUT changing my gears to 3.42 or anything for that matter.

[ June 26, 2002: Message edited by: gregmondro ]</p>

[scottblack]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by gregmondro:


the car is also my only means of transportation (to school daily) so i don't want to have a mess on my hands if something goes horribly wrong and i can't drive.
]<hr></blockquote>
Same here, well, i just graduated.
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by gregmondro:

also, i had some questions on the mods that you guys suggested. first off, what is the shock tower brace for and what does it help improve?
]<hr></blockquote>
It stiffens up your front end for tighter turning on the highway and reduces nose dive under hard braking. Used ones are great.
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by gregmondro:

the exhausts: I want something that'll make it sound nice/mean and possibly give it some power, but at the same time look nice (hoping for dual exhausts, somethign looking like those on the SS Camaros, straight chrome pipes).
]<hr></blockquote>
Best bet is SLP's Dual/Dual exhaust if you want a full catback, or you can get Blowmaster and sound like a tin can when you go past 3K RPMs. If you get the Dual/Dual then get a Dynomax Bullet Muffler (from Summit Racing) and have it welded onto the intermediate pipe to smooth out the sound.
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by gregmondro:

cai vs whisper lid: what do you guys think would be better and more cost effective? I noticed some people said that the CAI had a hard time fitting in 99 Camaros and required some cutting of the body inside the engine compartment, i don't want to have to do that.
]<hr></blockquote>
Do them both at once. Fast Toys Ram Air along with a Whisper Lid will make a huge difference. You will have to cut a little bit of your airbox but it is very easy, just takes a few minutes. I'm a total klutz and i figured out how to do it. Well, i used to be a klutz, lol, not anymore though. [img]tongue.gif[/img] Also get a Holley filter, not K&N. They are the same, except the Holley seals way better in your airbox, and it's cheaper, and looks better (it's blue).
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by gregmondro:

SS Hood & Spoiler/Trunk: I want to put these on my car in the future (not right away, not anytime soon probably). will this affect any of the mods I wanna do?
]<hr></blockquote>
These will cost you (together) about one grand, plus painting. Might want to hold off. They won't affect any of the mods you do though.
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by gregmondro:

burnouts: w/3.08 gears, is it possible? If not, how can I get it working (burnouts = great respect factor imo) WITHOUT changing my gears to 3.42 or anything for that matter.
]<hr></blockquote>
Get 3.42s and a take off limited slip unit from www.slponline.com The Zexel Torsion is the one you want, it is $99.

All of the other parts i suggest you go to www.ls1tech.com and search through their classifieds. They have the absolute best stuff to get. On that SLP Dual/Dual, you will have to have a muffler shop fabricate it for you to fit your car, they are designed for the V8s, but it is nothing difficult if they want your business.

Scott

[gregmondro]

I'm still kinda lost on what the difference between a catback exhaust system is and a non-catback exhaust. I'm guessing it's the location of the catalytic converter.

If i'm right, is there any way to just leave it where it's at and still have a nice sounding/nice looking exhaust system?


Next up, the CAI, I noticed you said something about Fast Toys Ram Air, is this basically a ram air hood? I'm going to look into it more after I get off work, but if it is, what'd you recommend doing, going for the ram air or waiting (possibly a long time) for the SS hood I want. The SS hood has the scoop on it for the induction, but i'm not sure if it'd be wierd because of the placement of that scoop (ram air hoods have them on the very front almost).

anyways, thanks again guys. You're really making this simple for me [img]smile.gif[/img]

[TheBlackSwordsMan]

The Fast Toys Ram Air is under your intake box. You cut a rectangular whole in the bottom and install the fast toys ram air. What is does is grab the air that is going under your car to your radiator. Since the air box is right over the radiator the air continues up to the air box and travels through the cut out you made.

Hope that helps you.