I'm going to finish up the other things like bleed the brakes tomorrow and then go for a drive. Hopefully I'll be able to get it tuned on Friday.

If I can get it tuned, then I might drop it off with him and let him put some miles on it. I think he's really excited. Right now he's storing my Camaro and he said he took it for a drive the other day and he couldn't believe how nimble it was. He said it reminded him of his lotus Elise. Ha. I'll take that as a compliment.

I'm having one of those "put the tools down and back away" moments....


Wtf am I missing and why the F can't I find it!?!?!



I have the exhaust hooked up and the new tuned ECU in and the last thing on my freaking list is to blead the freaking brakes and I have one bleeder screw totally rusted and rounded and apparently I've lost an entire brake line!

Found it! Bastard was snaked into a hole in the frame.

Went for a quick ride! The engine ran awesome. But I had very little brakes and I blew a power steering hose, so other than that it was a success!!

That sounds about like progress. My first Corvette drive was at night (I have a rule about that and I broke it) and the alternator was dead. Barely made it home. Lights were nearly off and the car barely ran....

Maiden voyages seem to go that way sometimes.

I want to do something with the front end. The grill has been removed, which looks ok. I saw a picture of an OEM grill that was sanded and painted and I think it looks better. What do you guys prefer? I was considering a black billet grill but I'm not sure I like it.

Also I really like the look of some aftermarket projector headlights. I think the darker ones look pretty good bu most seem to be halos.

I'm just curious what you guys prefer.

I just took the grill off my original 2002. Well, the body shop did when they repaired the nose when I hit the deer. I just had them leave it off.

So yesterday I fixed the power steering line and took the car to autozone. I can't believe how smooth this car runs on a mail order tune! I was in 5th at 1200 RPM at like 35 MPH and there was no cam surge at all. My dad is going to absolutely love this engine.

So, oil change and radiator flush today. Then I'm going to try my hardest to get the brake bleeder screws out. I have new ones, so if I can get them out, all will be well. If they break off, then I'm going to upgrade to CTS-V 4 piston calipers.

I'm still looking for 18" Z06 wheels but I'm not having any luck.

Which cam did you ultimately use?

Texas Speed 224r 112 LSA

You can tell it has a cam in it at idle but it's subtle.

Sweet! I think that's larger than I want to deal with, but maybe not. No headers on this one, right?

Right. Stock manifolds and cats. There is zero drivable issues. Later today when I change the oil I'll take a video of the idle.

Sweet! I don't want to deal with headers on mine and I want good street manners and long valvespring life. So I'm interested to see how this cam works out.

I've got a problem with the steering. I get a vibration in the power steering when turning left only. Noticeable when at slow speeds whenn making large steering inputs. I was thinking it was air but its not. It's perfectly smooth to the right but vibrates and grumbles to the left. Fluid is topped off.

So I've got a metal barb in the high pressure line where I had cut the line for engine removal. Could that be a restriction that could cause this?

Dropping the car off at my dads today. Hopefully I'll get some videos this afternoon.

I would think if there was a restriction it would effect turning both ways... I would try turning it with the wheels lifted up off the ground to make sure nothing else is binding

So while I had the car on the lift, engine off, key on, I tuned the wheel back and forth and felt no binding. So then I drive the car to my dads house, 45 minutes away and didn't feel any vibrating at all. So I don't know, maybe there was air trapped in there somewhere.

Either way, it doesn't matter now because after my brother took the car for a test drive, it blew a high pressure line again. So I'm going to order new power steering lines and install them next time I'm at my dads.

New power steering lines will be ordered soon. Also we're going to do the CTSV calipers with 5th gen rotors and Carbotech pads. Has anyone had the rotors machined to fit the 4th gens? How much and what kind of a PITA is it? That's the only thing I don't like, but hopefully we won't be changing rotors very often.

So we need wheels. I may try to convince my dad to spend the money for new 18x10.5 speedlines with 315 Nt05's. I can't remember if spacers are required, but either way it'd probably be a good idea to replace all the lugs and studs since these have some miles on them.

So the engine has been running awesome. I hate that I blew the power steering line when I dropped it off because he really wants to drive it and obviously can't. We'll get it fixed soon though.

The only time I got some bucking is really when in parking lots and if I'm not smooth. Being that this is a mail order tune, I'd be willing to bet that can be tuned out with live tuning, which by the way we're going to do in a month or two. I'm anxious to see what the graph looks like with stock manifolds.

The cool thing is driving around in 5th at 30 mph at 1000 RPM is completely smooth. Zero surging. And it still makes enough torque to accelerate a effortlessly with zero protesting.

Last weekend I brought the car to my dads and this was the first time I got on the highway with it. On the on ramp to the highway I flooded it in 2nd and it spun all he way through 2nd. Not enough for me to get out of the gas, but enough to make it interesting. I just can't believe how hard this engine pulls. Now remember, I'm used to LT1's that are like tractor motors, low end torque, not much up top. It's impressive how much torque there is down low with this engine but what's really fun is how it pulls abover 4000.

Anyway, here's a walk around video. We need to take it to a muffler shop to have them fix the connection between the Y and the rest of the exhaust. It's about 1" too short and the only thing holding it together is a band clamp, which leaks.


https://youtu.be/Z57hHKS-Ces

And here my brother is recording while I pull out of my parents neighborhood. It spun through 1st and hooks in 2nd.

https://youtu.be/gkh7Wqwum4E

As it sits right now...

Car $2500
Shipping $600
Used short block $300-$400 (depending on selling old block for 3-400)
Improved Racing $500
TS cam package $850
Heads cleaned w/new seals $260
ARP head bolts $200

Call it $5500 after other gaskets and odd and ends. Not too bad!

That's a good report so far. I'm anxious to see the dyno curve after tuning. Then I'll figure out what (if anything) to do to the convertible (unless I collect a second one instead).

I'm planning to do this swap on my car. According to LS1Tech, the center hole needs to be enlarged by about 3mm, and the wheel stud holes should be large enough to accommodate the difference in bolt pattern (120mm vs 120.65mm). A decent machine shop should be able to handle this pretty easily. If you have a spare old hub laying around, you could give it to them with the rotor to make sure they get it right.

One option would be to use 2 piece rotors, then you only have to enlarge the hat once and you can replace the rings as needed. The only issue with this plan is the cost of 2 piece rotors is crazy, at least for the ones I've found (DBA rotors are at least $340 a piece, and Rock Auto has stock 1 piece rotors for like $38 a piece). If anyone knows an affordable 2 piece rotor, post it up!

I hadn't priced anything out yet. If rotors are only $38/ea, I'll buy two pair and have them all machined that way there's a second pair ready to be bolted on.

What is that little window on the tach? Anyone know?

????

It's a window to see the connecting rods when they pop out of the block? Saves crawling under the car?

I really don't know what window you're asking about. Pics?

Sorry, look at the first video when I start the car.


https://youtu.be/Z57hHKS-Ces

I've never seen that? At least not that I can remember.

I thought it looked homemade. I'll call Dave someday and ask him.

I agree with Kevin, that isn't factory.

That's where I lost interest on swapping to the CTS-V1 setup... having to machine the center of the rotor. I recall reading that the Z06 rotor doesn't need machining but that the pads don't reach to the outside of the rotor and leaves a significant lip.

I don't care to keep a lot of spares... I like the ease of going to a local store and getting spares that bolt right on. Is there a different hub which would match the rotor without machining? If we use the Dulaney adapters, is there a different SKF race bearing which would be compatible?

The Z06 rotor does leave a lip on the pads, and the rotor offset isn't quite right so you have to space the caliper out a bit with washers. I thought all f-body and C4/C5/C6 hubs used the same center bore, so I would ASSume the race bearings also use the same center bore but I don't have any yet. I have some of the Dulaney adapters but I haven't bought bearings. The 5th gen setup is a different bolt pattern so I don't think that would work.

Compared to the cost of running an aftermarket BBK and replacing rotors, getting 5th gen rotors machined is very cheap, and you won't find Stoptech rotors in stock at the parts store.

Maybe Hoosier/LPE/whatever they are called that does the rebuildable bearings could make a hub with the 5th gen center bore, or you could machine down the hub after you get it, but then you're stuck with bearings that you can't buy from a part store.

If parts store replacement parts are a must, it seems like C5/C6 brakes of some variety are the best option.

Well I'm thinking in a pinch you could just install a couple of washers to space the caliper and throw the Z06 rotors on.

You'll lose the "hubcentric" fit of the hub to center the wheel. The lug nuts are there to hold the wheel on, the hub is there to center the wheel and support the loads. I wouldn't have the hubs machined without a spacer to fit between the hub and the wheel (some aftermarket wheels used to include a "ring" to go over the hub that fit the oversized hole in the wheel).



You'll be amazed how flat and consistent washers are not. I believe you'll likely have a brake wobble/warped rotor feel. Shim stock might work, but washers generally aren't a good idea. I once adjusted a caliper on the teal wonder with washers. I also had a caliper come half way off on the freeway. So, do what you feel, but I'm going to recommend against it.

Well knowing how my dad drives, a set of rotors is going to last him the life of the car. So I'll give it a shot on the 1SC and see how much of a PITA it is. I still think it would be worth it to just get a couple of sets done at once that way if you need new rotors, they'll already be in the garage waiting for you.

*shrug* Been running the wheels on the race car without being hub centric for almost a decade. As long as you snug two lug nuts before you start running the others on, it's no big deal. I've heard of a couple guys end up in a bind when the hub centric spacer stuck on the hub and they needed to pull a rotor. It's a non-issue in my mind if you're running tapered lug nuts.

At one point, I had LT1 axles (IIRC) in a 10-bolt and the wheels wouldn't fit (C4 Turbines? Can't remember). Took a HSS cutter in a 1/2" battery drill and "machined" the lip out of the wheels. Worked fine.

If you need to shim the brake calipers, make sure you use a dial caliper to check the height of your washer stack. I have the adapter brackets spaced out .500+ using hardened washers. I don't even think the stack heights are equal to get caliper centered on the rotor. We are talking '80s GM quality control here...

Stuff can go wrong if you hack it in, but if you apply a little engineering thought to projects, you can get away with home brew fixes.

^^ that's good to know.

Ok some fun new parts that are about to be ordered.

(4) Toyo Proxes r888 315/30/18 ($1248 installed) ::ordered::
(4) C5 Z06 wheels 18x10.5 ($1300) ::ordered::
(2) CTSV 4 piston calipers ($300) ::ordered::
(2) CTSV hardware kit ($19) ::ordered::
(2) 2010 Camaro SS 14" rotors ($110)
(2) Flynbye brake lines ($85)
(2) Carbotech 1521 pads (street compound) ($170) ::ordered::
(1) High pressure power steering hose ($40) ::ordered::
(4) ARP studs and a bag o' nuts ::ordered::
(2) Blainfab 1/2" wheel spacers ($194) ::ordered::

After lots of research, I'm going to get Toyo Proxes r888's in 315/30/18's.


Also I've got a call into Sam and also Alan to see about new lugs/ARP studs and 15mm spacers for the front.

Why R888's? Those don't qualify as street tires for SCCA, and they aren't nearly as sticky as real R's. Why not Rival S? They also come in a 315/30R18.

So my dad is going to be using the car as mostly a weekend car with an HPDE once in a while. The rivals are about $70/tire more expensive than the r888's. I really wanted to use the NT05's but they only come in a 295 size. The 888's are only $20/tire more than the NT05's.

I've been doing a lot of reading and the people who use the 888's on the street actually say they are a decent street tire.

So I figured we'd give them a shot.

I liked them as a rain tire. Never could quite figure out what made them "suck" in the dry compared to RA1s. Not sure if they didn't like heat or slip angle, but they would give up a lot on the front. When they were a NASA spec tire, I would run RA1s on the front and R888s on the back until we used up the R888s.

My dad and I used to jokingly call them snow tires. Fine when it's cold, but they sucked when it got warm. Haha.

USA only got the medium compound. They weren't spec long enough for me to try out my plan of ordering the soft compound from the UK.

Caveat: I personally have not used R888's on my Corvette. Everything that follows is an observation from instructing an auto-x student on R888's.

Unshaved from the factory, the R888's had decent grip on a dry auto-x course, but heated up dramatically after just one run. Had to cool them down between runs to achieve the best grip. The tires would start squalling when pushed to the limit, so you'll have ample warning before they break away. In the rain or on a wet course, they were great. No wheel spin under full power.

Shaving the tires supposedly cuts down on the heat buildup, but I can't image them not getting slick and/or unresponsive during a 20 minute HPDE session in the dry. Of course, YMMV, but I'd be weary of using unshaved R888's for track sessions.

Good Luck!

That should actually be about perfect. My dad really isn't interested in driving like his life depends on it, like I do. He pretty much is going to baby it around the track. He used to track an LT1 camaro when we were younger, then he sold it for a Lotus Elise. That's an amazing car, but it sucked some of the fun out of it for him because he never felt confident with it. So my goal with this car is to have good power to get him down the straights but I really want to focus on the handling. He drove my car recently and he couldn't believe how nimble it felt just around town.

So I'm hoping this car will have a high enough limit to allow him to stay comfortably below it, yet still allow him to have a good time and not feel like he's tip toeing around the track.

I'm also kinda hoping the CTSV brakes with Carbotech XP20's and these sticky 315's impress the hell out of him.

Are you running 1/2" spacers all around with the C5Z rear wheels?

House of Wheels Speedline 18x10.5's? Which finish? What center caps?
Are the rotors OEM? Where did you find them for $110 per pair?
You bought 4 18x10.5 wheels but only two 1/2" spacers? Is that price correct for two 1/2" spacers? I'd hope it was for 4 spacers.

House of wheels, four rear C5 Z06 wheels are $1300 shipped. They are brand new, OEM wheels in the argent finish. And they'll be here in a couple of a days.

I forgot to ask about center caps.

Rotors are autozone duralast 2010 SS Camaro rotors (need machining)

The price was the total for two spacers, ARP studs and new lug nuts for all 4 corners.

From the reading I've read doing, the offset is 54 (I think). That should be good for the rear, but the fronts need a spacer. Do you guys think otherwise? Please tell me know. The plan is to show up sometime next week with a truck full of parts. It'll be a fun father/son day of bolting on new parts.

http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/index.php?showtopic=13206

This is an entire thread of C5Z rears on 4th gens. One guy ended up at 1/2" front, 7/16" rear. Another ran no rear and trimmed the bumpstops heavily.

Sounds like your dad should have bought a Miata

3/8" rear spaced ordered from Alan.

Thanks Chad. I had missed that. I'll be honest, my head was spinning reading all about what offsets work.

Instead of the Elise? Yeah maybe. But the Elise was way cooler.

Post up with how those fit with the 1/2 and 3/8 spacers. I'm planning to do the same setup.

Will do. Hopefully we'll get everything bolted up sometime next week.

Go to Tirerack and order a set of Centric rotors. Stoptech is part of the Centric "family". I've never had much luck with parts store rotors. We put new rotors on my wife's 2005 Accord. They warped in a week. A year later we warrantied them and swapped them. Warped again in about a week. I finally put Stoptech pads (street pads....same ones I put on my Camaro) on it and Centric rotors. They have been perfect for months.

The ones on my Camaro have also been great and Racerdad has the high carbon Centric rotors on his 3rd gen (LS1 brake conversion). No problems. And that car has a TON of "motor" in it.

If you're spending money to have them machined, I'd buy a better rotor to start.

crap... could've made you save some $
I'm getting rid of my 18x10.5 C6 wheels... they have slightly worn NT01 in them... could've sold whole thing for less than half your wheels.