yay! Got my car back together!

Passing..... drop it down to 3rd.

[Aurora40]

Originally Posted by Z Factor

You would not happen to have a pictures of it would you?

Here you go. It was still mounted on the car, though. So it wasn't easy to get a good shot. But this shows you the V part that is sort of jagged. And you can kind of see the skeletonized screw mounting surface on the left.

The TB bores looked huge to me when it was off the car. If you could see the primary butterfly in this pict it would help for scale.

Going for stock to the 63mm is only a 5mm change or roughly 1/4" . So that gets you a true 2" blade opening.

Good job on port matching the air horn to the TB, most pieces I've seen done, have not had that matching.

[Z Factor]

Thanks for the picture, it looks good

[tomtom72]

Man that looks very cool! Sweeeet job that they did, Bob! If the rest of the work was that quality I'd say you have a great combo going!

I'm envious!

Good luck with your evolving project!


Tom

[Aurora40]

Originally Posted by Jeffvette

Good job on port matching the air horn to the TB, most pieces I've seen done, have not had that matching.

Heheh, thanks. But really all I did was pack it up and pay the bill.

Originally Posted by tomtom72

Man that looks very cool! Sweeeet job that they did, Bob! If the rest of the work was that quality I'd say you have a great combo going!

Well, I thought the rest seemed better. Everything else was very uniform and smooth and attractive. I guess I'm the only one who things that jagged V area at the top is kinda an eye sore? It's not a biggie, though. I guess if the car is ever making big power then it will be good to have.

[Aurora40]

So I changed out my plastic-lensed Wagner headlamps with Silverstars. I wanted XtraVisions because they are quite similar to Silverstars but last much longer, but the dang auto parts place never stocked them (I checked like 5 times and each time they are like "they should be in this week"). Anyway, I decided to take the car for a spin at about 10:30 to see how they were and make any adjustments to the beams.

As I was driving along, I found myself at a red light on a 4-lane divide highway with a 55mph speed limit, and no one around. The car was nice and warmed up, so I rolled on it somewhat gently up to about 15-20mph to get through the intersection, then dropped the hammer. This car really takes my breath away! It pulls so hard now at the top, it just keeps pulling and pulling. I hit the rev limiter in 1st and in 2nd, and took it up to about 110mph, the fastest I've ever had it on the street. It went through 1st and 2nd so fast that I just had to try 3rd... It's insane!

Probably one of the neatest and also eeriest things is having the car accelerate so easily and quickly, but be so quiet. It has that sort of electric motor sound of a DOHC motor with a quiet exhaust. The intake sound almost overwhelms the exhaust. These cars really sound nice, though obviously fairly restrained.

I turned around at a later intersection and punched it again, and I hit the limiter again in 2nd. I'll have to really pay attention to the tach, it just keeps pulling so easily.

One thing that I guess I find so cool is my perspective. This is obviously not close to the fastest car around. But it's by a long stretch the fastest car I've ever driven or ridden in. My '87 vette was probably the next fastest. It was fun but you could punch it at will. It was fast but really not so fast. The Z almost makes me feel like I have to plan ahead before punching the gas. It's just so quick.

I recall one time driving on the interstate from work to my wife's house (girlfriend at the time). I was in school and worked nights, so it was like 1-2am. A '95ish Supra Turbo was in front of me, and I was going quicker than him. I suspected something might be up, so as I passed him I was ready to punch it. He nailed it, and I punched it and let the 4+3 kickdown to 4 on its own. The guy walked away from me, especially once the overdrive kicked in at about 4500 rpm (it did that if it kicked down on its own, but wouldn't if you manually kicked it down). I raced the guy a few times, up to about 120mph. Above about 90mph, the L98 would really start to slow down. Part of it was the gearing, and part that I wasn't the most aggressive shifter for downshifts (I still am not). But thinking about that car accelerating to 120, and this car accelerating to 110... Wow what a contrast! Only 3 years of 'vette evolution separated them.

Anyway, sorry for the rambling, I was just really wowwed!

[tomtom72]

Now That sounds sweet!! Bob! So glad you are happy with the results!

I hear ya about comparing these cars to other previously owned vettes, it is something to marvel at the leap forward from an old fashioned sb 350 to an LT5. Man that gap is huge! What was that I read..."it's not the numbers but what's under the curve..." I forget that sometimes when I'm in a hurry and step too hard on the gas in 1st, even if I'm going 20 or 30 mph the car looses traction. I can't concieve of what your project has done to exacerbate that situation! It sure sounds like a pleasant problem to have!

Good luck with your "new" Z! Enjoy!!!


Tom

[Z Factor]

Originally Posted by Aurora40

Anyway, sorry for the rambling, I was just really wowwed!

I think you will find that we all enjoy reading about others who experience the same thing we have at one time or another. If and when you go the exhaust route, you will be marveling even more at all the available power at the upper end. Our cars just keep on pulling long after others beg for mercy.

[WB9MCW]

it is all about the pull....pulling away as u know the other guys heart sinks and your beats faster with the increasing rpms...it is the luv affair we have for the LT5...the TRUE hartbeat of our american exotic the mighty ZR-1....LONG LIVE THE KING.........................