Now more than ever, it's an exciting time to be a plutocrat. The stock market has largely recovered, tax rates on hedge funds remain low for the nonce, and, thanks to the efforts of talented tuners everywhere, it's become a relatively simple matter to infuse a C6 street car with a truly unwell amount of horsepower.
Shall we build your new Z06 Carbon with 1,000 horsepower, sir, or would a figure of 1,500 be better suited to a man of your stature? Assuming your pockets are deep enough, the choice is yours to make.
As for the rest of us, the more pertinent question centers around whether it's still possible to noticeably improve the performance and exhaust tone of a late-model Vette without spending a cubic crapload of money. This month, we'll endeavor to find out by installing a couple of basic, affordable bolt-on parts on an '05 C6.
Our Airaid CAI kit came complete...
Our Airaid CAI kit came complete with filter, air bridge, installation brackets, bellows, seals, and hardware. At a price of just under $250, it’s one of the more affordable C6 systems on the market.
Bearing in mind the old saw about an engine being nothing more than an air pump, we selected as our first upgrade a cold-air induction system from Airaid. Part number 250-218 ($245.95) comes with a large, open-element filter; a low-restriction intake tube/air bridge; and all the hardware required for installation on an '05-'07 LS2 Corvette. (Z06 and LS3 systems are also available.) We specified a traditional oiled filter element for our Vette, but Airaid's SynthaMax oil-free filter is also available with the kit.
To back up our freshly decongested LS2, we chose a rear-section exhaust system from Stainless Works (PN C6CBSQUAD, $1,050). The kit comes with a pair of polished, 2.5-inch "S-Turbo" mufflers; matching over-axle pipes; a full complement of hardware; and a quartet of serious-looking double-wall tips. Although SW offers a full line of long-tube headers and complete, converter-back exhausts, we decided to limit the scope of this project to a simple axle-back replacement to keep costs down and minimize installation headaches. We also thought it would be interesting to find out just how restrictive the factory C6 (non-NPP) mufflers alone really are.
The work took place at Source Interlink's East Coast HQ in Tampa, a locale that afforded us the opportunity to dyno-test the car beforehand, as well as immediately after each phase of the installation. Follow along now as we cover the highlights of the job.
Stainless Works’ C6 axle-back...
Stainless Works’ C6 axle-back kit features a pair of low-restriction turbo-style mufflers in a positively smashing mirror- polished finish. At an MSRP of $1,050, it’s hardly cheap, but the looks and assembly quality far exceed that of the “budget” brands.
Prior to the installation,...
Prior to the installation, we spun our ’05 coupe tester on the rollers to establish baseline output figures. The car cranked out a healthy 362.64 horses and 363.89 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels, which is a bit higher than we’d expect for a stock manual C6. The disparity is likely attributable to a reduction in drivetrain friction, achieved through the use of micro-polished rear gears (“More Grip, Less Slip,” Feb. ’11) and super-slippery synthetic fluids.
Our perfunctorily trained...
Our perfunctorily trained tech assistants begin the job by raising the car on a lift and removing the factory mid-pipe. A shot or two of rust-penetrating spray may be required to break loose the bolts.
With the mid-pipe gone, the...
With the mid-pipe gone, the stock mufflers and inlet pipes can be gently maneuvered out over the axle.
The hangers and rubber isolators...
The hangers and rubber isolators are then removed from the stock mufflers and reinstalled on the SW units.
The new SW mid-pipes are lifted...
The new SW mid-pipes are lifted into place and secured, followed by the mufflers (shown). Note the reflective quality of the 304 stainless and the tight welds at the outlets.