Planning An LS1 Build

[losh1971]

Twin 3" Difilipo or Magna Flow, if looking for something marginally less expensive. Both sound **** hot. DO NOT buy an X Force they sound ****.

 

[Ginger Beer]

I like to get custom exhausts made up, basically pick and choose the size and type of your pipes, cats, resonators and mufflers

Cost for a custom exhaust is usually roughly the same as a generic bolt on

Plus, you don't sound like every other car like yours with a bolt on

Support your local businesses

 

[elliottecarter]

Don't go twin 3" unless got decent sized stally & short diff gears or manual.

I've had 2 daily driver vy m6 cars....otr/tune/4-1's also tri-y's extractors/100 cell cats with twin 3' x-force....last one got lost it's rego before 3.9's went in.

Honestly think they all should be like that as a starting point...


If going all those mods n/a then later decide want boost may as well start over with import iron block 5.3 or 6.0 to build up...that way can keep driving car leave it on the road as long as possible.

Don't go twin 3" unless got decent sized stally & short diff gears or manual.

I've had 2 daily driver vy m6 cars....otr/tune/4-1's also tri-y's extractors/100 cell cats with twin 3' x-force....last one got lost it's rego before 3.9's went in.

Honestly think they all should be like that as a starting point...


If going all those mods n/a then later decide want boost may as well start over with import iron block 5.3 or 6.0 to build up...that way can keep driving car leave it on the road as long as possible.

Don't go twin 3" unless got decent sized stally & short diff gears or manual.

I've had 2 daily driver vy m6 cars....otr/tune/4-1's also tri-y's extractors/100 cell cats with twin 3' x-force....last one got lost it's rego before 3.9's went in.

Honestly think they all should be like that as a starting point...


If going all those mods n/a then later decide want boost may as well start over with import iron block 5.3 or 6.0 to build up...that way can keep driving car leave it on the road as long as possible.

Yeah that makes good sense.

Stall is @ 3200 on a newly acquired 4L65E - fully reworked, including shift kit. And new DIFF @ 3.9.

 

[elliottecarter]

As stated above

Exhausts are tricky

A big exhaust needs thought, and big resonators and mufflers

In saying that, when my LS1 was NA I had a custom single 3.5" with Pacemaker 1 5/8 Tri Y, to a 2.5" Y pipe with 200 cell cats, but, it had a "big bodied and long" 3.5" resonator and a "big bodied and long" 3.5" rear box

Boosted I'm running 1 7/8 4:1 to a 3" Y pipe with 400 cell cats to a 4" single with the biggest and longest 4" resonator that would fit and 4" rear box

The rear box is a 4" Varex, which is handy for quite starts, and when heading into my street late at night

The Varex muffler is also great as I can close it fully if the constabulary are near

Closed it is as quiet as stock, maybe quieter

But, when closed the Varex is a pretty big restriction, but fine for cruising around at low RPM

But, with the Varex fully open, at idle, or cruising, or at WOT, the exhaust sounds epic

You really need to put thought into an exhaust or you may end up with a obnoxiously loud/droning exhaust

Love it. The Varex and 4" sizing sounds awesome. Will look into Varex. thanks

 

[elliottecarter]

Twin 3" Difilipo or Magna Flow, if looking for something marginally less expensive. Both sound **** hot. DO NOT buy an X Force they sound ****.

Right. And yes I have heard that about X Force. Hmmm

 

[elliottecarter]

I like to get custom exhausts made up, basically pick and choose the size and type of your pipes, cats, resonators and mufflers

Cost for a custom exhaust is usually roughly the same as a generic bolt on

Plus, you don't sound like every other car like yours with a bolt on

Support your local businesses

I'll take that advice and add it to my Varex research. Custom! Great

 

[Ginger Beer]

I'll add that advice and add it to my Varex research. Custom! Great

Be aware, like any shop, they are not all the same when it comes to quality work

Pop into a few exhaust shops, have a chat, and look at their custom work

90% of exhaust shops just do it as quickly and cheaply as possible, it is the other 10% that you will be looking for

Some shops have people who actually know what they are doing, good fabricators, great fitment, great parts, great welds, some shops have people who just throw in pipes held together with poor welds with the cheapest parts they can scavange and poor fitment

 

[elliottecarter]

Be aware, like any shop, they are not all the same when it comes to quality work

Pop into a few exhaust shops, have a chat, and look at their custom work

90% of exhaust shops just do it as quickly and cheaply as possible, it is the other 10% that you will be looking for

Some shops have people who actually know what they are doing, good fabricators, great fitment, great parts, great welds, some shops have people who just throw in pipes held together with poor welds with the cheapest parts they can scavange and poor fitment

Yeah, I'm not surprised...

 

[elliottecarter]

It's been a little while...

I'm hoping to continue here with a question on brakes.

The HSV Grange series 1 came with standard brakes. I've heard upgrading to the HSVs is expensive. Do I have options here with upgrading (as in size & performance), or am I limited to just replacements (disk, pads).

I understand there are options such as Brembo and Bendix; along with 8 million others. Just not sure where to start. Be great to get a few nudges to get me started.

 

[07GTS]

bigger VE brembo package will prob be the cheapest, the HSV are good but now days ur just going to be paying for the name and collectability, or there is a XYZ brake place that look good and i assume they are all roadworthy