2005 Chevy Corvette build & upgrades & Nova parts donater thread

[seventy8]

Have fun on the Power Tour! Drive safe.

[bonecrrusher]

Got back from the Power Tour this week, put 3400 miles on the car, and had a hell of a time.

Heres me sucking it up on the Autox. It was cool meeting some people from the board, and seeing Finch and Bill Howell tear it up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzEAVbEAAdk

First thing I did when I got back... ordered a new padded center console lid from DS Vettes, the GM stock unit is basically plastic with no give, and yeah after 2 Long Hauls on the Power Tour, I'm going to chuck it in the trash. The new one should be here in a few weeks.

I've got some more crap I'm going to order, but it'll be awhile. Got to buy a lawn mower for the new house, haha.

[bonecrrusher]

Quick update - so I found this on fleabay the day before I left for the PT, I got it for a steal, and well didnt think of it till I got back. Ended up sitting at the loading dock for a week. I finally got it today.



Its actually the last body panel I need for the widebody conversion, I need to get all the trim and misc plastic pieces, but I have all the major expensive things.

[bonecrrusher]

So - like I mentioned earlier the GM stock arm rest sucks!

There was a fathers day sale for the lid, and well I just happened to be waiting for a good deal - so I bought the lid and it came with a matching ebrake handle.

I was expecting 2 weeks to get these, but I got them in a week!



I'll be hopefully installing these this weekend.

Cant wait to trash the stock rubermaid center console lid!

[bonecrrusher]

Introducing: Project hangover....

I woke up early for work, had to work for about 2 hrs... then I started projects pimp my car, then pimp my garage.

Pimp my car....

I installed the console lid, as well as the ebrake handle today, took all of about 15 mins.

Heres a comparison pic of the stock lid on the right, DS Vettes on the left... look at the diff!


Heres the installed lid, and ebrake handle.



I have more pics, but the quality sucks. I need a real camera, or an 8 megapixel camera phone... lol.

Project pimp my garage...

I found some Gladiator garage shelves for sale at Sears for 90 a piece, these retail for 190 a pop. So I picked up 2 of them like 2 months ago. Now that the PT is over, I finally had time to put these up.

I got the racks a couple weeks ago, and I've had a Corvette racing banner for awhile now.

Heres some pics.

Measure once.... laying out the design w/ painters tape.


Laying out the left edge


Layed out the right side, installed the racks, then put up the shelf.


Installed the left side.


Alll done. Banner up, I think I might get another part of the track and cut it put it between the shelves.
Also, the blue tape below is where my work bench will go.


All finished up:

[bonecrrusher]

Not sure if this counts as an update or not...

FedEx dropped off this huge box...




Wonder whats in it....




I need to change the oil in the G8 soon, and well kind of getting sick of changing oil in the driveway - so I ordered these, I got these damn cheap off the net, and can't wait to test them out.

Oh and before someone says I'm being lazy - it takes 20 mins just to jack up the Corvette - that sumbitch is so low its a PITA to get it high enough to get jackstands under. So - to save time, and well also not screwing up the floor, I went w/ these.

(I feel like Chris Farley talking about warranties in Tommy Boy) LOL!

[Neil B]

Not sure if this counts as an update or not...

Oh and before someone says I'm being lazy - it takes 20 mins just to jack up the Corvette - that sumbitch is so low its a PITA to get it high enough to get jackstands under. So - to save time, and well also not screwing up the floor, I went w/ these.

Fun, isn't it? Plus, once you get the front up in the air, you've got to level the back out so the oil will drain.

[bonecrrusher]

Project: Needs more Aero...

Found a group by for some Corvette ZR1 spoilers - I've been looking at these for a long time, and finally made a purchase.

After 6 weeks of waiting - its finally here....


Here its installed..

[bonecrrusher]

I hate the pics from last night - so I took some in the daylight... I love how the sun pops on this dark blue.

[bonecrrusher]

Kind of a bump - nothing new to the car - just finally got my parts in from Australia that I ordered after the Power Tour. Can thank the Aussies for a recommendation for an HSV parts hookup that will ship to the states.

So I ordered some stuff for the garage - got my V8 Supercar series supporting the HRT team, and an HSV flag.




I need to wash the car tonight - I am leaving for RTTH in the morning!

Anyone have a recommendation on a good tool box? I am looking at that gargantuan Kobalt toolbox at lowes with the fridge and speakers in it - its come down in price and well I wouldn't mind a fridge and stereo in the garage....

[bonecrrusher]

A bit of an update - been driving the car pretty hard the last couple of weeks - first I was up at RTTH's event in Pigeon Forge, TN - and I had a blast there. Was nice seeing a lot of cars that I've been watching being built on the web.

Probably my favorite shot of the car so far...


Also - I participated in my second Autocross, in the Corvette, this weekend - this one was at Zmax dragway - of course that dragstrip is never open for T&T - so we where out in the parking lot.

Heres my times:
21 ASP 427 Craig 05 Chevrolet Corvette Blue: 106.302+DNF 100.310 97.996+1 95.035 96.571

Not bad - I got 5 runs in and shaved off 11 seconds from my first run. Also - the last run I almost DNF'd but I spun the car completely around, slammed my helmet against the roof and still only added 1.5 second off my best run of the day.

Some pics from the paddock:





Edit - found an action shot!

[chaz75]

so you come to my town and drive around alot i see. thats cool, nice places to drive around here.

[woody80z28]

Geoff's Beretta is the nicest car in this thread! haha

[bonecrrusher]

Bah... LOL!

[bonecrrusher]

Came home and saw FedEx dropped off a package....



Found this front wheel on egay - I had no idea it was Competition Grey, the pictures the guy had posted sucked... that saves me $$ from painting it! Score!!

Woot - only one more wheel to go, lol!

[Ron S]

Wow Craig, you sound as bad as me. Upgrades show up one peice at a time, buying wheels one at a time can sometimes be half price. My Mustangs C5 front subframe was bought one control arm at a time, I think one or two of them I got for under $10.Bargin shopping is the best.

Nice meeting you at RTTH, cool Vette. Ron

[nvmyss]

Craig, your a ebay whore
Reminds me of the Beretta days.... when I was single and had more $$ than I knew what to do with.

The Vette is looking good can't wait to see the body kit on it.

[bonecrrusher]

Ron - yeah this would be project Wide body kit for a hell of a lot less then the $10k the GM dealership guys try to charge...

Z06 rear wheels w/ tires - $275 each WITH tires
Z06 front wheel - that was was $185 shipped
Z06 front bumper - 300 something
Z06 front fender 325
Z06 front fender ~400
Z06 rear fenders - 250 each

Not bad so far - of course the body shop guy will kill me by being the most expensive part... LOL!

Adam - yeah sad to say some parts do have the Vette tax - and where more expensive then my Beretta days - but I can remember spending 600 for forged pistons for a 3400 - 600 for headers that where uncoated - then another 200 for coating - I can remember Spec Stage 3+ clutch being $375 & fidanza flywheel being 300+ - so like 700 total - when a Z06 clutch is low $400's w/ flywheel... and there good to 600 hp or so...

Is it bad that I sold all my Beretta crap - was able to move 1000 miles off of it, pay a few months rent, and still have enough left for a down payment on the Vette? LOL!

[nvmyss]

Is it bad that I sold all my Beretta crap - was able to move 1000 miles off of it, pay a few months rent, and still have enough left for a down payment on the Vette? LOL!

I say well worth it. You having more fun with the "grown up" car than you would with the Beretta. But I do miss the friends from Bnet.

If you ever make a run out this way you'll have to hit me up.

[dropit69]

lol ..i love ebay hunting for parts people have no idea what they are.. great hanging out at RTTH...i will have a Vette someday for a fun non winter driver..lol..too much White stuff up here..