Mm Well it started out 6 years ago when I bought a 2008 z06...what a great car. I modified her mildly, and she was a great DD. Sad to let her go...



Sold her here http://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c6-corvettes-for-sale/2982392-fs-tastefully-modded-2008-3lz-z06-florida-car.html

Fast forward to January 2015, I find the same exact optioned car, but stock, locally with 987 miles on it. A 2008, 3lz, black/linen fully optioned z06. I pull the trigger, and plan my build. Here she goes -

Thanks for all who have answered many questions - guys at ECS, coSPEED, Cajun@BER, Joe@ Powertech Performance and the devil in my left ear saying "do it"...

Car got dropped off Wednesday. Joe @ Powertech Performance in St. Petersburg, Florida will be putting the car together, and tuning it as well. He has been great at answering questions, and making me a comfortable camper. I can be...well....:hide: but aren't we all!!

It has 1,385 miles on it at the moment, it is bone stock with the exception of a Corsa exhaust. It will be my second Z, and will be a weekend highway warrior. My daily is a soon to arrive M3.

Pulling The Pieces Together - What is She Made Of:

First order of business - pulling the Heads:
Ferrea 2042P Exhaust Valves
Ferrea Bronze Guides
Tumble Polished OEM Intake Valves by DW
PSI 1511ML Springs and Katech Titanium Retainers
ARP Studs
New Gaskets, Seals, Hot Tanked, Resurfaced, etc.
Comp Cams Rocker Arm Trunion Upgrade

AR Headers 1 7/8 off road pipes / X Pipe. Cerakote Ceramic Coated Graphite Black
Corsa Exhaust
ECS Supercharger Kit with Alky Control Injection - Custom Intake for S/C
160* thermo
NGK TR6
MSD Ignition Wires with Thermal Socks
Mighty Mouse Catch Can
ATI Balancer
Dewitt's Shorty with SPAL fans

LG GT2 Coilovers
Hotchkis Sway Bars

AEM Failsafe
AEM FP Gauge

After I get the car back, I will be adding some exterior add-ons as well. Post 2 will feature some of those items as the car comes together. Post 3 will be a "finished" post with commentary and some pictures.

Look forward to some comments. I can still change some of the head components, but after much research, I think that is a good setup.

THE BUILD BEGINS: THE PROCESS -

I had to drive across the state, and wanted to protect the paint from debris (i mean she only has 1,5xx miles, 17xx when I got there!!!)

All prepped, ready for the dance (painters tape, and a piece of white 3m vinyl wrap leftover from my last car):



Arrived at Powertech at around 2 pm. Joe and his team were working on some pretty nasty builds. He gave me a shop tour, and introduced me to the team of techs. Great group. We chatted for a bit - he answered several detailed questions. We ordered some more parts, and finalized the paperwork. They got right to work - before I left, they already had the heads pulled, and the exhaust off the car!

I told him it'd be fun to do a wiggle test on the heads with only 1,700 miles - would be pretty shocked if one was out of spec. That said, we didn't even bother bc I am replacing those ill-designed parts with ones that give us all more confidence. No sense in spending this kind of money on a build if you arent going to address the weakest link.





The catch can, and meth should keep the motor cleaner than it looks now!

Boost a Pump getting installed - Note - ECS does not run a Kenne Bell anymore - seems like a private label ECS made by Vortech....



Stud Kit and Balancer.



This was found in my head while cleaning - needle bearing. 1,7xx miles on the car. Joe's going to see if there are more in the oil tank. Glad the rocker arm trunions are being replaced!



Some more pics/updates:

Cleaning and upgrading rocker arm trunions:



Pressing the new Trunions into place:



Front fender removed, meth kit plumbed, and wired. Power wire was de-pinned from fuse box, new wire soldered in and heat shrunk. CLEAN!!!





Update 3/27 - Joe and his team definitely put the project into high gear. He has been great about sending me updates with pictures. Funny enough I find myself waiting each day hoping for mooooaaarr:

Heads back from machine shop, assembly completed - they look sooo good:




Suspension getting put together....Those LG's look nice in there:



Gauges wires ran, extremely clean install. Pod installed with AFR/Boost and Fuel Pressure Gauges. Thinking the silver ring / black face combo the gauges come with may look better and be easier to read on the fly than the black ring / white face.......they are easily swapped, so I'll have to play with that.



Updates 3/31 - Heads are reinstalled!











I wanted to have this in the local section too..thanks....

 

THE BUILD CONTINUES

Updates 4/1: ECS Sent me the wrong thermostat, and brackets - great....I waited an extra 2 weeks longer than ECS said it would take for the Kit to begin with.....and as such ECS already has delayed my build my 2 weeks, now this. But, if that is the only curve ball, I'll be happy.

Dewitt's arrived with the SPAL fans - beautiful piece...




Pinning the crank, sealing up keyway and installing the ATI Balancer:







LFZ - a pic for you with the leaf out :thumbs:



Removing/Cleaning the oil pan, and rails. New Gaskets. :rock:











4/2 Update - More ECS parts missing from my kit....not cool ECS. I hope they make this right. Intercooler and Dewitts - installed.



Nice clean exhaust ports. Those studs.....are studs!



4/7 Updates: We decided to replace the oil cooler lines. They were very tightly configured, and one had a kink. We wanted to route the lines cleanly, and ensure no problems with keeping this motor cool. We are still searching for the best solution for the PS Cooler...(we may ditch the longer Z cooler, and replace it with one that has better dimensions given how tight the bay is)

Kink:










New lines -8 braided lines with AN fittings, cleanly ran, with AN fittings welded to OEM hard lines....why? because, racecar. :drive:







Aluminium Heat Tape followed up with some fire shield and SS ties:





MOOOOAAARRR 4/7:

Joe @ Powertech Performance and I agreed that we did NOT like or feel comfortable with the hose which attaches to the blower outlet as is supplied with ECS's kit. The hose has a 3" diameter, while the outlet is 2.75". As seen here:





Joe put together a new reducer coupler and a 3" polished aluminum connection pipe with bead rolled ends they made in house. Add in a few t-bolt clamps and everything fits nice and tight now. Kind of like the A&A kit :fart: ...I hope ECS follows suit, even though they claim no failures. :secret:





4/10 - We are nearly there. Joe and his team almost finished the build this week. A couple more little things - checking fittings, filling up fluids, etc...and then he will be tuning the car on the street and dyno. Obviously, the tune will be the KEY to this build. I am NOT shooting for a BIG number, in fact I will probably be shifting below red line, and have Joe keep the timing conservative.

A nice shot of the Corsa, Hotchkis, and a peak at the coated ARH Headers and LG Coilovers


Engine Bay - check out that Novi 1500, the pc'd black Piping, Taylor Ignition Wires and Mighty Mouse Can...should look real nice with the valve covers on.


I hope I don't turn into a meth addict :mullet:


Shot of the Autometer pod with AEM Fuel Pressure and AEM Boost and Air/Fuel Failsafe. Little light for the meth too -


Decisions Decisions - which wheel/tire setup do I go with? Both HRE's. 540s (polished lips/brushed centers) with MPSS or c21's (matte black with polished hardware; lighter that 540s) with Nt05r..... I may be wrapping the car matte white :secret:

 

reserved for future post.