Sent the C7 away to Finishing School

"VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely" (vajazzlemcdildertits)
11/01/2020 at 03:48 • Filed to: Z06, Corvette, dynotune, Cordes Performance, Ceramic Coating, Window Tint, Flex Fuel, Paint Respray, TLC, Outsourcing, C7 Z06

.... and it’s back after a hat trick in Corvette Car care.

Phase 1: Front bumper and side mirror respray + front camera replacement at Innovative Auto in Tempe, AZ

Phase 2: Replacement/refreshed full front PPF + full ceramic coat refresh + redoing side, front and rear tint to street legal levels (I got pulled over for this, tint was 5%) - at Hyer Quality Detail in Tempe, AZ

Phase 3: Cooling and performance mods at Cordes Performance Racing in (you guessed it) Tempe, AZ.

And it’s finally back, just in time for me to put it and its summer tires away for the upcoming Sedona winter. I have maybe about a month max before temps start to dip continuously under 40F. For Arizona it’s still not that bad, but since I have a daily that works a lot better on all seasons, I’m just going to keep it on a trickle charger until temps are back up for Michelin summers. Once these Super Sports are worn all the way through, I’ll probably go back to Cup 2s.

Here is the Cordes mod parts list:

** Due to Covid logistics, these did not make it in time for the install, but are on their way.

Prospeed C7/z oil cooler kit**
C7Z 2019 Radiator**
Amp billet thermostat housing w/ moto-rad 160 element
CPR C7Z ice tank ice/expansion tank
CPR C7Z Heat Exchanger + extra S/C Coolant
CPR C7 5'’ cold air intake
CPR LT4 pulley kit 2.3
ARH Headers 2' w/ black ceramic powder coat of headers
Mighty mouse catch can
c7z dsx tuning mild Flex Fuel kit - up to e40
NGK LTR7IX-11 6510 plugs
Dyno Tune w/baseline for comparo

All this is good for 616 whp on 91 or a max 667 whp on E40. I know you can look up tons of Vettes that lay down thousands of horsepower, but this puts me within shooting distance of ZR1 territory without any of the overheating cruft. I feel pretty good about that, and it’s still completely useable power - enough to overwhelm the Traction Control if I choose.

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Gone are the random moments of knock due to way too high intake temps. Gone are the mild throttle hesitations during high-push pulls. Gone is the crack in the front camera, the pitted spots on the paint from the meteor shower I drove through, gone is the throttle lag and any semblance of peace and quiet from the engine.

The modded engine noise DOES put me out of reach of Arizona Motorsports Park which has a very explicitly defined noise decibel limit. But it sounds great, angry as hell, and isn’t too obnoxious in quiet mode.

I’m just glad to have it back after coordinating moving it around Tempe from 120 miles away.

It pretty much seals the deal that a C8 is probably out of the books until the C8 Z06 arrives and spends about a year making the rounds. While the car was getting its hair did, I did rent a C8 Stingray 2LT for a day to see if I could live with it, if it was the paradigm shift that the journos promised it was.

Later on, I’ll be posting a review of the day I spent with the C8, but for now, I am very happy with this C7 goodness.

Happy Halloween Oppo.

PS RIP Sean Connery

Edit: Here is a slideshow of some of my most favourite pics of the car

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DISCUSSION (20)

pip bip - choose Corrour > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely
11/01/2020 at 03:55

nice one.

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > pip bip - choose Corrour
11/01/2020 at 03:56

Thanks pip

pip bip - choose Corrour > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely
11/01/2020 at 04:12

has fuel economy improved?

or not an issue?

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > pip bip - choose Corrour
11/01/2020 at 04:17

Worsened significantly but if I am careful I can still return with 2-4 mpg from previous. Hovering around 20 mpg right now.

gettingoldercarguy > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely
11/01/2020 at 04:28

Aerowagon it! Great mods and the numbers look fantastic. GM has locked down the c8's ecu so much that i t’s an easy “ no thanks”. Factor in the manual o n the c7 and it’s a done deal.

BeaterGT > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely
11/01/2020 at 04:28

Amazing pictures. Glad to see the C7Z getting some love! Looking forward to your C8 review as well .

shop-teacher > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely
11/01/2020 at 04:47

Niiiiiiiiice

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > gettingoldercarguy
11/01/2020 at 04:51

Oh I'd love to but I'm trying to figure out how to justify a 15k clamshell. Admittedly it's awesome....

Cash Rewards > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely
11/01/2020 at 10:56

We need more of this car on oppo

Snuze: Needs another Swede > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely
11/01/2020 at 11:02

Awesome! This thing sounds like its a beast. Very cool.

DipodomysDeserti > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely
11/01/2020 at 11:47

One of my former student’s dads owned a Corvette tuner shop in Tempe back in the day. He had one of the fastest vettes in Arizona for a bit. I fo rget the name, but it was off of Rio Salado near Tempe Marketplace. Her mom drove around a supercharged Escalade making stupid numbers.

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > DipodomysDeserti
11/01/2020 at 14:30

There are quite a few shops in that area. It would be interesting to figure out which one.

DipodomysDeserti > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely
11/01/2020 at 15:16

I think it was Xtreme Motorsports, but I’m not certain . He owned it as a side hustle back in the 90’s and early ‘00s I think. He had passed away before I taught his daughter, but I would talk shop with his wife. She daily’d an older Ferrari for a while.

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely
11/01/2020 at 20:42

20 MPG IS BAD??!! I get worse MPG in the Odyssey (17), CR-V (19) and, god forbid, the E38 (we don’t speak about that MPG)

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute
11/01/2020 at 20:55

My current record is 4. But that's WOT. You know how Sedona weekends can be, everyone does 25 mph. I'm driving around at 800 rpm at that point. The 20 is me babying everything like I forgot where the gas pedal is.

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely
11/02/2020 at 12:53

I guess that makes a bit more sense lol. Car looks great, though.

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute
11/02/2020 at 18:22

Thanks, I hope you are well.

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely
11/03/2020 at 12:05

Been doing great actually, hope the same for you as well

Stef Schrader > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely
11/15/2020 at 06:46

This car is just so dang nice.

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > Stef Schrader
11/15/2020 at 19:36

Thanks :)