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| Smoove's C5
 I first off wanna thank you guys for choosing my car,..and that i'm sorry it took soo long. I knew that when I was gonna sit down and write this,..I bet have time. Anyhow, if it's too late, I won't be offended. Also, i'm gonna send as many photo's as possible...they may not be great,..your choice. Here goes... there is much to say, a story behind the car but,..it would take too much space. Soo, i'll keep it simply about the car,...and what it is.
The car is a 2000 C5(5th generation 97-04) Corvette "HardTop"...or aka...The "FRC"..meaning "Fixed Roof Coupe". All it means is that the roof cannot be removed, therefore....making the car rigid, and great for cornering and auto crosses. These cars only come 6 speed,...and where intended to be a "cheaply optioned" car. In other words, they intended it to be a base model. Funny thing is, nobody wanted this except hardcore people intending on raceing there cars in events like SCCA/IMSA GT class events. That said, just about all of them came fully optioned from the factory, including mine. They only made them in 1999 and 2000. I believe they made 311 White FRC's in 2000. In 2001, they threw some really good parts at it(cam,valvetrain,heads,exhaust,intake,and some visual stuff) and rebadged it as a Z06 the 2001 model year. They continued it till the end of the C5 in 04.
I work as a Technician in a automotive shop, working on things similar to my cars engine family, the LSX platform. Which is in alot of modern GM vehicles, just in different cubic inches/displacement. Pretty much the same thing. Doing this for a living, has really helped me in the build of my own car(s). I know for a fact, that if I didn;t know how to "turn wrenches"....in no way could I be able to afford buying go fast parts AND paying a shop to install them. Therefore, I have some people to thanks for the help, and free/traded parts. Couldn't have done it without them. Thanks, in random order first and foremost cause I won't mention it in the car description,.Thanks:Josh,Marco,Wayne,Chris,Mike,Jo han,Felix,Darren,Ray,Robaldo,Elloy,Julio,Andrew,Al an,Jeremy,(sonicboom)chris,Eddie,Linda,Eric,Sunday and probably alot more people I should be thanking, like companies. Thanks to all, I appreciate it, the help, the compliments, very cool, and thanks you.
Cough,... so, the car is a 2000 C5, and it started off getting mods right away. I installed a Vararam ram air on the car, which is a wicked intake setup. I then got some Lg pro long tubes, 3" OR X pipe, into a pair of B&B bullet mufflers. I had the car tuned(but, it was a tune built off my first vet, which died in a clutch/pressure plate failure, so I reused that) using my Diablosport handheld. Worked great but, as you guys know, in South Florida,...thats not going to cut it by a long shot. So, I installed a pretty stout heads, cam, intake, and throttle body setup. 90mm TB, WILSON FAST 90, AFR 205's w ti retainers and dual springs, chromeoly pushrods, and a new air bridge(intake tube from MAF to TB). Also a custom camshaft, I installed, as well as a two piece front cover, in case I felt the need to change again, since my current camshaft was spec'd with nitrous on the mind dur 233 237 .649int .598exh on a 112LSA. Car made great power, 448rwhp, and 417ft-lbs(I believe) Graphs are available. I also added DRM Doug Rippie Motorsports Coilover kit to the car, removing the leaf springs, and opening a whole new world of cornering to me. I was then able to come across a set of FIKSE Profile 5S 18 x 10.5's and 18 x 12.5. Car wears on normal duty Pilots front and rear, 295 fronts, 345 rears. I made the mini tub kit myself. Wow, talk about handling. Can't tell you how responsive the car isat speed. Very fun, very slotCARish, yet controlable. I added a TNT WET nitrous shot, jetted for 150 to the wheels. It made 158rwhp more on spray. I then one night, had a nitrous backfire, which blew the intake manifold in two, therefore blowing out my hood, ever soo slightly. I even have a spot where you could see tiny little spider cracks. Yeah, this is no show car. I didn't intend for it to win best in show. Didn't want my hood to blow open either but, what can you do? I then shortly after...had some really good runs in the car...then it's first night at the track, it threw a rod bearing at 100+ thousand miles. I had already came across it's replacement before I had engine problems. It was a 2005 stock LS6 motor out of a Cadillac CTS-V that we installed a stroker motor into.
I wanted it to perform but, I wanted it all the time. I didn't want to RELY on nitrous to make power, and worry about pressure or if i'm out of gas or not. Soo, I started to search. I found a Procharger Twin intercooled system, for a good price.I studded my block, and bought it(blower), and quickly went to modifying my car to accept it, since it was no traditional procharger kit. It is more of an aftermarket company's style setup, with a twist. Instead of useing the Procharger single fan setup, which uses a K&N on the inside of the radiator(pulling hot air from front of motor). Also, space was tight for the charge pipes to go up and over the raditor, between the hood. This ment less horsepower due to the restrictions. I didn't want to use this setup. So, I lowered my radiator. I moved it(the bottom) 6 inches forward, which gave the radiator a natural rake, or lowered height. This gave me alot more room to install much larger pipes over the radiator area. I originally put the car back togther with a new RAM clutch as well. I then finally, made it to the dyno. I was hoping for a number atleat, and it made it, although low.It made 580rwhp and 510ft-lbs on 7.5psi(42lb inj). This, low number, ended up being the result of a bad clutch. As it was over powered just 2000 miles in, at the first ever track pass. I also had belt issues. Which, after about 9 or soo belts, I bought an aftermarket belt bracket setup, which has not failed me yet. It's built by A&A Corvette. Works like a champ.
I replaced the clutch in the car, with a Textralia EXO-SKEL twin disc. I gotta say, it's the sickest setup i've used in a car. Really grabs like an ape. That said, my car had some new found power to the wheels. I said it right away, it felt like 50-100 horse power. Back to the dyno we go, with the proper sized injectors this time of 60lb'ers. I also have a RaceTronix Hot wire kit and fuel pump for fueling, which I had before. New bracket, new clutch, and new injectors and a new tune at Diablosport, the car made 615rwhp and 565ft-lbs. This was with 14 degree's of timing only, and still, very safe. By the way, boost remained at 7.5psi. Been very happy with how the car has ran. It's been a blast, and honestly, a dream come true for me personally. Since the past couple of weeks have gone by, the car is currently down, and back in the works. I had a pulley failure on the car side of things(factory power steering pulley came apart on me, causeing some more, mild damage. Which, severed power steering lines, again, dented my hood, on the inside, cut a coolant line, broke my alternator bracket, and pretty much myself and a bunch of buddies stranded one night. That same night, earlier, the alternator died on me, so we had to fly down to Miami and buy an alternator at a 24hour place, so I could make it to the spot that night. After all that, I broke anyways. Minor stuff I guess, I had the extra parts laying around from my old car so, it worked out alright in the end, spending little money on the repair, just alot of time.
I decided recently, that at the level I am at with the supercharger, the only option I had to make more power was to get a larger rib belt system, which would cost me money that I don't have. Soo, I decided to sell my long tube headers, my X pipe, and my supercharger kit, and go a different route. I've been wanting to go the Turbo route for quite some time, and I think now is the time to do it. I just recently stopped driving the car as a daily driver, which, I gotta tell you, is a great feeling. Now I can ease the stress off the car, and beat on something else daily. Plans don't stop there, as I plan for a rollcage, in the very near future, after that, cubic inches with the turbo kit and probably another fuel sysytem, followed by a big brake upgrade. I have europeon export tail lights in the rear, I have a homemade front air intake cut through the bumper, I added some Z06 screens. On the interior I added Nexus gage's for fuel pressure and boost. I also have an EGT that i'm gonna have to imocrporate with the new setup. I had a SHAMROCK do some custom apholstry for me on my seats, shifter and boot, black with white stiches. Those guys do awesome work. I painted the calipers red but, probably going to be blue soon. We'll see. I need a hood, and a few other things to make it complete but,......I honestly don't know if it'll ever be done.
I have every intension of taking the car to closed course events, all kinds of them. Drag,autocross,highspeed,cornering,etc. The car is intended to be a blast,...and thats what it's been. No matter the time, no matter the cost. Thanks again to my friends for all of the donated and traded parts, labor and your time. Not to mention, all the quality time I spend on the side of the road with you guys, wrenching on my car when it breaks. Big thanks again for that.
Until nest time....the car is currently on life support, awaiting a transplant. All work is performed by myself, with the help of some friends. My blood and sweat are all over the car. As far as the pictures, these where not the MOST recent, as I did alot of black wrapping on the entirecold side of the blower kit. I also have limited pictures of the FIKSE wheel setup, I think I only have one, which is the one labeled Corvette. Stay tuned...and thanks for reading.
-Jamie aka SMOOVE
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