This is the roadmap for upgrading my 2010 LT. Any order changes I should make?
 

I am admittedly out of my comfort zone somewhat as my major car stuff was about twenty years ago before I became a caregiver for a family member. but now I'm working again (two jobs as caregiver in private home foster care) and can afford to live again.

Right now I'm thinking I'll probably just do "stages" 1 and 2 and save for a couple years to do a 50%+ down payment then buy a 2020+ convertible SS from Enterprise in a few years. The 2010'll get garaged and I'll finish off the rest of the stages to make it a weekend warrior with the SS my daily driver.

Anyway, Have I made a mistake in the upgrade layout?

stage 1 (5200)(5200)
exhaust system (american racing headers)
cold air intake(K&N)
port throttle
port manifold
manifold, plenum, port, throttle (mostly mace)
throttle controller(mace)
move heat sensor (mod)
tune (trifecta)

stage 2 (9300)(14500)
sound system(new head unit(kenwood), powered subwoofer(jl audio))
headlights (oracle lighting)
tail lights(spyder or oracle lighting)
pistol shifter(hurst)
seat covers(kryptek)
wheels(kmc kc775 20x8(temp choice))
tires(nitto)
bowtie delete/remove camaro
"blackout" chrome
"blackout" reverse and turn signals
remove antenna or add 50 bmg antenna
gas cap (defenderworx)
coilover and sway bars(eibach)
engine brace(halo strut tower)

stage 3 (5300)(19800)
cams (mace)
remote starter
catch can (mace)
forged pistons, rods, and other internals (mace)
underdrive pulley (mace)
flex fuel mod
rack & pinion?
tune

stage 4 (6000)(258000)
(twin?) turbo (STS turbo/s) or centrifugal supercharger
tune

stage 5 (??)
new trunk lid(previous owner was a ham radio buff and it has a shark fin antenna on trunk)
wing or oe spoiler?
plastidip

I'd be installing that catch can first before anything else. I went with Elite Engineering and it seems quite effective - it's about a third full at every oil change (~4000 miles)! That'a a lot of crap going into the intake. Once the can is installed I would consider cleaning the intake valves (good time to do it is when you install your plenum/spacer).

Regarding the tune, apparently Will of Overkill Motorsports is the guy to go to and knows these engines better than anyone, although that's not to say you can't get a good tune elsewhere. I don't have a tune yet but do have my Overkill on the way.

As for suspension, it all depends on how you drive, but if you like to drive the car hard and carve some corners I'd recommend the new style rear sway bar (requires 2012+ rear lower control arms which are relatively cheap from the dealer) and upgrading the rear subframe bushings to poly or aluminum. What you do with suspension all depends on how you drive but these two upgrades will make any "fun" driving style that much more fun.

Also maybe consider replacing the rear end drivetrain with a factory 1LE rear end for a higher gear ratio (3.91 compared to 3.27) - I haven't done this yet myself but may do so eventually and apparently it makes a huge difference with the V6.

I’ll second Killboy’s recommendation on 3.91 1LE gears (and their stronger axles). Definitely helps make up for the relatively low low-end torque on the V6 cars. I did everything you have listed in stage 1 and, if I had a chance to do it again, I’d skip almost all of it (except exhaust, factory is too quiet!) and invest the money in a turbo or supercharger and corresponding tune. That, to me, is the best power return vs. money spent. I couldn’t feel a Much of a difference with the basic bolt on mods like intake, ice-olator, CAI, etc., which makes sense given their reported power gains on a car so heavy.

There’s a lot to be gained with relatively inexpensive suspension Upgrades, too, as KP mentioned. FE4 take-offs (struts, sways, LCAs) can be had for cheap and help tons. You can go poly subframe bushing inserts to help the cradle stay put if you don’t want to remove the factory bushing. I just did those, z28 rear UCA bushings, a bunch of 1LE parts, and Hotchkis 1” drop springs and its a-maze-ing. Don’t forget front radius rod bushings or bushing inserts. I also like the poly steering rack bushings.

Good luck with the build!

Ok, I'll step in and attempt to steer you in a different direction. If you really have your heart set on an SS 'vert do a few comfort and reliability mods to your V6 and start saving NOW for the SS. All the performance mods you mentioned will give you some more pep but will be rather pricey and you most likely won't get that money back when you sell or trade that vehicle. Total up cams, turbos, rear swaps etc and you already have a down payment. My opinion (old school) is that the V6 cars are fun economical transportation but chasing horsepower starts with a good V8 and its already robust drivetrain.

I’ve updated the list and have the new stage 1 Parts en route save for 1. Can a local use their overkill or other brand hand tuner to tune my car or are they vin locked. I can’t afford to order the tuner until next month (though no idea if I’ll be able to install the components i ordered until then as is).

stage 1 (5200)(5200)
Headers(BBK) (will continue to use stock exhaust temporarily) enroute
cold air intake(BBK) enroute
throttle controller(jms) enroute
tune (Overkill)

stage 2 (9300)(14500)
sound system(new head unit, subwoofer, amp)
headlights (oracle lighting)
tail lights(spyder or oracle)
pistol shifter(hurst)
seat covers(kryptek)
wheels(kmc kc775 20x8(temp choice))
tires(nitto)
bowtie delete/remove camaro
"blackout" chrome
"blackout" reverse and turn signals
remove antenna or add 50 bmg antenna
gas cap (defenderworx)
lower rear control arms(gm)
aluminum bushings(gm)
coilover and sway bars(eibach)
engine brace(halo strut tower)


stage 3 (5300)(19800)
larger and port throttle(overkill)
port LFX manifold
dual catch can
stall converter
manifold, plenum, port (mostly mace)
cams (mace)
remote starter
forged pistons, rods, and other internals (mace)
underdrive pulley (mace)
flex fuel mod(overkill)
1le rearend(ebay)
lower control trailing
aluminum bushings
tune

stage 4 (6000)(258000)
overkill supercharger stage 1+2
Upgraded exhaust
tune

stage 5 (??)
paint
new trunk lid
wing?

Stage 6
Turn into a 69 convertible

If it's a 2010 you should see that the timing chain is not stretched. Maybe change the valve cover gasket to negate the oil burning and definitely move the catch can further up the list. It's crazy how much carbon deposits build up on the valves. Maybe a brembo brake kit to go with the supercharger other than that looks good ��

Step 1: upgrade to a V8.

Sorry, couldn't stop typing.

Don't let the naysayers get you down. Mod your V6 how you want. If the answer was just get a V8, we'd all be driving 6th gen ZL1's.

Have fun and mod your V6. It's all relative. The duck face Tesla Model 3 Performance can beat most of the stock and lightly modded V8's on this site. Half the fun of owning a sporty car is modding it and experiencing the changes as you progress.

My $.03.

A catch can is my next order. I was looking at a dual one for clean and dirty side.

I think i want to do a lfx Ported manifold swap after that with various Spacers for other components. I have yet to hear back from Overkill so I'm trying to figure out what handheld tuner to go with now.

I'm also ordering cherry bomb mufflers and looking for straight pipes from an SS. I hate my neighbors.

The timing chain i'm going to have checked soon(149280 miles, figured i'd specify checking that. I’ll add in checking/changing the valve cover gasket).

Get a Magnaflow 11386 to replace the H pipe... your neighbors and your friends won't hate you and you won't lose much volume.

Interesting. Would that setup require some custom bends or will the muffler hook up to the cat backs? Then just some straight pipe to the outlets in back?

the resonated x pipe tones down the rasp that occurs when u swap the headers
literally just cut out the stock h pipe and replace with the resonated x pipe
check the clearance with the under body tunnel brace before its welded on, otherwise it may rattle against it

What diameter do i need? I see a couple different numbers as i google.

A fellow forum member posted the part number u need :
Magnaflow 11386