After doing A LOT more research through the forums, I have decided that I will start with a cold air intake and catch can as soon as I get the car. Initially I thought E-85 was pretty much the best bang for your buck in terms of hp gains on almost any boosted application, but the gains reported for just a bolt up CAI left me surprised.
Over time I will start buying the other components that I want:
- 1-7/8" Long Tube Headers
- Flex Fuel Sensor
- ID 1050X Injectors
- 2.55 Upper Pulley
I'll drop them all in at once and grab a tune from a reputable tuner. If the tuner says that I'll be at high-duty on my fuel system on E-85 with these mods, I will also look into boost-a-pump or an auxiliary pump to supplement. I'll also discuss any reliability mods that are suggested at the time with the tuner.
All the mods in the list are relatively easy installs, and uninstalls if I change my mind. (Except the auxiliary fuel system if I go that route)
If I get bored of it, I will revisit the topic in a few years, but I think this will land the car in a spot that makes me happy and doesn't compromise the reliability.
I wouldn't say that I have driven this car A LOT, but it has been my friend's car for a couple years and I have driven it for a few hundred miles over that time, so I am not new to how much power it has, and I would like more out of it. I also drove his previous 2013 ZL1 that was at 780 whp on E-85 and know that that is above what I want on a car that my wife will hop into to go get groceries and run errands.
Also, I WILL be getting the new wheels, but I have dropped the idea of modifying the exhaust for now as many people say that long tubes into the stock NPP system sounds great.
On a side note, the car IS automatic, so I am wondering if I should immediately get a tune to disable the AFM or Range AFM plug in to prevent the dreaded lifter issue... Any thoughts on that?