Plugs, Wires & Coil Packs:
Get the NGKs TR55 or TR55 - IX (irridium) plugs (
http://www.texas-speed.com/SHOP/cate...MID=3&catid=11), they will hold the higher engine temps for a N/A car with basically stock motor LS1/LS6. NGK recommends the TR5 (
http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/part_fi...gineid=1442419), but extensive reading on CF and pro-shops all like the TR55. Forced air systems need different temp plugs. Get the nice MSD wires or GMPP wires, dont get cheap or OE wires!!! The MSD coil packs add no horse power but it idles in COLD temps much better in my car, but when I went back from them MSD to the OEM I found (on the exact same tune) the engine oil ran 10 – 15F degrees cooler on average with the MSD coil packs than the OEM coils. No clue why?! The MSD packs are therefore a nice option, but also have a much higher rate of failure & cost a ton of $$$. There is less detonation I hear from those with twin turbos & high boost with the MSD. The OEM packs last forever, and you can always fine one on ebay cheap if you need an OE when one fails. Get the spark wire plug heat shields, good insurance from a melted wire short & MANDATORY if you have / plan to get long tube headers.
Cold Air Intake:
This is a must. Let her breathe! Vararam (
http://www.vararam.com/b2.html) is great if you do not run in heavy water conditions, CF posts abound with hydrolock engine issues. Since I dual purpose my car on the street and don’t mind standing water… I got a Callaway Honker instead (
http://store.corvetteforum.com/p-224...iliateid=10142). This again is a highly debated topic. Read before you buy. Also understand the installation pitfalls of each, for example the Honker makes you cut up your radiator shroud to install it. The blackwing is an easier install, and costs significantly less.. but it is just a CAI, and there is no forced air effect like with the Honker / Vararam, plus it pulls engine bay heat not fresh.
If you have a METAL MAF housing, you can get a cheap (under $20 bucks) plastic housing to swap it with from CorvetteAmerica.com. The metal housing acts as a heat sink, and this means the MAF once hot will add its own heat to your incoming air. Cheap power fix. A throttle body bypass kit (you can search CF to find out the 3 home depot parts to make it) will keep your hot collant from heating your throttle body. This seems like a nice idea in the winter when the air can be too cold... but seriously how many of you drive the thing in 20F in the snow? Bypassing the throttle body keeps yet another source from heating up your incoming air. Colder air = more volume = more power.
You do not need to do a throttle body upgrade, intake manifold, etc. until you do your big power increase with a head cam / Force air set up. It’s not worth the expense on a stock motor to do those alone, spend the money on seat time to go faster instead! Pay and get the car tuned, however. East Coast Superchargers can email you a pretty close tune based on your easy bolt on mods that you can bring to a local tuner with the right software tune for a 30 secs OBDII port download ($99 at Carlisle and they do it there, $129 - $149 by mail). You do not need a dyno tune from a good tuner, unless you made serious engine & power mods. Many tuners will do a quickie tune, way better than stock, for far less $$$ than on the dyno ($400 & up). A tune can also change your fan temp kick on, as well as disable the CAGS without using the hard wired plug.
Seats, Harness & Bars:
Want pretty? Caravaggio (
http://www.caravaggiocorvettes.com/) & Arizen (
http://www.arizenracingsports.com) both fit on the stock tracks as does the A4 from Corbeau (
http://www.corbeau.com/products/reclining_seats/a4/). Want just functional the cloth Sparco is quality and easy. I recently tried the Cobra Seats, these are the ones Phoenix (
http://www.phoenixperformance.net/) prefers lately, and they have a whole set up you can buy with the tracks and the seats all set up for you to bolt in. You may need seat tracks if you are tall though to lower the seats for tall guys + helmet thickness. Stock set up will fit up to about 6’2 with helmet. After that you definitely need after market tracks. If you are a wider Corvette owner, you need a different seat to fit your butt than the regular seats. Somewhere between 34-36 inches is the max for the standard seats. If your shoulders are wide, you might need a different seat too. If not sure, go sit in some seats before you buy. Its miserable driving in a seat that doesn’t fit you. You will only need the driver’s seat, but if you plan on having passengers ride along… or instructors in the car they will greatly appreciate their own race seat with harness.
5 vs 6 point? I don’t like my Johnson mashed up by the center strap of the 5 point. Nuff said. If you have a sport OEM seat, the Brey Kraus set up is a great match up and you can use those OEM seats. Most clubs will NOT let you use the stock Z06 seat because it does NOT have shoulder pass thrus. BUT the Brey Kraus (
http://www.bkauto.com/corvette/corvetteindex.php) is not always after market seat track friendly because they employ a vertical support upright on the outside of each seat track. You can use a seat stud extender kit from Hardbar ($25 per stud) to make the Brey Kraus kinda work better in this scenario. If you are going with an aftermarket track, seat and 6 point all at once… the Hardbar (
http://www.hardbarusa.com/hardbar) cross member and sub-belt units are the way to go to avoid issues. Avoid the less know other brands. Don’t skimp on safety. It’s nice that the BK setup allows you to use both stock belts and the 5/6 point with ease on an OEM sport seat. Don’t forget to buy the CLIPS for your harnesses; you will not be bolting on in most cases for a C5. Also get a quick CAM release style, it’s very easy to get and out especially in an emergency. I like the G-force one, good bang for buck. I found that Soloracer (
http://www.soloracer.com/) sells most of your seats, belts, clips, etc. cheap and will price match lowest prices quite often. Never hurts to check CF group purchases or google shopping for lowest pricing either. Never buy a harness used because they do degrade over time. And many groups will check the MANUFACTER date, too old and you can’t use it for many groups like the SCCA. For a stock car you do not need a fire extinguisher, but the more you mod your engine the more you will need it.