I own a 97 Z, our buddy just bought a 98 cobra, our other buddy has a 3.8. Now it is the cleanest looking of the 3. Women prefer his car for it’s looks and he always gets compliments. He just is lacking big time in power compared to us and he wants to play some… He has stock 3.08 gears and is considering the following mods:


1. SLP CAI
2. Used Nitrous Kit 50HP Shot ONLY
3. 3.42 disk brake axel
4. Stock axel with 3.73’s
5. Stock Axel with 4.10’s
6. Headers


If you could only do one and 500 bucks was your limit what would you do? It has to give him the best improvement in the 0-60 range. At first we were all over the 3.42 axel, but we have seen 3.73 cars do so much better and back when we had 3rd gens we were both going to do 4.10’s in our auto’s…..So we are like well, you never go over 50 miles on a drive why not 4.10’s then… Just not sure, it is a 1996 bird with only 38K on the clock… He babies it and it looks great…


He just needs a 0-60 to scare/keep up/ or play with us…Also his current best in the ¼ is 15.9, but most of the time he runs 16.01, 16.02…

 

my 3.42s were a big gain but he should ideally run those with the zexel torsen differential so he doesn't spin, other than the lack of discs his stock rear end should be fine no need to switch the whole thing the differential and gears should be fine

intake and exhaust were big ones too then the headers were great for me as well, my pacesetters really woke up the top end

currently i'm running the following on my 99 3.8

slp cold air intake
k&n
shaved airbox
pvc straight intake
removed MAF screen
pacesetter headers
180 thermostat
egr deleted
catco 3" in 3" out cat converter
slp loudmouth catback
zexel torsen differential with 3.42 gears

all those keep me even with other guys that run mid to high 14s

i'll have track times tomorrow as I'm heading out to moroso but definately go with either the gears or the intake exhaust combo as they will help immensley

 

$500 won't make up a 2 second difference. I assume by 50 miles you mean 50 miles an hour. In that case why not get the 4.10s?

Or you could just get a different friend.

 

I wopudl suggest gears but I need to warn you I have heard that these computer controled cars,will cause his car will shift waaaay to early, if he puts gears in and dowsn't do some sort of pcm calibaration.

Bu on a 3.08 a4 car I think that is the best mod. I was running guys with similar mods but had a Y87 setup that were running mid ot low 15s.


3.73s are more drag orientatd, not sure I woudl even try 4.10s, would kill his top end. Seems alot of people like 3.42s on v6s, but still alot go with 3.73s. And if you get gears you need LSD.

I would work on just fabing up an intake, not to hard, as for headers I hear they are not the greatest thing on a 3.8L just change the sound.

Well the 50 shot is nice but expensive, I would go with gears.

 

So opinion is stock rear with some 3.73's over nitrous... And any funds left SLP CAI....4.10s are just to much, are you sure?

 

yeah the 4.10s are overkill especially if you are on the highway a lot, and what you say about the gearing and the pcm is true my shift points are screwed up but that will be fixed soon all you need is to get it programmed by a GM dealer for the new gears or get a used PCM from a car of the same year and same tranny with the taller gears (only an option for 3.42s) hope this helps

-Chris

 

Anymore feed back for him? His end goal is 14.9in the 1/4 and a nice 0-60 time..

 

if he's got an automatic a nice torque converter around 2800-3200 stall would do wonders for his 60s and combined with the other mods mentioned above he'd easily be high to mid 14s f he's got a manual a nice short throw shifter would work nice too, oh and one other nice little item that can be had inexpensively is an aluminum driveshaft, don't go crazy on this a stock aluminum driveshaft from a z28 or trans am will work nicely and lower his rotating mass giving the old 231ci powerplant a little easier time getting things going hope this helps

-chris

 

yeah but they make changing plugs and wires ininitely easier. :P