The Grand Sport. Part 2: The experience.

[Jeff V.]

Exactly. I had to pull the entire center console to get the glovebox out. Why? Because there was one single screw coming in from the driver's side of the grab handle trim.

It had to come out anyway for this project, so it wasn't a big deal. But some guys like to change the passenger side dash trim to a different color. It's annoying for them.

Speaking of the glovebox, I want to slap the engineer who picked the connector for the door release button. It doesn't even have a release tab. It's just a little plastic stud that sits in a recess. So you end up having to pry this damn thing apart while holding 5 lbs of glovebox in one hand any trying not to ruin the connector or yank any wires or scrape up any trim.

[mjannusch]

People freaked when I replaced the dash trim with the carbon fiber version right after I got my C7. lol. You're a madman...

[ChargerX3]

I am cringing looking at all of this. How do you not break off any of those clips or tabs?

[Jeff V.]

People freaked when I replaced the dash trim with the carbon fiber version right after I got my C7. lol. You're a madman...

I already did most of this when I changed to the carbon dash and red trim on my Stingray. So I mostly knew what to expect. Some of the clips do seem a little more stubborn though.

I am cringing looking at all of this. How do you not break off any of those clips or tabs?

For a lot of them, you can get in with a pry tool. Some of them are just a leap of faith though. Like that batwing piece. I was working my way up the grab handle to the spot above the infotainment screen. I gave it a tug on this one stubborn spot. The whole thing let go all the way to the A-pillar and I flew back in the seat because I wasn't expecting it. Fortunately nothing was damaged.

In other news, this happy accident showed up today.



I wasn't really looking for an intake. I'm super skeptical of the claimed gains on the LT1, especially since the factory intake is already "cold air". The car breathes through the fender. I certainly wasn't looking to spend nearly seven hundred dollars on one. That's just offensive.

https://www.halltechsystems.com/product-p/str.htm

But I found this mostly by accident on eBay. I was looking for an MSD intake manifold, and this came up in the listing. Got it for $85 shipped. Not that mine is ever likely to go bad, but the included MAF alone is worth that much.

It's missing a gasket and a clamp, and I need to figure out how to block off the hole for the 2nd PCV valve that was needed on earlier cars. But I'll still be into it for well under $150 when it's all said and done. It'll clean up the engine bay a little bit, and hopefully add a little intake noise. If it makes any additional power, that'll be a nice bonus.

[Chris GTO TT]

That's one hell of a deal!

[aaronatstate]

I would assume Chevy is similar to Ford in that they have everything programmed to target a torque value, and adjusts the ECU accordingly to target those values. Like on my RS, the open air filter I put on (the intake is quite good from the factory), and the exhaust only make more noise. The only way to take advantage of them is to get a custom tune.

[Jeff V.]

Halltech claims 12hp/10tq without a tune. They say they sent it off to GM for testing to be offered through GM dealers, but they ended up not being able to provide enough production volume.

GM makes an "upgraded" intake with a silly little window, but it keeps the production tube and PCV system. They claim 0 gains on the LT1, and small gains on the Z06 and ZR1.

https://www.westcoastcorvette.com/produ ... -sport-zr1

[aaronatstate]

Worth a shot then for $85. I can't believe you got it for $85! Someone must just wanted to get rid of it

[ChargerX3]

Youz a thief Jeff.


...well done.

[Jeff V.]

It was super weird. Here's the original auction.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/134397396331

If you look at his other items, it's a bunch of random junk.

[Jeff V.]

Decided to finally tackle this while I had the dash ripped apart. The LEDs for the heated and vented seat functions are amber from the factory. There's a guy on the forum who did a brief write up on changing them to red and blue. I've only got the passenger side aux controls done so far. I messed up a couple of the blue LEDs, so now I need to order more.



These things are TINY. Like, don't exhale in the wrong direction tiny.

[aaronatstate]

Wow, those are insanely small!

[Jeff V.]

I should have included a pencil tip for scale or something. I'll do that when I get to the main controls.

[Chris GTO TT]

Wow that's a nice change.

[Jeff V.]

It's so silly. I can't imagine it was a cost difference. I thought about changing the other amber LEDs out, but I don't know what color I'd change them to. White would blend in with the text. That might not be a bad thing though. Blue would match the interior trim, but then it would overlap with the vented seats.



One of these days I'm going to find out why the buttons get that oily look around the edges. I don't make a habit of driving this car with greasy hands.

[aaronatstate]

I think amber is fine for the "normal" functions. But the heated/cooled seats should be red/blue accordingly to make it easy to see which one you have on at a glance.

Our Explorer, and my Focus are both this way.

The only other color I could possibly see is match to what ever color the buttons light up when the lights are on.

[Jeff V.]

Holy shit. It's not even a manual.



https://www.mecum.com/lots/FL0123-54593 ... ort-coupe/

[Chris GTO TT]

Time to stop driving yours and park it *waits for Frode to come angrily stomping in*

[aaronatstate]

Wow that's a pretty decent price

I want to know who goes to the trouble of putting white lettering on the tires, just to drive it 668 miles??

[Jeff V.]

That and powder coating the calipers.