Pontiac GTO 2004-2006 - Advice Please: Best bang for the buck mods for a 05-06 GTO have 2K to spend

Hey all:

I have been doing alot of searching on this site trying to figure out the best bang for the buck mods for a 05-06 GTO Manual trans.

I have 2K to spend and want the most out of it I can. I am also in Calif so I want to keep this DD smog legal. So no LT Headers for me.

So far I am looking at a Vararam CAI kit and maybe a catback. Thats about 1K

Any input would be much apperciated.

Thanks

Nitrous!

Nawz!

Depends, are you planning on doing your own labor or paying someone else?

Get some Shorty headers, High flow cats and a dyno tune...... If your looking for a CB look on LS1GTO.com you can find one dirt cheap their.....

hedders, cai, camand springs. sounds like aton but hedders $375-$600, cai vararam is $250, cam and spring kit $700 ish you could find even lower prices if you hold out and build your owm cam package. a great tune will run you around $125, i like steve william tunedbyfrost.com

Vararam, Long Tube Headers & Exhaust.

Do all the labor yourself, probably put you around ~$1700 depending on what headers you buy. I'd go with Stainless Steel Headers (Whether it be Stainless Works, or Kooks, or American Racing Headers)

DR's, tune and N2O.

Dont listen to these guys, DONT DO NO2.... If you want real power that is consistantly there, get Headers, High flow cats, Dyno Tune.... NO2 is BS power, Bottles are for babies....

Vararam, Long Tube Headers & Exhaust.

Do all the labor yourself, probably put you around ~$1700 depending on what headers you buy. I'd go with Stainless Steel Headers (Whether it be Stainless Works, or Kooks, or American Racing Headers)

This or get some nitrous and a good clutch to handle it.

Depends if you want nitrous or not. Since i dont have enough money to build my car yet i will just replace my clutch with a moster stage 3 when the stocky goes out and go 150 shot with a window switch.

** if i had more money though i would go with all the time power but with your budget i would spray

Dont listen to these guys, DONT DO NO2.... If you want real power that is consistantly there, get Headers, High flow cats, Dyno Tune.... NO2 is BS power, Bottles are for babies....

:eyes:Whatever. The guy is on a budget and is looking for BANG FOR HIS BUCK and said he doesn't want headers.

He can spend nearly 6k like me doing all the work himself to run mid 11's N/A OR he can run 11's with N20 for 2k. It's his money.

When I would get beat by a sprayed F-body at the track I wouldn't tell them it didn't count because they sprayed me.

:eyes:Whatever. The guy is on a budget and is looking for BANG FOR HIS BUCK and said he doesn't want headers.

He can spend nearly 6k like me doing all the work himself to run mid 11's N/A OR he can run 11's with N20 for 2k. It's his money.

When I would get beat by a sprayed F-body at the track I wouldn't tell them it didn't count because they sprayed me.

Word...N2O is cheap power if you're on a budget.

Don't waste your $$ on a catback...the stock CB worked fine on mine even w/ H/C/I. If you just want a sound change, swap mufflers.

I would say full exhuast (with cats) and full bolt ons.. Underdrive,cold air,ported intake etc...

I think some of these guys missed that you're in CA.

Shorties, tune, and replace that salami of a shifter. Catback is fine, and you won't gain shit there...if you want a different sound, just have a muffler shop weld in the new mufflers instead of spending an assload on a catback. Varaam would be nice too...just no for me. The porting, as mentioned above, would be nice too, but you'll need to get a tune with that.

Gerry

Dont listen to these guys, DONT DO NO2.... If you want real power that is consistantly there, get Headers, High flow cats, Dyno Tune.... NO2 is BS power, Bottles are for babies....

LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess John Force is a pussy.

2k . . . . . possible routes if YOU do the work.

(1) TFS 220 as cast/fast 92 - approx 2200ish (used under 2k)
(2) Nitrous wet system/midtubes/ud pulley - approx 2kish depending on quality

Either of those would be a great 2k well spent.

I spent just shy of 1700 an went with a Wet shot an mid pipes. everything else is bone stock an i only did the mid pipes so we could get a good reading with the wideban. Its deffintly a fun ride when it kicks in.

The problem here is that if you add a whole bunch of power (aka spray) you WILL need a clutch soon. I would spend the money on:

Vararam - $300
Monster clutch - $1100 (installed)
shifter - $320ish for a GMM
drag bags - $100

Then save your money for headers and a tune. You would benefit a little from a tune new, but not a lot. If you were an A4, I would say add a good tune in there.

Can you get away with catted longtubes?

I vote for an intake, longtubes, catback, and a tune.

Can you get away with catted longtubes?

I vote for an intake, longtubes, catback, and a tune.

If he moves to another state :D

Gerry

LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess John Force is a pussy.

Think of what you just said, Does John Force drive his dragster around town???? I dont think so, Dont compare a NHRA car to a street car.... If you want real power that is consistant you go with N/A mods.... Sorry guy but are you gonna shoot a hundo shot everytime you wanna pass a car on the eway, Dont think so.....

:eyes:Whatever. The guy is on a budget and is looking for BANG FOR HIS BUCK and said he doesn't want headers.

He can spend nearly 6k like me doing all the work himself to run mid 11's N/A OR he can run 11's with N20 for 2k. It's his money.

When I would get beat by a sprayed F-body at the track I wouldn't tell them it didn't count because they sprayed me.

Whatever my ass.... If you want real N/A engine power that is always their when you need it, you go with the mods i said.... If your a track junkie who wants to risk having a Nitrous backfire or putting mad strain on your engine go with NOS.... If this guy has 2k to blow I would hope he would go with mods he can enjoy all the time insead of just at the track..... Whoever drives around spraying a hundo shot on public streets from light to light is a douche.....

Obviously you dont know much about nitrous.

Simple answer, you want best bang for your buck, its nitrous. If you have $2k to play with, thats pleny. I spend $1,250 on my kit in a group buy from Nitrous Outlet... WOT switch, Window switch, fuel pressure safety switch, bottle heater.. I feel 100% safe in my car. As long as nitrous is done right, you dont have to worry about backfires and all the crap, take advice from people that actually use it.

BTW.. if your GTO even in stock forms needs nitrous to pass cars on the freeway, you sir have a turd and need to check into lemon laws :)

Obviously you dont know much about nitrous.

Simple answer, you want best bang for your buck, its nitrous. If you have $2k to play with, thats pleny. I spend $1,250 on my kit in a group buy from Nitrous Outlet... WOT switch, Window switch, fuel pressure safety switch, bottle heater.. I feel 100% safe in my car. As long as nitrous is done right, you dont have to worry about backfires and all the crap, take advice from people that actually use it.

BTW.. if your GTO even in stock forms needs nitrous to pass cars on the freeway, you sir have a turd and need to check into lemon laws :)

The point im making is do you spray around your neighborhood and on public streets??????