[LS1] LS1 Budget Mods

[whls1]

I have searched forums and understood quiet a bit of the questions I originally

Seems like best bang for buck mods to get the most power out of the ls1 is intake exhaust and tune . Most of the threads i read are quiet old when ls1 powered vehicles were actually worth something.

Fast forward to today just landed a cheap as chips wh for the purpose of being a doner vehicle for sometime in the future. Thinking of having some fun with it while it sits there. Wont be registered so dont care about whats legal and whats not.

Intake - have a spare otr so thats sorted
Tune - happy to spend piss all to get a mail order one (which could be used in the future too)

Exhaust - now definately not interested in spending 1000s or even 100s (remember i mentioned s) on a full header to rear muffler system

So this is the main issue - how restricitive are the stock system
Catback - from what i understand is 2.25 while most aftermarket is 2.5 with the exact same amount of mufflers. I know they sound way better but is it really that much of a benefit from a performance perspective
Headers - from what i heard dont have the best flow and being 1 and 5/8 while aftermarket are 1 and 3/4 inch. Not going to spend 100s having it replaced as i can see the future use of a turbo
Cat - this is where im wondering if going catless would be any benefit? Can do the removal and welding of a straight pipe myself. Since its being tuned can get the codes sorted. Has anyone ever done this (ive done it other vehicles with very great results)

 

[keith reed]

$10,000 fine for removing a cat. Quite easy to find this information. I picked up 50 rwkw on a ve ss with 1 3/4 tri ys, 2 1/2 exhaust and a tune so yes well worth while.

 

[whls1]

$10,000 fine for removing a cat. Quite easy to find this information. I picked up 50 rwkw on a ve ss with 1 3/4 tri ys, 2 1/2 exhaust and a tune so yes well worth while.

should have mentioned not for road purposes - still fineable?
and 1 3/4 tris and 2.5 exhaust prob cost more than the car and will be dumped once the engine is used for what i bought it for
turbo ls conversion hence why i dont really want to spend on it

 

[keith reed]

I would have thought that not having cats would be ok for off road use only but check it out with your local transport place. Better to be safe than sorry. In NZ the laws are or were different, one of the first mods was to remove the cats. I don't know if it made any difference or it was just monkey see monkey do.
You might as well leave it with what you have plus a mail order tune Your mail order tune will need to be modified if you go ahead with a turbo.

 

[KHOLDEN]

I would have thought that not having cats would be ok for off road use only but check it out with your local transport place. Better to be safe than sorry. In NZ the laws are or were different, one of the first mods was to remove the cats. I don't know if it made any difference or it was just monkey see monkey do.
You might as well leave it with what you have plus a mail order tune Your mail order tune will need to be modified if you go ahead with a turbo.

A vehicle (other than group L vehicle or a class MA or MC motorsport vehicle with a valid motorsport authority card) that was first registered in New Zealand on or after 1 May 2010 and manufactured from 1 January 1990 has a catalytic converter removed where there is evidence that one was originally fitted, and there is no written evidence issued by an entry certifier that the vehicle passed a prescribed metered emissions test in this condition