Not your average Z26... a resurrection
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2014 2:30 pm
So some of you know me, and some of you have met me. Since I'm getting ready for some major updates on the Z, I figure there is no better time to start a build thread, which should have been started a long time ago.
Original purchase date: April 21st, 1999
Model: 95 Z26 with all options minus factory sunroof and CD player
Original mileage: 60,833
Current mileage: 178,XXX
Autocrosses attended - 2 (I need to work on this!)
Drag strips attended/raced - 3 (I also need to work on this!)
BFests attended - Me - 11; me with the Z - 8
Best of BFest award in 2009 and 2013
Best Engineered award in 2010
Current HP (dyno'd at BFest 2009) - 184 HP and 204 TQ at the wheels
Best 1/4 - 15.2 at I don't remember lol... that time was on my heavy 17" wheels with heavy 12" rotors - my trans doesn't shift smooth and I need more practice)
Drivetrain mods:
3400 w/ approx 75K - ported/polished intake manifolds, ported heads, polished bowls, Comp Cam springs, SS valves, work done by Ben @ WOT-Tech
TCE lifter springs
5spd swap (first member to complete the conversion)
Fidanza lightweight flywheel (8 lb vs 15 lb stock)
Clutchmasters Stage 3 flywheel/pressure plate
EP Race LSD
Rodney Dickman shifter bushings (both on the shifter mechanism in the console and on the trans itself)
Transgenic CAI
2.5" custom bent exhaust from the manifold back
Borla Turbo muffler with dual intercooled round slash-angled tips
Catco hi-flow cat
FFP dogbone on driver side subframe
SSI dogbone on passenger side subframe
FFP underdrive pulley
RK Sport poly upper motor mount insert
Custom billet/poly trans mount
OBDII swap complete with alternator cooling duct, 96 PS lines, twilight-sentinel headlights, and DRL's
Suspension mods:
Custom valved Bilstein struts/shocks
Eibach Springs
30mm front bar with poly bushings and poly end links (believe it or not my car had a 28mm bar on it when I first got it)
Addco 26mm rear bar with polygraphite bushings
GM strut tower brace
Mantapart rear strut tower brace
Welded control arms
Polygraphite control arm bushings
87-93 style control arms (converted to horizontal style control arms)
Brakes:
12" F-body brakes with C5 Corvette calipers: http://www.beretta.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1317
Have since reverted back to stock brakes since I sold my 17" wheels
Exterior mods:
Repainted in 2003 factory Cayenne Red Metallic (PPG base coat with 3 coats of House of Kolors clear, wet sanded)
Power mirrors from Street Scene retrofitted in 2001 (switch in center console)
European tail lights (first member with them installed in the US)
Wingless trunk
Eggcrate grill
Removed door ding moldings
20% tint all around
Interior mods:
Leather GTZ steering wheel
Lotek A-pillar dual gauge pod
Leather shifter boot
Leather shift knob from late 90's F-body
Dark grey overhead console added from a Lumina? minivan
Autometer Ultra-lite Wideband monitoring gauge
Autometer Ultra-lite II boost gauge
New carpet/floormats
Minor dark grey interior painted accents (vents and cupholders in dash)
Dashmat dash cover (over an excellent condition dash)
Alpine CDA-7998 headunit
Alpine 6.5" components (tweeters located where original mirror adjustment knobs were in doors)
Kicker 6"x9" "sub" speakers
Alpine MRV407 amp for interior speakers
Alpine MRV357 amp for sub (used to have a 12" Alpine Type S sub - since has been rerouted to power the Kicker's)
Wheel history:
Stock Z26 meat slicers (1999-2002)
Black cross laces (ran during winter of 2001-2002 - the last winter this car has seen)
Enkei Shogun 17"x7" 38et (2002-2013)
NOS GTU wheels (2013-Present) with Dunlop Z2 Star Spec tires in 225/50/16
Miscellaneous stuff:
Blinders removed from fog lights
LED license plate light
Reflective decal over "BERETTA" on rear filler panel and on Chevy logo on grill
Strut tower caps (flat style)
First wax:
3400 swap:
Old wheel/brake setup:
Current setup:
Original purchase date: April 21st, 1999
Model: 95 Z26 with all options minus factory sunroof and CD player
Original mileage: 60,833
Current mileage: 178,XXX
Autocrosses attended - 2 (I need to work on this!)
Drag strips attended/raced - 3 (I also need to work on this!)
BFests attended - Me - 11; me with the Z - 8
Best of BFest award in 2009 and 2013
Best Engineered award in 2010
Current HP (dyno'd at BFest 2009) - 184 HP and 204 TQ at the wheels
Best 1/4 - 15.2 at I don't remember lol... that time was on my heavy 17" wheels with heavy 12" rotors - my trans doesn't shift smooth and I need more practice)
Drivetrain mods:
3400 w/ approx 75K - ported/polished intake manifolds, ported heads, polished bowls, Comp Cam springs, SS valves, work done by Ben @ WOT-Tech
TCE lifter springs
5spd swap (first member to complete the conversion)
Fidanza lightweight flywheel (8 lb vs 15 lb stock)
Clutchmasters Stage 3 flywheel/pressure plate
EP Race LSD
Rodney Dickman shifter bushings (both on the shifter mechanism in the console and on the trans itself)
Transgenic CAI
2.5" custom bent exhaust from the manifold back
Borla Turbo muffler with dual intercooled round slash-angled tips
Catco hi-flow cat
FFP dogbone on driver side subframe
SSI dogbone on passenger side subframe
FFP underdrive pulley
RK Sport poly upper motor mount insert
Custom billet/poly trans mount
OBDII swap complete with alternator cooling duct, 96 PS lines, twilight-sentinel headlights, and DRL's
Suspension mods:
Custom valved Bilstein struts/shocks
Eibach Springs
30mm front bar with poly bushings and poly end links (believe it or not my car had a 28mm bar on it when I first got it)
Addco 26mm rear bar with polygraphite bushings
GM strut tower brace
Mantapart rear strut tower brace
Welded control arms
Polygraphite control arm bushings
87-93 style control arms (converted to horizontal style control arms)
Brakes:
12" F-body brakes with C5 Corvette calipers: http://www.beretta.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1317
Have since reverted back to stock brakes since I sold my 17" wheels
Exterior mods:
Repainted in 2003 factory Cayenne Red Metallic (PPG base coat with 3 coats of House of Kolors clear, wet sanded)
Power mirrors from Street Scene retrofitted in 2001 (switch in center console)
European tail lights (first member with them installed in the US)
Wingless trunk
Eggcrate grill
Removed door ding moldings
20% tint all around
Interior mods:
Leather GTZ steering wheel
Lotek A-pillar dual gauge pod
Leather shifter boot
Leather shift knob from late 90's F-body
Dark grey overhead console added from a Lumina? minivan
Autometer Ultra-lite Wideband monitoring gauge
Autometer Ultra-lite II boost gauge
New carpet/floormats
Minor dark grey interior painted accents (vents and cupholders in dash)
Dashmat dash cover (over an excellent condition dash)
Alpine CDA-7998 headunit
Alpine 6.5" components (tweeters located where original mirror adjustment knobs were in doors)
Kicker 6"x9" "sub" speakers
Alpine MRV407 amp for interior speakers
Alpine MRV357 amp for sub (used to have a 12" Alpine Type S sub - since has been rerouted to power the Kicker's)
Wheel history:
Stock Z26 meat slicers (1999-2002)
Black cross laces (ran during winter of 2001-2002 - the last winter this car has seen)
Enkei Shogun 17"x7" 38et (2002-2013)
NOS GTU wheels (2013-Present) with Dunlop Z2 Star Spec tires in 225/50/16
Miscellaneous stuff:
Blinders removed from fog lights
LED license plate light
Reflective decal over "BERETTA" on rear filler panel and on Chevy logo on grill
Strut tower caps (flat style)
First wax:
3400 swap:
Old wheel/brake setup:
Current setup: