CORVETTE MODS
Corvette Mods: Bolt-Ons, Exhausts, Intakes and Restomods
How to make a Corvette faster, louder, cooler and better to drive, generation by generation: the bolt-on mods that make power on each car, the full exhausts and cold-air intakes worth the money, the suspension and radiator upgrades that owners notice most, what will and won’t void a C8 warranty, and the restomod market where classic bodies meet modern drivetrains.
Quick Nav: Where to Start · The Guides · Guides & DIY · C1 · C2 · C3 · C4 · C5 · C6 · C7 · C8 · Restomods · Aftermarket News · FAQs
The Basics
What This Is: The site’s modification guides and aftermarket coverage, sorted by generation: what to do first, what it costs, what it gains, and the builds and restomods in the market
The Guides: A bolt-on mods guide for every generation (C1 through C8), full-exhaust guides for the C4–C8, cold-air-intake guides for the C7 and C8, plus radiator, suspension, wheel-fitment and cheap-mod pieces
The Order to Do Them: Tires and alignment, then brakes and cooling, then intake, exhaust and a tune, then suspension, then the engine; the guides explain why
What They Gain: Ten to fifty horsepower from intake, exhaust and tune on an LS or LT car; more from a cam or a supercharger; the sound and the feel are the point on the classics
Restomods: Classic Corvettes (mostly C1–C3) on modern chassis with LS and LT power; $150,000–$800,000 at the big auctions; the feed below carries the listings and the sales
Related Research: The engines index, the specs pages, the for-sale listings, the buyer’s guides (what to check on a modified car)
The Overview
The Corvette is the most modified sports car in America because its engines are the most modified engines in America: the small block, the LS and the LT respond to intake, exhaust, cam and boost like nothing else, and the aftermarket has fifty years of parts for every generation. The site’s mod guides sort it out by car: what each generation’s owners do first, what it costs and what it gains, from a C1 that needs a radiator and a disc-brake conversion before it needs horsepower to a C8 Z06 whose owner wants to know what the dealer will honor.
The guides are organized the same way on every page: the bolt-on mods that make power (intake, exhaust, tune, headers, throttle body, cam) in the order worth doing them, the full-exhaust comparisons by brand and sound, the cold-air intakes, and the upgrades that are not about power but change the car most, suspension and cooling above all. Each generation’s section below carries its guides in a table, with the aftermarket posts tagged to that generation beneath it.
Restomods are the other half of the page. A C1, C2 or C3 body on a modern chassis with an LS or LT engine, modern brakes and air conditioning is now a market of its own, with the best builds bringing $150,000 to $800,000 at Mecum and Barrett-Jackson; the restomod feed carries the listings and the results, and the aftermarket news follows the builders, the tuners and the parts.
How to Modify a Corvette
The guides go generation by generation; these are the principles that hold across all of them.
Tires, brakes and cooling first
Every Corvette gains more from the right tires and an alignment than from its first fifty horsepower, and on a classic the first money goes to what keeps it on the road and running cool: a radiator that was marginal when new (the classic radiator guide explains why they run hot), brakes, a suspension refresh with new bushings, shocks and springs, which the site’s suspension piece calls the mod owners notice most. A C4 or C5 with fresh bushings feels ten years younger before anything is done to the engine.
Then intake, exhaust and a tune
On an LS or LT car the bolt-ons are a cold-air intake, a cat-back or full exhaust with headers, and a tune to use them: ten to thirty horsepower on a naturally aspirated car and more on a supercharged one, plus the sound, which is most of why people do it. The bolt-on guide for each generation lists what works in order, and the exhaust guides compare the brands (Corsa, Borla, AWE, Fabspeed, Magnaflow, Kooks and the rest) by sound, drone and price. On a carbureted classic the equivalent is a carburetor, intake and headers, done with the engine’s originality in mind.
Then the engine
A camshaft is the big step on an LS car (and the cheap one, with the valve springs); a supercharger or a turbo kit is the next, and the C6, C7 and C8 have supported kits that make 700 to 1,000 horsepower on a stock bottom end. The guides draw the line at where a build stops being a bolt-on, and the aftermarket news follows the builders who go past it: the twin-turbo C8 Z06s, the 1,500-horsepower E-Rays, the Hennessey and Callaway cars.
The C8 and the warranty
The mid-engine car is harder to modify and easier to void. Its ECU is locked, its intake is in the engine bay behind the cabin, and GM’s dealers are strict; the C8 guides cover what works (exhaust, intake, wheels, suspension, the Front Lift) and the warranty-safe Z06 mods piece covers what the dealer will and won’t honor.
Restomods
A restomod keeps the body and replaces the car: a new chassis (Art Morrison, Roadster Shop, Detroit Speed), an LS or LT engine with a modern gearbox, big brakes, modern suspension, air conditioning and a trimmed interior under a C1, C2 or C3 shell. Done well they bring $150,000 to $800,000 and occasionally more; done badly they are the most expensive way to ruin a Corvette. The restomod feed carries the listings and the auction results, and the buyer’s guides say what to check on any modified car.
MORE: THE BEST BOLT-ON MODS / THE BEST EXHAUSTS / THE BEST COLD-AIR INTAKES
The Mod Guides by Generation
Every generation’s guides in one table: the bolt-on guide (what makes power, in order), the full-exhaust and cold-air-intake guides where they exist, and the other pieces that apply to that car. The generation sections below carry the same links with the aftermarket posts beneath them.
MORE: BOLT-ON MODS, ALL GENERATIONS / EXHAUSTS, ALL GENERATIONS / INTAKES, ALL GENERATIONS
C1 Corvette Mods, 1953–1962
A C1 is modified to be driven: a radiator and cooling, a disc-brake conversion, a modern ignition hidden under the distributor cap, radial tires on the stock wheels, and only then a carburetor and headers. The C1 bolt-on guide covers it with the originality question in mind.
MORE: THE C1 HUB / C1 MOD POSTS / THE C1 BUYER’S GUIDE
| GUIDE | WHAT IT COVERS | LINK |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt-on mods | What makes power on a C1, in order | Read the guide |
| Radiator upgrades | Read it | |
| Restomods | The C1 restomod listings and sales | The restomod feed |
C1 Corvette Mods & Aftermarket Posts
Everything tagged C1 Corvette Mods, newest first.
C2 Corvette Mods, 1963–1967
The most valuable Corvettes get the most careful mods: cooling, brakes, a suspension refresh and reversible ignition and carburetor changes, with the original parts on the shelf. The C2 guide draws the line; the restomod market draws the other one.
MORE: THE C2 HUB / C2 MOD POSTS / THE C2 BUYER’S GUIDE
| GUIDE | WHAT IT COVERS | LINK |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt-on mods | What makes power on a C2, in order | Read the guide |
| Radiator upgrades | Read it | |
| Restomods | The C2 restomod listings and sales | The restomod feed |
C2 Corvette Mods & Aftermarket Posts
Everything tagged C2 Corvette Mods, newest first.
C3 Corvette Mods, 1968–1982
Fifteen years of cars from $10,000 to six figures: the smog-era cars (1975–82) are the ones to modify freely, with a radiator, a suspension refresh, headers and a carburetor or an EFI conversion, and the C3 is the most common restomod base after the C2.
MORE: THE C3 HUB / C3 MOD POSTS / THE C3 BUYER’S GUIDE
| GUIDE | WHAT IT COVERS | LINK |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt-on mods | What makes power on a C3, in order | Read the guide |
| Radiator upgrades | Read it | |
| Suspension refresh | Read it | |
| Restomods | The C3 restomod listings and sales | The restomod feed |
C3 Corvette Mods & Aftermarket Posts
Everything tagged C3 Corvette Mods, newest first.
C4 Corvette Mods, 1984–1996
The cheapest Corvette and the cheapest to make fast: the L98 and LT1 take an intake, headers, an exhaust and a chip; the suspension refresh transforms it; the C4 exhaust guide compares the systems.
MORE: THE C4 HUB / C4 MOD POSTS / THE C4 BUYER’S GUIDE
| GUIDE | WHAT IT COVERS | LINK |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt-on mods | What makes power on a C4, in order | Read the guide |
| Full exhausts | The systems compared by sound, drone and price | Read the guide |
| Suspension refresh | Read it | |
| Restomods | The C4 restomod listings and sales | The restomod feed |
C4 Corvette Mods & Aftermarket Posts
Everything tagged C4 Corvette Mods, newest first.
C5 Corvette Mods, 1997–2004
The aftermarket’s favorite: an LS1 or LS6 with intake, headers, exhaust, a tune and a cam is a 400-plus-horsepower car for very little, and the C5 guides cover the bolt-ons, the exhausts (and the free Corsa trick) and the cheap mods that make the car look and sound better.
MORE: THE C5 HUB / C5 MOD POSTS / THE C5 BUYER’S GUIDE
| GUIDE | WHAT IT COVERS | LINK |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt-on mods | What makes power on a C5, in order | Read the guide |
| Full exhausts | The systems compared by sound, drone and price | Read the guide |
| Popular C5 exhausts | Read it | |
| Corsa sound for $0 | Read it | |
| Cheap C5/C6 mods | Read it | |
| Restomods | The C5 restomod listings and sales | The restomod feed |
C5 Corvette Mods & Aftermarket Posts
Everything tagged C5 Corvette Mods, newest first.
C6 Corvette Mods, 2005–2013
LS2, LS3, LS7 and LS9 with the largest kit catalog of any Corvette: the bolt-ons and the exhaust guide, plus the cheap C5/C6 mods piece; the Z06 and ZR1 are the cars the 1,000-horsepower builds start from.
MORE: THE C6 HUB / C6 MOD POSTS / THE C6 BUYER’S GUIDE
| GUIDE | WHAT IT COVERS | LINK |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt-on mods | What makes power on a C6, in order | Read the guide |
| Full exhausts | The systems compared by sound, drone and price | Read the guide |
| Cheap C5/C6 mods | Read it | |
| Restomods | The C6 restomod listings and sales | The restomod feed |
C6 Corvette Mods & Aftermarket Posts
Everything tagged C6 Corvette Mods, newest first.
C7 Corvette Mods, 2014–2019
The LT1 and the supercharged LT4 and LT5 respond to intake, exhaust and a tune (and a pulley on the blown cars); the C7 guides cover the bolt-ons, the exhausts, the cold-air intakes, the wheel fitment and the easy mods for a Stingray, Z06, Grand Sport or ZR1.
MORE: THE C7 HUB / C7 MOD POSTS / THE C7 BUYER’S GUIDE
| GUIDE | WHAT IT COVERS | LINK |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt-on mods | What makes power on a C7, in order | Read the guide |
| Full exhausts | The systems compared by sound, drone and price | Read the guide |
| Cold-air intakes | The intakes worth the money | Read the guide |
| Best C7 exhausts | Read it | |
| Easy C7 mods | Read it | |
| Wheel fitment guide | Read it | |
| Restomods | The C7 restomod listings and sales | The restomod feed |
C8 Corvette Mods, 2020–present
The mid-engine car: exhausts, intakes, wheels and suspension are the safe mods, tuning and boost the contested ones; the C8 guides cover the bolt-ons, the full exhausts, the cold-air intakes, the four best mods and what will and won’t void a Z06 warranty.
MORE: THE C8 HUB / C8 MOD POSTS / THE C8 BUYER’S GUIDE
| GUIDE | WHAT IT COVERS | LINK |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt-on mods | What makes power on a C8, in order | Read the guide |
| Full exhausts | The systems compared by sound, drone and price | Read the guide |
| Cold-air intakes | The intakes worth the money | Read the guide |
| The 4 best C8 mods | Read it | |
| Warranty-safe Z06 mods | Read it | |
| Restomods | The C8 restomod listings and sales | The restomod feed |
Corvette Restomods
The builds, the listings and the sales: classic bodies on modern chassis and engines.
MORE: CORVETTES FOR SALE
Corvette Aftermarket News
The builders, the tuners, the parts and the cars they make, newest first.
FAQs
What are the best first mods for a Corvette?
Tires and an alignment, then whatever the car needs to run cool and stop (a radiator on a classic, brake pads and fluid on anything that sees a track), then a cold-air intake, an exhaust and a tune on an LS or LT car. The bolt-on guide for each generation lists them in order; the site-wide bolt-on guide covers all eight.
How much horsepower do bolt-ons add to a Corvette?
On a naturally aspirated LS or LT car, intake, headers, exhaust and a tune together are typically 20 to 40 horsepower at the wheels; on a supercharged LT4 or LS9 a pulley and a tune add far more. A cam is the next step; a supercharger or turbo kit the one after. The guides give the figures for each generation.
Will mods void my C8 Corvette warranty?
Some will. Exhausts, intakes, wheels and suspension are generally fine; tuning, forced induction and anything that touches the ECU or the drivetrain are where dealers push back. The warranty-safe C8 Z06 mods piece and the C8 bolt-on guide cover the line, and your dealer is the final word.
What is the best exhaust for a Corvette?
It depends on the generation and the sound you want. The exhaust guides compare Corsa, Borla, AWE, Fabspeed, Magnaflow, Kooks and others by sound, drone and price for the C4 through C8; the C5 guide also covers how to make the stock exhaust louder for nothing.
Can I modify a classic Corvette without hurting its value?
Keep the original parts, keep the changes reversible and keep the numbers-matching engine. A radiator, a disc-brake conversion, a suspension refresh and a hidden ignition upgrade make a C1–C3 a better car without touching what a judge looks for; a restomod is the opposite choice, and should be made on a car that has already lost its originality.
What is a Corvette restomod?
A classic Corvette body on a modern chassis with a modern engine, brakes, suspension and interior: usually a C1, C2 or C3 shell with an LS or LT V-8. The best bring $150,000 to $800,000 at Mecum and Barrett-Jackson; the restomod feed above has the listings and the sales.
Which Corvette is the best to modify?
The C5 and C6: cheap to buy, LS engines with the largest aftermarket in the world, and a chassis that takes big power. The C7 is the next, and the C8 the most capable and the most constrained. The classics are modified for sound and reliability more than for power.
Where do I find the parts?
The guides name the brands and the kits for each generation; the aftermarket news follows the new parts as they come out; the mods pages for bolt-ons, exhausts and intakes are the shopping lists.
