Project Flying Banana

[EJChevy]

This thread is going to be continuing documentation of the modifications to and events I participate in with my 2009 Corvette Base 1LT, nicknames "The Flying Banana".

The long-term goal of this car it to become a competitive time attack monster, but there is a lot of water to go under the bridge before it reaches "monster" status.

I purchased the car in late July from a lovely couple who traded it in on a new 2019 Corvette Z06 2LZ. It was originally an American car, imported to Canada in 2010. The couple who traded it in was the first Canadian owner. Over the 9-10 years, they put 59,000 km on it as a daily summer commuter. The rotors were original from the factory.

I got this car to drive it.

Since July, I have participated in multiple auto-cross events, a track-day, toured 500 km around Bancroft, Ontario and drove all the way to Carlisle and back. As of writing this, it is tipping 71,000 km.

In this short time, I have done the following modifications/changes:

- Muffler modification for more exhaust noise - it does not have NPP.
- Replaced the wheels with C7 Base take-off in Silver because I bent the two driver side wheels at the track.
- Replaced the front rotors and pads with Stoptech Sport equipment as, again, the track destroyed the factory front brakes. Rear brakes are fine and are still the original that came with the car.
- Tires upgraded to Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 for summer and Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 for winter (yes, I drive in the winter).


I will update this list as more modifications come.

Future modifications:

- Driver Seat Repair
- Replace plastic diffuser pieces with rubber
- Engine Oil Cooler
- Front brake ducting
- Adjust throttle pedal position
- Uprated sway bars
- Z51-spec springs
- Uprated dampers
- Z51-spec diff ratio
- Exhaust cut-outs, electric
- Corsa X-pipe
- Corsa Touring Mufflers
- Z51-size brakes, front + rear
- LED lighting
- more to come

 

[Rruuff Day]

This thread is going to be continuing documentation of the modifications to and events I participate in with my 2009 Corvette Base 1LT, nicknames "The Flying Banana".

View attachment 33465

The long-term goal of this car it to become a competitive time attack monster, but there is a lot of water to go under the bridge before it reaches "monster" status.

I purchased the car in late July from a lovely couple who traded it in on a new 2019 Corvette Z06 2LZ. It was originally an American car, imported to Canada in 2010. The couple who traded it in was the first Canadian owner. Over the 9-10 years, they put 59,000 km on it as a daily summer commuter. The rotors were original from the factory.

I got this car to drive it.

Since July, I have participated in multiple auto-cross events, a track-day, toured 500 km around Bancroft, Ontario and drove all the way to Carlisle and back. As of writing this, it is tipping 71,000 km.

In this short time, I have done the following modifications/changes:

- Muffler modification for more exhaust noise - it does not have NPP.
- Replaced the wheels with C7 Base take-off in Silver because I bent the two driver side wheels at the track.
- Replaced the front rotors and pads with Stoptech Sport equipment as, again, the track destroyed the factory front brakes. Rear brakes are fine and are still the original that came with the car.
- Tires upgraded to Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 for summer and Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 for winter (yes, I drive in the winter).


I will update this list as more modifications come.

Future modifications:

- Driver Seat Repair
- Replace plastic diffuser pieces with rubber
- Engine Oil Cooler
- Front brake ducting
- Adjust throttle pedal position
- Uprated sway bars
- Z51-spec springs
- Uprated dampers
- Z51-spec diff ratio
- Exhaust cut-outs, electric
- Corsa X-pipe
- Corsa Touring Mufflers
- Z51-size brakes, front + rear
- LED lighting
- more to come

Just an FYI tip for what it's worth.. I put Corsa Sports on my C6. Great tone. Just a hint at idle that there is more to come... You can sneak around pretty quietly when you want to... and you can bark like a mad dog when you put your foot into it... The Touring was just too tame when I wanted it to howl...

 

[EJChevy]

Just an FYI tip for what it's worth.. I put Corsa Sports on my C6. Great tone. Just a hint at idle that there is more to come... You can sneak around pretty quietly when you want to... and you can bark like a mad dog when you put your foot into it... The Touring was just too tame when I wanted it to howl...

I'm choosing to go with the touring for the mufflers because I will be going with cutouts installed before the mufflers. Then I can have it obnoxiously loud when I want to (like when at the track or when I want to annoy people), but when I'm home or on a leisurely drive at night with the top off, she's nice and quiet.

 

[EJChevy]

Wednesday, November 13, 2019...

Installed Stoptech Stainless Steel Braided brake lines

Been waiting a long time to have these installed. I ordered them with my new rotors and pads (installed in August), but they were back-ordered. They did arrive a couple of months ago, but I haven't had a good opportunity to go to my friends' shop and have them installed.

Up on stands, wheels off.

Original, OEM lines

Old vs New

New lines installed


Took a couple of hours to get the job done. Did the work myself (I have minimal experience wrenching on cars, so I'm very happy to get my hands dirty!). The brakes feel a lot more solid now! It's going to be a while before I really get to test them properly!

 

[EJChevy]

Past Experience:

My first time pushing this car (and myself) to the limit.



I know, it's a long video. It's my first real one.

 

[OL Yeller]

EJ, that looks like one hell of alot of fun...Great Job

 

[EJChevy]

EJ, that looks like one hell of alot of fun...Great Job

Thank, OL! It was and I'm looking forward to doing more!

 

[EJChevy]

My only real complaint I've had with The Flying Banana since I first drove her was the padding for the driver seat. It started small, but something was poking my lower right butt. It became worse and worse and eventually, I simply couldn't sit in the seat any longer! I thought I needed to buy a new seat (long term plan anyway), but doing so a rather cost-prohibitive at this point. Canadian Tire had seat cushions on sale, so I picked one up as a temporary solution.

The thing is so annoying! It fixed the problem 80% of the time but kept sliding around as I got in and out of the car, and made me sit a bit higher in the car. Being a tall guy, this is a bit of a problem. After a couple of months of this, I gave in and began seriously looking around for a cheap replacement seat.

That's when I came across the Corvette Seat Repair Kit. I'm not going to get into it in detail, as there are a lot of resources on it that's not hard to find with a quick Google search.

A week ago, I purchased the kit, and last Sunday I installed it. It was quite easy! I read the person who created it can do the job in 1-1.5 hours. With little experience turning a wrench and zero experience with upholstery, I figured it would take me at least 2 hours. At the end of it all, it took 1.75 hours.

The result is a much firmer seat with more support. The bit that's poking my butt is still noticeable, but it's not nearly as bad as it used to be. I can now make a small adjustment to how I'm sitting and it becomes significantly more comfortable. In the future, I might install another section of high-density foam.

The kit is not expensive, so anyone with a C5, C6 or C7 with a seat that doesn't give them the support they want, it's a good buy.

Below are photos documenting the installation.

NOTE: IF YOU EVER ATTEMPT THIS, REMEMBER TO DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE CABLE FROM THE BATTERY BEFORE REMOVING THE SEAT.

All of the tools needed for the job (not including disconnecting the battery). Note: The instructions called for a 13mm socket. I actually required a 15mm deep socket.

Everything included in the kit.

Before. That's the pad I've been sitting on for months...

Battery disconnected, I got the seat out. Too bad I didn't have an extension cord long enough to bring the vacuum out to the car! I frequently leave the top off when the weather is nice...

Up two flights of stairs and the seat was in my apartment. The cover on the back is because the leather has worn out on the left bolster. If anyone is wondering, I got that poster during Corvettes at Carlisle in August where I saw 14 of those C8 beauties in person.

It wasn't hard to get the cushion off. This is what the underside of your C6 seat looks like.

This is the peice of work that my fat butt has been complaining about! Not happy with this design. *grumble grumble

This is how much those sharp metal edges were cutting into the soft foam.

Here's how the wires down the middle cut into the foam... Not good.

On the floor, I got the nylon pad glued to the middle to prevent the wires from cutting in further. The foam strips have been sprayed with the adhesive, waiting for them to dry...

The foam strips adhered to the seat foam.

After the seat cushion was done, I got the seat on the floor and noticed how much the foam has cut away from rubbing against the metal. It's everywhere!

The smaller foam blocks, glued to the seat frame.

Put it all back togeher, gave it a test. Felt good! Ready to go back in the car!

Back in the car with plenty of sunshine left in the day.

 

[rs2.bull]

A little smoothing of those welds with a disc grinder might help some. Wish I had known you were doing it.

 

[EJChevy]

A little smoothing of those welds with a disc grinder might help some. Wish I had known you were doing it.

I wish I could remove the bracket entirely, but it's structural.

 

[tyho]

Wednesday, November 13, 2019...

Installed Stoptech Stainless Steel Braided brake lines

Been waiting a long time to have these installed. I ordered them with my new rotors and pads (installed in August), but they were back-ordered. They did arrive a couple of months ago, but I haven't had a good opportunity to go to my friends' shop and have them installed.

Up on stands, wheels off.

Original, OEM lines

Old vs New

New lines installed


Took a couple of hours to get the job done. Did the work myself (I have minimal experience wrenching on cars, so I'm very happy to get my hands dirty!). The brakes feel a lot more solid now! It's going to be a while before I really get to test them properly!

That was the first mod I did on my C7. Out with the OEM brake lines and in with Speigler S/S braided brake lines.

 

[EJChevy]

Seat repair update.

Took TFB on a longer driver today. The bracket in the seat is still noticeable but is not as bad as it was. Not comfortable enough for a long drive, but it's bearable for now. I might install more high-density foam or will consider options short of replacing the entire seat.

 

[EJChevy]

Went out around town last night to have some fun in the snow with my friend and her camera. Things I've noticed:

1. My exhaust is still pretty quiet.
2. The ABS fuse NEEDS to be pulled. Every time you see the brake lights come on, that's not me. That's the car's stability management kicking in. I have it in Competitive Driving Mode, but it still doesn't like the car sliding around.