Wilson's C5 Corvette Products & Mods Page

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Tips & Pics

  • Accessories - Autobahn Rear View Mirror
  • Bra - Bra choices and installation
  • Brakes - Hi-performance front rotors & Ceramic pads
  • Bumper Bib - Custom Rear Bumper Bib
  • Car Cover - Info on dealing with fixed mast antenna
  • Car Polish - Wash & Polish with California Water Blade & Zaino
  • Computers - A look at the C5 circuit boards
  • Exhaust - Email me if you want any info on SLP "Loud Mouth", SLP X-Pipe or Eckler's Compartment Divider. I welded the tips together so they line up
  • Lowered - Lowering, shocks & alignment
  • Radar Detector - Valentine hardwired mirror mount
  • Scanner - Uniden BearTracker BCT-7 install
  • Scratch Guards - Door handle protection
  • Splash Guards - What to buy and what not to buy
  • Wheels & Tires - Wheel choices and installation


    • Purchase

  • 5/5/99 Deposit at Tom Flurkey Chevrolet in Falmouth, MA (508) 548-4400 for Y2K C5 hardtop
  • 8/20/99 Car started on line at Bowling Green, Kentucky
  • 8/23/99 Leaves plant
  • 9/1/99 Arrives at dealer
  • 9/2/99 I take no wax/no decal delivery

    • Aftermarket

  • C5 Sound-Off CD, sounds of 10 different exhaust systems from Mid American Designs
  • Polished HRE 541 Wheels with Goodyear M&S Tires, from South County Autosports TIPS&PICS
  • GM High-Performance front brake rotors from Bruce Glueck Chevrolet TIPS&PICS
  • ACDelco Ceramic front brake pads from Ken Fichtner Chevrolet TIPS&PICS
  • Rear Bumper Reinforcer from Ecklers'
  • Steering Column Lock Bypass from Exit28 Motorsports
  • Rear Lowering Kit from RKSport
  • Loud Mouth & X-Pipe/Resonator exhaust from SLP Performance Parts; 4 lbs lighter than stock
  • Carpeted "Quiet Ride" Compartment Divider from Eckler's
  • Concours Collection Valve Stem Marque Caps

    • Detail - TIPS&PICS

  • California Water Blade from Eckler's
  • The Absorber, made by CleanTools (PO Box 506, Westmost, IL), from Eckler's
  • 100% cotton polishing cloths, from Griot's Garage
  • Zaino Bros' Show Car Polish, Z1, Z2, Z6, Z10, Z12 & Applicatro, from Eckler's
  • Zaino Bros' Show Car Polish, Z7, Z9, Z16, Z18, from Zaino Bros'
  • Griot's Glass cleaner kit
  • California Car Duster from Eckler's
  • Paramount PB80 Leaf Blower
  • Z5, Z18 & Applicator, from Zaino Bros'
  • Liquid Glass, from Eckler's
  • House Chemical Gloves, by Stanley, rubber and insulated, from local hardware store. Perfect for washing the car in the winter.
  • Ultimate Touch-Up System, paint for rock chips.
  • GMX 800 magnetic water softner from Water Mall which should reduce water spots on the C5.

    • Protection

  • Noah fabric car cover, made by Wolf Automotive, from Mid American Designs TIPS&PICS
  • Door entry scratch gaurds, static cling to door handle, black, made by DOT, from Eckler's TIPS&PICS
  • Gas guard, installs over filler neck, folds in when door closed, from Eckler's. Doesnt last long! Here it is after less than 2 years.
  • Wheel splash guards, mud flaps, front & back, white, made by Altec, from Eckler's TIPS&PICS
  • Wheel Splash Guards, bodysheilds, front & back, black, made by Past & Present Automotive Parts (888-VETT-PTS) from Eckler's TIPS&PICS
  • Custom GM Bra from West Coast Corvette TIPS&PICS
  • Colgan Miror Bra from Top Notch Auto TIPS&PICS
  • Fender Cover, made by EPPCO Enterprises (cleveland ohio), from Ecklers.
  • Battery Mat, made by The Battery Mat (PO Box 3601, Winchester VA), from Ecklers. THIS DOES NOT WORK ON THE C5! IT PREVENTS THE BATTERY FROM CATCHING ON THE TRAY'S LIP AND THE RETAINER'S LIP.
  • Rear Bumper Bib by Covercraft, from Eckler's. THIS DOES NOT FIT ON THE HARDTOP/CONVERTIBLE SINCE THE TRUNK LATCH IS IN THE MIDDLE AS APPOSED TO THE COUPE HATCH LATCHES WHICH ARE ON THE SIDES. So... I had to modify it! TIPS&PICS
  • Clear protective shield under bra to protect paint, from Griots TIPS&PICS
  • C5 Sunshade from Eckler's to protect the dash
  • Optima SC75U battery to replace the AC Delco stock battery which can leak on 1997 - 2000 C5's
  • A and A Corvette Specialties Frame Savers & Rocker Rails

    • Accessories

  • Valentine One radar detector, from Valentine Research TIPS&PICS
  • Radar detector mirror mount, from Great Lakes Trophy and Engraving TIPS&PICS
  • G-Tech home dyno accelerometer, from Tesla Engineering. 296HP before K&N, 315HP after K&N, (305HP after Loud Mouth Exhaust)
  • Two Handheld CBs, detachable antenna (possible future antenna upgrade) from Radio Shack
  • Digital Camera: Sony Mavica, 3.5" floppy disk, jpeg format, from Staples
  • Ja Ja, Der Autobahn Rear View Mirror, from Griot's Garage TIPS&PICS
  • MVP Pro-Tech 12 Volt Air Compressor, from K-Mart. This will help me get to a Goodyear dealer if I get a slow flat. Run the engine when using this.
  • Scanner with Highway Patrol Alert, Uniden BearTracker BCT-7, from Uniden TIPS&PICS

    • Garage

  • Lift pads, GM Part J-43625, two pairs, from Kent-Moore, (800) 345-2233
  • Lift, by Mohawk, from Tool Connection, Wrentham MA, (508) 384-6203
  • Griot's Garage Parking Stop
  • Torque Wrench, by Nesco, from Eckler's. Comes with instructions.
  • Computer Memory Saver, by Nesco, from Eckler's. Works!
  • Wall Mounted Water Hose Reel, from Griot's. I also installed a toilet tank anti-sweat valve so the water isnt so cold!
  • Telescoping Magnetic Pickup Tool, from The Eastwood Company
  • Griot's Garage Floor Paint
  • Torin Big Red 3-Ton Jack Stands, from JC Whitney, needed for suspension lowering
  • Carpet in the Garage, from Griot's
  • Alignment tools from ADVANCED RACING TECHNOLOGIES

    • Bookstore

  • All Corvettes Are Red (ACAR), by Jim Schefter. The definitive book on c5 development. Details the frustration engineers faced attempting to create a low production car in the huge company of GM. Good reading for anybody, as it concentrates heavily on the personalities. Also there is some good technical stuff. Available at Mid American Designs Corvette Central Eckler's Amazon Schefter Site
  • Corvette C5, by Mike Mueller. The c5 picture book. Has plenty of text, but is mostly a summary of ACAR. Does have a good LS1 chapter. Has more information on the convertible because it was published after ACAR. Available at Mid American Designs Corvette Central Eckler's Amazon
  • Corvette, America's Sports Car, by Randy Leffingwell. Very good overview of Corvette History for beginners.
  • SAE Technical Paper #970915 - 1997 GM 5.7 Liter LS1 V8 Engine "GM Powertrain" by Amann, Damico, Green, Hahn, Haider, *Juriga*, Mantey. Very technical, but also understandable without too much previous experience. Available at Society of Automotive Engineers
  • Key Design Developments of the 1997 Chevrolet Corvette by General Motors Engineers - Contains 6 SAE Technical Papers concentrating mostly on handling. Available at Society of Automotive Engineers
  • 1999 Service Manual, available at Mid American Designs Eckler's Helm Inc
  • Vette Magazine subscription
  • Corvette, Fifth Generation: "Building the Fifth Generation Corvette" Video by Chevrolet & GM - 60 minute version of ACAR more or less. Dave Hill hosts this video with interviews of key people such as John Cafaro. Available at Corvette Central Eckler's
  • Speedvision Guide subscription
  • Detail Your Car, by American Muscle Cars Video Series, from The Eastwood Company. Somewhat useful.
  • C5 Power Secrets Recipe Catalog II video, from Pro Auto Tech (800-832-8072). Very useful.
  • The Ultimate C5 Exhaust video, from Corsa Performance (800-486-0999). Helps in exhausting decision.
  • Corvette Black Book. Good intro to classic vettes.

    • Organizations

  • Official C5 Registry dues, hat, Great White Sharks Patch
  • National Corvette Museum raffle ticket, chance to win hardtop

    • Misc

  • Clipon polarized sunglasses from Sunglass Hut
  • Black C5 hardtop model, scale 1/18, made by UT, from Corvette Central
  • LS1 Engine Model, scale 1/12, made by Ertl, from Sport Craft Cars. Exoticar has it cheaper though.
  • Automatic cat feeder, 48 hour, from Pet-Expo (so we can take weekend trips in the vette!)
    • spark plug wires



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