Later this year I'll be returning from a 2 year tour in Afghanistan. With that being said, I'm going to treat myself to a low mileage SS and quite a few aftermarket parts. This is going to be my first turbo charged car, so bare with me. Although I've read a lot, I'm still going to have noob questions to ask i'm sure

On to the list! As always, comments and suggestions are always welcome.

Trifecta Tune
Zzp Intake
Zzp Upper IC Pipe
Zzp 3" Down Pipe High Flow Cat
TTR's Motor Mounts
Powell Hardcore Rear Sway Bar
2.5" Custom Catback with Borla 40665 Muffler
Verde Calibre 20" Wheels 225/35/20 Tires

I've read that I'd need to upgrade the clutch at 325hp, is that accurate? I'm not replacing the stock turbo or the stock IC so i'm not sure if I'll get near that magical 325hp number or not with these parts.

I'm also not building this HHR to race, so keep that in mind. It's simply just a fun car to enjoy driving on the weekends when it's too cold to ride my M109R

 

My $.02

-OTTP or Powell hardcor rear sway bar instead of the TTR
-3" catback exhaust for better flow
-Get the upgraded FMIC (ZZP is good) for racing
-Those 20" wheels are about 14lbs heavier each than stock SS wheels which will increase your unsprung weight (not good for racing)
-Make sure you get all the bolt ons and then tune for best outcome.

Sounds like a good list and a fun project. Thank you for your service and welcome to HHR.net!

 

The Hardcore bar sounds good, I also got a PM about it from someone else as you replied.

As for the 3" exhaust, is it even needed at sub 325hp? I'd rather keep the noise down if it's really not necessary.

I'm assuming an FMIC is an aftermarket IC? I won't be racing as I said, so I'm not sure it would be worth the investment. How much of an increase are we talking about? Is this the FMIC you're referring to?

According to tirerack these wheels are 25.6lb's. Acording to this thread, the stock SS wheels weigh about 22-24lbs. I don't mind 1-3 extra pounds for the better looks.

 

Is a 3" exhaust necessary for less than 325? No. But why pay 500 bucks for the same rhing thats on the car?

Other than that, good mods for a street car

 

If there was a performance difference between two things that cost the same amount of money, it would be a no brainer. If the 2.5" pipes were a bottleneck I'd go 3". If they're not a bottleneck and never will be, I'd rather go with the quieter of the two.

 

In the scheme of things the 3" will add maybe 5hp and if coupled with a muffler it wont be loud. As far as the intercooler..that's the one. It is generally a good idea to upgrade if you are getting tuned because the stock intercooler plastic end tanks are a weak spot when boost psi is increased. The aftermarket piece will mitigate heat soak on back to back runs as well. There are many people that run the stock ic with a tune though so it's a judgement call. Good luck Oh, and if that is the correct weight of the new wheels then you're right it's not a big deal.

 

Thanks guys! I think I will go ahead and run the 3" and see how it sounds with the borla muffler. After reading about the plastic parts on the stock IC, i'm not liking that at all with increased boost. I might as well just do it right and replace the IC along with all the pipes at once.

After seeing some HHR's running 13's and 12's, i may have to take it to the track after all lol.