Hi all,

I have LEDs for the 3rd brake light and rear lights, a TTR sway bar, a lower billet grille, a Fiamme dual horn, and a TWM short shifter and shift knob either installed or on order for my LT2. My car is about as fully factory optioned as the LT2 can get, except no side air bags, the smokers group that originally came with the car was apparently removed by the previous owner before the car was REPOSSESSED (no great loss), and I specifically wanted a manual transmission. I have decided not to go with the TTR motor mount due to its causing vibration at idle (everyone in the buying group is an SS owner). I was thinking about the GMPP air intake, but am concerned it might make the car more noisy. I considered HID headlights, but apparently to work correctly those need to be part of a system, rather than just grafted onto the stock light assemblies. I still need to fix my wind deflector. I believe I'm getting to the end of what I can do. There isn't an easy way to do heated mirrors or lighted vanity mirrors, though I'd only consider the former, and a changeover to rear disk brakes is not cost-effective. I just wanted to check to see if I was missing something obvious (other than moving to an SS as some would probably suggest...LOL).

Harlan

 

Hi Harlan -

I am very pleased with my loaded up 08 2LT Panel.. I didn't want an SS..They are bad azz, just not what I wanted.

Have you shaved the emblems & chicklets ?

I've added Cobalt SS/TC rear springs to 'level' my ride, & have the TTR bar too..

 

I LIKE that this is the first United States company marketed (not made, since it's made in Mexico) vehicle I have bought in 20 years. So, I plan to leave the chicklets and emblems alone.

I have a big hill in the driveway where I keep the car, so I am not wanting to do anything to lower it. Are you ADDING springs or SUBSTITUTING them from stock? I got the rear sway bar because its absence is glaring, but not sure I want to do anything to change the FE3 suspension.

 

Doc,
A lot of us use the rear springs from the cobalt SS to replace the stock rear springs. They only lower the rear about an inch. It makes a big difference in the look, not a real world difference in ground clearance. I use them on mine and even with a trailer hitch (which sits well below the rear bumper) I don't scrape even on speed bumps. They don't upset the stock suspension. Just thought I would let you know.

Other mods you might think about......
Wheels and tires, if your just looking for a cosmetic change you could keep the stock tires/tire size
Maybe paint the calipers and add after market brake rotors (stock ones are prone to warping)


You could do a dash kit (I don't care for the fact most leave a gap around the center dash vents)
You could paint the water fall panel on the dash...


Maybe even a wood floor in the back


A lot of it is just up to your imagination and deciding just what you want....Don't be afraid to just try something new that the rest of us haven't done. Just have fun doing it and let the rest of us see what you've come up with...

 

Yeah, I'm proud that I drive GM!

 

I would NOT own a GM if I didn't like them since I was a kid..


On the wheel mod thing, I polished the gold-tone off the bow-ties. Simple to do, & I like the clean polished look much better.. But that's me..

 

I have decided not to do the aftermarket upper engine mount or any limited slip differential. I'm leaning against doing the GMPP air intake because I don't want more engine noise. I don't want to lower the car. Am I right to conclude that I'm done with mechanical things, and what's left is purely appearance stuff as exemplified in the pictures above? That's really what I meant to ask in the first place.

 

sounds like.... what about in-channel vent visors ? Useful & look good..

 

There are tons you can do. I for example have done quite a bit to my LT2:

Goldline lowering springs
Eibach rear sway bar
stiffer rear shocks
Rear spoiler
Bermuda black L.E.D taillights
stubby antenna
modified my intake box and added a K&N filter
in-channel vent visors
Billet shifter insert from Maggies race and street
billet hazzard button, center storage button and glove box handle from Maggies
blacked out my side marker lights and rear reflectors with VHT nightshades
Xenon HID headlights and fog lights (55w/65w replacements that do not require a mod to the system)
lower front billet grille
interior underdash L.E.D.'s
billet fuse box and comp covers
billet hood and trunk strut covers

and a few more odds and ends. It all has to do with what YOU want to do. The possibilities are endless.

 

I would say that upgrading the front brake rotors is more than cosmetic if you plan to drive the car hard at all. The stock front rotors are maginal at best. Heat has terrible effects on them. After just a half hour of spirited driving the rotors were so out of shape I had to park the car for about a half hour just to let the rotors cool. The pedal was pulsing so bad from the hot rotors that I was afraid I was going to loose control during any more hard braking. you might also want to consider better brake pads too.

As for performance you could get a little more with a tune or cold air and exhaust. cold air and exhaust would give you more sound though and you seem set to avoid that.......

Most here, myself included will tell you the stock firestone tires are terrible. Just about any name brand performance tire would be better.