Under $800
Nitrous Express Wet Kit
Expect 125 rwhp or more from this nitrous kit, which translates into e.t. drops of over a full second. Along with its high fun factor and great bang-for-the-buck comes great responsibility. Follow the manufacturer's instructions closely, as misused nitrous can damage engines and wallets. While there are some handy accessories for nitrous, like window switches and bottle heaters, you can get started fairly cheap.
| Price: | $609 |
| Gain: | 125 rwhp |
| Performance: | 1.0 e.t. reduction and 10 mph gain |
| Install difficulty: | Hard, unless you are handy with wiring |
Yank Performance Torque Converter
Gen IIIs respond extremely well to aftermarket torque converters, and Yank has a great line of converters that range from mild to wild. The Yank Pro Thruster 4000 is a great strip converter, and is usually good for five tenths or more drop in e.t. at the track. If you can put up with a loose converter, think 4,400, but if you have an extensive commute or want to maintain somewhat decent gas mileage, focus on a 3,500 stall, which will still yield a three-tenths drop in e.t. Converter installs are very time intensive for the first-timer, so budget a day or drop it off.
| Price: | $799 |
| Gain: | N/A |
| Performance: | .5 e.t. reduction and 1-2 mph gain |
| Install difficulty: | Hard |
Meziere Electric Water Pump
As efficient as late-model GM engines are, electric water pumps are still worth over a tenth at the track and some measurable ponies on the dyno. Veteran DIY'ers will typically wire the pump to keyed ignition since most of us would probably forget to turn the pump on until after the car has overheated. Some diehard rodders prefer to have the pump triggered manually so that they can cool the engine down after making a pass without running the engine. While not a hard install, the wiring takes some skill.
| Price: | $599 |
| Gain: | 10 rwhp |
| Performance: | .1 e.t. reduction and 1 mph gain |
| Install difficulty: | Medium |