Installing the scoop first required taking careful measurements to ensure symmetrical placement. A grease pencil was a great tool to mark the scoop's final position as the marks were easily rubbed off after installation. Measurements included ensuring equal distances between the sides of the hood, and also the front-to-back measurements of each corner of the scoop.
We performed the appearance items ourselves and sent the truck to Stenod Performance, a Detroit-area tuning and fabrication shop for the mechanical stuff. Check out www.stenodperformance.com for more information, or call the company at (248) 307-0056. We were floored when only two wrench turners were able to install the whole package of headers, exhaust, rocker arms and cold-air box, all in less than a day. The parts went on easily and it sure helped to have a lift and impact tools. Setting the tune required a simple plug-in procedure and following the instructions supplied in the manual.
Stenod Performance's ability to complete the job in a day minimized labor costs and made the performance upgrades more like an "outpatient" procedure. The speed of the operation, so to speak, was a testament to the precise fitment of the parts; they simply fit as the instructions indicated. In our experience, that doesn't happen very often.
SLP's PerformancePac prices vary, but the 350 hp package for our 5.3-liter '06 Silverado listed for a little less than $2,800. The appearance items ran another few hundred bucks, as did the take-off wheels and tires-which didn't come from SLP Performance. So, for about $3,500, we transformed our bright-red Chevy from a standard, boring fleet refugee to a tailored street machine. Those headers and dual-outlet exhaust gave the Silverado a more appropriate rumble, too.
SLP reminded us that all of the parts- except for the exhaust system-carry a 3-year, or 36,000-mile warranty. The stainless-intensive exhaust has a lifetime warranty. We also asked about similar PerformancePac kits for the all-new GM pickups and SLP told us they were due soon.
Of course, a session with easy, works-as-promised parts got our juices flowing. The truck looks great with the new wheels, hood-scoop grille, and stripes. Still, it'd look even better lowered a couple of inches and we're going to pop off those body-side moldings as soon as possible.
The scoop was affixed with OE-type tape, which sticks hard after only a light touch. It was important to lower the scoop carefully onto the prescribed locating points to make sure it was perfectly straight. | 
Graphics installation began with taping the stripe and back papers into the correct position. The stripes followed the contours of the Silverado's body, so it was pretty easy to locate them. Of course, a clean, dry surface was essential for adhesion. |
Next, the stripes' adhesive-side backing paper was slowly removed while the graphic was simultaneously laid onto the sheetmetal. With the graphic affixed to the vehicle, a flexible plastic spreader-like those used to spread body filler-was used to smooth the stripe and, with luck, work out the air bubbles. | |