asp04

I would welcome input from the "forum" on my brain-draining decision. I have autocrossed a c4 since I bought it new in "92". It has seen a fair amount of abuse from cones and stones and a few off track rides. It only has 40,000 miles, so it still runs pretty good. After driving a C5, I just had to have one. So now I sit with a "04" Z06 all shiny and pretty. I have run the Z06 at Putnam Park once, and picked up a few paint chips in the process. I would hate to see the wear and tear of track days on my "04" , but am fairly addicted to the extra power and refinement over my "92". So my question to the "forum' is, Can a C4 with a few hop ups be competitive with a C5 or C6 in the hpde world?
Or should I just sell old red and start beating the crap out of new yellow?

VetteDrmr

If by "hop ups" you're referring to power, then no (assuming your '92 is stock suspension-wise). Biggest difference is body stiffness between the C4 and C5. Brakes can be upgraded, but to get the suspension to work really well you've got to stiffen up the body, and that requires a pretty good (6 pt?) roll bar setup. Now you're getting the car to be less and less street friendly.

Look at it this way: run your Z06, put some kind of protection on the bumper (for DEs) and wheel wells, have fun with her, and give her a new paint job when the road rash gets to be too much.

My baby is almost ready to click over 150K miles, and I take her to autox events regularly.

HTH, and have a good one,
Mike

UstaB-GS549

The only way to avoid stone chips is to never drive the car. You might as well enjoy it.

rocsvette

Having run a 96 LT4 and then an 02, I can tell you that without major suspension work/stiffness, you just won't get the same performance level. Switching between cars also changes your timing and it takes a while to get used to each. I did Putnam in early June in a Z06 and then at end of June in my C5. I had to adjust braking points, turn in etc to the differences in speeds, braking and suspension. Go with the 04 and really enjoy the car.

wtknght1

Absolutely!!! Drive the crap out it and find out just how good that car really is.

Nothing you do to that car will increase its value, so don't worry about it. They were made to be driven and driven hard. They are fabulous track cars and you will have a blast in it. I loved my old 89 Vette, but the C5 is just a sweet ride! Learn to really drive it.

sothpaw2

Mike,

What kind of protection do you recommend? A bra for the front? Or can I just do painter's tape on the bumper and wells for HPDE?

davidfarmer

I've had several C4's (including ZR1) and C5's and C6's, and the C5 is a MUCH MUCH better track car, and you WILL have more fun in the Z06. The C4 is a great car, and was an absolutely amazing car in it's day, but the C5's hydroformed frame and true independent rear suspension (a-arm instead of trailing arm) makes it a much better car to drive fast.

VetteDrmr

Believe it or not, clear Wal Mart shelf paper. Gloss clear, not the satin finish kind. It works great, put it on in the morning, pull it off in the afternoon.

You'll have edges that'll pull up, but for the autox and DEs I've done it works pretty well.

Don't use it in the wet, though; the adhesive stays on the paint and takes some effort to get off.

If you look closely you can see it in the wheel wells in my sig picture (don't need to put anything on the nose when autocrossing).

I've also used a bra for DEs, which works well for the nose.

HTH, and have a good one,
Mike

rocsvette

There is some clear stuff from 3M but it's very hard to apply. Also easy temp stuff like something from WallyWorld. Don't go with a bra because that can easily move under wind buffeting and do more damage than good. Or you can look at the little marks and rubber chunks as a proof you're a driver and not a waxer (less effort too)

95jersey

a quick respray on the front of the car is much cheaper than modding a C4...just a different way to look at it.

Mine has been resprayed 2 times. The second time actually lasted 2 seasons, after this season, it will get another respray and that is the last before I get an C6Z06, then the resprays begin on that car.

TRACKMAN2

GOT MY C4 BACK TODAY.. I LIKE IT MORE THAN MY ZO6 ALTHOUGH ITS A TOTAL PITA ITS MORE OF A CHALLENGE TO DRIVE.. IF YOU PASS SOMEONE IN THE ZO6 ITS THE CAR.... IF YOU PASS IN THE C4 ITS YOU....