quick04Z06

Track rats, I want a dependable, dual purpose street/track car. It doesn't have to be the fastest thing on the planet and it doesn't need to be legal for racing. But, it needs to be fun and not so much trouble I can't enjoy it.

So, do I:

Buy an 04 Z06, put in a Ron Davis radiator/oil cooler, some fatter sways, a G-stop brake kit with lines and cooling ducts, racing seat, harness bar and harnesses, and some Kuhmos on stock wheels; or

Buy a new (or close to it) 08/09 Z06, put in a Lingenfelter oil tank, put on some Brembo brakes, a racing seat, a harness bar and harnesses, and some Kuhmos on CCW wheels.

With professional installation, I figure the first example can be done for less than 35-40,000.

I figure the second will cost somewhere around 70-75,000 (or with a new 09, probably 80-85,000), about twice as much.

Will the second option be twice as fun (it costs twice as much) as the first option? What are the pros and cons, in your mind. Focus on bang-for-buck (both up front cost and ongoing cost) and on reliability/hassle.

Thanks for your opinions.

wallyman424

no dig on c6z's, but its definitely not worth twice the price of a nicely set up c5 track car.

haikun

Not sure and have not driven any C6 Z06 on track myself. I have the first option myself. 04 Z06 with pretty much all your options mentioned. I have a lot of fun and are hooked .

The C5 Z06 is still a pretty quick car and so far I have had no issues with the car (still a bit worried about the actual oil pressure but will get a track logger with external oil pressure sensor to get the actual facts).

Would you have twice the fun, i doubt it and I think it's more fun to pass the C6 Z06's and new Porche's on the track in the older C5 version

(You might want to add a few things on the list as well at least on the C5 Z06, oil catch can has helped me, I also had a problem with the standard belt tensioner (almost throw the main belt while running), installed Katech, no issues after that). The other option I really are happy that I added are coil overs. I'm pretty sure Pfadt, DRM or LG is a good option (using DRM myself and really happy with them).

Whatever You choose to do You will like it.

Cheers, Hakan

AU N EGL

C5Z hands down.

bigger radiator is not an immediate concern but a good idea at some time

Oil cool, trans cool, diff cooler, brake cooling ducts, YES

g-force brakes ? what are those ?

Just some Good Hawk DTC-70 / 60 brake pads and DOT 4 brake fluid.

Then a harness bar, seats and 6 point harnesses.

then nothing but seat time and track time

gkmccready

G-Stop are the LGM Wilwoods.

If you're main goal is tracking the car, buy whatever you're willing to walk away from if you ball it up. :-) I wouldn't put myself too deep in a loan and then take the car out to the track...

Having spent a bunch of time, effort and cash on my C6 non-Z I would seriously suggest a C5 for track days... they just swallow the bigger wheels and tires so much better...

CHJ In Virginia

C5 Z with out a doubt. There are many good buys on low milage cars around due to the economy. The LS6 is basically bullet proof with an exterior oil cooler. If street driving is not a concern, there are also some used T1 cars available and will be more after the season is over. Some of these can be great buys - have seen several nice cars in the $35-45K range. All the safety items are already in place and the cars should be well sorted out. If I had to do it over, that is the way I would go.

longdaddy

Sounds like for your goals it would be better to go with 02 Z. since it is a track car, paint condition and mileage are not that critical so why not go with an older car. as long as motor runs strong, and transmission shifts well, 02 is every single bit as good as 04. don't forget to budget in trans/diff coolers. blow up your trans or diff (not unheard of) and there goes your track budget!

if you are not getting into shocks/springs or fancy wheels/BBK, should be easily doable well under 35k, maybe even under 30k if you buy track parts used and do the work yourself. if you pick the right seats, the car can be totally streetable. all mods you listed are easily doable over a few weekends - no need to support your local shop that much, get a shop to help with coolers plumbing and alignment but that's about it. be prepared to learn a lot about how your car works and how to fix stuff, more on this below. take the money you save and get some good roll protection (4/6 pt bar or even a cage). you can never sink too much green into safety.


tell you what, if you wait until spring, you can have mine - all the work has already been done although there is something to be said for prepping the car youself - if something falls off at 150mph, you know exactly whom to blame! on the other hand, C5 that someone else prepped for the track will save you a lot of money compared to doing the build yourself. A LOT. as soon as you bolt a part to a track car, the part's value goes down by anywhere from 50% to 100% if you think stock market has been bad last year, wait until you get into the "track market". just saw 01 coupe today with full cage and T1 suspension that will go for close to 20k. nuts - it probably cost a guy a third of that just to get the cage in (it is a very nice cage)

you can also pick up a well-used stock C6Z for under 50k, but if you ever want to put in a roll bar/cage, that's going to be big $$. BBK will also be expensive here as would be the wheels. I would also invest more into oiling system protection than just a bigger tank. you should be OK running with factory coolers for a while. I toyed with C6Z idea for quite a while and may still do it one day, but the issues with attaching roll protection to aluminum frame, oiling BS (boo GM), and higher costs to deal with brakes/tires kept stopping me every time I was about to pull the trigger.

so c5z will leave you a lot more $$ for track time, tires and brakes, but extra 100hp is no joke... C6Z suspension is better too.

good luck either way, sounds like you are doing your research, wish I had done that before I got into this.

either car is not cheap to keep running on the track if you like to go fast, make sure you take that into account. A lot of secondary parts do not take track abuse well (i.e. power steering, susp bushings, clutch hydraulics, wheel bearings etc etc - C6Z probably wins here just because it's a newer car) and you will have to stay on top of that plus tires and high quality pads/rotors are $$ and you tend go through them quickly once you start pushing the car.

worldsaway

I really like my '04 C5Z. I see the C5Z as one of those cars where chevrolet just got it right. I think you have to go back in time to the 1960's to find them selling an out-of-the-box track car built to this level. Ed

redtopz

Not too many sub $30k cars that can outrun almost every other car on the track regardless of price. Great bang for the buck.

mcar00

Very true!

AU N EGL

You go to many tracks and C5Zs may not be as fast as the C6Z on the longer straights, but the C5Z still holds the faster lap times.

Part of that may be many many great drivers race the C5Z, yet not as many C6Zs are race prepared.

quick04Z06

Thanks, guys. You have pretty much validated my own opinion.

flycastinguy

I started a couple of years ago with a C6Z, foolishly put a LOT of money into it and then sat on pins and needles every time I put it on the track. Was it fast? You betcha! But I was still being passed by better drivers in their C5Z's. Sold it and bought a C5Z. Was the C6 twice the fun? Absolutely not. Worrying about balling up 90K ain't fun. Way more fun in the C5 at 1/3rd the price.

Also don't fall into the "gotta mod" trap. Get a solid C5Z, do your basic safety and braking mods, then enjoy learning to drive!

Bob

95jersey

I have had both C5Z and now C6Z. The C6Z is just an amazing car all around.

First decide on how much you want to spend, then go from there. Keep in mind the following things past the actual price of the car

C5Z is VERY cheap to run (almost camaro cheap) and very fast when done right.

C6Z is AMAZING car no matter what anyone says, but VERY expensive to run. The cost of the car is JUST the beginning. But a well set up C6Z is increadible. But, every single part is like 2-3 times the price of the C5Z.

C6Z also have more electronic nannies to deal with than C5Z which just drives up cost even more.

Benefit of newer C6Z is warranty and you can find one in low 50's maybe 40's. At that price with a 427, it is the bargain of the century. So both sides to this coin my friend.

edaniel7

Excluding straigh-aways Miatas push my Z around the track and chicks like 'em too !

longdaddy

so sorry to hear about your issues...

quick04Z06

You're right--my old silver Z, which was both a track and street car, and I learned about full-race Spec Miatas. But, racetracks include straight-aways. Of course, if you go full bore with coil-overs, lowering, adj sways, etc., you can eat most Miatas in the twistys, too, as well as crush them on the straights.

gkmccready

You shouldn't need anything but some rubber (at most) to out run the Spec Miatas, even through the corners, unless you've got a real hot shoe Miata driver. The only ones that are fun to play with are the turbo'd ones. :-)

AU N EGL

those turbo Miatas are bloody fast, especially with a great driver