doc5

All,

I'm considering building or buying a C5 track car starting from a high mileage base -- >100K mi.

I'll replace shocks, bushings, sway bars and will do a stock rebuild of the engine.

What mechanical or structural (?) gotchas should I expect from a car with high mileage which would be absent at 30-50K miles?

Thanks!

Dave

travisnd

I built a 119,000 mile 2001 Z06 into my TTA car. Only thing I did differently vs. a lower mileage car was to go ahead and replace the wheel hubs with fresher low mileage ones.

For the engine I installed a fresh LS2 timing chain, LS4 high volume oil pump, and fresh OEM valve springs with new seals. I also threw in some lower mileage rocker arms and fuel injectors I already had in the garage.

Even with a lower mileage motor I'd have still done the timing chain and oil pump upgrade. I don't see the need to do a "stock rebuild" unless the engine fails a leak-down/compression test and is down on power.

These cars were engineered by GM for a 200k mile life-cycle. They shouldn't need any type of rebuilding before that if cared for.

doc5

Travisnd,

Thanks for your reply and also the PM with your build details -- exactly what I was looking for, and more!

Regards,

Dave

varkwso

It will run great for a while - be prepared to replace torque tube, transmission, diff, and clutch - not in that order most likely.

Bill Dearborn

Wheel hubs, tie rod ends, ball joints. Probably would do on a lower mile car but defnitely on a high mile one.

Bill

gmccreary

Rust! I bought a high mileage Z06 from Wisconsin. Structurally sound, strong motor but found a lot of rust on the suspension components. Find a southern car if you can but not from Varkwso.

davidfarmer

rod bolts are junk......... I'd be prepared to buy an 01-up engine sooner rather than later

varkwso

That hurts...

travisnd

Zero issues with my tie/toe rod ends or balljoints. My car had 119xxx miles on it when I prepped it and 5 track weekends later all's well. Definitely inspect them, but unless the shaft actually moves laterally in the "socket" they're not worn.

The control arms are cast aluminum

Yeah I considered an older FRC/Coupe, but the price difference between a high mileage coupe/FRC vs. Z06 is only a few grand. IMO it's worth it to get the LS6 with better components and the better torque-tube etc.

Hey you were kind enough to test drive my car and give me honest and accurate feedback before I made the 9 hour drive down

MJM

Be prepared to have a lot of fun for the least amount of money possible. Seriously, the C5's are all the same basically.

If you are going to replace the bushings, shocks, sway bars, and springs anyway who cares how many miles it has?

If you eventually decide you need more power, a higher revving engine, slightly different transmission gears, etc then you still have money left over to put those in later.

Matt

RX-Ben

Get a later 2001 or later. Better rod bolts, LS6 block and intake. The later 2001s and on don't have the oil consumption issue (due to ring design) which is magnified on the track. You can add the LS6 valley cover with little drama. Has the better torque tube. Better abs.
I bought a 2001 w/130+k. If you get the bug, you are going to replace all the wear items anyway (like I have), so no use paying extra for them in the first place. If I had to do it again, I'd find a pos and work from there. But, I wanted to drive it instead of wrench on it, so it was worth a little more to me to have something in good running condition.

varkwso

Most components are cast aluminum but the bolts, fuel and brake lines are not. Aluminum does corrode in a salt environment (looks bad - we all know who that would drive wild!) - Mikes car (the last totalled one) was from Chicago and it showed.

Also if you ever intend to compete with it in TT (NARRA, NASA, SCCA, et. al.) or W2W look at the rules for where you want to run before you start modding/repairing.

Jason

A lifetime of street use doesn't add up to 1 season on the track.

varkwso

amen

6SPEEDZ

I would change the torque tube couplers on a high mileage car and possibly the the torque bearings also. The rest of it depends on the life it had. Just throughly inspect all tie rod ends, bushings, ball joints, etc. Look at the wheel hubs for play and excessive rust. Change all fluids replace the brake hoses. A timing chain and valve springs are a good idea also. I would also recommend an 01 and up.

travisnd

I wouldn't mess with the torque tube unless you're getting driveline vibration at speed. Now if you have to drop the driveline for something else then by all means replace them or at least thoroughly inpsect, but no need to pull it appart to that extent unless it's showing symptoms.

sperkins

The pre '01 cars are junk.

doc5

Thanks, guys -- lots of good input (and a few snide remarks to boot)!

Digesting...

Dave