c4_4ya

So I did an autox a few weekends ago, and obviously I'm hooked (been wanting to race since I can remember). I want a dedicated track car, and am considering a c4 (92 m6 non-z51) or holding off for a bone stock c5 m6 for under $10k.

My question is: given the two options, which would be most competitive in its respective class (stock for now)?

Short-Throw

Are you looking for a dedicated track car for AutoX or Roadracing?

If you mean roadracing --be careful as a $10,000 car will be the cheapest part of your season.

As far as respective classes, which racing body were you interested in? SCCA? NASA? Midwest Council, other?


Mike

c4_4ya

Starting with AutoX/HPDE for now. But would love to get into road/club racing down the line (if and when I can afford it lol). I'm looking for a ride that I can grow with for several years before plunking down serious cash. I just dont want to throw $$ down for a car that isn't competitive now or in the future even with mods. The c5 I have now easily exceeds my limits (pretty much any vette does at this point), but I want to keep it street and not abuse it.

Currently I'm looking at it like this: a stock c5 would class in autoX SCCA AS, and a stock c4 would class BS. Which would be more competitive in its respective class? I don't really care which org I race with, as I'm sure they all have stock classes.

ipuig

How competitive you will be is more a function of your driving skills than the platform you are using. The C5 is a great and reliable autocross car as long as you perform the necessary maintenance and drive it correctly. I've been autocrossing mine regularly for years without any ill effects.

jaa1992

Buy a built car - it will be cheaper in the long run.

Or mod a c4 and spend lots of time and $$$ on it.

However - I'm in the c4 camp - I love mine, on engine 3 and have a seat and harness on order. You can AutoX your street car, I ran an 88 auto for a few years. Good brakes, alignment, fresh fluids and learn to make it dance.

crimlwC6

C5 is worth the extra cash imo.

Bad Karma

Since you already own a C5, keep it and race it in the stock or lightly modified category of whatever sanctioning body you are in.

If you are staying with AX, HSAX, HPDE, I would stay with your current car and build it for street and track. If down the road you decide you want to get into wheel to wheel I would then look at a dedicated track car. The cost to own and maintain a non-street legal race car is quite high.

This is the route I'm going. I don't have the money to do wheel to wheel, nor the skill at the moment. Drive the hell out of your C5 and learn it.

My advice from one novice to another.

DonF

I have a 96 LT4 that I auto X in NCCC. On most short tracks I have C5's trying to keep up with me and I beat most of the C6's. An open high speed track I dont have the HP to do the same. A C4 is easy for me to work on, I do all of my own wrenching. Easy to find parts for also, there are issues with the power steering at high RPM's but I have corrected that. Look at what you have to do to pull major parts off & that will help you decide.
By the way I have ton's of seat time, it wasn't always this way.

vettehardt

Keep what you have and learn with that. As everyone else said, seat time means more than the platform you run on. I drive a 73 with a few suspension mods and headers. Pretty much stock motor. On most courses i run, i will be beating stock C5s on a regular basis. Once they can open up their horse power, they will beat me.

If you are looking for a track car, there are a few on here for sale. Look at the older posts within the last month or so. But remember, you will also need a truck and trailer to get it to the track. Then brakes, tires, etc, will be more expensive.

c4_4ya

All good advice. As far as drive what you have; well my 85 is an auto and has mods that I don't have the time (or parts now) to revert back to stock. My c5 has way too many mods (twin turbos being one) and I just don't want to track it, except for maybe an HPDE here and there. Besides, I don't want to start out in a modded car; I want to push one to its limits in factory form, then really notice the effects the small changes can make in other areas besides speed.

Here's what I have decided on... I found a 92 m6 fx3 bone stock for a good price, which can dub as both a DD and track car. It'll be way better on gas than my SUV for sure! Pending the results of a thorough inspection, the car should be mine this week.

SO, hope to meet some of you guys around the southeastern events over the spring and summer.

vettehardt

The LT1/4 C4s are darn good autocross cars. One thing that will help is get some 17x11 grand sport wheels for the rear of the car. Really helps the rear rotate better. In NCCC, this will still keep you in stock class since the grand sports had them in 1996.

Even my sister's 93 40th coupe with auto and non FX3 suspension can do very well in an autocross. I've taken some overall FTDs in it, but that was when there was snow on the ground!!! And that was with traction control off.