MarkDFW

Next year I plan on converting my c6 grand sport to a dedicated track car. Besides aero, one of my main focuses will be shedding as much weight as possible within reason for cost purposes. I don't have an unlimited budget.

I'm interested in hearing what you did and what is cost in terms of either time or money?

Phase 1 is easy and obvious: gut the interior, lose the passenger seat, rip out the A/C.

The dead last phase is carbon fiber everything, which I can't afford.

I already have headers, pfadt single adjustable coilovers, and cobra Suzuka gt seat with harness so I saved a few pounds there. I will likely get a car on fiber world challenge good to go with the splitter and wing.

So what did you do and how much weight did you save over stock? What did it cost in time and $$?

B Stead

The websites that I follow for Volk wheels show the Volk TE37 wheels for the Z06 Corvette as discontinued. The TE37 wheels are very light, very strong, and very popular on race cars. There's just nothing else that even comes close.

But the easy places to lose weight are the A/C, exhaust system, battery, and wheels. So take a look at the 21 pound Braille battery. Or maybe two 17 pound Braille batteries ?

Most everything else is just gutting.

Well, plexiglass type windshields are available. Gorilla glass is still a few years away
.

rfn026

You need to think about this very seriously. You don't have a race car. Once you start stripping things out of the car you will no longer have a street car. You'll have a car that very few people will want to buy. There are only so many track junkies.

I did this to my car and it's a great track car. It also requires a trailer and a truck to get it to the track. I have memories of how nice it was to just drive to the track in the morning and drive back him in the afternoon. I can't go back to those days though.

Now. The two biggest weight items are the glass and seats. Both are up pretty high in the car. Start there. Don't worry about weight that's low on the car until you get all of the upper weight out of the car.

Richard Newton
My Facebook Page

Hi Volts Z06

Driving to the track in the morning and driving home in the afternoon are really wonderful concepts......until you break something and then wonder how you are getting yourself and your car home!

MarkDFW

I already have CCW wheels and r comps that I throw on for the track. And I also planned on the Braille battery. I'm trying to think of other cost/time effective things to shed weight. I've heard of people getting their c6 to crazy low weights, but the cost is also crazy.

Don't worry. I'm already doing homework on a used silverado 1500 and figuring out what features I want. The trailer is the tricky part. My house doesn't have a good place to park a trailer, and paying $750/year to park it at a storage facility seems silly. I may just rent uhauls for long weekends in the beginning.

The passenger seat is a goner for sure. I still have the drivers side seat but can't sell it as everyone wants the passenger seat too, and I'm not gutting the car just yet. I hadn't thought about the glass. What kind of weight savings are we talking there? And cost of something lighter weight to replace?

Charley Hoyt

Before you rip into your car too deeply you should really figure out your trailer issue. It is my understanding that U haul trailers don't work well for Vettes. And you should likely be looking at bigger trucks. Best of luck....

RX-Ben

2500 minimum on the truck.
Count yourself lucky if you can find a good place close by to store it for $720/year!
If you have a big RV/5th wheel shop nearby, they may offer cheap storage (I was thrilled to find $60/month storage at one, everywhere else was $100 or more).

As mentioned, anything you to your car from here on out will be a black hole in terms of monetary return. The only thing in this scenario that makes $ sense is buying a used truck (preferably Duramax), since that will keep most of its resale value. Buying a used race car generally makes more monetary sense that converting a good street car, but requires a lot of diligence.

Paul Schmidt

I would buy a C5. I have a C6Z that I've had for over 7 years now. I really was going to do what you are thinking of doing. Then I started looking a C5 prices. Too low to pass up. It has an LS3 too.

MarkDFW

I see plenty of guys towing a C6 with an open trailer in a chevy 1500 or F150. I'm sure the bigger truck would be nice, but I'm guessing more maintenance cost. 2500 seems better if towing enclosed trailer.

I'm so far down the path with my c6 I don't know if it makes sense to sell it and buy a c5. Its halfway to being a dedicated track car already:

CCW C10 wheels 18x11 front and 18x12 rear (used for track only)
Cam
American Racing Stainless Steel Headers (1 7/8 primaries) and X Pipe with no cats
Halltech Stinger Intake and Filter
NGK TR55 Spark Plugs
tune
160 degree thermostat
PRC Dual Spring Kit, Titanium retainers, viton seals, new locks
New GM Timing Cover Gasket
New GM Timing Cover Seal
New GM Waterpump Gaskets
New GM Crank Bolt
Transmission Cooler
Circle D Triple Disk 2800-3000 stall
Pfadt Johnny O'Connell Sway Bars
Carbotech Brake Pads (XP 20 front and XP 12 rear)
Castrol SRF brake fluid
Pfadt featherlight single adjustable coilovers
NPP exhaust with mild2wild remote
Ron Davis radiator with integrated oil cooler
Stop tech ST60 BBK up front with ST rotors (355mm), ST brakes lines
Pfadt camber kit
Cobra Suzuka GT Pro seat, schroth 6 point harness, vetteworks sharkbar


Next week I'm having the floating rotor hardware installed for the StopTech rotors which should help with pad knockback. I'm also have poly control arm from VBP installed, as well as SKF wheel hubs up front. MSI wheel studs and lug nuts going in as well.

From there it will mostly be gut the car and put in aero. Seems silly to sell it at this point.

el es tu

funny I was looking into buying a gmc sierra this morning in order to replace my daily driver thats on its last leg.

so you guys dont suggest using a 1500 to haul a car around?


EDIT:



Damn mark- it looks like all youre missing is a cage

MarkDFW

I've been watching this thread and many there seem to have no problem with a chevy 1500 or f150:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...or-c6-z06.html

MarkDFW

There is always more to do, as I'm finding out. But I'm WAY too far down the path at this point to sell the car. I plan on this being my track car for many, many years.

And yes, once it depreciates even more, I'll move from HPDE and Time Trials and race either ST2 or ST1.

argonaut

It depends a lot of which engine the truck has. Do not get one with the 5.3L. IMO its a dog and not suitable for pulling over 5K lbs. Ask me how I know...

5280Racer

A 1500 will tow a open trailer easily and even some enclosed trailers. new chevy 1500's tow up to 12,000 lbs.

5280Racer

Mark, look at ballistic batteries. I'm using one now and it weighs 3.5 lbs.


http://www.ballisticparts.com/produc...ies/16cell.php

MarkDFW

How long is that thing lasting you? Great deal if you get plenty of starts out of it!

69427

RX-Ben

I said to get a 2500 b/c I am predicting that you will soon want a larger enclosed trailer. Like ~28'. And then the choice to upgrade will be easy b/c you have plenty of truck.
Yes, you could buy a new max'd out 1500, but that is hard to justify (at least for me) when you can get a lightly used Duramax for well below that.

5280Racer

A year with colorado weather...

MarkDFW

Impressive. I'll have to research that vs. how long the Braille lasts and see how much I need the extra 15 pounds. May or may not be worth it, but nice to know a battery that small will do the work for that long.