PeOR

Need you road racers advice.

I have a beautiful C6 Z51 with modified brakes and a set of track wheels. I use it as my daily driver and do about 10 track events per year down in the Florida region.

Should I put on the Pfadt coil over kit and have Torq.com get me 80-100 more bhp or should I sell the car and get a Z06? The first scenario would be about $10K, the second probably $20+K.

I would love the wider wheels, dry lube and lower oil temps, aluminium frame and perhaps most of all, the extra torq. But it is still $10K extra for what might just be a second on track. I am very interested in thoughts about this. Should I just go with what I have or is it time to take the bigger jump?

PeO.

LEAVINU

I just want to say nice color scheme on the C6....

davidfarmer

Performance wise, you could easily match the power of a Z06. Personally, I'm a huge fan of the Z06 bodywork, front-feeding fascia and bulging fenders. I love even the C5Z06's and still consider them the best bang-for-the-buck track car around, but I consider the C6Z06 an even better ultimate track car with it's more modern design and as much performance as you really need.

You'll have to be the judge on this one, you really can't go wrong either way

autoxer6

Here is what I would do:
-Keep the car
-Enroll in a drivers school (Like bondurant, or spring mountain)
-Buy a data acquisition and camera system (and learn how to use it)
-Then smile big every time you pass a Z06 on the track because you are a better driver.

The extra money can be spent on something else. (Tires, more track time, shifter cart, nice things for the wife so you can spend more time at the track, etc)

All IMHO.
Chris

hamdog

I've considered a similar scenario many times. It's important to remember that once you upgrade the car, it's likely that it is completely stock. You should definitely consider the mods in to the equation. That could change your $20k number drastically making the upgrade not as appealing.

AU N EGL

Chris sign up for NASA- midwest

http://www.nasamidwest.com/

Get your driving schools right there in the midwest.

95jersey

For what you can get a Z06 for now...it is a no brainer. The only reason I would not suggest one is if you need a full cage and are going racing. Otherwise, it is a TOTALLY different car. You think another 80-100hp will match the Z, but the torque and the gearing are awesome on the Z06. I'd bet if both cars had equal HP, the Z will still easily pull away out of corners. Dry sump, coolers all around, ability to use wider tires, better weight distribution (battery in rear, carbon front end).

For the price of a used mint Z06, I wouldn't even think of a Z51.

This and I haven't even talked about the looks. The Z looks like a Vette should look.

I love the gearing... 1st gear does 62mph, 2nd does 92+. I shift about 50% less than I would in my old C5Z.

gkmccready

I have a C6 Z51 and I've thought about the same thing a few times. I'm like David and prefer the C6Z looks but you can put that body on your Z51 should you choose. Doing that also gets you the option of swallowing wider wheels -- but I already run 18x10+18x11 on my Z51. And since people are saying the dry sump on the stock C6Z isn't really up to snuff for heavy track use you're looking at upgrades there, anyway. And the Z51, I believe, already has all the coolers the C6Z offers -- okay, the oil cooler is in the radiator rather than separate, but that's easy to deal with.

Why do you want an aluminum frame? I thought it was harder to repair, and made cage installation more difficult. Two huge negatives.

Do you need more power? Is everybody blowing by you on the straights? The corners are the fun parts, anyway... and all your brake and suspension upgrades from the Z51 will need to be made to the Z06, too...

It's your call in the end; I think they're both great cars. I wish I'd been in a position to buy a C6Z rather than the Z51 up front, but I don't see any huge advantage to going that direction now, personally...

PeOR

Nice comments, all! And I do appreciate the angle of keeping the car. It gives me some additional energy to continue thinking that way.

To answer some of the questions above

Chris, here is a vid from the system I have. And my wife likes you. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sovUtYAMDuw
Hamdog - Agree. I would probably get 22 K in trade in value and put 45 K in a new car plus tires/rims for 3 K, rotors and pads 1 K to get the car track ready. Thats 27 K in difference.
95jersey - so far I have not even ridden in one. I have a few friends on the events that have standard and non standard Z06's. Perhaps I should ask to ride with them to feel the difference. However, is that a safe way to loose 27 K?
gkmccready - the frame of Z06 is supposed to be 130 lbs lighter, the engine 10 lbs heavier. I just assumed the total car would be lighter. And no, I am not feeling like I have parked on the track. I can't do anything about fast drivers and R-tires or slicks, but the other Z06's are usually fun to drive with.

Appreciate all the made comments and want to hear even more!

PeO.

95jersey

As an instructor, I have driven them all, and can tell you if you drove a Z06 you would not even look back even with the extra coin, BUT with that said I can understand trying to maximize your current investment. At the time I bought mine, I had a 5 year old C5Z that I was ready to get rid of regardless, so for me it was an easy decision. In some ways I wish I waited a couple years and let someone else take the big depreciation hit, but I can say the last few years have been a LOT of fun with the Z and there aren't many if any cars at the track that will out pace her.

The only downside besides your loss on your current car is the Z will cost more $$$ to run at the track (wider tires, bigger more expensive brake pads, more expensive rotors and so on). Go look up the price of 345/30/19's!!!!

But once the car gets on the track and you roll the throttle on that big 427 and lay down rubber with a set of massive 345's....your soul becomes ignited and I can't put a price tag on how much darn fun it is to drive one on a road course. I have run against many modded C6's and the Z is still in different category.

All I can say for those on the fence, and with 06 Z's in the low $40's (maybe high $30's), it's time to party!

trapp

I have owned both a 07 Z06 and currently a C6 Z51. I owned the Z prior to "tracking" cars. I currently have a modded C6 Z51 "procharger" with tons of mods.. upgraded brakes pads/line/fliud/ducts, upgraded radiator/3 oil coolers, acusump etc. Here my 2 cents

Z06: better looks, wider tires for the track, better stock brakes, dry sump
C6: procharged 600+hp, I have been catching Stock Z06 on the track with the same tires. I ran down 3 Z06's monday at gingerman raceway...including my instructor in his Z06. They have alittle more grip in the turns (wider tires) but I outrun them on every medium to long straight. Of course if you don't have 100hp advantage and your at 436hp then you will not beat a Z06.

If I were to start over I would go out and buy a Z06...but when I bought the 09 Z51 I didn't really understand what tracking the car would lead too... modding and modding and then more modding. I'm happy with what I have now and will continue to mod..suspension is next. It's too late for me to turn back now.

Tracking the car cost money and would be more in a Z06.

If you added 100hp and went with suspension upgrades you will a monster on the track. Alot of the being faster is in your skills also...
You also have to look at what you already put into your car $$ that you are not going to get back when you sell it...If I had a stock Z51 I would strongly think about upgrading to a Z06...but I don't..and I enjoy surprising Stock Z06's on the track..

trapp

longdaddy

if you still want to maintain the car as a daily driver, go with Z so you have reliability benefits of stock motor/tuning.

if you are looking to build a track car, just start taking the weight out of your current car and play around with trans/rear ratios, it's cheaper than squeezing hp out of the motor and paying to replace stuff that breaks as a result

Corvee

The torque of the LS7 cannot be compared to a LS2 or 3-modded or not. With regard to the C6Z package, as long as your tires are in good shape, other than upgrading the brake pads and fluid, no mods are necessary for tracking the C6Z. As others have stated, resist the mod bug and spend the $$$'s on track days and replacement of tires, brake pads, fluid changes . . . .

grantar2

If your doing track days and not really wheel to wheel racing I agree with the training to improve the driver. I think and to an extent the numbers on the Grand Sport vs Z06 illumintate it, the Z06 is good, but not necessarily that much better. Improve the driver, upgrade to coil overs. You haven't mentioned if your car is paid for or not? If its paid for that beats new payments. Also do you ever drive with the top off? not an option with the Z06.

there is however no question the Z06 is a far better looking car than the standard C6. But then again I am a 1990 C4 owner, who picked that year beause I liked the more angular body style and wanted the 6sp. With a few tweaks I have just a hair over 260 hitting the rear wheels, which for a rated 245 hp engine isn't bad, but I am not out running a C5 much less any C6.

PeOR

Guys, you are pulling me back into the high price swamp again.

Grantar2 - the car is paid for and no, it is not real racing. I have had one track day accident (with my BMW M3 hitting a Mustang 1967 from historic racing when that guy lost control of his car) and I am trying to stay away from contact with others or fences as much as possible. I am not there to do the absolutely best I can ever do. I am there to have fun and drive home again.
Corvee, longdaddy and 95jersey - I see what you are saying. I will try a C6Z. And to ride with one of my track day mates to see how it is doing on track. And 95jersey, your text goes like a mantra in my mind.
Trapp - It might not be correct to call the C6 a sleeper, but I like exactly the fact you are raising. With a little bit under the hood that won't show or sound, you can surprise some people on the track. It fits my personality quite well.

PeO.

0RAAMaudio

Z06 versus none Z

Brakes: Z06 needs better rotors, pistons, pads, spindle ducts, etc.....with stock calipers(DRM pistons) you know have some really good brakes. What I did for my C6 Vert and works very very well.

Wider tires: Wide body on none Z is not that costly when done right if you must have them, I do.

Suspension: Both need some help and get much easier to drive at the limit with better feedback, etc...DRM steering rack bushing is a nice low cost mod, then coilovers, sways, bushings, etc....I would do the same for either car

Frame: If you want a real roll bar mounted properly it is far easier to do on the steel chassis, far far less costly to fix a bent steel one as well

Seats: SUCK, on both cars

Cooling: Z wins with trans and diff coolers, bigger stock oil cooler, etc....but the radiator still might need changed

Oiling: To make the Z work right costs a fair amount, Accusump is a low cost way to have some insurance on a none Z.

Gearing: Not sure on the trans ratios but a diff swap is not horribly costly and you can get the Z pump installed at RMP if you have them build one like I did(with a Quaffe LSD as well but I sold that diff and have a more modest version of thiers now as it was for a full race car I am no longer building) You can live without a cooler in the diff though for HPDE

Power: That LS7 Torque is sweet indeed but a cam, headers, intake, tune, will help a great deal on your car, maybe manifold and heads down the line....

Insurance: Get a quote to make sure not a ton higher

Bottom line: you can build a Z killer for less than changing cars if you do your own work and shop around for much less, I can hardly wait until I get my vert roll bar done(it is an absolute biatch to do it right and none for sale are even close so have to do it myself) out on track even with out a cam and run with some Z's

And spend the rest at schools and on track time!

Making something better is more fun to me than buying something and leaving it mostly stock so I would mod the hell out of a Z if I had one anyway. I prefer the top down when cruising(or at least a Targa top

Rick

mcar00

Were you at the Chin event at Sebring a week ago? I remember seeing a car just like yours.

Anyway, I would probably trade for a C6 Z06 rather than mod your car. I believe that if you can have the choice of either a factory platform or a modded one that gets you to the same lap time I would take the factory version. Mods always involve trade offs. Then in the future if you decide you want to go faster you can always tweak the Z. I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun in either car!

PeOR

Thanks all, for all comments. I have decided about the car. I am staying with mine. GetTorq.com will help me get a Pfadt chassie and 40 more hp the next two weeks. Perhaps there will be a second upgrade for the engine coming later. It will never get as fast as a modded Z06, but I realized it is the only way for me to go. I can't really explain for my wife why I would sell my car, pay 20k and get a, for her, equal car, where I need to get new rims and brake mods again. So, I am going the easy way.

I will post some time comparisons for PBIR with different levels of cars mods.

Nope, I was about 6 months since I was at Sebring. But I wish it was me. Sebring is my favorite track. See you at PBIR Dec 11?

PeO

gmccreary

I've done 160mph in 4th in my 09 C6Z. Just kissing the redline

sperkins

Airport?