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What's your goal? Show up and blow past someone on the straights to pad your ego, or learn how to drive and get fast?
A c5 has a few things going for.it, the LS motors can be easily tuned. The c5 chassis is a bit stiffer. The big difference maker is the electronics though, the c5 will reach in and correct your mistakes, and you will be faster that day. The issue here is, you're not learning from your mistakes, you're learning to make them. The c4 has no such driver aids, it has TCS that yanks the throttle cable and is easily deleted or turned off and that's it.
Personally, I'd spend 6-10k on a LT1 6 speed car, put some nicer race seats in, some nice harnesses, do the handful of safety upgrades you'd want to do (high pressure power steering line is the only one I can think of off the top of my head), and spend the rest of the money on seat time. As you get faster as a driver, upgrade to larger brakes, wider tires, longtubes, maybe a mild heads and cam setup. If you learn to REALLY drive, you can run circles around someone who is letting their c5 cover up their mistakes using a c4.
Other things to note, don't jump into r comp tires or the "fastest" tire. Avoid them in fact, they're also going to keep you from learning from your mistakes. Get street tires that can hold.up to the heat of track use, and keep bur ing those up. If you start putting on really sticky tires, that's when you start having issues with oiling and fuel delivery and things like that (on a c4 or c5).
What's your goal? Show up and blow past someone on the straights to pad your ego, or learn how to drive and get fast?
A c5 has a few things going for.it, the LS motors can be easily tuned. The c5 chassis is a bit stiffer. The big difference maker is the electronics though, the c5 will reach in and correct your mistakes, and you will be faster that day. The issue here is, you're not learning from your mistakes, you're learning to make them. The c4 has no such driver aids, it has TCS that yanks the throttle cable and is easily deleted or turned off and that's it.
Personally, I'd spend 6-10k on a LT1 6 speed car, put some nicer race seats in, some nice harnesses, do the handful of safety upgrades you'd want to do (high pressure power steering line is the only one I can think of off the top of my head), and spend the rest of the money on seat time. As you get faster as a driver, upgrade to larger brakes, wider tires, longtubes, maybe a mild heads and cam setup. If you learn to REALLY drive, you can run circles around someone who is letting their c5 cover up their mistakes using a c4.
Other things to note, don't jump into r comp tires or the "fastest" tire. Avoid them in fact, they're also going to keep you from learning from your mistakes. Get street tires that can hold.up to the heat of track use, and keep bur ing those up. If you start putting on really sticky tires, that's when you start having issues with oiling and fuel delivery and things like that (on a c4 or c5).
I can't speak for a C4, but on my C5 all driving assists are turned off.
What's your goal? Show up and blow past someone on the straights to pad your ego, or learn how to drive and get fast?
A c5 has a few things going for.it, the LS motors can be easily tuned. The c5 chassis is a bit stiffer. The big difference maker is the electronics though, the c5 will reach in and correct your mistakes, and you will be faster that day. The issue here is, you're not learning from your mistakes, you're learning to make them. The c4 has no such driver aids, it has TCS that yanks the throttle cable and is easily deleted or turned off and that's it.
Personally, I'd spend 6-10k on a LT1 6 speed car, put some nicer race seats in, some nice harnesses, do the handful of safety upgrades you'd want to do (high pressure power steering line is the only one I can think of off the top of my head), and spend the rest of the money on seat time. As you get faster as a driver, upgrade to larger brakes, wider tires, longtubes, maybe a mild heads and cam setup. If you learn to REALLY drive, you can run circles around someone who is letting their c5 cover up their mistakes using a c4.
Other things to note, don't jump into r comp tires or the "fastest" tire. Avoid them in fact, they're also going to keep you from learning from your mistakes. Get street tires that can hold.up to the heat of track use, and keep bur ing those up. If you start putting on really sticky tires, that's when you start having issues with oiling and fuel delivery and things like that (on a c4 or c5).
the goal is just to have fun and enjoy the track, if I wanted to just blow last people I’d put my ZR1 out there but not interested in tracking that car. I also don’t care about being the fastest guy on the track. Just looking to have some fun with minimal costs (hard to do that in anything Motorsports) I’ve been drag racing for years and love it but they closed down the local track a few years ago and looking for something else to scratch the itch. I can still drag race but all other tracks are 2 /12 hours away so makes it harder. Road Atlanta is 45min and they do a lot of track days.
I really enjoyed driving a C4, my uncle owned one years ago. I’ve had plenty of seat time in a C5 on the street and I own a C6 which is mostly the same so I think the feel would cross over. I do favor the ease of working the front end of a C4, the tilt front end just makes things easier. Clutch jobs are much less headache but sure, as mentioned there are a lot of advantages with the C5.
im still looking and when I see the right deal I may snag something to go play.
Before prices jumped I was lucky enough to find my '03 Z at a decent price. A mile long list of performance improvements (including a 495 HP crate LS3 installed by Vengeance) all paid for by previous owners. I've put a bit more $$$ into it but oh man, it's SO DAMN FUN on track. Find a C5 Z that has been previously tracked, fix the weird and broken stuff and go racing.
the goal is just to have fun and enjoy the track, if I wanted to just blow last people I’d put my ZR1 out there but not interested in tracking that car. I also don’t care about being the fastest guy on the track. Just looking to have some fun with minimal costs (hard to do that in anything Motorsports) I’ve been drag racing for years and love it but they closed down the local track a few years ago and looking for something else to scratch the itch. I can still drag race but all other tracks are 2 /12 hours away so makes it harder. Road Atlanta is 45min and they do a lot of track days.
I really enjoyed driving a C4, my uncle owned one years ago. I’ve had plenty of seat time in a C5 on the street and I own a C6 which is mostly the same so I think the feel would cross over. I do favor the ease of working the front end of a C4, the tilt front end just makes things easier. Clutch jobs are much less headache but sure, as mentioned there are a lot of advantages with the C5.
im still looking and when I see the right deal I may snag something to go play.
For some context, I bought my c4 as a throwaway track car, I had a c6 vs as well that I didn't want to get damaged on track and be stuck with repair costs. After getting it stiffened up a bit, I realized it was 4x more fun to drive than my c6gs. The c6 was way faster, but the steering feel, the throttle cable, the size, the chassis feedback... It was just more fun. More fun on track, more fun in town, just more fun to drive.
The c5 and c6 are better cars in a lot of ways. Faster, more spacious, more practical... But they are definitely not more fun, unless your idea of fun is truly just how fast can I go.
I can't speak for a C4, but on my C5 all driving assists are turned off.
I'd be surprised if anyone was tracking a C5 with driver assists. Whenever I forget to turn it off, it reminds me by trying to keep the car pointed straight when I'm entering a turn. "Why is ABS engaging? I was barely using the brakes... Oh, right."
I've heard that it will chew through rear brake pads if you leave it on.
(I will confess to leaving it on during a rainy session, but only until I got fast enough to feel it.)
I vote C5 just because the aftermarket is so big. After your initial purchase and setup, you have tons of options to make it more reliable (bigger brakes), easier to maintain (better brakes), faster (suspension, power), and so on.
I started HPDE with a C5Z. I quickly grew out of that car. The LS6 wet sump was terrible. I lost a quart of oil per track day (the car had 20K miles). Oil temps hit 280F, I had to do cooldown laps. It would need engine, transmission, and differential oil coolers.
Instead, I sold it after 6 months and found a C6Z. A much better track car by far. It has all the fluid coolers including a PS cooler. Do a brake upgrade and after that you will need a racing seat and a six point harness.
(I drove Sebring, a long, fast track with 96F ambient temps. Engine oil temps never went above 250F). The car would hit 160mph after turn 16 on the straight away which was my speed limit.
I guess you will have to decide what is a budget track car. A less expensive car that will need many upgrades or a more expensive track car that will need a few upgrades.
Mine has 40k and negligible oil consumption. Using a DeWitt radiator with integrated oil cooler my oil maxed out at 245F. With a vented hood that went down to 235F. I haven't seen a transmission temp warning yet, but I've heard that's a common issue. It might help that I'm in the northwest and my hottest track day so far was 90something.
I'd vote against the C6Z as just a fun track toy.
Over decades...I've tracked my base C5, raced an M3, time trialed a 944 turbo, and tracked my Z06
The C6Z is fast enough to need a cage and harnesses.
I'm sure there are are people who will disagree with this, but after driving cars with all the safety gear, I was not comfortable.
People have tracked the C5 platform successfully for years.
It's like playing chess... It can be enjoyed at any level, from beginner to pro.
You can enjoy it stock, and move up as far as your desires take you.
10-11-2023, 03:58 PM
