[Z06] 2005 ZO6 Production?
09-01-2007, 01:05 PM
#2
Burning Brakes
According to the Corvette Action Center website, they did not produce a Z06 in 2005.
http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/.../2005prod.html
http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/.../2005prod.html
09-01-2007, 01:05 PM
#3
Race Director
There was no '05 ZO6. Probably because they were preparing to introduce the LS7 (and the resultant higher price point) and they wanted to prolong the drama.
09-01-2007, 03:59 PM
#4
Safety Car
There was no Z06 for the 2005 Model Year (MY).
My understanding for the one year "hiatus" for the Z06 was due to several issues ....
The primary issue was the Aluminum frame (versus steel for the C5 and non-Z06 C6) for the C6 Z06 took much longer to develop than GM first hoped. The frame is built by Dana Corporation for GM. (See http://www.dana.com/Automotive_Syste...paceframe.aspx for more info) GM specified that the AL frame had to meet the same tolerances as the steel frame, and Dana found that AL reacts very differently to hydro-forming and welding than steel. It apparently took an enormous amount of engineering time to find the "right" manufacturing process so that the AL frame was as rigid as the steel one, met the same tolerances, met crash safety tests, and all while being lighter than the steel frame.
Another issue was the LS7 engine ... it is hand built at a "new" facility in Wixom, MI and is very closely related to the engine used in the C5R and C6R racing program in the ALMS series. (See: http://www.gm.com/explore/technology...nt_profile.jsp for more info). The Wixom facility wasn't ready to produce engines for the 2005 MY as it didn't open until around July of 2005.
Finally, I heard that GM decided to concentrate the first year of the C6 production on the "regular" cars. They didn't want the "distraction" of the Z06 added to the first MY assembly line. The Z06 is built on the same line as every other Corvette, but with a different engine, frame, body panels, brakes and many other differences, GM wanted the Bowling Green plant to settle down to "regular" production before putting the Z06 in the mix.
My understanding for the one year "hiatus" for the Z06 was due to several issues ....
The primary issue was the Aluminum frame (versus steel for the C5 and non-Z06 C6) for the C6 Z06 took much longer to develop than GM first hoped. The frame is built by Dana Corporation for GM. (See http://www.dana.com/Automotive_Syste...paceframe.aspx for more info) GM specified that the AL frame had to meet the same tolerances as the steel frame, and Dana found that AL reacts very differently to hydro-forming and welding than steel. It apparently took an enormous amount of engineering time to find the "right" manufacturing process so that the AL frame was as rigid as the steel one, met the same tolerances, met crash safety tests, and all while being lighter than the steel frame.
Another issue was the LS7 engine ... it is hand built at a "new" facility in Wixom, MI and is very closely related to the engine used in the C5R and C6R racing program in the ALMS series. (See: http://www.gm.com/explore/technology...nt_profile.jsp for more info). The Wixom facility wasn't ready to produce engines for the 2005 MY as it didn't open until around July of 2005.
Finally, I heard that GM decided to concentrate the first year of the C6 production on the "regular" cars. They didn't want the "distraction" of the Z06 added to the first MY assembly line. The Z06 is built on the same line as every other Corvette, but with a different engine, frame, body panels, brakes and many other differences, GM wanted the Bowling Green plant to settle down to "regular" production before putting the Z06 in the mix.
09-02-2007, 10:00 AM
#5
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,102
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There were 7 Z06's produced in 2005, I believe they were just in blue and GM gave them to their high volume dealers. Kerbeck had one of them.
09-02-2007, 10:18 AM
#7
Safety Car
Every dealer has a story .... most of us aren't gullible enough to believe them .....
Look at the Bowling Green stats .... NO Z06 production for MY 2005
http://www.bowlinggreenassemblyplant...VetteStats.pdf
6,272 Z06 built for MY 2006 ....
http://www.bowlinggreenassemblyplant...VetteStats.pdf
Straight from the plant's own web site ....
09-02-2007, 12:30 PM
#9
Racer
Member Since: Aug 2006
Location: Pasadena CA
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Every dealer has a story .... most of us aren't gullible enough to believe them .....
Look at the Bowling Green stats .... NO Z06 production for MY 2005
http://www.bowlinggreenassemblyplant...VetteStats.pdf
6,272 Z06 built for MY 2006 ....
http://www.bowlinggreenassemblyplant...VetteStats.pdf
Straight from the plant's own web site ....
09-02-2007, 01:33 PM
#10
Melting Slicks
Due to the issues with emissions and safety certification, any C6 Z07's (and I am sure that there were some) that would have been built in 05 would have ended up at GM and would have gone to the crusher.
Don't belive ANYTHING that a dealer tells you... This is much like the story of an pre-production 84 that was shown as an 83', (which they didn't make) that was built and eventually disappeared from from the proving ground (it was supposed to be crushed but somehow wasn't) and then somebody tried to sell it, and all he!! broke loose and it ended up being taken back by GM legal and crushed...
Don't belive ANYTHING that a dealer tells you... This is much like the story of an pre-production 84 that was shown as an 83', (which they didn't make) that was built and eventually disappeared from from the proving ground (it was supposed to be crushed but somehow wasn't) and then somebody tried to sell it, and all he!! broke loose and it ended up being taken back by GM legal and crushed...
09-02-2007, 01:41 PM
#11
Safety Car
Outside the CORVETTE assembly plant in Bowling Green is a white C6. This is a RARE Corvette indeed. GMX245 C6 PROTOTYPE - VIN 1G1YY24U55X7127EX, this early C6 coupe prototype or “test mule” was handcrafted in a GM workshop in Michigan known as the Warren Validation Center. Once assembled it was shipped to the Milford Proving Grounds in March 2003 and put to work.
Test mules serve to prove the thousands of assembled parts for fit and function under real-world driving conditions. Body panels need to be scrutinized for fit, engine components are tested for performance, and computerized electronics are fine tuned in the prototype builds. Everything from glass to fasteners is analyzed and refined into the best possible parts for production.
Now this workhorse has a new assignment. It is used daily by Bowling Green Assembly’s Manufacturing Engineering as a Dedicated Reference Vehicle (DRV).
The DRV is used to audit the Final Line Vehicle Alignment System and is permanently set aside for correlation testing only. It audits the front sum toe, front individual camber, front individual caster, rear sum toe, and rear individual camber for all of the plant’s alignment machines.
Although this car may be a little rough around the edges, it serves an important purpose and allows Bowling Green Assembly to continue to produce its world famous vehicles
Test mules serve to prove the thousands of assembled parts for fit and function under real-world driving conditions. Body panels need to be scrutinized for fit, engine components are tested for performance, and computerized electronics are fine tuned in the prototype builds. Everything from glass to fasteners is analyzed and refined into the best possible parts for production.
Now this workhorse has a new assignment. It is used daily by Bowling Green Assembly’s Manufacturing Engineering as a Dedicated Reference Vehicle (DRV).
The DRV is used to audit the Final Line Vehicle Alignment System and is permanently set aside for correlation testing only. It audits the front sum toe, front individual camber, front individual caster, rear sum toe, and rear individual camber for all of the plant’s alignment machines.
Although this car may be a little rough around the edges, it serves an important purpose and allows Bowling Green Assembly to continue to produce its world famous vehicles
There are a few test cars built early in a production run ... I believe they are referred to as "buckets". They too have a VIN coded so they cannot be sold. After they are used to validate the build process these vehicles remain the property of GM, and either go on to be used in displays at auto shows, or to a museum, or in most cases for most cars, they are crushed and recycled.
Last edited by BlackZ06; 09-02-2007 at 01:56 PM.
09-03-2007, 12:03 PM
#12
Race Director
Member Since: Apr 2007
Location: long Island NY
Posts: 17,987
Likes: 0
Received 53 Likes
on
48 Posts
There was no 05 Z06's at all. GM put some last minute goodies in the 04 and held off for the 05 model year to allow media attention help from magazines so they can command the 70000 dollar range plus dealer mark up.
03-24-2016, 03:12 AM
#13
The test mules are not built at Bowling Green .... from a GM statement ...
Also notice how the VIN is coded ... these vehicles cannot be sold to the public. The 11th digit is the assembly plant ... 5 is the code for Bowling Green ... these cars aren't built there ....
There are a few test cars built early in a production run ... I believe they are referred to as "buckets". They too have a VIN coded so they cannot be sold. After they are used to validate the build process these vehicles remain the property of GM, and either go on to be used in displays at auto shows, or to a museum, or in most cases for most cars, they are crushed and recycled.
Also notice how the VIN is coded ... these vehicles cannot be sold to the public. The 11th digit is the assembly plant ... 5 is the code for Bowling Green ... these cars aren't built there ....
There are a few test cars built early in a production run ... I believe they are referred to as "buckets". They too have a VIN coded so they cannot be sold. After they are used to validate the build process these vehicles remain the property of GM, and either go on to be used in displays at auto shows, or to a museum, or in most cases for most cars, they are crushed and recycled.
03-26-2016, 01:18 PM
#14
Safety Car
Everyone is wrong...according to my research! There were many Z06's made in 2005, but none of them were 05 model years by VIN. So technically, yes they were made in 05, but they were 06 models, so no dealer had a "2005" Z06! Same thing goes for the 83 vette!
