FRC was originally concieved as a low cost vette, then transformed into the z06. so much for low cost 
99/00 Coupe not a fastback?
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99/00 Coupe not a fastback?
Hey guys, I'm visiting from C6 land but I noticed something while driving home from class today.
I saw a C5 from the rear left quarter while sitting in traffic. It had 5 spoke chromes and no rear brake cooling ducts. Ok, looks normal, right? Wrong. The roof was like a Z06 and it had the Z06 circular exhaust tips. Ok, so I'm thinking hard-top for the convertible. I think they make those, right?
I'm still thinking this is something different so I eventually pull up next to the guy and I ask him what the deal is. He tells me its a 2000 and that the 1999 and 2000 C5s didn't have the fastback roof.
Can anyone clear this up for me?
I saw a C5 from the rear left quarter while sitting in traffic. It had 5 spoke chromes and no rear brake cooling ducts. Ok, looks normal, right? Wrong. The roof was like a Z06 and it had the Z06 circular exhaust tips. Ok, so I'm thinking hard-top for the convertible. I think they make those, right?
I'm still thinking this is something different so I eventually pull up next to the guy and I ask him what the deal is. He tells me its a 2000 and that the 1999 and 2000 C5s didn't have the fastback roof.
Can anyone clear this up for me?
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However.........he was wrong in saying that the "fastback" was not offered in `99-`00. What he is calling a "fastback" is the coupe (with the long sloping rear glass). Three body styles were available in `99 & 2000 (as well as all C5 years except `97), coupe, convertible, and fixed roof coupe or FRC. The `99 & `00 FRC became the ZO6 in 2001.
Team Owner
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From: Bonita Springs, Florida
The FRC was a seperate model offered from '99-'00 then became the Z06 body in '01.
1999 Fixed Roof Coupe (FRC)
1999 Fastback Coupe
2002 Z06 Fixed Roof Coupe
1999 Fixed Roof Coupe (FRC)
1999 Fastback Coupe
2002 Z06 Fixed Roof Coupe
Last edited by Mike98SilVert; Mar 3, 2008 at 11:19 PM.
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Rare and valuable depend on who's looking to buy one. Usually I think they go for what a vert would go for which is about $1000-2000 above a coupe. They are one of the rarer models produced if not rarest of the C5's but not too unobtainable. They are lighter as the Z06 is so I don't think it has the HUD and probably no tire sensors. But they did come standard with the 3:42 rear end, Z51 handling package and the MN6 trans.
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They stickered for several thousand less than a coupe. It is debateable if they are a collectible since we won't knpw for another 20 to 30 years. The cars didn't sell all that well when being produced so that impacts potential collectibility since low production unpopular models don't become collector cars just because their unpopularity made them rare.
Bill
Bill
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I don't know what window stickers you've been looking at but mine darn sure was NOT thousands less than a coupe. Base pricing was only a few hundred less than a coupe...and if the standard performance package had been broken down to options the FRC would've been more than the coupe.
Unpopular back then didn't make them rare...low numbers did.
Unpopular back then didn't make them rare...low numbers did.
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The Fixed Roof Coupe for '99 and '00 had no rear brake ducts and had the Z06 style back roof. It was the predecessor to the Z06.
Drifting
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[QUOTE=Mike98SilVert;1564380123]The FRC was a seperate model offered from '99-'00 then became the Z06 body in '01.
1999 Fixed Roof Coupe (FRC)
Wow. I forgot what mine used to look like with those wagon wheels.
1999 Fixed Roof Coupe (FRC)
Wow. I forgot what mine used to look like with those wagon wheels.
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The original intent by Chevrolet was to offer a lower content base model - kind of like an "entry level model". The original specs even suggested deleting the leather interior and offering it with cloth.
At the last minute - the decision was made that an entry level car would have "cheapened" the Corvette, so the car was marketed as the highest performance model - it was about 12% stiffer torsionally, because it had the roof bracing as in the coupe with the removable panels and it had the behind the seat bracing as in the convertible.
Performance wise - it was only offered with the Z51 package and the MN6. There were limited colors and some options were not available. The cars didn't sell in big numbers, and because it was only offered '99 and '00, they are somewhat rare. In '01 - Chevrolet decided to make this model the Z06 - which was a name from the past previously used in 1963.
Here's a press release from Chevrolet announcing the new for 1999 hard top body style (we know it as the fixed roof coupe).
http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/.../09171998.html
At the last minute - the decision was made that an entry level car would have "cheapened" the Corvette, so the car was marketed as the highest performance model - it was about 12% stiffer torsionally, because it had the roof bracing as in the coupe with the removable panels and it had the behind the seat bracing as in the convertible.
Performance wise - it was only offered with the Z51 package and the MN6. There were limited colors and some options were not available. The cars didn't sell in big numbers, and because it was only offered '99 and '00, they are somewhat rare. In '01 - Chevrolet decided to make this model the Z06 - which was a name from the past previously used in 1963.
Here's a press release from Chevrolet announcing the new for 1999 hard top body style (we know it as the fixed roof coupe).
http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/.../09171998.html
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From: Arroyo Grande CA
Here's a very good article on the development of the hardtop, aka: FRC, by Hib.....................
http://www.idavette.net/hib/99hdtp.htm
http://www.idavette.net/hib/99hdtp.htm