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Hello--I am just now able to access this site again, after being locked out since 2012. It is nice to be able to access it again.
I recently bought a 2000 FRC model, and was wondering about the differences between the FRC and the other models. Here are some things I am wondering about:
1) It appears that the seat's upholstery is different, and that there are less controls for the seat?
2) There is no climate control, and no outside temperature display.
3) The front lower vents have screens.
4) The vents behind the front wheels are open, with no covers. Are there supposed to be covers?
5) Is the FRC exhaust louder than the others...mine seems to be quite loud.
I understand the suspension is different too--and of course the 6-speed transmission.
I am not very good at shifting it yet, and it will take some time. Have to learn to drive all over again.
I bought the FRC because I liked the looks. I think the fact that it is rare was also a factor.
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Originally Posted by Bruce_in_MN
Hello--I am just now able to access this site again, after being locked out since 2012. It is nice to be able to access it again.
I recently bought a 2000 FRC model, and was wondering about the differences between the FRC and the other models. Here are some things I am wondering about:
1) It appears that the seat's upholstery is different, and that there are less controls for the seat? The FRC was not available with the sport seats, so yes, the look and power controls were different on the FRC. However, all models had leather seating surfaces.
2) There is no climate control, and no outside temperature display. Unless the car had the dual zone HVAC, you will not have an outside temp display. The car has to have a climate control, it just may be a manual operated one. Not sure if the FRC came with the Dual Zone HVAC as an option.
3) The front lower vents have screens. If the front brake ducts have screens, then they were added by a previous owner. They did not come stock on the '00 FRC.
4) The vents behind the front wheels are open, with no covers. Are there supposed to be covers? The side coves should have a black plastic cover inside the opening, but no screen material.
5) Is the FRC exhaust louder than the others...mine seems to be quite loud. The FRC had the same exact exhaust as the coupe and convertible,so there should be no difference in the sound.
My responses are shown in red.
Last edited by Vetteman Jack; Oct 31, 2018 at 10:55 PM.
FRCs were built for 99 & 2000 using standard coupe's LS1 & T56 (no auto). they all had Z51 suspension, black-only base interior (i think with a rare manual driver seat option), and cut a few exterior colors from the availability. you could also get HUD, dual-zone HVAC, fog lights, and body-side moldings. 99s had the wagon wheels & 2000s used the thin spokes (unless you opted for the magnesium set). i could be forgetting one...
mine has everything except the manual driver's seat, body moldings, & magnesium wheels.
On question #2, what I meant was an auto climate control, as opposed to manual. I have a manual.
On #3, not surprised.
On #4, mine does not have anything, but a hole.
On #5, my exhaust is rather loud, so thinking it is aftermarket.
Your car probably has an aftermarket exhaust system or headers or both if it sounds loud. It would help if you could provide a picture of the exhaust.
Here are some helpful links:
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You've got to remember that the FRC was basically a stripped-down version, that really appealed to weekend racers because of the lower weight-less frills options. That being said, I love mine!
Hello--I am just now able to access this site again, after being locked out since 2012. It is nice to be able to access it again.
I recently bought a 2000 FRC model, and was wondering about the differences between the FRC and the other models. Here are some things I am wondering about:
1) It appears that the seat's upholstery is different, and that there are less controls for the seat? Yeah, only the shitty sport seats on these.
2) There is no climate control, and no outside temperature display. You don't have the dual zone option, I don't care for mine and it needs to be rebuilt, wouldn't stress this option in the slightest.
3) The front lower vents have screens. Someone added Z06 vent screens, pretty common.
4) The vents behind the front wheels are open, with no covers. Are there supposed to be covers? Dunno what you're talking about on this one.
5) Is the FRC exhaust louder than the others...mine seems to be quite loud. Probably aftermarket exhaust, when you change your oil and fluids just take a peak under there, there's usually labeling and stuff on exhausts, google what the stock exhaust looks like and if you have something different it's aftermarket, simple as that.
I understand the suspension is different too--and of course the 6-speed transmission. Z51 suspension for all FRC's, it's okay.
I am not very good at shifting it yet, and it will take some time. Have to learn to drive all over again. A good shifter goes a long way, the shifter GM equipped for the C5's is a joke, MGW makes a fantastic shifter for the money, I don't much care for the C6 shifter in the slightest, but see if you can get into someone else's car and try their shifter out, makes it way easier to choose whats right for you.
I bought the FRC because I liked the looks. I think the fact that it is rare was also a factor. Same.
I would appreciate any feedback!
FWIW the only differences in the 99 vs 00 FRC were the cam/tune/exhaust and the suspension. The base C5 cam has 0.479" of lift and the 00 has 0.500--the Cali based cars had pup cats for emission purposes and thus the cam kept the hp around 345, the non-Cali based C5's were tuned down to make the 345 hp. The Z51 suspension changed in 2000 to larger rear sway bars, the 99 was 25.4mm Front and 21.7mm Rear, the 00 was 28.4 Front and 23.6mm Rear
What I got from my reads, it was the base model, made as cheap as possible (not quality wise) to get ppl who couldn’t afford a “normal” vette into one... but I love mine, I loooove the long flat trunk lines. Would of got a C6 if it wasn’t for the FRC...
but the original concept team reportedly even threw around ideas like cloth seats, crank windows, and even a smaller engine like the 4.8 or 5.3...
but when they took a step back & realized going that far would cheapen & water down the corvette image, they decided to make it more performance-oriented than a 'budget' model. that ultimately led to deciding to resurrect the Z06 moniker for 01.
I also have a 2000 frc. Mine has everything except the side moldings and the manual driver seat, I didn't even know they had that. Seems everyone here answered your questions and then some. The another member already posted, the cam in all 2000 model Corvettes was bigger in not just lift, it had a little more overlap and duration than others. I took the pup cats off mine as it is a California and it made a noticeable difference.
I tried to find my old club notes from when the FRC was introduced in 1998 but they were lost on one of my old computers, so going from memory, the FRC was introduced at the request of the Chevrolet Performance Group. They made the standard seat the only option because they new all the racers would take the seat out and put in racing seats, they wanted the weight below 3000 lbs and the frame more rigid. The coupe had an aero advantage at speeds over 150 but the lighter weight would more than make up for it, very few tracks have areas for sustained speed above that mark anyway. As the SCCA changed the compliance rules, they added suspension (T1) and engine (Z06), etc. As a stopgap they also made 50 race ready Corvettes in 1998 for the SCCA group. You had to pick them up at the Wixom performance center at that time, but I do not believer they were able to get them street approved. They started to then work on the Z06 engine and rushed to get it on the market. That was why the 01 only had 385hp, the 405 version was not fully tested at introduction in 2000.
I tried to find my old club notes from when the FRC was introduced in 1998 but they were lost on one of my old computers, so going from memory, the FRC was introduced at the request of the Chevrolet Performance Group. They made the standard seat the only option because they new all the racers would take the seat out and put in racing seats, they wanted the weight below 3000 lbs and the frame more rigid. The coupe had an aero advantage at speeds over 150 but the lighter weight would more than make up for it, very few tracks have areas for sustained speed above that mark anyway. As the SCCA changed the compliance rules, they added suspension (T1) and engine (Z06), etc. As a stopgap they also made 50 race ready Corvettes in 1998 for the SCCA group. You had to pick them up at the Wixom performance center at that time, but I do not believer they were able to get them street approved. They started to then work on the Z06 engine and rushed to get it on the market. That was why the 01 only had 385hp, the 405 version was not fully tested at introduction in 2000.