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I was fortunate enough to have grown up in the muscle car era and was able to drive quite a few cars and ride in a number of others. We did quite a lot of drag racing as well. I have experienced the performance of 327, pre 72 350, 427 corvettes, 396 camaro, 427 ford, 440 and 426 Mopar to name a few. So, I recently purchased an 02 Z06 with 13,000 miles and I took it for an early AM drive today. Handling is excellent, as expected. But the surprise came when I went through the gears for the first time. This car is really fast!! Seems to me that it would hold it's own with any of the for-mentioned cars in a straight line and certainly outperform them in handling.
Same experience. As a previous owner of old school muscle cars from the late 1960-s through 1970 I was pleased with the C5 performance (and never found a need for performance mods)
IMO, I would say you are generally correct, 60’s and early 70’s cars/engines would be in a similar WHP range, although your Z06 would weigh less, they would be tight, drivers races.
Nice to hear. I was a teenager in the 60s also, and always wanted a muscle car then....but couldn't afford one. Best I could come up with was a 58 Ford with a 292 and 3 speed stick that cost $95. So it's nice to know I have a 60's muscle car performance in my garage called a C5 Corvette....
I also lived through the muscle car era and was fortunate enough to own at least one of most of them. The 2002 Z06 was reported to have a 3.9 second 0-60 time when new. The '65 GTO, which I had one new, was 0-60 in 6.6 seconds. Although I thought those cars were unbelievably fast back then, they were not really as quick as we thought
I lived in the musclecar era and drove a new 1969 El Camino SS, off the showroom floor. Have built many modified musclecars and older Vettes, also. Very few of the older cars would break into the 13's, back in the day, unless they were running steep gears and slicks. I've actually seen a stock C5Z, on drag radials, run high 11's. The older cars won't stand a chance, against the newer stuff being built today. Technology marches on.
FWIW, my wife's Camry SE with cammer V6 and 6spd auto would run 13.90's at around 100-101mph in the 1/4.
A lot of those muscle cars are nowhere near as fast as guys remember them. I didn't grow up in the era, but I used to sell and appraise them. They're fun for what they are - but fast by today's standards is not one of those things.
Much of it can be attributed to better tire technology today, too. But getting in a C5 and driving from FL to CA would be much more pleasant than doing the same thing in a '67 427 car.
Back in the day, pre 1972, they used a different method for rating horsepower. Your Z06 would probably be rated over 500 hp gross making it a monster if it existed in the late 60s early 70s. Tire technology has come a long way too, those old muscle car were traction limited. Your Z06 would more than hold it's own.
Your Z06 will not be beaten on the drag strip by any of the late 70's muscle. I've looked up comparative objective STOCK stats many times. 0-60 in 3.9-4 seconds is fast. period.
Just adding to the above. At 70 years old and having grown up in the southern California street scene of the 60's and early 70's, think American Graffiti, and having owned a myriad of muscle cars of all stripes I do believe that the muscle cars of that era that we so revered back in the day could in no way, shape or form compete with a good running C5 m6, much less a Z06. As a street racing kid we would hear all kinds of tales of super quick street cars but in truth anything out there running 14's or perhaps just a bit better was considered pretty damn quick. I still love the old muscle cars and have great memories of them but the new breed cars leave them in the dust. Just my opinion but I don't think I'm wrong.
I too grew up in the muscle car era and they were fast in their day but the modern fuel injection and gearing cars of today are much faster. My C5 Z is Ok but my 17 GS is much faster, but it does have about 50 more HP.
From: Philadelphia PA (Birthplace of the USA, UNESCO World Heritage City)
Originally Posted by bjones7131
I too grew up in the muscle car era and they were fast in their day but the modern fuel injection and gearing cars of today are much faster. My C5 Z is Ok but my 17 GS is much faster, but it does have about 50 more HP.
...but also much heavier. 1/4 mile times on the C7 GS are 12.0 seconds, 11.9 for the C5Z. But if we're talking lap times, yes I believe the C7 GS is faster (which is really what matters for a sports car, not straight line performance).
I came of age in the 80's and was blessed to be involved in the 60's muscle cars when they were dirt cheap. As glorious as those cars were, they can't begin to compare with what has come out in the last 20 years. Amazing times.
...but also much heavier. 1/4 mile times on the C7 GS are 12.0 seconds, 11.9 for the C5Z. But if we're talking lap times, yes I believe the C7 GS is faster (which is really what matters for a sports car, not straight line performance).
Yea I've seen the numbers and own both and GS although 300 lbs. heavier but A8 is much faster. Don't want to start a peeing contest just saying. Cheers
Very few of the older cars would break into the 13's, back in the day, unless they were running steep gears and slicks. I've actually seen a stock C5Z, on drag radials, run high 11's. The older cars won't stand a chance, against the newer stuff being built today. Technology marches on.
...but also much heavier. 1/4 mile times on the C7 GS are 12.0 seconds, 11.9 for the C5Z. But if we're talking lap times, yes I believe the C7 GS is faster (which is really what matters for a sports car, not straight line performance).
GM's official 1/4 time for the C5Z was closer to 12.3. Not saying sub 12's aren't possible (bone stock), but highly unlikely for most drivers and situations. I loved mine, and have driven a few C7's. Drivers race in a straight line, but keep in mind that the C7 is MUCH easier to launch. So the newer car probably wins 3/4 races. Lol.
Last edited by Verrückt ZR1; Jul 15, 2020 at 07:41 PM.
When I had my 64 FI roadster it would turn 14.0-14.3 times consistently, with 8" rims and BFG Comp TA tires in 2004 I was able to turn 13.3 times and the car had a 5 point roll bar and "bullet proof" bell-housing. added. Tires are a great improvement.
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Muscle cars/ sports cars from the 60s and 70s seemed fast back then (and they were compared to others at the time) but generally speaking today’s cars are so much quicker and offer better handling. Just the way cars and technology have progressed.
2002 Z06 Performance
