Have you ever tracked a C5 or C6 Corvette properly setup? Not some base suspension A4.

I have no problem obliterating Porsche TTs, boxters, NSXs etc etc etc....

If mid engine design is so superior then why is the C6R obliterating everything in ALMS and LMS so bad that nobody wants to play anymore.

Mid engine does give you a nice polar moment of inertia and it does squat nicely under braking, but it doesn't magically handle better than the C5 setup.

That said the FFR GTM is very awesome, but not necisarily what the Corvette needs to be.

 

Granted the car does look awesome. But I'd put C5R panels on mine and still have a VERY Reliable car that will not give you any problems for well over 100K miles.


My 2 cents worth.

 

I have been followed FFR for along time. 2 months ago i almost pull the trigger for my next project, but i want to set up my new garrage first. I saw the car at SEMA show with Ls7 427 in it and talking to the guys at the factory. I can do this project with no problem. I have enough stuffs to build 1 1/2 c5. The car only weight 2200 lbs wet so you know what that mean? I have built 422 ls6 to go right in this car.



BTW, Kook made those headers for those cars

 

Awesome car! Not that it needs it, but that huge area under the hood behind the engine looks like it is begging for a set of twin turbos

 

Serious question... how the hell do you work on the front of the motor? How do you get to a belt or the front accessories?

 

That is a good question, I'm curious to hear the answer as well.

Also, with the air filter so close to the exhaust, I'm sure the intake temps suffer. Although, the insane power to weight ratio of that car probably doesn't make it noticeable...

Still, I'm surprised they did not incorporate a shroud and some inlet ducting from the sides... or perhaps the roof like the McLaren F1 and other mid/rear engine cars. I know roof ducting blocks the rear window, but I think anything would be better than a filter sitting right at the TB over the hot exhaust.

 

Private Tunnel Vision reads reads text and interprets fantasy...

What "true" mid-engine cars have you driven that you're comparing a C5/C6 to?

GTM has a weight distribution more similar to a 911 with it's rear mid-engine design. I think it has the potential to handle better than a 911, but the light weight is outstanding.

Have a good one,
Mike

 

and

Any replies man?


Any answers to this? I'm quite curious as a buddy of mine is close to starting a 6.2 tt build.

 

my guess would be from under the car? That is just a guess though

 

^ I really want to know... maybe you're right. Short of pulling the motor that'd be the only way.

 

maybe the bulkhead infront of the engine is removable? Does anyone have any interior pics of the bulkhead between the seats?

 

Awesome ride!! A friend of mine finished the Cobra from FFR, while not a top dollar effort.... It sure was fun tooling around town, making all kinds of noise!!! Boy, the cobra & this GTM car must really turn heads.

Perhaps a "beaten" donor C5 and this kit would be a terrific project - SOMEDAY!

 

Actually besides a crappy fiero, I've driven a NSX and a Cayman S. I also ridden in a GT40. The NSX I've ridden in numerous times in some interesting canyon runs.

Will you guys start crying if I make fun of the interior or the leaf springs next?

While costs are certainly a main reason why the corvette has some of those weird attributes, sometimes I think the engineers have intentionally held back because they think they'll alienate the old-school Corvette owners. Zora would have had a good time with you guys...

 

Word.

The 'Corvette tradition' calls for many of the characteristics that get discussed here: notchy shifting, harsh ride, etc. plus plastic body. GM knows Corvette is a brand they don't want to screw up and GM is too cheap to make substantive changes to raise the level of materials, etc. They [GM] just don't sell a lot of Corvettes. And if the next Corvette was a twin turbo mid-engine four-cam V-6 with paddle-shift about the size of a Boxster, EVERYONE would scream that 'it's not a real Corvette.'

 

First off, riding in a car tells you nothing at all about the differences between the two cars.

Second, the Cayman (and all 911s) are rear engine cars, meaning the majority of the engine weight is above or behind the rear axle. I expect the GTM to have a better weight distribution than the Porsches.

Where have you driven the NSX and the Vette to compare? (BTW, the NSX is one of my all-time lustful cars! )

And, I was surprised you didn't go off on the transverse springs or pitifully old and outdated pushrod engines in the first place. The issue isn't just cost, but weight, both overall and at the corners. Coil overs are cool, and for the 1% of owners that know how to use them, offer great adjustability. For the other 99% of us, the transverse spring system works just as well.

The interior quality isn't as good as it could be, but I don't find the Porsche or BMW interiors to be any better, just different.

Have a good one,
Mike

 

 

to a point [how's that for the ultimate hedge?]

I think this is thread [which we've succeeded in hijacking ] is a good example of discussing merits when the perameters of the discussion are open-ended. This usually provokes lots of yeah-buts. I think of bar conversations; which is why Guinness makes the book as well as the beer.

One thing I've noticed over the years is "perceived value" plays a huge role in what people think of cars. And now with the dollar at .50 British pounds and 2/3s of a Euro IIRC, Corvettes look pretty good because imported cars are relatively more expensive. A Corvette must look like the steal of the Century in Europe.

In the end, I think the greatest determinant of perceived value is Brand. Some people desire the Porsche brand, others the Corvette brand, etc. To me, Brand has to be a huge issue, otherwise why would so many people buy Lotuses when they know they're put together with chewing gum and sticky tape and they'll own them for five years and drive them only 15k miles.

I wouldn't do it, but if someone ran a "I bought a Corvette because..."poll here and one of the choices was "I only buy American," there would be a significant number of respondents who would choose it. Maybe I'm FOS, I don't know; I do notice that there's a bias towards patriotic feelings and buy America hereabouts. It only makes sense, I guess.

 

no sh*t! Corvette's a great looking car, and the FF has some things I'm not sure I care for, but at the very least, FF screams supercar...

 

Exactly! Just look how much grief each model gets when its released that its getting to far away from heritage. Also think of cars such as the GTO.

If corvette's were suddenly refined mid-engine euro-cars they'd be lucky to probably sell 1/2 what they sell.

Also, you couldn't give me a porche cayman. Dealerships take like 4 hours to change the air filter. You have to completely disassemble the interior covers over the engine. I've spent a good chunk of time behind the wheel of one and even though I'd love to drive one, I wouldn't want to own it. Simple normally user-serviced items are a complete nightmare. Open the hatch of one once. All you have is a flap you can open to check oil level and washer fluid. Everything else is under carpet.

The factory 5 car does look interesting. Someone make a MacLaren F1 kit please!

 

I just got done with a meeting about this car. We are 99.9 percent doing the car this upcoming winter Just a little 427 going in from his C5.

Randy