hey vette lovers i have been looking into getting a vette but the hard part is which one. now there are alot of variables here on this question that i know you will need to know.

1. im not rich so need most bang for my buck. if i was i would just buy new zo6

2. will also be built on a budget. such as no ls7 swap. lol.

3. i like boost. looking at either a kb or ati. which will be aways down
the road. which would be better for that.

4.i dont want a all out dyno king i am more concerned with track times. where i live i dont know of any rc tracks so in my hicktown its all about the straight line. but wouldnt mind having a all around car.

5. my wife doesnt like vettes so i need the best of this world to change her mind.

shew long first post sorry but you here so mush surfing the web and i have not had any experiance other than my aunt's 94 zr1 so thanks for averything

 

If you are most concerned with straight line performance and you're on a budget a Corvette is not the best choice, in my opinion.

 

If momma isn't happy, no one is happy! Good luck.

 

no you are correct. but there are plenty of 11 and 10 second vettes out there like i said wouldnt mind having a all around car. in my opinion the vette is just that. you can still get crazy track times but still drive to the store if you want. thanks for the reply not bashing you op. just saying that i dont want a all out drag car but do want a fast car

 

Any completely stock Corvette is a "fast" car. Don't ruin a good thing.

 

lol so true, she likes them but says she thinks of george jones in the drivers seat. but hey gj is a legend so thats all good lol

 

so true but i love a boosted car more than likely that would be the most that would be done as far as big money like i said dont want a all out drag car but some extra power is allways a good thing lol

 

a stock c5 has more power than most people could utilize on a road course without some quite extensive track eperience. id say a base c5 or FRC is the best bang for the buck. do keep in mind though, the FRC is lighter, has a stiffer chassis, and comes with the z51 package for the same price or less than a base c5 - although they may be a little harder to find.

 

Lol, you must have been in my platoon. I used to tell that to my guys all the time.

 

I'd say an early (budget reasons) Z06, or 01-up LS1 model (improved design versus early LS1's) would be a suitable from what you say.

Being that you will be boosting it, maybe the higher compression of a Z06 would be less desirable.

01-up LS1's have a LS6 intake and larger MAF's already.

Just get the Vette that tickles your fancy. They're all fast and all can be made to go faster.

 

ok so a frc i guess you mean a fixed roof, remember im new to this vette lingo. i hvae heard of the z51 package but cant find what this consist of. and it seems i really cant find the true differences between the base c5 vs c5 zo6, i have found the power diff. but not motor, tranny, weight, and stuff like compression ratios between the two motors. i think but maybe wrong the base c5 has a ls1 and the zo6 has the ls6 right. i can find specs for the ls1 thats in the camaro but not the base c5

 

ok now we are getting there how much higher is the cr on the zo6 at most i will be only running 6 to 10 lbs unless the motor gives and i build it but thats big dreaming. i really like the zo6 as far as looks but not a lot of diff. as far as visually. but i do now there are the rear break ducts as well as the front ones as well just didnt know if the zo6 is worth the extra cash vs the base c5

 

First, I believe the actual (not rounded) compression ratio is LS1 10.19:1 and the LS6 is 10.49:1 ( or somewhere very close. Basically I'm just expressing that they are very close.

Okay, let's look at the '01 models for comparison as you said you're on a budget and that year offers a better LS1 and the Z06 would be more affordable.

Weight: FRC = 3130lbs; Z06 = 3094lbs; hatchback = 3212lbs; vert = 3207lbs

Engine: specs can be found here, http://www.smokemup.com/tech/ls1.php but the LS1 was rated at 350hp/375tq and the LS6 385hp385tq. Realistically the LS1 will produce approx 407hp on the engine dyno and a simple cam swap can add aprox 50hp. http://www.superchevy.com/technical/...en3/index.html

Transmission (manual) Z06 uses MM12 and nonZ06 uses MM6. The MM12 has slightly lower gear ratios which contribute to quicker acceleration, but at the cost of a few mph on the top end (and I do only mean a few mph).

You mention the brake cooling ducts. All Vette's have front ducts and you can add them to the non-Z06's. There is a kit that extends the front duct for better cooling as well.

The Z06 was made lighter by using thinner glass, less sound deadening material, titanium exhaust.

Umm, what else.

The Z06 has the FE4 suspension with larger sway bars, stiffer rear spring, and revised camber settings.

The wheels/tires are also one inch wider on the Z06

Well, can't think of much else, but I'm sure there is more to list.

 

Actually, a thought just occured.

Being that the C6 is now going on 6 years old, you can probably pick up a reasonably priced base model 6 speed '05.

Heck, you'd have 364c.i.d. with 400hp right out da box.

The LS2 has a 4.00" bore which is perfect for the L92 cylinder head upgrade (well worth it). Come on 2.1xx" intake valves, sweet!!! The LS2 uses the same LS6 heads but without the LS6 specific valves. And I think it has a 90mm throttle body, or that could be the LS3

 

you know i never thought of the c6 i really like them alot i just thought they where out of my price range and the fact that they have the ls2 is great but one thing i kinda worry about the ls2 is they dont seem to have the same aftermarket as the c5 or even the c6 zo6 im kinda worried the upgrades would be more pricey than the c5s but then again wouldnt have to do as much to get the power that i want . oh and by the way manley you have been great and patient through this whole thing and thats appreciated much. you represent the cf greatly.

 

Well, what aftermarket upgrades are you worried about not finding for the LS2? Really, all of the Gen III/IV engines share similar architecture so almost all parts will fit. Cam, pistons, rockers, and nitrous systems would be available.

And if you're interested in heads and intake, just go with the L92 heads and L76 intake for a major improvement. Actually, doing just a cam swap and L92 upgrade could make well over 500hp. And then if you boosted it, wow!!! And the sweet thing is, since the L92 heads came on trucks, they are relatively cheap and readily available.

I'd say go with the C6. I really wish I would have. But I have come to really like my C5, so no complaints now

 

well manley its not that cant be found for the ls2 and to be honest not really looked except for like sc you can get a ls2 sc from kb but not for the c6. but there still is the ati, im really into the details i like the smaller stuff alot that makes a diff. that alot of people would over look because its not h/c/i or boost it wont help do you know what i mean and im scared that those parts that if they do have them will be high but still think the c6 is the better way to go.but i do have one question as far as the heads u mentioned, would i be better to run the l92 heads if so what kinda fab work is needed to make it work in the vette, because as far as a rep. shop here in ky i do not know of any. or a aftermarket that would bolt in with no machining.

 

Sorry, I dont understand the abbreviations used on this forum yet. "h/c/i", is that heads, cam, intake?

the L92 heads and L76 intake are direct bolt on parts. The only reason to use the L76 intake is because the L92 is a taller truck intake designed to clear the belt driven radiator fan on trucks, and it also makes less power above 5500rpm than the L76 car intake. The heads/intake have a square shaped intake port versus the cathedral port of the LS1 and LS2 engines. But rest assured, the L92/L76 setup will bolt right up without any mods needed. Seriously, these are some wicked heads, SLP put their L92/L76 setup against AFR's (air flow research) heads and they were practically the same on power and flow, which says a lot because AFR heads are AWESOME!!!!!!!!

I'm gonna keep my C5, but I am gonna upgrade to a 4" bore block soon, as there are so many more possibilities for the larger bore blocks

 

yeah have been looking online today and i think i will go with the c6 but just gonna take a little longer to get but hey it might be worth the wait but yeah heads cam and intake, so those heads bolt straight up thats amazing, and they flow as well as afr's yeah i wish i had the c6 now i know where there is a set i think i could get give to me just need to be redone

 

The C6 also has a much stronger trans and diff case so they don't blow the diff and break the trans nearly as easy as a C5. If you did go with a C5 and make the kind of power you are expecting then you'd probably want to drop about $6k to upgrade the car to use the C6 driveline from the bellhousing back. Well, you could upgrade the C5 parts for $3k but once you break that $3k of parts you'll wish you just went with the C6 parts.

Peter