I drove an 08 Z51, 436 H.P. 6 speed manual a few weeks back and it was so pin you to your seat I had to have it. I did 80 MPH in first without hitting the rev limiter. That was wild. The used car manager was a total D##K so I walked out on an awesome deal. 36K miles one owner for $27,373.00. I did not know at the time what a deal it was and neither did the car dealer because when I went back they raised the price. So I went on a search for another one. I already have a 99 coupe, auto, really the wife's car. I ended up buying an 02 Z06 with 24K miles on it, 2 owner, almost perfect condition car. It does not set me back in my seat like the 08 Z51 did, so I have purchased a Magnuson TVS2300, Kooks 1 7/8" coated headers and 3" coated X pipe with high flow cats, that will be installed very soon. The thing is, I can hardly get 80 MPH out of my Z in 3rd gear much less first. I am fairly sure the 08 was bone stock. There was no noticeable mods done, not even an air intake, and it had been serviced by the same Chevy dealer I use and they knew the car well. So, what the heck gears does that car come with???? The blower should give me that "set me back in my seat" feeling that I am looking for, but I feel like I won't be able to shift fast enough to keep from hitting the rev limiter, and wondering if I should be doing gears too? Thoughts and suggestions please...

 

Looking at the stock tunes :
A stock 6 speed 08 should have a 3.42 gear ratio (Z51 and base models)
A stock 02 Z06 should also have a 3.42 gear ratio
A 2008 Z51 6 speed should have a 1st gear ratio of 2.97
A 2008 BASE model 6 speed should have a 1st gear ratio of 2.66
Your 2002 Z06 has a 1st gear ratio of 2.97

Are you sure your car is a true Z51??
That would explain the difference becuase one would have (08) a 1st of 2.66 and your (02)
Z06 would have a 2.96 1st--- making the 02 lowered geared and not able to get up to 80 MPH in 1st
Otherwise they should be the same----( less the added 31 HP )

IF your tire sizes are different than STOCK this would change everything as the final corrected ratios on both cars and their ability to reach speeds in 1st gear would change

 

I am finding it hard to imagine that you got 80MPH out of first. It is more believable that if it was an auto that there was a really smooth
1st to second shift.

---With your current vehicle with supporting mods it will be a lot faster than the 08. Since you are going with the positive displacement blower you should have a lot of low end power and probaly do not want to play with the gears. You may have to shift more but it will feel a lot faster!!!!

 

Was that because you hit 80MPH in first gear with him in the car?

 

I could hardly believe I got 80 out of first gear myself! I had a Hayabusa (sold it the day I bought my Z06) and it did 90 in first before hitting the rev limiter. That car, so far, is the only car that has made me feel that rush the Hayabusa gave me, that OMG it is going to jump out from under me hang the hell on feeling. I can not wait to get the TVS2300 on the Z06, I know it will give me the thrill I am looking for. If not there will be one really nice low milage 2002 Z06 up for sale... lol lol and it was not the sales manager that went for a ride with me. Guy was like he was doing me a favor selling me the car. I have been working midnights for over 3 months straight now and it does not take much B.S. to **** me off when I have not had any sleep.... That was a hell of a deal though, the car was so sweet.

 

Ok, it didn't hit 80 mph in first. Even if it was spinning to 7k, that is still around 62-65 mph, depending on tire.

 

Well I know what I saw on the speedo and felt in the seat of my pants. Unless the speedo was way off I can not explain it, but it got me to spend almost $35K within a month to try and reproduce it.....

 

I bet you hit 80 kph, not mph. Someone probably switched the display to metric.

 

This


I just calculated it...if it were the longer first gear, 2.66, with the stock rear and tire size, you would need an 8500 redline to hit 80 MPH.

No LS3 is spinning to 8500 without serious work done.

 

I can not explain it, may be possible it was in kph, like I said I have been working midnights for a few months, and I had not had any sleep for quite a while when I was looking at the car. I know I have never felt that kind of pull from any other car I have been in, and my stock Z does not even compare to that 08, yet.... Soon as my headers and X pipe get here from Maryland Speed (ordered 1 7/8 header and 3x3 high flow cat X pipe, both coated) I drop the car off to Horsepower Sales in Pompano Beach to undergo it's transformation. I hope to drop off a mild mannered Z06 and pick up a Carnival thrill ride! Will post results.

 

Sounds like that 08 isn't stock. A stock 02 ZO6 should be close in acceleration to an 08 (LS3), and slightly pull a stock LS2. And I agree with everyone else, must have been KPH.

 

LS3s always feel faster because of the larger displacement.

 

thinking this too, but torque is torque. i do know with my a4 (RPM stage something high or another) that if im just ***** out on it and it shifts gears, which happens INSANELY fast, that the speedo leaps.

you sure you didnt briefly see 80 in between shifting 1-2 and the speedo was just throwing an inaccurate reading?

i cant speak to butt dyno, but like was said above, your car shouldnt be far behind (maybe ahead of..) that c6.