vstella

After building a 2001 C5 ALL MOTOR 10 sec stroker it was certainly faster than a 06 Z06.. but then again when I sold it I never recouped the money invested ..and ..It still wasn't a Z06.

Lesson learned ...If you want a a Z06, then buy one! ..I did

brn-c6

hi come to bahrain will take you for a ride in my c6 i run low 11s should be in the tens soon, i have everything cartek offers for the car on it.

drrichie

Is this a trick question? You're asking a C6 question on a C6 forum?
Most guys would say get a C5 ZO6 - isn't that right Forum?

No, seriously, sounds like what you really need is a C6 ZO6. But, if no-can-do, see Cartek, Lingenfelter, Callaway, get some Zaino and an advanced driving school lesson.

Yogivette

i had the exact same debate as you. I want my car to be fast. Real fast. I went from an 86 vette to a 300hp WRX to the C6. The c6 was fast. Really fast but i still wanted more. I dont know why even though i probably couldnt drive the c6 to max potential anyway. I am more of a straight line guy. More to the point. I already had the c6 and i researched the price of upgrading parts. I started taking several things into account. Here is what i looked at:

Price to mod.
~It seems as simple as just a supercharger. I looked at H/C, S/C, and TT. The S/C seemed to give most bang for the buck power wise, didnt want Nitrous.

~After i priced the S/C i figured i had to get wider tires which adds about another 5k. This was pretty much a must for me.

~I knew the engine warranty would be pretty much gone now and that there are issues that arise with this kinda modding which i wasnt sure i wanted to deal with.

~Lastly the hardened components to handle the power. Which i didnt plan on doing but it is something to think about.

~So at this point i was looking at about 15k upfront to do the modding.

Based off of that figure i decided to get a z06 if i could find one at sticker with a fairly recent allocation which i did in May.

Here is what i gained and what i gave up by buying z instead of modding.

I gave up the 1sB backage and Nav. Basically i gave up the power passanger seat, navigation, and memory. Plus some other thigns i didnt care about. I also lost the targa top, cool factor but i never used it anyway.

What i gained over modding. Bigger brakes, better suspension, higher redline with 0-60 in first. Warranty, Cool factor being a z06 (cause indead everyone will ask if its a z06 and lots of people dont understand you can mod a car to be faster), resale value, and hardened parts. Oh yeah and lastly lighter weight. Obviously there are some other things here and there but thats what i cared about.

So if you want a drag car, go with the c6. If you want the complete package get a z06 if you can find one. All this being said i already had the c6 and had paid for it. You might be able to find one for around 40k now. My diff in cost was 15k for mods or 20k for the z. 65k with car and mods or 70k for the z. Now if you can get one for 40k that meands 55k compared to 70k thats a big difference. Capiche.

Sorry so long but wanted to be thorough
Yogi

jcw

I am thinking about increasing my horsepower (550HP) with an intercooled (procharger Kit) and taking the car to the track (road course) I am adding larger sway bars and adjustable racing shocks and would think i could easly out perform a stock 2006 Z06

jcw

I am thinking about increasing my horsepower (550HP) with an intercooled (procharger Kit) and taking the car to the track (road course) I am adding larger sway bars and adjustable racing shocks and would think i could easly out perform a stock 2006 Z06

'06 Quicksilver Z06

Thanks for the great post and don't apoligize for the length.

What you are trying to explain here certainly needed to be said cannot be done effectively in a short 1 or 2 paragraphs.

If I ever get the urge to mod my C6 I too will choose the path you did and just buy the Z06.

When you look carefully at the big picture, which includes warranty, resale value, desirability at sale or trade in time, dependability, the fact that some mods actually almost require other modifications (for example having to strengthen drivetrain components resulting in even more expense and potential issues) ability to get the car serviced (many dealerships won't touch a modded car and depending on where you live and who did the modding, there may not be anyone in your immediate area competent enough to work on your modded car)..... it is much more cost effective to just get the Z06.

JFTaylor

Mr Dog,

You're just full of surprises. Jato is illegal in all 50, Have to go to Mexico for that..

JFTaylor

OK man, we're all ears

Please enlighten us

FLC6

JF,

Its Nitrous. Dry Kit. Easy to install. No extra fuel added. The MAF does it all and the .32 injectors can handle it just fine.

CSICK

Kooks 1 3/4 headers, 160 Thermostat, heavy duty output shaft, 4.10 Gear, and Custom Tune "the car returned to the track and recorded a blistering 11.536 @ 118.23, breathing through a factory air filter and air intake assembly!!!" www.cartek.net They are some bad ****'s

Kooks Headers - $1,400.00
160 Thermostat - $20.00
HD Output Shaft - $350.00
4.10 Gear - $1,000
Custom Tune - $400

0C_Williams@RPM

The short answer, no. However, to make a C6 as fast as the new Z06 (and as reliable) best to budget somewhere between $10k-$20k.

shopdog

It was a joke, but you can get a permit to fire JATOs in the US, in a car no less. It just requires the proper permits and licenses. And not on a public road.

upsman

Check out the July issue of Motor Trend. MTI has a motor package which yields 605hp/608lb-ft and 10.9@129 on slicks. They did it with MTI stage III heads, cam and stroker crankshaft.

0Cajun @ Edgyvette

That is what I am talking about bro

vertC6

That simply is not true, here is what I suggest for safe reliable power.

Good set of headers w/ high flow cats $1500
Medium size cam 224 581 lift 114 $400
Stage 2 port heads 2.02 intake heavy duty springs $1700
Good safe tune $400
If you have someone install it $1500

A grand total of $5,500 for a car that will have about 450rwhp 530bhp. Thats 25 hp more than the ZO6

Tommy D

I also had a car that was faster than my C6. There is no easy answer to your question. You can easily mod a C6 to acheive the straight line performance of the Z06 but it would be very expensive to duplicate the overall performance of the Z06. It really depends upon what you are looking for in the car and how much you are willing to spend on mods. At some point it may not be cost effective to mod the C6 but more reasonable to purchase the Z06. In any case the Vette is a great car

jimman

Put a crate motor in a saturn or do the following.




• LS7 7.0-liter/427-cubic-inch Gen IV V-8 with lightweight reciprocating components
• 500 horsepower (373 kw) at6200 rpm
• 475 lb.-ft. of torque (657 Nm) at 4800 rpm
• 7000 rpm redline
• Titanium connecting rods and intake valves
• Dry-sump engine lubrication system
• Engine hand-built at GM’s new Performance Build Center
• Aluminum body structure with one-piece hydroformed perimeter rails frame and magnesium front cradle
• Fixed roof design optimizes body rigidity and aerodynamics
• Carbon-fiber composite front fenders and front wheelhouses
• Unique front fascia incorporating a larger grille, cold-air scoop and lower air splitter
• Wide-body rear fenders and a unique rear spoiler incorporated with the CHMSL
• Huge 14-inch (355-mm) cross-drilled front disc brakes with six-piston calipers and 13.4-inch (340-mm) cross-drilled rear rotors with four-piston calipers
• 18 x 9.5-inch front wheels with 275/35ZR18 tires and 19 x 12-inch rear wheels with 325/30ZR19 tires
• 3-inch-diameter exhaust with bi-mode mufflers and larger polished stainless steel tips
• Engine, transmission and differential oil coolers; and steering cooler
• Rear-mounted battery to improve weight distribution
• Unique interior features including revised gauge cluster and lightweight two-tone seats with more aggressive bolsters
• Curb weight of 3130 pounds / 1419.7 kg (estimated)
• 3 inches (76.2 mm) wider than other Corvette models
• Vehicle developed simultaneously with C6-R racecar.
The features above are merely the highline points of the comprehensively designed Z06. What follows is a closer look at the vehicle’s unique attributes.
LS7 engine
The all-new LS7 of the ’06 Z06 reintroduces the 427-cubic-inch engine to the Corvette lineup. Unlike the previous 427 engine, which was a big-block design, the new 7.0-liter LS7 is a small-block V-8 – the largest-displacement small-block ever produced by GM and a tribute to its 50 years as a performance icon.
With 500 horsepower and 475 lb.-ft. of torque, it also is the most powerful passenger car engine ever produced by Chevrolet and GM. The LS7 is easily identified under the hood by red engine covers with black lettering.
The LS7 shares the same basic Gen IV V-8 architecture as the Corvette’s 6.0-liter LS2, but the LS7 uses a different cylinder block casting with pressed-in steel cylinder liners to accommodate the engine’s wide, 104.8-mm-wide cylinder bores; the LS2 has 101.6-mm bores. And when compared to the LS2, the LS7 also has a different front cover, oil pan, exhaust manifolds and cylinder heads.
Internally, the LS7’s reciprocating components make use of racing-derived lightweight technology, including titanium connecting rods and intake valves, to help boost horsepower and rpm capability. The rpm fuel shut-off limit is 7000 rpm.
The LS7’s specifications include:
• Unique cylinder block casting with large, 104.8-mm bores and pressed-in cylinder liners
• Forged steel main bearing caps
• Forged steel crankshaft
• Titanium connecting rods with 101.6-mm stroke
• Cast aluminum flat-top pistons
• 11.0:1 compression
• Dry-sump oiling system
• Camshaft with .591-inch lift
• Racing-derived CNC-ported aluminum cylinder heads with titanium intake valves and sodium-filled exhaust valves
• Titanium pushrods and valve springs
• Low-restriction air intake system
• Hydroformed exhaust headers with unique “quad flow” collector flanges.
“In many ways, the LS7 is a racing engine in a street car,” said Dave Muscaro, assistant chief engineer of small-block V-8 for passenger cars. “We’ve taken much of what we’ve learned over the years from the 7.0-liter C5-R racing program and instilled it here. There really has been nothing else like it offered in a GM production vehicle.”
One of the clearest examples of the LS7’s race-bred technology is its use of titanium connecting rods. They weigh just 480 grams apiece, almost 30 percent less than the rods in the LS2 V-8. Besides being lightweight, which enhances high-rpm performance and rpm range, titanium makes the rods extremely durable.
The LS7’s CNC-ported aluminum cylinder heads are all-new and designed to meet the high airflow demands of the engine’s 7.0-liter displacement, as it ingests approximately 100 cubic feet more air per minute than the Corvette’s 6.0-liter LS2 V-8 – an 18-percent increase in airflow. Consequently, a hydraulic roller camshaft with .591/.591-inch valve lift is used to allow plenty of air to circulate in and out of the engine.
To ensure optimal, uninterrupted airflow, the LS7’s heads have straight, tunnel-like intake runners. Very large by production-vehicle standards – even racing standards – they are designed to maintain fast airflow velocity, providing excellent torque at low rpm and exhilarating horsepower at high rpm. The heads feature 70-cc combustion chambers which are fed by huge, 56-mm-diameter titanium intake valves. The lightweight titanium valves weigh 21grams less than the stainless steel valves used in the LS2, despite the valve head having 22 percent more area. They are complemented by 41-mm sodium-filled exhaust valves, vs. 39.4-mm valves in the LS2. To accommodate the large valve face diameters, the heads’ valve seats are siamesed; and, taken from experience with the engines of C5-R racecars, the LS7’s valve angles are held at 12 degrees – versus 15 degrees for the LS2 – to enhance airflow through the ports.
All LS7 engines are assembled by hand at GM Powertrain’s new Performance Build Center in Wixom , Mich. The exacting standards to which they are built include deck-plate honing of the cylinders – a procedure normally associated with the building of racing engines and almost unheard of in a production-vehicle engine.
Dry sump oiling system
The LS7 has a dry-sump oiling system designed to keep the engine fully lubricated during the high cornering loads the Corvette Z06 is capable of producing. An engine compartment-mounted 8-quart reservoir delivers oil at a constant pressure to a conventional-style oil pump pick-up at the bottom of the engine. The pressurized oil feed keeps the oil pick-up continually immersed in oil at cornering loads exceeding 1 g.
Oil circulates through the engine and down to the oil pan, where it is sent back to the reservoir via a scavenge pump. The large-capacity reservoir, combined with a high efficiency air-to-oil cooler, provides necessary engine oil cooling under the demands of the engine’s power output. With the dry-sump system, oil is added to the engine via the reservoir tank – which includes the oil level dipstick.
The LS7’s dry-sump system was developed and tested on racetracks in the United States and Europe , including Germany ’s famed Nürburgring. And while common in racing cars, the Corvette Z06 is one of just a handful of production vehicles – and the only production Corvette – to ever incorporate such a high-performance oiling system.
Drivetrain
The Corvette Z06’s powertrain and drivetrain systems are matched to the LS7’s performance capability. The light, four-into-one headers discharge in to new, close-coupled catalytic converters and through to new “bi-modal” mufflers. The mufflers each feature a vacuum-actuated outlet valve, which controls exhaust noise during low-load operation but opens for maximum power.
At the rear of the LS7 engine, a single-mass flywheel and lightweight, high-capacity clutch channel torque to the rear transaxle. The six-speed manual transmission has been strengthened to handle the LS7’s increased torque load. The transmission includes a pump which sends transmission fluid to the front radiator for cooling. Upon its return, the fluid removes additional heat from the differential lube before returning to the transmission.
The M6 transmission connects to a limited-slip differential, with enlarged ring and pinion gears. Stronger axle half-shafts with tougher universal joints transmit power to the rear wheels.
Body structure
The Z06 has a unique aluminum body structure for optimum stiffness and light weight for the fixed-roof bodystyle. Perimeter rails are one-piece hydroformed members featuring cast suspension nodes, which replace many welded steel components on other Corvette models. Other castings, stampings and extrusions are combined into the innovative structure with state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies.
Advanced structural composites featuring carbon fiber are bonded to the aluminum structure. The wider front wheelhouses, for example, are carbon composites and the passenger compartment floors combine carbon-fiber skins with an ultra-lightweight balsa wood core.
Chassis system
The 2006 Corvette Z06 has a new magnesium cradle that serves as the attachment point for the engine and some front suspension components. Magnesium is lighter than aluminum yet incredibly strong. The magnesium cradle helps improve the front-to-rear weight distribution, as do carbon-fiber front fenders and wheelhouses. Engineers also moved the battery from underhood to a position in the rear cargo area, behind one of the rear wheels.
“This is an instance where the street car uses more advanced material than the racecar,” said Hill. “We’re constrained by rules to run the steel frame in the racecars, but we stretched to bring even more performance technology to the street for out customers.”
The mass reductions are offset by some added performance enablers, including dry-sump lubrication, 3-inch (76.2-mm) exhaust with outlet valves, larger wheels and tires, more power brake and stiffer roll stabilizers.
Suspension, brakes, wheels and tires
The Z06 retains the 106-inch (2686-mm) wheelbase of other Corvette models, as well as the short-long arm suspension and transverse leaf spring design, but it rides on all-new wheels, tires, brakes, as well as its own rear spring and roll stabilizer.
The firmer suspension works harmoniously with large 18 x 9.5-inch cast-spun aluminum wheels and 275/35ZR18 tires in the front, and 19 x 12-inch cast-spun aluminum wheels with 325/30ZR19 tires in the rear – the largest wheel-and-tire combination ever offered on a Corvette. The tires use the latest extended-mobility technology from Goodyear to provide a satisfactory ride, but still allow the vehicle to achieve lateral acceleration of more than 1 g. The extended-mobility tires eliminate the need – and weight – for a spare tire and jack or inflator kit, and reduce the chance of a sudden loss of handling capability.
“The Z06 enables the driver to turn excellent track lap times, but it also is quick to learn and is very forgiving for its performance level,” said Hill. “We tested its capability around the world to ensure it will feel at home on any road or race track.”
Complementing the suspension system and large rolling stock is an equally capable four-wheel disc brake system, consisting of 14-inch (355-mm) vented and cross-drilled front rotors and 13.4-inch (340-mm) vented and cross-drilled rear rotors. For comparison, the ’05 Corvette has 12.8-inch (325-mm) front and 12-inch (305-mm) rear rotors, while the ’05 Corvette with the Z51 has 13.4-inch (340-mm) and 13-inch (330-mm) rotors.
The front rotors are acted upon by huge, red-painted six-piston calipers that use six individual brake pads. Individual brake pads are used because they deliver more equalized wear compared to what would otherwise be a pair of very long single-piece pads. For the rear brakes, four-piston calipers with four individual brake pads are used. A Delphi four-channel ABS system is used, as is a very competent active handling system – complete with a Competitive Driving mode.
The large brakes bring an excellent level of stopping capability with the Z06, and with their four-wheel brake cooling, they provide excellent fade resistance and lining life during track duties.
Distinct design
The new Z06 has an unmistakable and aggressive appearance, with design cues that include:
• A wide front fascia with a large, forward-facing grille opening, a splitter along the bottom and “Gurney lips” along the sides to provide aerodynamic downforce
• A cold air scoop in front of the hood that integrates an air inlet system for the engine
• The trailing edge of the front wheel opening is radiused to achieve improved drag, but protects the body finish with a tough molding, and a large air extractor is located behind the wheel
• A fixed-roof bodystyle optimizes body rigidity and aerodynamics
• Wider rear fenders with flares cover the massive rear tires and a brake cooling scoop in front of the wheels visually balances the fender extractor
• A tall rear spoiler houses the CHMSL on the top of the rear fascia
• 10-spoke wheels
• Four larger stainless steel exhaust outlets
• New-design Z06 badging on the front fenders
While the function of the Z06’s design is to move air efficiently over the body and reduce lift, the net effect is a car that looks like a weight lifter whose muscles are straining the seams of his shirt.
“The Z06 has been sculpted very carefully, with every element in its design serving a performance function,” said Hill. “It also has a purposeful, menacing resemblance to the C6-R.”
The aerodynamics of the Z06’s exterior were shaped by the experiences of the Corvette racing program, where high-speed stability and cornering capability are paramount. And while the racecars use large rear wings, the Z06’s elevated spoiler provides sufficient downforce to balance the road-worthy front splitter without adversely affecting aerodynamic drag. The Z06’s Cd is .31.
Uncompromising amenities
For all its race-inspired functionality, the Z06 is designed to be a daily drivable high-performance vehicle. To that end, comfort and convenience are held to a very high standard. HID lighting, fog lamps, leather seating, dual-zone air conditioning, cabin air filtration and Head-Up Display (HUD) with track mode and g-meter are standard.
The Z06 also has a revised gauge cluster that displays the Z06 logo on the 7000-redline tachometer and has a new readout on the oil pressure gauge to reflect the higher standard pressure of the dry-sump oiling system. And, like other 2006 Corvettes, the Z06 has a new, smaller-diameter three-spoke steering wheel that provides a more agile, performance-oriented feel. The seats feature two-tone leathering surfaces, with Z06-logo embroidery and contrasting stitching.
Z06 options include a Bose audio system with an in-dash six-CD changer, polished wheels, a telescoping steering wheel, heated seats, side air bags, a navigation system with GPS, Homelink and XM Satellite Radio.
But for all its comfort, engineers did sacrifice a few components in the quest for lower weight and higher performance:
• Side bolsters are fixed and more aggressive to better hold the driver when cornering and they weigh less than standard-model seats
• Passenger seat features manual controls, saving the weight of a power-adjust motor
• Acoustic package revised to reduce weight and allow more aural feedback of the powertrain
Production of the 2006 Corvette Z06 will begin in the second half of 2005 at the Bowling Green , Ky. , Assembly Plant.
SPECIFICATIONS
Overview
Models: Chevrolet Corvette coupe and 2006 Corvette Z06
Body styles / driveline: 2-door hatchback coupe with removable roof; rear-wheel drive (coupe);
2-door hatchback coupe with fixed roof; rear-drive (Z06)
Construction: composite body panels, hydroformed steel frame with aluminum and magnesium structural and chassis components (coupe);
composite and carbon-fiber body panels, hydroformed aluminum frame with aluminum and magnesium structural and chassis components (Z06)
Manufacturing location: Bowling Green , Kentucky
Engine 6.0L V-8 LS2 7.0L V-8 LS7
Displacement (cu in / cc): 364 / 5967 427 / 7011.3
Bore & stroke (in / mm): 4 x 3.62 / 101.6 x 92 4.125 x 4 / 104.8 x 101.6
Block material: cast aluminum cast aluminum
Cylinder head material: cast aluminum cast aluminum
Valvetrain: OHV, 2 valves per cylinder OHV, 2 valves per cylinder
Fuel delivery: SFI (sequential fuel injection) SFI (sequential fuel injection)
Compression ratio: 10.9:1 11:1
Horsepower
(hp / kw @ rpm): 400 / 298 @ 6000 500 / 373 @ 6200
Torque (lb-ft / Nm @ rpm): 400 / 542 @ 4400 475 / 657 @ 4800
Recommended fuel: 93 octane (recommended but not required) 93 octane
Estimated fuel economy
(mpg city / hwy / combined): automatic: 18 / 25 / 21
manual: 19 / 28 / 23 TBD
Transmission Corvette coupe Corvette Z06
Type: Hydra-Matic 4L65-E 4-speed auto.; Tremec 6-speed manual Tremec 6-speed manual
Chassis / Suspension
Front: short/long arm ( SLA ) double wishbone, cast aluminum upper & lower control arms, transverse-mounted composite leaf spring, monotube shock absorber short/long arm ( SLA ) double wishbone, cast aluminum upper & lower control arms, transverse-mounted composite leaf spring, monotube shock absorber
Rear: short/long arm ( SLA ) double wishbone, cast aluminum upper & lower control arms, transverse-mounted composite leaf spring, monotube shock absorber short/long arm ( SLA ) double wishbone, cast aluminum upper & lower control arms, transverse-mounted composite leaf spring, monotube shock absorber
Traction control: electronic traction control; Active Handling electronic traction control; Active Handling
Brakes Corvette coupe Corvette Z06
Type: front and rear power-assisted disc with ABS; cross-drilled rotors with Z51 Performance Package front and rear power-assisted disc with ABS with 6-piston front and 4-piston rear calipers, cross-drilled rotors
Rotor diameter x thickness (in / mm): front: 12.8 x 1.26 / 325 x 32
rear: 12 x 1 / 305 x 26;
Z51 Performance Package:
front: 13.4 x 1.26 / 340 x 32
rear: 13 x 1 / 330 x 26 front: 14 x 1.3 / 355 x 32
rear: 13.4 x 1 / 340 x 26
Wheels & Tires
Wheel size: front: 18 inch x 8.5 inch
rear: 19 inch x 10 inch front: 18 inch x 9.5 inch
rear: 19 inch x 12 inch
Tires: Goodyear Eagle F1 GS
Extended Mobility
front: P245/40ZR18
rear: P285/35ZR19 Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar Extended Mobility
front: P275/35ZR18
rear: P325/30ZR19
Dimensions
Wheelbase (in / mm): 106 / 2629 106 / 2629
Overall length (in / mm): 175 / 4445 175 / 4445
Overall width (in / mm): 73 / 1854 76 / 1930
Overall height (in / mm): 49 / 1244 49 / 1244
Curb weight (lb / kg): 3179 / 1442 3130 / 1419.7

Virt

Not including tax. Nor the various lifters, springs, etc that should go along with that.

Virt

I think you'll need biger tires to really outperform the Z06. 400hp alone will smoke the the 285s we currently have. Having 550+hp won't be all that impressive if you can't put it to the ground. The Z06 has bigger meats front AND back. In my opinion, you'll need to get some bigger breaks, and bigger tires to outperform the Z06. However, in order to fit something like 325s in the rear, you'll probably need to get the Z06 fenders (1k before tax and painting), or get the car tubbed, which I think costs even more than that.But put 3-4k into new wheels and tires and I think you'll do well. Adding all that up though, you're crossing over 10k into parts and labor and coming up close to 15k.