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Damn, I just love AP Racing stuff from Jeff. True racing spec stuff.
This is the truth. I did a lot of research before handing over the cash - there are other brake kits available but they are not comparable. Get past all of the marketing gimmicks and look at the products - the other stuff, even other AP racing stuff looks cheesy.
I am going to take a bit of the credit along with my track buddy for convincing Jeff at the SEMA show last year to go with the AP caliper that could fit the really thick pads. Just what you need for the track so you don't have to swap pads so often. So my buddy ordered a set for his Z06, and we'll likely be installing them soon. Wish my Corvette could do track duty without failing, then I would get a set as well.
Schaibaa even had a tissue handy when the calipers brought a tear to his eye. :p
You gents make a good point. I should probably do some comparison pics to other items to provide a sense of scale. It's definitely hard to wrap your head around these things by looking at a two-dimensional screen. I've been calling these pads a 'pad-burger' for a while now.
One of the things that really surprises people when I put a caliper like this in their hands at the track or a trade show is how lightweight they are. Despite their wide footprint, the calipers are only ounces heavier than the pad set! It's a perfect example of putting the mass/meat where it is needed most, and trimming all superfluous fat away. Anyone who has any experience in racing or manufacturing always gets a wide grin on their face when you plunk these in their hands. It's fun to watch.
Descartesfool and his friend were indeed at SEMA last year when we unveiled these, and they were lobbying hard to implement these calipers on a C7 as quickly as humanly possible.
One other thing I wanted to mention - sometimes it's the little things.
Inside the boxes was a quality control checklist that had a row for each item that needed to be sent, and two columns for different people to sign off that they were included. There is probably 10-15 items on the list, bolts, washers, instructions, etc. Everything was confirmed by two different people before shipment.
Also, instructions. Yes, we can all get on the internet and print things out - but it's about attention to detail, pride in craftsmanship, and an overall commitment to excellence. The instructions are printed on a color laser printer, with high resolution photos of each step and torque specs listed in-line with the instructions for all of the fasteners.
Jeff, other than maybe convenience/speed is there any difference between the "standard bolts" and "quick clip" models? No issues with strength, etc. with the spring clip? Is the spring clip mainly used in only for certain types of track or racing events? Thank you.
Jeff, other than maybe convenience/speed is there any difference between the "standard bolts" and "quick clip" models? No issues with strength, etc. with the spring clip? Is the spring clip mainly used in only for certain types of track or racing events? Thank you.
I would like to know this as well - I'm a bit skittish with a Bobby pin (joking) holding my pads in!!!
Jeff, other than maybe convenience/speed is there any difference between the "standard bolts" and "quick clip" models? No issues with strength, etc. with the spring clip? Is the spring clip mainly used in only for certain types of track or racing events? Thank you.
The benefit of the quick clip bridge is simply for speedy pad changes. If you were running a 24 Hour race, you'd want to be in the pits for the shortest possible time. You'll see that feature on a number of AP's Radi-CAL's that are specifically designed for endurance racing.
Our recommendation would be that if you're not going to be whipping pads in and out of the calipers in a hurry, then just use the standard bridge. The standard bridge will add a little stiffness vs. the spring clip. That said, these calipers are incredibly stiff, and even with the spring clip installed, I'm positive they're dynamically far stiffer than any other caliper available for these cars.
Both the standard bridge and spring clip are included in the CP9668 kit...you don't have to order any options, etc. They're both in the box.
One other thing I wanted to mention - sometimes it's the little things.
Inside the boxes was a quality control checklist that had a row for each item that needed to be sent, and two columns for different people to sign off that they were included. There is probably 10-15 items on the list, bolts, washers, instructions, etc. Everything was confirmed by two different people before shipment.
Also, instructions. Yes, we can all get on the internet and print things out - but it's about attention to detail, pride in craftsmanship, and an overall commitment to excellence. The instructions are printed on a color laser printer, with high resolution photos of each step and torque specs listed in-line with the instructions for all of the fasteners.
Well done!
Thanks for the kind words on the kit details! We believe those details are an important point of differentiation for our products, and it's great to see that recognized by our customers. I always joke around with people and tell them that our kits include a one page install sheet written in Japanese (which actually happened to me one time when I bought a suspension kit for a 350Z I owned many moons ago).
Got these installed now, figured I'd put up more brake ****.
The guys at Big Dog Performance in Monroe Ohio did the install. They treat the car like it's their own and really care about doing a great job. Very important with brakes!
The front on these cars is the biggest issue, and where the biggest investment should be made. The C7Z06 has tremendous performance potential, and devours front brakes (more-so than the Z51). The only other reasonably affordable road car we've seen that is similarly brutal on the brakes is the Nissan GT-R. If you currently have a $4k brake budget, you'd be better off getting one of our front BBK's and running OEM discs on the rear of the car than you would be getting discs and pads at all four corners. The full front kit would provide more performance and lower running costs over the long-term. Later on down the road you could add either 2-piece discs or a complete kit to the rear (depending on rear wear rates and performance. We will most likely release a rear 2-piece disc in the base C7Z06 size). For the front though, the full BBK is going to be an investment that pays dividends for the entire ownership of the car.
Also keep in mind that you'll get 60% of your investment back when you sell a full BBK on the used market. You usually don't get as much back on used discs and pads because they are considered consumables. And, you still have factory fresh OEM calipers to put back on the car when you sell it (rather than a burnt mess with faded and mottled paint). You get to enjoy all of the benefits of the BBK while you own it. When you take those factors into account, it becomes pretty obvious that in the big picture, the full front BBK isn't just a great performance increase, it's also probably the best value proposition: Buy the front kit, use it for 3-4 years, and get roughly $2700 back for it used (60% of its cost new)). $4499-$2700=$1799 cost of the initial equipment after you take the residual value out...amortize that over 4 years and you get $449/year to have the absolute best brake system available for the chassis.
Obviously you're going to be burning up pads and iron during that time, which have costs as well...but you definitely won't be doing so at the same rate you would on the factory equipment, or factory-sized/spec'd equipment.
I don't remember if I posted this link in this thread or not...here's one of our customers running one of our BBK's on a different platform. Obviously a far different car, but it is a great illustration of the economics involved: The cost/benefit review
Basically, the more you track your car, the more the BBK saves you.
Last edited by JRitt@essex; 12-17-2015 at 11:30 AM.
10-26-2015, 11:10 PM
Thanks Bish.
