Trying to debate whether the Z06 is worth the upgrage from an FRC. If you were to take a stone stock FRC...what mods would it take to equal the Z06 in raw horsepower?

Anybody with actual results?

Would a cold air and some longtubes get it there? Maybe add some dyno tuning?

 

I think you need more then a set of headers and air intake.


The FRC came with the LS1 and the Z06 has a LS6

LS6 = different heads and cam, not to mention all the handling upgrades, shocks sway bays etc...

I have read a lot of posts where guys buy a FRC and turn it in to a Z.

 

I understand their are a lot of differences between the two however the only thing I am really interested in is rwhp. I am not trying to duplicate a Z06 with an FRC....just match its rwhp.

Does that make sense?

 

Yes it makes sense . But you are comparing a 99/00 model year car to a 01 and up car. I would think you could buy a FRC cheaper than a ZO6. With the money you save in the model years you could buy the AFR heads and a small cam and pass the ZO6 in HP with stock exhaust. But for a couple more bucks you could do the exhaust and have a killer car.

 

I went through the same debate. Keep and mod my '99 FRC or buy an '04 Z06? Opted to keep my FRC and turned it into a monster.

 

Define Monster?

The Z06 is a sweet car...but I am fine with a normal FRC....plus some ponies. I know heads and cam will duplicate it easily enough....I am wondering if you can come close with boltons.

Maybe I should phrase the question differently...I will try a new thread.

 

Stock Z06 will put down 360rwhp or so. You will need CAI, ls6 manifold, long tube headers, a small cam such as ls6 or TR220 with appropriate springs and retainers, and a dyno tune. With a much larger cam and these mods you can go up to 420rwhp for about the same money.

 

Cam & Headers w/bolt ons can put you where you want to be as far as HP but the Z will spank you at the track until you do heads and/or tires. Fact.
Keep the FRC and mod it right. If you were to buy a z06 you need to eventually swap the cam and upgrade the heads anyway to keep your head above water these days so you may as well start with the more unique of the two cars.
Unless you like all the badges, screens,etc...

 

The LS1 and the LS6 are virtually the same engine. If you can buy the FRC for substantially less money and you are not interested in running road courses, it is very, very simple to have a LS1 model Vette outperform the Z.

There are two things to remember.

1. Power
2. Gearing

To get more power, as many have already indicated, you can take an FRC or Vert (my personal choice), and add a head/cam package or an SC package and simply beat the Z06 in straight line competition.

Now, remember, the Z also has a different tranny which helps with gearing. Essentially, it changes the 3.42's to effectively 3.73's. So, if you aren't interested in simply beating a Z in the quarter, then also upgrade gears and the Z will be destroyed!

FWIW, if you decide to go with forced induction, which is still going to be cheaper than the cost difference between a Z and a FRC, the LS1 is a better choice because it's a lower compression ratio which means you can run more boost safer.

 

Well in my case "Monster" equates to a forged bottom end, H/C kit and D1SC Supercharger putting out 630+ rwhp. I went back and forth on that debate of whether to modify my '99 or sell it and put the money into an '04 Z06.. even gave serious thought to going the route of a Viper for a few days :o in the end I decided that for my situation I would be happier with a car 5 years old that is modified/customized then a brand new car that is stock. But thats just my case.. gotta do whats gonna make you happy.

 

I have a 99FRC and wondering the same. If you are like me you look at all options. I am staring to think of buying one of the used blowers 3-4K and call it done...

 

I have 00 FRC and bought it knowing I was going to mod it heavily.

I bought the car with a Ls6 intake, roughly polished TB, blackwing, TPIS LTs with factory cats and added GHLs. the car dynoed 340 rwhp/340 rwtq.

Then I bought:

01 Z06 wheels purchased $700
Crashed 94 built M12 $2g stg (4?) Viper shift forks, chryoed etc etc
04 Z06 Suspension was roughly $1g shocks, springs, sway bars with end links.

I have a set of bare Z06 heads $800

So if you want H&C with aftermarket cat back but want a Z06 conversion you're looking at $4,500 in parts bought used off the forums for the FRC plus cam, gaskets, porting, and install which you would need on a Z06 if you wanted H&C.

If you want cosmetics, the guage cluster changed back grounds but is scaled the same, Z06 stetched on the seats, front screens, rear ducts, paint the calipers red, and badges on the fender.

I ended up doing H&C and picked up some TEA stg 2 5.3s on a deal I couldn't pass on. Then added a futral Fm11 (228/230 112+4) cam.

The 04 Z06 setup does handle great. and is worth the uprgade. However shocks and 01+ sway bar end links alone may get most drivers what you want. I did everything at once.

Some don't like the Z06 ratios in th M12. I like the lower M12 ratios with a 3.73 as it keeps a little more top end over a M6 with 3.90s but has the low end gearing to get off the line. Many like the M6 with 3.90s as it keeps the gears closer.

I think I came out with a car I love for less $$ than a Z06. #s in sig.

 

I bought some parts from members here and I bought some new. My total cost with dyno tune was in the area of 4500 to 5000. Specs in my sig.

 

FRC is not much behind Z06 in handling wheels & tires are the biggest difference, FRC's are great track cars!