I need some expert advice from the drag racing guys
 

I'm new to the forum even though I've been reading for the past few months. I hope this question is in the right place. I'm looking to buy a corvette as a weekend cruiser, but I also want to race it 1/8 and 1/4 mile. I prefer an automatic since I've read they are faster. Plus I really don't want to shift gears in heavy traffic. Most of this racing won't be at the track..lol..I've decided on a c6. From what I've read you guys say get at least an 08-09 with the ls3. I plan to go all out on performance mods. Supercharger, meth, headers, full exhaust, fuel system, drag radials etc. My question is. For what I want to do with the car is there any advantage in getting a 10-13 model? I see people say get the newest you can afford, but if I find a low mileage 09 vs a low mileage 13. What's the difference? I'm not worried about resale value as I plan to keep it forever. For example, does the newer c6 get better traction? Does it have more potential to be faster? Sorry if I'm rambling too much but I'm trying to learn from you guys who have a lot more knowledge than me. I look forward to your answers and sorry for the long post.

Any '08 or newer with the A6 will work. I wouldn't be as concerned about mileage as whats already been done or repaired. Personally, I wouldn't buy something that was driven less than 3K miles annually, nor one that spent long periods asleep in the garage, nor one that was babied and only took short trips. There is no advantage for a Z51 option for drag racing.

Look on the Tech & Perf forum for the performance list. That'll give you an idea of what parts work well and expectations of times.

What options will you be looking for, especially for the cruising part?

The main thing is to have good street manners in traffic. If I decide to change cams I'll get one thats more street friendly.

If I'm not mistaken, 10 and newer came with launch control.

Thanks for the reply Corvette_Ed. I researched the forum and from my understanding only the manual cars came with launch control. These are the things I want to hear before I purchase a vette. I want to make sure I get the best one for my needs. I seen a post you were in today arguing back and forth about a base model being faster. In my case the base model is what I want. Faster is faster even if it's just a tenth. Thanks for that info even if it wasn't directed at me.

Ls3, automatic, narrow body..

The op wants a auto, not a manual

^this.

However, I suggest looking at a narrow body and a GS side by side... In my opinion, the slightly slower GS is arguably better looking and also may be a better deal since you can fit wider tires (big issue if youre not running DRs with SC'd power).

YMMV, both cars with an SC will likely be tire limited in terms of straight line acceleration anyway - especially if its on the street doing roll races where you cant stage and you cant run DRs or something in case of rain/weather conditions...

If you can run a wider tire on a GS that should help with traction. I'll probably run a drag radial all the time. I know they wear out quicker but if it's a weekend car that only sees nice weather they should last a while. Thanks for the response Ahrmike.

Contrary to popular belief, wider tires have less forward traction unless you reduce the pressure. They do have greater lateral traction, but that's not you want to do.

Assuming your cruising is limited to local in-state driving and an occasional trip to the track, you won't need or even want much more than a centri, headers, a 3200 converter and tune of course. MT 275/40x17 DR's will last longer than Hoosiers. Avoid a Z51 optioned car and try to find one with the F55 option.

That'll give you a nice cruiser with back road fun capabilities. If you want to get a bit more serious into drag racing and still drive on the street, there are more things that can be done, but at the expense of the back road fun.

2012 and up have nicer seats and either in 2011 or 2012 you get firmer shifts in sport mode.

All years have firmer shifts and higher rpm shift points in sport mode. That's part of the OEM sport mode tuning.

Whatever the OP does, a tune will be part of it and that includes the trans, which can be tuned however he prefers. There is no year preference for an A6, unless you want to remain stock.

FWIW: I drive a six speed manual as an everyday driver and I get my share of bumper to bumper traffic and roads where I seem to hit every red light although the lights are not synchronized. I find the six speed a blast to drive and I seem to be more in tune with my car as it does take a degree of awareness because of the shifting. For me, it puts the fun back in driving.

Just think how much more fun you could have by disconnecting the PS, PB, and AC. :rofl: