Z06 Killer...Hype or Truth?

audiobliss

Am I missing something, or could that post not be more out of place in this thread?

This discussion is pretty obviously limited to road legal production cars that offer great performance and the ability to take two comfortably practically cross-country. Ok, well, I don't know that the Viper is that well mannered over bumpy road surfaces, but I'd bet the Vette isn't that far from it.

Neither a motorcycle nor a sprint car should even be compared to this segment, because they're totally different.

And the biggest thing with the Vette is its handling; motorcycles aren't as fast around a track as a car.

dkg999

The point is that none of the cars discussed in this thread should even be considered "performance" cars. They're mainly bar-hoppers. Until you're under 2000 lbs gross weight and over 800 hp, you don't get into the performance category.

shack

dkg999 wrote:

The point is that none of the cars discussed in this thread should even be considered "performance" cars. They're mainly bar-hoppers. Until you're under 2000 lbs gross weight and over 800 hp, you don't get into the performance category.

BS :rolleyes:

audiobliss

Wow. Just wow. I'm not even responding. Well, ok...I guess this is responding...but only to oup my post count....:D

up2youjoe

dkg999 wrote:

OK, let's be serious. If I'm going to spend $60k + on a performance car, I'm going to have one that manages to get out of its own way. The things a pig if you want real performance. Not bad if you just want to look cool driving between bars and places you think you need to be seen. It's a safe ride for the people that want to go to track day and pretend to be someone and maybe soil their tighty-whiteys a little bit. In the late '70's I had motorcycles that would blow that lead-sled off the road. Don't get me wrong, I've had a few Vette's and I like them. Depends on what you want a car to do, but if you are wanting it for performance for that kind of money I would start with something else and build it right. If you want real performance strap yourself in an alchohol burning 650 hp winged sprinter and hit 150 mph on the dirt 1/2 mile oval.

That has to be the most ridiculous post I have ever read. Dollar for dollar I don't think you can beat the Z06. Take the car for a drive and you will be stunned at the performance, build, ride, and handling of this car. You can drive this car daily to and from work in traffic and you won't feel tired after riding the clutch. Its fast, handles like a dream and the ride is very smooth. Many of my 60's muscle cars had more horsepower but none could be driven everyday and none got over 20mpg on the highway. Some of the imports might be a little faster but they cost 5 times as much and maintenance will also cost a pretty penny. The only way I'll ever sell this car is if they come out with a convertible Z06..... Which they won't.

dkg999

It's only ridiculous until you realize what real performance cars/trucks/motorcycles are. Nothing wrong with the Z06's, Vipers, Countach's, etc, for what they are. I had the mis-fortune of growing up with extended family that were way into the performance side of things, way too much for their own good at times! Everything from pulling tractors with quads of blown 426 hemi's and Allison and Rolls-Royce aircraft motors, to unlimited hydro-plane boats, to CART, Grand National, Nascar, and F-cars. A few sprinters and off-road Barstow to Vegas type vehicles also. lso had a shop in the town where I grew up where the factory Mopar drag motors for Judy Lilley and others were built and tested. I've had the chance in my younger days to drive for fun and sh&ts&giggles everything up to an F1 test chassis. I've also got friends who are regulars at track-day with their 911's, Vettes, Ferrari's, etc. These days even the Vettes and Vipers would be too much for me to handle, and I would be piss'in down my leg if I ever tried to take one of the real ones for a spin again. I just have a very different perception of what a "performance" car should be.

dkg999

And besides this site is pretty boring tonight and needed a little controversy

SCompRacer

OK, let's be serious. If I'm going to spend $60k + on a performance car, I'm going to have one that manages to get out of its own way.

Really, Doug. I’ve raced Super Stock ('68 428CJ Fastback Mustang), Super Comp (suspended Altered with SBC, kicked **** in a dragster dominated class), bracket raced with 9 and 10 second cars, worked at a drag chassis shop, worked at machine shops, still under NDA with AutoMeter on development of the Data Logger, crewed on IHRA Pro Stock/Mountain Motor Pro Stock/Pro Mod cars, rubbed elbows with circle burners and chassis builders, Crew Chiefed two years for Arnie “The Farmer” Beswick, driven all sorts of exotic cars and bikes, and street raced for money.

Fastest I’ve gone in the 1/4 is 7.38 @ 196. I even did some mile marker racing on the Skyway, yet I am not arrogant enough to say 10.85 @129 is not getting out of its own way. I have a good friend that happens to be a woman (If I said girl friend, the wife might take it the wrong way:D ) who has a Yellow Z06. No sugar daddy thing, she owns and runs her own business. It is a real fun car to drive. You can easily put less than $60K in a car to beat the Z06, but try getting most of the money back out of it. I will say one can be velocitised, and find it hard to drive something less in their performance experience.

Don’t participate, spank or be spanked. There are folks who just buy production cars. They may engage in stop light to stop light or short Interstate jaunt racing just for grins. You have the enthusiast who modifies production cars, and enjoys spanking others. You have someone who will put much $$ into the vehicle of their choice to build a sleeper. That may lead to the realm of street racing for money, and that is where you will eventually find someone who will kick your **** no matter how fast your car is. Although with the current penalties, most guys I know go to the track which accommodates that sort of racing now.

Bikes and cars are apples and oranges. When a bike challenged me to drag my car out, I wanted x amount of car lengths and the bust to even up the odds, depending on the bike.

By far, the neatest and most uncivilized car I drove was an AC Cobra with a 427.

McLoki

dkg999 wrote:

The point is that none of the cars discussed in this thread should even be considered "performance" cars. They're mainly bar-hoppers. Until you're under 2000 lbs gross weight and over 800 hp, you don't get into the performance category.

The thread has been about "off the shelf" unmodified production cars.

I am sure most can purchase an f-body for next to nothing, then upgrade the engine (and to a limited amount the suspension) to compete in whatever you are looking to do (autocross, 1/4 mile, etc) and blow away most production cars.

In the shop you worked at as a kid, did they offer a 3 year bumber to bumper warrantee on their quad engine tractors and unlimited hydroplane boats? I am guessing no because they were built for speed to the point that reliability and original intent was compromised for it. (i.e. how many of those quad engine tractors were hooked up to the combine in the fall, and if not - why not?)

The question is for $60,000 what CAR can you purchase new, with a warrantee that will outperform the Z06? Not what can you modify to beat it, but what you can walk into a showroom and purchase that will beat it in overall performance? (drive cross country (or to the local bar), 1/4 mile, autocross, etc.)

Michael

cmy330go

I am by no means a fan of the big 3 automakers. However I do have major respect for the Z06, and even the C6 for that matter. As far as production sports cars are concerned you just can't deny their huge price/performance ratio. I also can't help but be amazed at the level of performance that GM is squeezing out of the low tech pushrod LS7.

As far as styling is concerned, the Z06 is about the only American car these days that turns my head. Can't stand the Viper, Stang, or Ford GT.

However....as much as I love the Z06....I don't think I could ever own one. simply because I can't help but look at Vettes as "old man" cars. There are just far too many geezers out putting around in Corvettes. It almost seems like they are a prerequisite to turning 65.

SCompRacer

cmy330go wrote:

There are just far too many geezers out putting around in Corvettes.

Once the nest is empty, it is nice to treat yourself to something you might have done without during the nesting period.

audiobliss

cmy330go wrote:

I can't help but look at Vettes as "old man" cars.

You don't like the Vette because it's an 'old man' car...but you like BMW's?? They're even worse. They're old man, spoiled brat, and rich wife cars!

shack

cmy330go wrote:

As far as styling is concerned, the Z06 is about the only American car these days that turns my head. Can't stand the Viper, Stang, or Ford GT.

I like the looks of the Viper Coupes, I like the Corvette, love the Mustang...BUT...The Ford GT is THE BEST LOOKING car made by ANY US automaker....period.



And the GT does outperform the Z06. Automobile magazine did an artilcle in Nov. of 2005 testing the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 vs. Ford GT vs. Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe. They finished Ford 1st, Chevy 2nd, Mopar 3rd.



Yeah I know...It should since The GT stickered for $150,000 (Good luck finding one less than $200,000), but that is just the nature of limited run cars.

The GT has 45 more HP than the Z06. The Z06 makes up for some of that with 330 lb less weight. The GT out performed the Z06 in every category but braking.

I've driven Vettes (not a Z06) and I was allowed to drive a GT once, very gently. I would certainly like to own a Z06. If I had two kidneys (which I don't) I would consider selling one for a GT cause I know my left nut ain't worth enough. It will probably never happen. The sad part is a lot of the GTs are garage queens cause folks think they are collectable. They should be driven...a lot!

GaryZ06

shack wrote:

The GT has 45 more HP than the Z06. The Z06 makes up for some of that with 330 lb less weight. The GT out performed the Z06 in every category but braking.

1st off I love the Ford GT....In reality the GT puts out more than the advertised 550....They dyno around 530 ish to the rear wheels.........There are real world vids of Z06's beating Ford GT's from the roll which will rule out traction issue's......Now I need a bigger garage so I can get one :eek:

GaryZ06

cmy330go wrote:

I also can't help but be amazed at the level of performance that GM is squeezing out of the low tech pushrod LS7.
However....as much as I love the Z06....I don't think I could ever own one. simply because I can't help but look at Vettes as "old man" cars. There are just far too many geezers out putting around in Corvettes. It almost seems like they are a prerequisite to turning 65.

The low tech LS7 also uses exotic material for some of the internals....No old man here driving a Z06.....:D

Sami

dkg999 wrote:

I just have a very different perception of what a "performance" car should be.

But the average car enthusiast really doesn't have that much experience outside of stock cars, that's why you hear how the Z06 "handles like a dream". It's pretty nice car but in reality no affordable stock car is going to do that. Your average buyer isn't going to put up with the disadvantages that come with it either.

Besides, is a $70k car still affordable? Affordable performance cars, maybe EVO and STi, especially if you're not stuck with 100% stock attitude.

jcaut

Funny story about a Ford GT:

I live in a little rural town in Arkansas, population about 3000. Our local Ford dealer SOMEHOW ended up with a GT last summer. I heard several stories about "what happened" but I'm not sure if any of them were accurate. It was funny in that they didn't even have a showroom big enough for them to put it inside. They parked it out front during the daytime, with yellow police tape around it, and in the evenings the owner of the dealership drove it across the street to his house and put it in his garage. TV stations within 50-60 miles were there reporting live... like an alien landed or something! Almost as exciting as when Paris and Nicole were here a while back....

I've got pictures here somewhere.

Anyway, they ended up selling it to some basketball player for around $200K.

cmy330go

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree, cause I think that GT is just plain ugly.

Also, audiobliss....I will admit that many bimmers are sadly owned by old men. But not a single one drives like an old man car, and what BMWs I've had and will have are anything but the old man bimmers.