article from Corvette fever

"Backyard Mechanic" · 05-17-2007, 08:41 PM

Did anyone see the article in the tech section of the July issue of corvette fever.Page 38.They took a 07 zo6 and did a chassis dyno on it and it pulled 400.9 rwhp/385 rwt.Bone stock,they did what they called a stage 1 upgrade on it and got 498.1rhp/471.7rwt in the end,My surprise was on the bone stock first dyno run they only got 400.9rwhp/385rwt.A lose of 105 hp.Talk about losing some power to the rear from the flywheel.So much for 505hp.I know you lose about 15 -20 % to the rear wheels,It cost 3,995$ for stage 1.No offense to anyone with a zo6,c-5 or c-6 but for the money you bought it for I guess you could spend less money on upgrades and got more hp and tq then a stock z06.Don't get me wrong I think they are great vette's but without the option to take off the top off or put it down,

I enjoy the Florida sunshine in my vette.I was just surprised by the article and lack of hp and tq.I know you z06 people hate me now,

but I will still wave at you.

Just trying to bring up some #.Thought it was interesting.

**Rich Z** · 05-18-2007, 01:01 AM

What is interesting to me is that for the 2008 models, the regular C6 will be bumped up to 450 horses at the crank and the Z06 will still remain at 505. Unless the C6's price is bumped up quite a bit or the Z06 dropped substantially, I think that narrowed performance margin may cut into the Z06 sales. For the price difference, the money could zing up the C6 SUBSTANTIALLY, easily surpassing the power of the Z. Hell, $20K would put one HECK of a lot of mods into a C6!

98 softtail · 05-19-2007, 01:33 AM

Didn't you guys see the article on the " SS CORVETTE" ? GM is moving to create a middle of the road CORVETTE, the "SS" version. I will talk about this more later, but this is a just a bunch of crap to up the sales of Corvettes .

Joe B.

**Rich Z** · 05-19-2007, 01:49 AM

Wasn't the Fixed Roof Coupe a GM plan to have a cheaper Corvette to put on the lots? I believe they caught flak about it and that model mutated into the Z06 to quell the uprising.

So either they forgot history, or they are following a similar flight plan here for another performance leap...

98 softtail · 05-19-2007, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backyard Mechanic

Did anyone see the article in the tech section of the July issue of corvette fever.Page 38.They took a 07 zo6 and did a chassis dyno on it and it pulled 400.9 rwhp/385 rwt.Bone stock,they did what they called a stage 1 upgrade on it and got 498.1rhp/471.7rwt in the end,My surprise was on the bone stock first dyno run they only got 400.9rwhp/385rwt.A lose of 105 hp.Talk about losing some power to the rear from the flywheel.So much for 505hp.I know you lose about 15 -20 % to the rear wheels,It cost 3,995$ for stage 1.No offense to anyone with a zo6,c-5 or c-6 but for the money you bought it for I guess you could spend less money on upgrades and got more hp and tq then a stock z06.Don't get me wrong I think they are great vette's but without the option to take off the top off or put it down,

I enjoy the Florida sunshine in my vette.I was just surprised by the article and lack of hp and tq.I know you z06 people hate me now,

but I will still wave at you.

Just trying to bring up some #.Thought it was interesting.

Rob, I had to go back and read that part of the article twice, a measly 400hp and even less tq. I think GM is inflating the stock HP to justify the cost of the new vettes. I would be pretty Pee-O'd if I bought a new one and it only dyno'd at 400hp.

Joe B.

"Backyard Mechanic" · 05-19-2007, 10:14 AM

Ya for the money you could spend on upgrades on a non z06,you could have more power and be able to see the sun.And the best part you spent less money on the non z06.Joe how was the track?Any photos?

98 softtail · 05-19-2007, 08:09 PM

Well we got out there but late so I decided not to run. I wish I had though, It looked like the Vettes were having a good time. I talked to a couple of the racers and can you believe that they have never heard of our forum !!! Anyway, I hope to get out there early next month and do some Racin'.

Joe B.

**Rich Z** · 05-19-2007, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 98 softtail

Well we got out there but late so I decided not to run. I wish I had though, It looked like the Vettes were having a good time. I talked to a couple of the racers and can you believe that they have never heard of our forum !!! Anyway, I hope to get out there early next month and do some Racin'.

Joe B.

Do you need some CorvetteFlorida flyers to take with you? That way maybe they will remember to check in here when they get back home.

Rich427 · 05-20-2007, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backyard Mechanic

No offense to anyone with a zo6,c-5 or c-6 but for the money you bought it for I guess you could spend less money on upgrades and got more hp and tq then a stock z06.Don't get me wrong I think they are great vette's but without the option to take off the top off or put it down,

I enjoy the Florida sunshine in my vette.

BM, I am not sure that I agree with your cost to power comparison. Now I do agree that the C-6 price tag is a bit hard to swallow for me as well, but your statement about the money people pay for Z06s, "C-5 or C6" to me does not make much sense.

From your posts, clearly you have an LS1 vert, which by the way is an awesome car for the money. I own a '01 6 speed vert, so I agree with the ability to drop the top when the weather allows. I was not sure which year C5 you owned so I just looked up the last year of the C5s for comparison (2004). Base price on a vert was $50,835 and I would think that most verts were ordered with some creature comfort options that would have driven this up a few thousand. In fact, the MSRP on my '01 was $52,880. Base price on an '04 Z06 was $52,185, and there were not many options available on the Z06, they pretty much came fully equipped. So, in my opinion, if you bought your C5 vert new, you probably paid a little more for it than a Z06.

I am not sure what Stage I package you are talking about, but $4,000 will probably buy you a package that includes new exhaust (headers, cats, x pipe, mufflers), new CAI, maybe a new set of roller rockers, and a tune. I would think that this would give you an additional 50 to 70 horses. This would put you in the area of 395 to 420 hp, and in the range of the stock Z06 of 405 hp. If we started with a base 04 vert at $50,835, added some creature comfort factory options for an additional $2,500, and the $4,000 in performance options to get it into the range of the Z06 hp, you are now comparing the modified vert at $58K verses the Z06 at $52K.

Your analysis talked about hp and tq numbers, assuming that alone would make a modified vert as fast, or as quick as a stock Z06. There are a number of differences between an LS1 and a Z06 that makes the latter a stronger performance vehicle, but let me just talk about one very important area. The transmission gearing. The Z06 ratios are 1 - 2.97, 2 - 2.07, 3 - 1.43, 4 - 1.00, 5 - .84, 6 - .56, rev - 3.28. The LS1 6 speed ratios are 1 - 2.66, 2 - 1.78, 3 - 1.30, 4 - 1.00, 5 - .74, 6 - .50, rev 2.90. The A4 is 1 - 3.06, 2 - 1.63, D - 1.00, OD - .70, rev - 2.29.

The closer ratio transmission alone will pull much stronger and quicker through the gears than an LS1 6 speed or auto. So, if I did my calculations correctly (which at my age is not always the case) if you modified an '04 LS1 vert in the same hp range as the Z06, you would have about $6 grand more in your car than an '04 Z06 and you will probably not beat it at the drags, and you definitely will not beat it on a road course. But I do have to admit, your top goes down in good weather!

I am pulling your leg a little bit here, but my point is it is difficult to compare the two vehicles. I too, like the fact that I can drop the top on my '01 vert and go cruising. But, by no means do I think that my '01 can be in the same performance class as my Z06 for similar or less money. Just not going to happen.

Just a side note, I got my high speed license a few weeks ago at Pocono International raceway. There was a C6 Z06 in my group and I could stay with him in the in field road course, but when we got out to the straight that additional 100 horses became extremely apparent. This was not a comparison on a dyno, but a real life experience on the track. The C6 Z06 is a beast, but I also admit, it is more money than I want to spend. My collection is just fine without it!

Rich

Z06 Rocket · 05-20-2007, 09:02 AM

Good post Rich.

There's something to be said for buying a factory built street legal "race car" with different sway bars, less weight, thinner windshield, etc that goes along with the smaller group of Z06 ownership. Add to it the C5 Z06 having the small back window of the FRC style and I love the looks over the larger coupe window. The Z06 is the one who bumped the ZR1 off the King of the Hill status it carried throughout the C4 generation. While I loved the ZR1's, they don't stand up to the Z06's.