So it turns out the guy up the street from my parents house (where I keep my 88 Rx-7 turbo) has a C6 Z06. I went over there and complimented him on his car a couple weeks ago, and then last saturday we went cruising in my 7. Well just a little while ago he took me out in his Z06 (completely 100% stock).

Impressions [from the passenger seat]: It's like a C5 Z06 with overall improvements in every area, some slight, some significant. The car has the same character though. I've driven a 390ish rwhp C5 Z06 (boltons), and this had the same relatively flat torque curve, just noticeably more of it (but then again I've never been in a bone stock C5 Z06, just that one modded one). It had more topend too as is to be expected given the higher redline. The interior was also noticeably improved and the exterior looks are vastly improved IMO. It didn't feel like my old Cavalier from the inside like the C5 Z06 did, but it didn't have the interior of the 2008 M5 I drove about a month ago (but also none of the dizzying complexity either).

Brakes seemed to be of the same character (very controlled) just a little bit more bite. He nailed it in 1st maybe once from like a 15 roll and it didn't really have much wheelspin, but he told me it's noticeable from a dig of course and from just starting out slow off the line. We took it down some back roads near Falls Lake and we went through the turns... it felt a little more nimble than the C5. I know they are a little smaller in total dimensions, but I think it threw its weight around a little better (the C5 Z06 I drove had stock suspension I think). The cockpit also felt tighter than the C5 too, but that could just be in my head.

The gas mileage meter thingie was still reading about 20mpg combined despite some of this hard driving we were doing, which was what I expected based on its reputation but still impressive. Overall, it's just a really solid all around car. It's the kind of performance we can all build if we throw enough money into x car, but this works together as a package. And it's got a warranty. I asked him if he's going to mod it, and he said he's concerned about resale value, which is competely understandable for something that costs that much money. And it's not like the guy lives in some baller house or anything (don't think he has any kids though so that frees up $$$)... just a generic middle class neighborhood really. He daily drives a Mazda 3.

Btw, it helps when you meet someone with a fast/expensive car (whatever it may be) to just talk to them like a fellow enthusiast (chill with the omfg fanboy stuff), and find some common ground. This guy used to have a modded 94 Rx-7 and a modded 03 Cobra, two vehicles I have both driven. So we had some good conversations and discussed our impressions of those two and other cars we have driven. I never asked him for a ride in his car and he never asked me for a ride in mine. You just offer... it's sort of a mutual respect thing.

6/26/2008 8:02:52 PM

what color?

6/26/2008 8:13:07 PM

Red. There are two in North Raleigh that I know of, this is one of them. He's not an HPJ guy by any means.

[Edited on June 26, 2008 at 8:18 PM. Reason : .]

6/26/2008 8:17:51 PM

Was this before or after you two made out? Just kidding.

6/26/2008 8:20:42 PM

I was just mentioning that stuff about mutual respect because normally if you barely know someone and ask them for a ride in their expensive car they are either like "uhh maybe later I'm busy" or gtfo.

6/26/2008 8:28:56 PM

Quote :

"what color?"

Still looking for that black one that we ran into that day on 540???

6/26/2008 10:13:03 PM

^haha, yep. thought it might be since arghx lives out that way i think.

6/26/2008 11:08:26 PM

C5 vert FTW

6/26/2008 11:47:29 PM

Quote :

"He daily drives a Mazda 3."

Paging Ahmet rant below the line

______________________________________________

6/27/2008 12:04:54 AM

?

6/27/2008 12:50:12 AM

one of my friends just bought a new C6 Z06 a few months ago. I've ridden in it, but we didn't go anywhere where he could hammer on it. he said he'll let me drive it...maybe this weekend or the next I'll get around to it.

6/27/2008 1:16:13 AM

don't... you'll want one too bad.

6/27/2008 4:44:25 AM

what makes you think i won't end up with one?

[Edited on June 27, 2008 at 4:55 AM. Reason : though not for a year or two until this deployment cycle chills out]

6/27/2008 4:46:32 AM

Quote :

"?"

on ramps, and corners, and exit ramps.

come on you rant every single time you see me that i don't daily drive an impractical car.

6/27/2008 8:03:51 AM

^ maybe because they still cost $70k still I think?? For someone who is all about making wise investments, it's still an expensive car that hasn't really depreciated yet.

I mean, it's worth every bit of it. There's nothing about that car that I haven't experienced in another (modded) vehicle, except maybe the incredible control of the braking (any serious sportscar's brakes can fell like it's throwing you into the dashboard really). It's the simple fact that everything just works together like it was engineered to do so, rather than a hodgepodge of aftermarket parts.

And the 500 horsepower felt like 500 horsepower. I mean I've probably only been in 1 car with more power than that (and half a dozen that are within 10-20hp), and 2 or 3 cars total with that much actual acceleration capability. And it wasn't the "wtf where's the power?" feeling of the M5's 500 hp. In hindsight, that M5 is an even bigger disappointment. It really felt like it had no balls despite everything you read about it in magazines. Seriously.

[Edited on June 27, 2008 at 8:12 AM. Reason : .]

6/27/2008 8:10:56 AM

you dont think your rx7 will take it on 20psi?

6/27/2008 8:58:49 AM

MAYBE from a highway roll, but that's the only place and it'd still be questionable imo from his expected numbers posted here. i know i've said it eleventy billion times, but the c6 zo6's are nasty. 10.9x's out of a showroom stock vehicle is no joke and it's got the rest of the package too. near super car performance for a fraction of the cost. obviously you give up some of the build quality and general "flair" of an exotic though.

personally, i've been wanting to set up some tww runs between myself, you, arghx, and shmorri2. arghx has his tuning issues though, and shmorri2 is still ironing things out from his swap also i believe. what about you?

[Edited on June 27, 2008 at 9:22 AM. Reason : .]

6/27/2008 9:18:32 AM

From a dig, my car will get smoked. The car won't hook and I don't feel comfortable throwing that much strain on the transaxle... (i'll be less worried with the new trans). I'll do it from a roll (even if its only 10mph)... But I don't know any drag strips that allow from a roll...

I haven't been able to work on it although I do have vacation the first week in July and hopefully I'll get the car running right after I get my apartment situated. I need to change out some burnt plugs, fix the leaking water pump, and finish the AC... Goddamnit that water pump keeps leaking. I'm on my 3rd one now.

I've got to hack at the frame rail on the passenger side to help make additional clearance for the headers and AC compressor. Sharp left handers = bad.

I'd love to see what our cars can do with each other. But give me some time... lol. When I get it running solid, a video will be up (one of which will be a drive by on that wade to I-40 on ramp

It's strange because when I'm on the road by myself, 300rwhp/326rwtq is no joke. But then when you put me up against a stock c5 or a 996 carrera... I'm like, WTF, I NEED MORE POWER >_<

*sigh* I've got a lot of learning to do...

[Edited on June 27, 2008 at 9:54 AM. Reason : .]

[Edited on June 27, 2008 at 10:18 AM. Reason : ...]

6/27/2008 9:51:59 AM

me? I'm in charlotte, so just gather everyone up for a trip down to the new LMS drag strip (opens 9/11 for NHRA nationals.. I dont know after that) and I'll probably make it

6/27/2008 10:15:19 AM

A few other guys with ltx/lsx conversions have posted times in the low 12.x range on street tires and mildly aggressive starts (some tire spin, lots of clutch slipping). One guy was able to sneak one 11.9x run with hoosiers (he's got ~350rwhp). His tranny blew up on the second pass at the line...

6/27/2008 10:24:24 AM

i saw that ugly ass orange color the other day on the highway and was like why does that car look so fucking weird. it was a mexican that had four front wheels and tires mounted up on it. after riding in a c6 vette i gained some respect, i still do not like them however they are baller and fast, and for the money id still buy the shelby. but the new vettes are awesome. propson having a cool ass neighbor

6/27/2008 10:49:40 AM

Why's that? Is it because there's a back seat and you support ford racing?

and fwiw, I wouldn't buy a shelby. I'd just buy a regular Mustang GT and mod it. For the price difference in the GT and the Shelby, you can mod it, make the same power, and still have $$$ left over for gas or more mods... You are paying more for the name and because it came like that stock from the factory...

[Edited on June 27, 2008 at 11:03 AM. Reason : .]

6/27/2008 10:57:32 AM

htf can you say how the brakes feel and the engine responds when youre not driving?

6/27/2008 11:01:11 AM

^ Maybe he rode for a while and got to switch afterwards? idk though... He said it was his impressions...

[Edited on June 27, 2008 at 11:08 AM. Reason : .]

6/27/2008 11:07:49 AM

meh, we can bench race all day long, but who knows.

My car: 385 rwhp 297 rwtq, ~2800 lbs if I don't bother to take all the tools out, run only a bit of gas in it, remove the jack and spare, etc. (see my dyno sheet in my buildup thread) 385/2800 = .1375

Z06 440-450rwhp , 420ish(?) rwtq, ~3170 lbs . 450/3170 = .1419 . But just looking at peak numbers vs weight doesn't tell you everything. It doesn't account for differences in gearing as well as power and torque curves. It's basically putting your dick in one hand and a ruler in the other.

I'm sure I'll end up messing around with that Z06 a little bit next time I go cruising with the guy, and we'll see what happens. I'm sure the Z06 is faster than my car, especially from a dig, but I don't think it would annihilate it. Which is respectable enough. It's all an expectations game... me vs a z06 is like a z06 vs. an Enzo or something--both "sort of" in the same tier of performance, but we all know who's going to win.

6/27/2008 12:02:55 PM

Quote :

"Why's that?"

shelby=500hp>zo6 more money same power.

i mean hell you can buy a ragged lt1 and mod it to beat a zo6

6/27/2008 1:35:47 PM

haha erryone is lsx nut ridin....
nahh they're cool i wanna drive one sometime...

6/27/2008 1:39:28 PM

Quote :

"htf can you say how the brakes feel and the engine responds when youre not driving?"

Well riding shotty isn't driving, but you can tell when someone slams (and I mean SLAMS from like 70mph or so) on the brakes for example and there's no

1) pulsating ABS

2) backend getting loose

3) noise from the tires

but I couldn't sit here and tell you that the brake pedal is too sensitive or too mushy obviously.

As for engine response, I've been in a couple cars at that power level. I've driven a brand new M5 which is rated at 500 or so. I've driven a C5 Z06 with boltons and felt the brakes, handling, and acceleration/powerband. I've driven a 383 stroker 76 Camaro, which had a very different feel to it--more like a truck motor as you'd expect. I've driven a 600whp turbo car. You just get a decent feel for the driving characteristics of different vehicles (like body roll in turns) etc, whether you are behind the wheel or riding--but clearly riding isn't exactly the same. It's subjective, but subjective but formed from experience. That's why I said there's very little a C6 Z06 does that I haven't experienced in another car before, it's just the totality of the package that separates the vehicle. A nuanced analysis, no?

[Edited on June 27, 2008 at 1:50 PM. Reason : .]

6/27/2008 1:49:19 PM

Quote :

"maybe because they still cost $70k still I think?? For someone who is all about making wise investments, it's still an expensive car that hasn't really depreciated yet. "

you can get 'em for mid 50s now (a few years old, of course). I'm talking about in a couple of years--I'm not gonna buy any really crazy cars until I'm not deploying constantly.

and comparing a Shelby (or especially an older LT1 car) to a C6 Z06 is silly and pointless. If you ONLY want a killer drag strip car, of course there are many ways to go faster for cheaper than the 'Vette. THat's not why you'd buy it, though.

6/27/2008 2:01:06 PM

I can't believe someone in this thread talked about a Shelby GT500 over a Z06, lol.

Even a base C6 would mop the floor with a GT500.

6/27/2008 3:07:23 PM

Quote :

"Even a base C6 would mop the floor with a GT500. "

mmm... at the track yes

i think it would come down to the driver.

[Edited on June 27, 2008 at 4:03 PM. Reason : yes i know all lsx motors were created by god]

6/27/2008 3:42:16 PM

Quote :

"What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

6/27/2008 4:26:39 PM

Quote :

"shelby=500hp>zo6 more money same power. "

What? Same power, but the Shelby has that dumbass Carroll's name on it, and it weighs too goddamn much.
A Z06 will smash a GT500 to pieces in any kind of speed contest.

6/28/2008 6:46:41 PM

vettes are to mustangs as rangers are to silverodos

6/28/2008 8:16:58 PM

wut

6/28/2008 11:27:18 PM

^^ DUDE, Corvettes aren't even in the same damn category as a mustang. A camaro/trans am is a "fair" comparison. A GTO is in the same class imo. But a corvette? no. Sorry. That's like comparing minivans to stationwagons... just NO.

[Edited on June 28, 2008 at 11:58 PM. Reason : fail]

6/28/2008 11:55:15 PM