Savington

iTrader: (31)

First, a bit of backstory.

For a while now, I've been considering a big upgrade to my car. 220whp was fun at first, and on an autocross course or in the twisties it's the perfect balance between thrust and smooth boost onset. But on the highway, when I'm trying to screw around with bikes and Corvettes, it just isn't enough. So I started looking into what it would take to spool a 2860RS or a 2871R quite a bit faster. I had the setup all worked out, even: ETD Shorty tubular, custom downpipe, GT2871R, '01 VVT head, 9.5:1 Weiscos, and an MS2 or a Hydra to control it all. I figured 325-350whp and full boost by 3500-4000rpm were reasonable goals, and the VVT would help me make 200tq by 3000rpm.

And then I went and drove a Corvette.



This isn't really any Vette I drove. It's a friend's new track toy, the replacement for his STI. It's an '02 C5Z06 with a 6.8 liter stroker, heads, mid-range cam, headers, catless, and a whole slew of other little tweaks and twists. Whereas a stock C5Z might make anywhere from 340whp to 360whp depending on dyno, this motor punches out a solid 500whp and 480wtq, with over 450wtq on tap from like 3000rpm to 7000rpm.

570bhp + 3100lbs =

It's hard to quantify the thrust. I came off a long sweeping highway onramp doing about 75 in 4th gear, rolled into the throttle "a fair bit", felt the speeds start to pick up and the rear plant, and then once I had straightened the wheel I gave it the rest of the power, which ended up being like 60% of it.

Just like my car will "accidentally" go from 60mph to 80mph, this thing will get to 100. In the time it takes my car to do 70-100 in 5th, this car will do 70-130 in 4th. The 2nd gear is just unreal; you merge onto the highway doing 35, whack the throttle in 2nd, and the car just LUNGES forward. And the best part is that it will dawdle down the road at 80mph at like 1800rpm, getting 25mpg or better.

The car has PFADT coilovers and sways, and it felt light on its feet, not solid and bulky like I expected it to feel. It's MUCH closer to a Miata than, say, an E46 M3. I could easily see getting used to dancing the car around a track and having an absolute blast.

So I've decided I'm pretty much done with my car. In its current form, it's a phenomenal backroads terror, a locally competitive SM2 car, and a real hoot to drive. But it's not fast, and it never will be. Instead of dumping another $10k into it, I'll probably do OEM coated 9.5:1 pistons, CAT rods, and OPGs, port my current head, and say **** it. Turn the car into a stone reliable 230-240whp track toy, and move on. '01 C5Zs can be had for about 21k, and if I save my mod money maybe I'll have one by 2010. With the right head/cam package, headers, underdrive pulleys, and a few other bits, you can do damn near 500whp on the stock 346ci shortblock, and if I win the lottery or something I can always drop in a forged bottom end and really go to town.

God help me

kotomile

iTrader: (24)

I'll give you about tree-fiddy.

speedf50

iTrader: (2)

I can't say thats a bad idea...

At the track C5 Z06 beast on other cars with their massive power and fat tires. You suck though, because this is one of the things I always worry about when thinking about boosting my car, that I will get to a point where getting more power is impossible without a different car.

I say go for it, people will probably disagree, but Z06 are in a different class to start with, and just the thought of all that power is hard to comprehend. You are lucky you actually got to drive one before you dumped that 10k into the miata.

miatamania

iTrader: (9)

yeah...they are stupid.

end of story.

18psi

iTrader: (76)

I was reading that and about to tell you how stupid you are..then I saw the words "corvette" and "z06" and "570hp" and suddenly I have nothing against it

If you can afford to own and maintain and mod one, go for it, the car is retardedly nice: I dont give a **** what anyone says. Given the opportunity, id have one right now.

jayc72

iTrader: (14)

I'm interested in your wheels if you part it

ApexOnYou

iTrader: (10)

LSX swap!

Savington

iTrader: (31)

Heh, I thought about an LSX swap. I don't think it would be as much fun in a car like the Miata. Much less traction. I won't part my car or sell it; I'll hang onto it as a track toy and augment it with the Z06. I'd be financially retarded to ever sell my car.

And you know the great part about vettes? They're just another GM product, so a lot of **** is shared (read: cheap maintenance)

reddroptop

iTrader: (4)

Savington time and time again, proves his intelligence.

Almost nobody does the math when it comes to modding cars. I came up with the same figure ~250whp for a Miata before it is better to move on, or keep it and save cash and pick up something better.

msydnor

iTrader: (3)

Wow, a miata guy that gets it. You are my hero Savington. The MSM is my first miata. I love the car and it is a blast, but, I have mapped out my mods and my final goal is 250rwhp, which I will have soon with my next round of mods. (Hydra, injectors and turbo upgrade)..advice, don't drive a C-6 Z06, I test drove one a few months ago, guess what my next car is...

Stealth97

iTrader: (5)

Sav I had pretty much the same Idea. I too am saving cash in hopes I can get a C5/C6 with cash in a couple years, I just hope life does not get in the way first .

My boss recently bought a new C6, just a standard one with an autmatic trans, and he tossed me the keys... damn this thing was fast. I could not belive how quiet and refined it behaved until you floored it. Light years better (but not faster) than the big block C3 I helped my dad build...

Machismo

iTrader: (1)

And you can actually beat on these cars.....
We have a '94 ZR1 built by Lingenfelter rated at 580hp - still NA, and a '91 with a mild build at 475hp. Sold the '02 Z06 in lieu of the Noble M400.
'Vettes are a whole different ballgame, and a blast to ride in at 10/10ths.
These cars will definately keep you honest and show your weaknesses at a moments notice. Lots of people can go fast in them, but there are only a few that can really drive them well at speed.

hustler

iTrader: (6)

I was literally at a coin toss to buy either a white c5zFRC, or the miata. It didn't make sense at the time to buy the vette for $18k (lol), then expect to spend $230 on front pads, $1100 or r-comps, insure it for $350 per month, and then be a theft target. Not only that, but I don't think I'm capable of driving a $30k car the way I drive my miata at the track...nor do I want to. In the end, I think I made the right decision...it will be a long time before I can afford to track a vette the way I fund my hobby now.

I put down 3-laps in a c6z at Hallett...and I will never be the same. The velocities are absurd. I think I'll be happy with 250whp in a reliable miata at the track for a really long time...if its reliable.

hustler

iTrader: (6)

My father moves vettes constantly...like 3 a month or so. He had an 1100whp c5z for a while. You have to love 1L sportbike killers. It was like a time warp when you squeezed the loud pedal.

Atlanta93LE

iTrader: (5)

This thread makes me smile.

As somebody earlier mentioned...if you think the C5 is good, go find a C6 to drive. Good Lord.

hustler

iTrader: (6)

yeah. After running that vette around the track, you quickly learn if you have it in you to drive a real car. I don't see how anyone has the nuts to pilot something like a GT or LMP car. The c6z is mindboggling, how do people pilot the real stuff?

MX_Eva

Course for the money of a c5 Z06 you could also get a early to late 90's Dodge Viper.

BenR

iTrader: (2)

I love the vettes. But I don't think I'll ever own one. It's too close to being a track car for me to resist tracking it. If I tracked it I'd make myself upset that I could buy a shifter kart for what tires and brakes cost for a season.

I'd also grow to hate it because I'd rather be racing wheel to wheel rather than just doing hotlaps with it.

chucker

iTrader: (4)

My buddy is a car broker. He just lost his shorts on a kickass '02 C5Z, silver on black, stock, $18,800. And it took him a month to get it. Car was **** and a blast to drive. So if you're looking for a Vette, take advantage of our **** economy, because they've been stepped on pretty hard.

But after I drove his car for a day, it was extremely fun but there were a few things I could not shake:
- It's huge. ******* huge. Still light as hell but way too long/wide. 2/3 scale would be nice.
- The shifter felt like absolute crap, as if I was stirring a pot of oatmeal with a wood spoon.
- Way too much attention. In a couple hours of driving, I had 3 people try to race. **** that. It's a pain.
- I can't get around the interior. It sucks. Seems like it was designed by a little kid with a set of crayons.
- I can honestly say the miata is of higher quality. Ironically, the vette just felt cheap by comparison.

But it is indeed fast. Almost too fast.

hustler

iTrader: (6)

oh great, the interior jocks are here.