corvet786c

iTrader: (6)

to op what year is your zo6?

my01ws6

iTrader: (16)

I have a question...Is the z06 cheaply built like the ws6? Im tired of the shitty build quality of the trans am and Im between getting either the z06 or a 03 cobra. I just hate all the rattles and creaks when I drive the car.

SCM_Crash

iTrader: (2)

Actually no.

I was worried about that too. The entire car is seriously done 10x better in every manner than the F-bodies. I had 2 Trans Ams and 2 Z06s and the F-Bodies and Y-Bodies are WORLDS apart in build quality and material quality. No hard plastic buttons; nice soft rubber-ish buttons. No creaking and squeaking on every bump. Doors feel 1000x more solid and yet hell of a lot lighter. The window motors aren't super slow like on F-bodies. The steering feels better. The interior doesn't fall apart easily like in the F-bodies.

Honestly, you have to drive one for a full day to get 1% of realization of how much of a better car the C5s are over the F-bodies. It's really shocking actually. I only now understand why there was such a big mark up on the Vettes over the F-bodies. Things they didn't compare at all in their marketing. More electronic conveniences, better refinement in every possible way. It's really remarkable.

I let my f-body friends drive my Z06 once in a while, and they ALL say the exact same thing: "Wow... At high speeds it's unbelievably refined." And I also get, "Now I'm jealous."

c6r

Welcome to vette country....port the stock heads and cam it...and prepare to kick some *** , c5 z06 run good, go the all motor route first b4 you slap a blower on it...you may be satistified with a all motor vette with a least 450rwhp

MawneeC5

iTrader: (12)

Congrats! I know exactly how you feel as it seems you and I are on the same car path. I actually just bought my 03 QS Z06 last week too

I also had a 98 C5 that I did heads, cam, bolt-ons and eventually procharger. The Z06 really is a different car! To me it feels like this car would be just right with a good heads/cam setup.

SCM_Crash

iTrader: (2)

Yeah... Actually the Z06 is a little front heavy compared to the coupes due to the weight reductions done to it. Adding a blower on the Z06 adds a lot of weight to the front and none to the back which throws the weight distribution off a lot.

Because of the gearing, handling/feel and lightness of the car, heads/cam works a lot better with the Z06 if you plan to go to the track for anything other than drag racing.

triche

iTrader: (4)

Seriously.....get a vararam

99C5JA

I had a '96 WS6. The C5 chassis is a far superior piece of engineering. Crawl under one and really look at it and it's not hard to see just how much better engineered these cars are. The interior on the C5 could be better material wise, but it's solid and very functional. It's quite comfortable even on long trips.

If you plan on doing major modifications (heads/cam etc), you're better off with an FRC or a coupe with the Z51 package. What you save upfront can be put towards modding it. If you want something you can just buy and drive with a few minimal mods, you won't find a better package for the $$ than the C5 Z06.

triche

iTrader: (4)

Agreed. Keep in mind that yes you will save if you do a heads/cam swap on an FRC or Coupe and not a Z....but the Z has an aluminum frame.....WEIGHT REDUCTION

99C5JA

The C5Z does not have an aluminum frame. The C6Z does. The weight reduction the C5Z has over the standard coupe or FRC are wheels, titanium exhaust, sound deadening removal and a thinner windshield. Resulting in about a 100lb weight savings depending on how the C5 you're comparing it to is optioned. Also note that many C5Z owners choose to change the wheels and catback which negates a good portion of the original savings.

ysb02

A4s are what I am looking at too. It's probably best to get a seat made for a 5 pt harness over getting another oem vette one.

I'm doing ported heads + blowerish type grind cam this winter. While I'm there I'm just going to pin the stock balancer too. I'll see next year after attending a few events if I want to keep it in road trim only. I very rare see anyone with a centri blower doing track days. I think the PD blowers get heat soaked as well.

SCM_Crash

iTrader: (2)

Yeah. Heads / Cam on the Z06 makes the perfect track car. If you're making more than 450RWHP for tracks like Willow Springs, you better be an expert driver. Stock C5Z06s whoop *** on those tracks.

I personally don't know how to road race yet, but I'm going to start learning soon at speedtrails.

scramblerman

iTrader: (16)

^^^^^^^^^^^
Hell yeah, had big cam, exhaust and intake on my C5z Car was a rocketship with only 438 rwhp! Still got almost 30mpg.
I have driven a frc, coupe and a Z06. Hands down the Z06 is better car. With a vararam my car ran 11.96@117mph, got it on my 5th run.

Speed Density

iTrader: (38)

Seriously, no.

Vararam is marketing, plain and simple. Both my Y-Bodies had basic bellows and intakes. That dyno video was ziptie and kooks.

LSWON_WS6

Sorry Ive been really busy and haven't had the chance to get on here for a while. I did the zip tie mod and it feels really nice in 3rd gear at WOT. I think I'm going to invest in a Vararam....who knows though honestly.

My biggest thing is what Long Tubes I want. Either LG or Texas Speed. I would save about 300 bucks going with the Texas Speed long tubes over LG and be able to spend that money on an Intake. I found an article that showed the Texas Speed long tubes putting down 25 rwhp and 30 torque- With gains like this I would more than likely buy these for the money.

What do you guys think?

LSWON_WS6

It's a 2003

SCM_Crash

iTrader: (2)

No it's not. You apparently have not experienced it. My friends 2000 Vert turned into a freeway monster after the Vararam install. We were all skeptical as well, but we've seen the results which are astounding to say the least.

My 2003 Z06 was pretty quick, but the difference between the zip-tie mod and the Vararam was just unbelievable. My stupid looking ear-to-ear grin only got bigger after the install. It's not marketing, it's science. Positive air pressure is a sure win over negative air pressure. If you don't believe me, explain why my car was throwing lean codes. And explain why on the dyno my AFR was 10.2. Still think it's marketing?

I do. The zip-tie mod works, but no where near as well as the Vararam. Although, on a Z06 you either need to fix the AFR through tuning or you need to get the haltech honey comb screens.

ysb02

It actually throws lean codes because it screws with the MAF much like mine did. A CAI will not lean out your engine AFR that much. Even if it added 20rwhp there's no way you'll feel it seat of pants. I remember reading studies they did of ram air systems on motorcycles during the 90s, it wasn't impressive at all. It took 140/150mph-ish for it to make any difference at all.

99C5JA

I've driven all 3 as well. The Z06 is the most engaging stock without a doubt. It drives like a C5 with more power and gears. Take a Z51 Coupe or FRC without runflats and you close the handling gap considerably. Add power and gears and you exceed the performance.

The Z06 package is a well balanced one. But it is not a major change to the underlying car the way the C6Z is. If your plan is to modify the car, the extra money spent for the Z06 is better utilized towards those mods.

SCM_Crash

iTrader: (2)

That's pretty thick headed. That's like saying that the WS6 hood was an actual ram-air.

And yes, you can feel 20RWHP.

I had an 02 WS6 which made absolutely no difference. If anything the motor breathed better before 100MPH, and after that probably didn't get much at all. But until you go install a Vararam on your car, you can't talk smack about it. Just look at its design before you go bashing a ram-air product.

Let me put it to you this way, if you pulled your hood off, and stuck your MAF right in front of your throttle body via a coupler, and didn't use a filter or anything in front of that so that while you were at speed, air just pushed right into the MAF and into the intake, you wouldn't gain anything from it over just a CAI? No ram-air effect? Or not much of one if there is one?

That's just ignorant thinking. I might as well say that superchargers don't work either since I've never owned anything supercharged. Because every single person I know that has installed a Vararam on their car has noticed serious pickup compared to before. I've had the stock air box. I've done the zip-tie mod. I've had a Breathless Performance Vortex Rammer, and I finally got around to installing the Vararam a few months ago. If you're telling me that I don't feel a difference (of all people) you're dead wrong.