smitty2919

I know people will right off the bat say go to a C5, but let me spell out a couple of things. I keep getting this itch to get into a C5 for DD comfort and autocross ability. Car will be 90% DD with exception of bad snow or "I just feel like jumping in the truck and not mess with shifting etc."

So my dilemma is this:
Option 1) In order to get a C5 I will need to sell the Camaro and possibly pick up a 4 door beater to get me around. My wife has a tow pig (03 2500 HD Silverado) but it's too bad on gas to be my ONLY car. Honestly looking at Crown Vics due to common motor/platform and a comfy/roomy DD in the $1500 range...yes $1500 lol. This will put about $5-$6K in my pocket and will need time to save the rest for a C5...which I'm thinking is the $10-$15K range which could take a couple of years.

Option 2) Keep Camaro since it is paid off and has a list of suspension bits on it. Pick up a $1500 beater and turn the Camaro into more of a nice weather/track toy. I see a H/C setup in the future if I keep it.

There is nothing wrong with the Camaro. Heat and AC work power everything works. My big issue is the inherent squeaks/rattles/build quality of the Fbody as a DD, but as a autocross toy it's great due to cheap aftermarket. At 70K mi for a 95, I could sell it for what I bought it for.

woodside783

if you are doing more track than autocross i would say get a c5 vett but if you are more autocross then keep

smitty2919

I MIGHT see a road course once a year due to cost (gas in truck and car plus hotel stay and registration fees). But I see 8+ autocross events each season.

Antz97ZNJ

I just made the jump after owning 4 Fbodies since the late 90's and its a day and night difference.

blackandgold

iTrader: (2)

If you're having fun with the F-body I say keep it. The Vette would be faster for sure but all of the parts also carry the vette premium. Alternatively, if you want a c5 just go for it. IMO a solid rear axle puts hair on your chest.

M4N14C

iTrader: (3)

Yea don't forget about the "Corvette Tax" on parts. And you see C5's everywhere, they are great cars don't get me wrong but I like the exclusivity of my Bird.

As for build quality, there's a couple things you could do. One is dynomat the car. One of the first things I did and took out a lot of the noise/rattles. The other is start swapping out interior parts. A decent seat/wheel/shifter/pedal combo will do a lot in making the car feel more "corvetteish"

smitty2919

I've also thought how half of my issues could be solved by having something like a Crown Vic or Grand Marquis as a DD. Roomy, comfy ride etc.

Then the Camaro sits in the garage and gets all the "fun parts" bolted on. I already have the typical strano springs/konis/sway bars/watts link/truetrac setup so the Camaro has come a long way since I bought it 20K mi ago lol. Has a race seat and 5 pt harness. Next would be a steering wheel If I kept modding.

I tell myself if I owned a C5 I would only need full exhaust/tune and maybe sway bars to be as fast/faster than my Camaro is now which would be good. Stock springs and shocks means smoother ride on the street plus having the IRS.

mountainbiker2

I would see if you can test drive one. Most guys at an Autocross would let you drive one lap. That will give you an answer.

Steve

camarokid91

I had a very well sorted F-Body but made the jump to a Z06. For what its worth the Z06 is superior in every aspect.

79_T/A

iTrader: (1)

After 3 years of building my f-body and making it damn fast for what it is, I'm growing really tired of the platform and want to make the switch to c5. The f-body has some serious limitations.

smitty2919

I also feel I'm at the point that I can make back most of my money by selling. Had I gone the whole HCI route I would be losing a lot more money. IMO, the things I have done are a good base for someone wanting to autocross in a streetable full interior car.

Shocks/springs/swaybars/watts link/truetrac/full exhaust+dyno tune 71K mi.

It's one of those decisions that need to be made and stuck to. Keep the Fbody and go nuts with it (never really planning to sell) or stop modding and sell it t0 pick up a DD until a C5 comes.

I would most likely remove the watts link and sway bars since the average joe off craigslist won't see the big benefit nor understand why they are on the car. If it was sold on FRRAX or LS1Tech, everything would stay on it.

one fast zo6

iTrader: (490)

If you have LOTS of tools and a post lift then go c5. Very Very hard to work on a corvette, you need a post lift for any diff, tranny or engine.

brigade24

hmm...i am struggling with this question as well. keep the camaro or go Z06? there is a lot of merit in going to a Z06. Lots of build quality issues in the camaro birds that just become an annoyance of which the most prevalent are the front hubs...there are couple of options for the hub issues but they come at a premium.

smitty2919

Agree, however I'm not highly competitive in autocross as it is. I do it for fun and to enjoy modding a car and USING it. I see maybe 8 events a season then the car goes back to 100% DD status.

The flip side is the camaro is paid off and any money into is mod money. Granted we all know there are geometry/inherent limitations of the Fbody. Some sell the Fbody due to these limitations (because they are competitive in racing) while others accept them and enjoy playing with the car.

brigade24

If you're having fun with it then keep the camaro! part of my enjoyment is when i beat a miata in autox because they don't expect a camaro with all it's half-*** engineering and perfectly not centered rear axle to be competitive...but when you are, it's glorious. "WHAT...how in the hell did you beat me...in that thing!"....i love it.

in Z06 you are expected to be competitive since it is more appropriately engineered...but you lose some of the opportunity to defy expectations...

HISS

iTrader: (52)

Buy a crown Vic and make the camaro a better race car with more "race" compromise. Surprisingly the old pi crown Vic's are fun to throw around on a road course as well.

Midnight02

iTrader: (8)

I've fought with this for a while myself. There's no doubt the C5 is a better platform to start with, however I have so much time and money invested in the SS that it's worth more to me than anyone would ever pay for it.....and I don't feel like starting over.

I have a C4 and I'll eventually switch over to a C5/C6. I'm sure I'll be really happy when I do, however in the meantime it sure is a lot of fun surprising folks on track with the Camaro.

1981TA

iTrader: (7)

^^^ what he said. Before the paint job, my car literally looked like someone was mowing their grass, found a car, stuck a battery in it and took it racing. The reaction when it kept up with (or passed) high-buck competition was hilarious.

Besides, one aspect of driving a car with older or inferior tech is that you learn as a driver to compensate for it. I compare it to batting practice with a heavy bat. Your swing gets stronger, so that when you do use the "game bat/C5," you are that much better.

I eventually will get a C5/C6 or something of similar ability, but I won't sell the F-body in order to do so.

NW-99SS

iTrader: (6)

2 excellent posts.

smitty2919

Oh I just now saw these replies. Thanks fellas.

Since I last posted in here I got fed up with the louder exhaust and firmer ride when out with my wife on a sunny weekend doing errands with the AC on. Getting to be after lunch, it was hot, interior noise was giving me a headache andthus I got annoyed and grumpy. The next day I altered the exhaust to have a full size 3"in/out Stainless Works muffler, made rear shocks full soft and now it it MUCH more pleasurable to DD. I can go further and put front shocks of full soft as well. Come race time I'll adjust them stiffer.

Like you guys have said, it is nice to see the reactioms of people, plus car is paid off, plus mods are much cheaper than anything Corvette. The Camaro allows me to modify the car however I want and not feel like Im hacking up a nice C5 or feel like I can't find cheap replacement parts ALL over craigslist...full LT1 motor for $500 anyone?

So it looks like the Camaro will stay...and slowly starting to price out parts for getting a cam in this ol' girl. Always wanted a cammed car, and what better car to do it in than a dime a dozen LT1 Fbody?? Simple and reliable power adder that won't break the bank.