Can'tHave2MuchHP

Hello all,

Looking to get another track car for local HPDE's and traveling to great tracks with my son and having a blast.

I'm caught up on which model to start with. I was previously thinking C6 Z06 but after attending another session at Ron Fellows driving school, I'm starting to think about going C7 GS or C7 Z06. Thoughts?

I'm aware of most of the advantages and disadvantages but in my experience, the more discussion, the more info gets brought out and the more things get hashed down to the best solution.

Any car I buy will be getting proper preparation and track necessary mods such as brakes, tires, suspension and aero if necessary (C6 Z06 would be getting ZR1 aero immediately for example). I know my current skill set and am not interested in starting with a Miata etc. I've invested in instruction and practice.

Is there some real advantages to getting a C7 and having the newer chassis? New PTM modes? ELSD?

Discuss below!

davidfarmer

I’m personably biased against the c7 due to weight and gadgetry. It has some great features, but they don’t make up for the faults to me. The break away frame rails also scare me for a track car

If you love the c7 go for it, but I’ve yet to see any technical advantages that can’t be matched in older and much cheaper models

Can'tHave2MuchHP

I'm 50/50 C6/C7 so no love/bias either way for me, just looking for whichever will be better.

One thing I want to avoid is "upgrading" to a certain car but then end up removing a bunch of those "upgrades" for track focused versions of the upgrades. For example, active rev match on the C7s would be something you could put on a C6 via Auto Blip. PTMs can be outdriven, I know that. I personally outdrove Sport 1 in a C7 Z06 many times at Spring Mountain with instructors guidance. That said, it is nice to have on new tracks/for newer drivers.

C6 Z06 entry price is a mere $30k-$40k depending on mileage and condition you want. That's hard to overlook.

C5 Hardtop

Ron Fellows driving school is going to sell whatever the latest product is. The C6Z is a lot of car and it requires some big ***** and lots of experience to drive at its limit.

TrackAire

If I was tracking more than 10 times a year, then a C6 Z06 without a doubt.

_zebra

a C6 will be cheaper to get into, cheaper/easier to mod, and hurt a lot less when you eventually hit or blow up something. that's just my take.
...granted i'm still rolling my modded C5 because i like it better than anything newer.

96GS#007

Personally for a dedicated HPDE car, I'd start with a C5 Z06. Light weight, cost of entry is well below the C6 Z or C7 GS, and cheaper to mod. With nothing more than added cooling (radiator, tranny, diff, brakes), BBK, and an Accusump, you can be track ready for well less than $30k and perhaps less than $25k. That leaves a lot of extra money for track time and consumables

Can'tHave2MuchHP

While I see where you're coming from, what they said didn't influence my thought process at all. I just got to drive the **** out of a couple different C7s and was quite impressed, that's all. I appreciate the input!
I will look into it. I'm just sooo much more familiar with the C6/LS7 platform that it would be hard to change.

Also guys, please post links to good track car builds here on the forum or on other boards. I'm always interested in more info.

mfain

C6 Z06 with the Z07 option gets you the ZR1 aero, CCBs, ZR1 cooling/exhaust/suspension upgrades. 1LZ with the carbon option makes it a little lighter. Great starting point for a track car. Sorry, mine's not for sale - LOL.

Pappy

Can'tHave2MuchHP

Trust me, I dream of having a C6 Z07. I think it's just too steep of an entry price for a car that will have the **** beat out of it. CCBs are too expensive to run IMO. Most of the upgrades the Z07 has will be given to the regular Z06 I buy but they'll be more track focused/even better than the factory Z07 parts. For those reasons, I'm leaning base Z06.

STANG KILLA SS

C6Z or C8

[/endthread]

STANG KILLA SS

also remember the C6Z is 400 lbs lighter than a C7Z

Kubs

Im going to second the C5 Z06 suggestion. Its a cheap base platform that can be reliably modded to beat the newer stuff for less cost. C5/6 are basically the same animal. If you're argument for going not C5 is because you have LS7 experience, then you have answered your own question. A C7 is more different than a C5.

dclafleur

If I'm looking at building something and replacing 2/3 of the car to begin with, I'm in the C5Z or Base C6 camp. C5Z and run it and upgrade as you go, or C6 and pull everything off and start building it.

Nowanker

Totally true. And when those inevitable 'bad things' happen on the track, you won't feel quite so ashamed.

fuggles

If I wasn't cheap and really loving the C5Z look (not a big fan of the C6Z hatch), I would've purchased a C6 ZR1. Just buy and drive.

Poor-sha

I sold my built C6Z track car to track my C7 Z06 "street car" back in 2015 because I just liked the way it drove on track better than the C6Z. I don't have a specific technical reason why it drove better but it sounds like you've driven both. I've had every variant of the C7 and when I was looking to buy a new track only car I went with a C7 GS.

Racingswh

Track day car. C7GS. Reliable. Warranty. Fast enough for track days giving you lot's of people to have fun with on the track. Little depreciation compared to the cost of modding a C5 or C6Z. A C7GS really needs nothing extra on them to take them to the track. Alignment, brake pads and fluid and go. Easy to insure for track days with no value grey area. I had bought my Wife a C7GS and it was a lot of fun, cost next to nothing to run, hardly depreciated at all, did over 30 track days and was totally reliable the entire time we had it.

This is me in my Wife's C7GS. Plenty of pace to have fun with other people. Stock except for Castrol SRF fluid and Carbotech Brake pads.


If you're going to go racing with a car specifically built to class specs then C5 or C6 and my nod goes to the C5 for being more cost effective and properly prepared just as quick. Look to Mark at AMT with his or any of the well developed Gspeed C5's to see that.

andersnor

question is if C7GS has enough power though.

I have 482 to the wheels on my C6Z, this puts me about even with 991 GT3RS in straights (they got 520 motor), the GT2RS I have 0 chance on straights, same with the huracan performance something? 600+ cars.

It sucks loosing out on straights.


I changed from C6 Z51 to C6 Z06, and the difference on what you can keep up with is pretty big.

Poor-sha

Depends on what the OP is after. The C7 GS has good power but it is annoying when you close up on a Z06 in the corners and then they want to drag race you down the straight. My car is going to Katech for their 427 LT1 package to fix this but it's still very fun with the stock motor.