msb184

Does anyone know the official reason Chevy won't build high hp Corvette Convertibles anymore? Are they saying it can't be made stiff enough? If that were so, every blown 427 C-5 or C-6 should twist into a knot (including mine) !! I know the C-2 & C-3 cars had a frame . In any case there are hundreds( or thousands?) of modified late model 'verts around to kill that thoery. Every other builder of exotic cars, including Dodge, builds high hp Convertibles. What's the deal? WHILE I'M ON A RANT..... NHRA needs to look at the 13.99 roll bar rule. The old Wally Parks B.S. about NHRA needing to be tax-exempt because they "fought illegal st. racing" is long gone ,they could get back to real rules for real people

everett36

02MillenniumVette

I dont know for a fact but its probably a liability issue. Would be interesting to know the reason though.

Sick Z06

Frame Twist. Would end up to alignment and stability issues. The work needed to counter act the reinforcement of the convertable would add way too much weight and only slow it back down.

jbondfl

I'm not sure the question is even valid. My vert has the same HP as every coupe and FRC out there except the Z06. The C6 verts have 400HP just like the C5 Z06. The only model with more HP is the Z06 (in both C5 and C6) and I'll bet it has nothing to do with twisting or anything else. It is so the Z06 will be set apart from the rest like it was intended to be.

02MillenniumVette

I think he was just asking why GM doesnt offer the Z06 from the factory in convertible form instead of the FRC.

jbondfl

I thought of that but the Z06 is a Race Car. Just without the C5R headlights. That is what sets it apart. Seems like if you put the same engine and suspension in a vert (which I doubt would be a problem), or coupe the the Z06 wouldn't even exist. What would be the point?

Sick Z06

So you'd be saying that the difference from the c5 to c6 frame does NOT make up for that?

BanditDude

The Z06 is built as the pinnacle of Corvette performance. As such, it is expected that folks will want to take them racing. A coupe doesn't need a rollbar to run the typical HPDE or drag race. However, it is nearly impossible to fit the required rollbar into a convertible without rendering the top inoperable. Plus, a convertible will always weigh more than the equivalent coupe.

JACKAL0PE

To start with, it depends on whether you're talking about the C5 or the C6 because there are different reasons for each.

For the C5, it was due to the somewhat convoluted path taken by the FRC body style. When it first came out in 1999, it was originally designed as a price leader offering few frills, hence no convertibles. It was supposed to offer the maximum performance for the least money. This marketing idea expanded later when the Z06 was released although it had been found since then that the standard targa coupe is actually more aerodynamic and hence slightly faster, all other things being equal. That's why the professional race teams used the targa coupe rather than the FRC. So to address your comments, there really was no reason why there couldn't have been a C5 Convertible Z06.

When the C6 came out however, a real, functional reason was designed into the car. The standard C6 coupe and convertible have the same sort of steel hydroformed frame that the C5's have but the Z06 has an Aluminum body structure with one-piece hydroformed perimeter rails frame and magnesium front cradle. This aluminum/magnesium frame is significantly lighter than the standard frame but not as rigid. Therefore it needs the top to maintain structural rigidity.

Cobra4B

Ugh... so much misinformation.

*C5 were designed to be verts from the start... chassis is very strong, no additional bracing needed
*No issues w/ frame "twist"
*Z06 is meant to be a tack car
*If you want a faster vert then mod it.

C5naples

If it is that important take your vert to lingenfelter or callaway and have them add whatever horsepower your wallet will allow It is only a matter of time next year the base car is supposed to have 430hp, I think

02MillenniumVette

Is that why there was no convertible in '97?

DBL001

actually they fit the rollbar in quite nicely, I've seen them done and they don't hinder operation of the top at all, and also like mentioned above, the c5 was designed with the vert in mind for the future, the vert weighs the same as the coupe, granted not the Z but that has a lot of weight saving features that could be done to a coupe or vert

JACKAL0PE

No. That was marketing. The 97 C5 coupe was the big story that year and they sold every one they could make. The convertible in 98 only kept the fire going.

He's right that the C5 was designed for both coupe and convertible from day one. That's why there's only a very few light extra pieces of bracing used on the convertible.

jdmvette

here's a convertable Z06:

M6 Vetter

0JPM@AutoBuffs

JACKAL0PE

So here's the question, did he take a Convertible and make a Z06 out of it (in which case it really isn't) or did he take a Z06 and cut the top off?

jdmvette

the latter.

the guy owns a local body shop. you can see the custom fender flares (not maxacc) and the smooth front license plate area.