mchicia1

Just from selling the car and buying another one, you are out $1500+ just in taxes depending on the price of the z06. On top of that, you won't get back what you paid, so you are potentially out a total of $2500-3000 now. Add on the price difference of "upgrading" to the c5z, assuming a good condition 2002+ c5z is 23k, you are out another $6k to a total of $9k.

Totally NOT worth it.

The reason you made this thread is because your car feels slow to you now and is boring and you are having buyer's remorse. Well yeah, stock powered ls1 c5's are boring as hell after a few weeks. Mine was boring the same week I bought it. 300 rwhp sucks.

The cure is more power, which is very EASILY done on the ls1. My FRC is at 460 rwhp SAE now. I will absolutely obliterate a stock c5z. Not sure how much you know about these motors, but the ls1 and the ls6 have the same ceiling, HP wise. The biggest advantage with a c5z are the 1-3 gear ratios. This alone makes a dramatic difference in acceleration. But, if you go down the gears route, you actually have better 1-3 ratios because they will be closer together and you won't have a big drop off on the 3-4 shift.

If I were you, I would just get an ECS or A&A kit and be done with it. Alternatively, you can do H/C/I and gears which will be the same cost or more if you don't do your own labor (less if you do).

sgancarz

Love my FRC. Looks like a few here seem to think that modding the FRC will ruin the value. One thing to remember is, that was the purpose of the FRC. It was a stripped down version of the C5 in which they stiffened the body so the the Corvette enthusiest had a clean slate to build their dream Corvette. Keep the FRC and build it up to meet your desires!

meflyfrc

Keep your FRC, throw one of these on it with a good tune and you will have more HP than a stock C5Z and C6Z.

Dale002

Buy use fender badges and red engine covers. Paint your brake caliper red,install fake brake cooling inlets and call it a day.

96mogt

So the non z06's are fake FRC's? Ive had both of them and I loved them the same. Jay

JustinStrife

This x 1000

IMXCITD

drive it a little, clean it up a little and then sell it. Save a few more $$$ and save up for the Z06 you really want. In your mind...the FRC will never add up to a Z.

RetiredSFC 97

Going by what I constantly hear from those looking for a vette, they almost always say they do not want a vette someone else has modified for a couple reasons.

They don't know how well the mods were installed and they don't want a car someone may have ran the **** out of. So yes, a modded car may be bring more value to the one who modded it, if you ever sell your target audience is very small. There's a reason why many modded cars ger demodded when the owner decides to sell. One they can't get their value back and two it scares people off so they attempt to trick a potential buyer.

And the FRC did not end up being the stripped down version they originally thought it was going to be. They originally planned on a less expensive version, but decided to make it more of a performance car by adding the suspension, the M6, etc. But it really wasn't all that much different in performance. A little quicker but not a whole bunch. It turned out to be about 400 bucks less expensive. There were several FRCs that were actually more expensive than the base C5. Then they took the FRC and beefed it up more by adding a few more ponies and a few more upgrades and calling it a Z06. Now this is just a guess as I have no knowledge but I would venture to guess the profit margin on the FRC was less than a base C5. There really isn't that much difference in the two and they added the suspension upgrade etc and it was still 400 bucks less. That's my guess why they went to the Z06 and when they did the cost sky rocketed.

The Z06 is a factory modded FRC, and of course they are both an FRC.

GM has done the same thing before with other cars like the Camaro Z28. They even had a Z28, can't recalll the years now (in the early seventies), that had 375 horse from the factory. It was a special edition IIRC. But they still called it a Z28.

They have also had the Iroq etc. So they have done this type of thing before with great success, as has Ford with the Mustang. The difference here being that they changed the look. Were you around when people went bat **** crazy because they left the basic look of the C4 ZR1?

99alvette

Is it worth it? I mean hell bolt on's and a tune will put you at 405 crank hp easy I wouldn't sell unless it was for a c6Z! but as for looks whats the differnce besides the rear brake ducts? I doubt that the ducts are needed since the front brakes do most of the work and even base models have front brake cooling yes the z06 has a better suspension but for around 1K you can upgrade the frc's and make it better than a stock Z06.

bumble-z

That is right.
You never heard of a FRC untill the 2001 Z, was introduced.

RetiredSFC 97

They actually called the FRC a Hardtop in the beginning IIRC.

DBL001

just keep in mind, once u mod ur car, u wont get back what u put into it, if u love the car and plan on keeping it then do what makes u happy, major diff FRC vs Z06 is , duh, engine, but then the tranny, shot peened diff, lighter and different style wheels, quicker steering ratio and brake ducts, and its curbside weight is 100 plus lbs lighter. as far as modding and making it better, how much money do u want to throw at it, u can make any car faster and perform better with enough money, IMO tho a pristine FRC might not be the car to do it to if u want to keep the value up, since not that many were produced it may be worth something in the future, most likely the far future but who knows, good luck w/ur decision !

BLKOHZ06

Is this your first vette ? Install quality headers,tune,some tires that will stick and drive the hell out of the car.

randy814u

Swayse

I agree with most here. If you plan to mod it out, keep it. If you are gonna stay pretty much stock, and like the stock feeling, sell and get the Z. I've been stock for over a year, and still love it, QSZ.

Wood81

I only got a Z06 because I got it for cheaper than most FRC's go for. I got an 01 with 100K miles for 16,200 after tax tag and title. I didnt care about the miles cause the car was stock and I planned on modding it extensively and driving the heck out of it. I would keep the FRC if it's nice as that's what I was looking at in the first place before I found my Z06. Good luck, and in the end do what makes you happy