SBC_and_a_stick

We generally talk about how much lighter the Z06 could have been, or can be made. How about we approach this in an a-la-carte way to pin down how much weight was actually saved over C6 components?

Of course both the Z06 and the ZR1 are relevant for comparison since the ZR1 is supercharged as is the Z06 C7.



1. Body panels featuring "standard carbon fiber hood and roof panel, as well as underbody panels created with carbon-nano composite technology, an advanced blend of traditional composite material and carbon fiber, which allows lighter underbody panels without a loss of strength or stiffness. Fenders, doors, rear quarter panels and the rear hatch panel are made with lighter-density Sheet Molded Compound than the previous generation" -37 lbs
source: http://www.corvettemuseum.org/specs/2014/

2. Carbon fiber torque tube -13.2 lbs
source: http://gmauthority.com/blog/2014/11/...#ixzz3I6SEwCIl

3. Hollow lower control arms and aluminum rear toe links -11.4lbs
source: http://www.corvettemuseum.org/specs/2014/

4. "Forged 6061 aluminum damper with a T6 anodized hub and an iron inertia ring (the LT1 uses an iron damper)" -3lbs?
source: http://media.chevrolet.com/media/us/...owerhouse.html

5. Improved aluminum frame construction that features "main rails composed of five customized aluminum segments, including aluminum extrusions at each end, a center main rail section and hollow-cast nodes at the suspension interface points. Each segment is tuned – varying in thickness from 2mm to 11mm – tailoring the gauge, shape and strength properties to optimize the requirements for each frame section with minimal weight" -10lbs?
source: http://www.corvettemuseum.org/specs/2014/

6. Supercharger featuring "smaller supercharger rotors 10mm smaller in diameter" with "reduced mass and inertia allow[ing] them to turn 34 percent faster than the 2300 rotor set." "The smaller rotor set allowed the intercooler heat exchangers to move out of the lid and down between the rotors and the rocker covers. The LS9 intercooler heat exchangers were made using a tube and fin construction that featured flattened tubes without any internal structure, like a radiator. For the LT4, Chevrolet used intercoolers made by Dana Thermal Products that use clamshell-stamped plates that use a turbulizer plate—essentially a fin inside the plate—to vastly increase the surface area the coolant comes into contact with. The heat exchanger has 15 fins per centimeter—that’s 50 percent higher density than on the LS9. So even though it’s 24 percent smaller..." -20lbs
source: http://www.hotrod.com/feature_storie...e_z06s_lt4_v8/

7. "Hollow-cast aluminum front and rear cradles" -10lbs?
source: http://www.corvettemuseum.org/specs/2014/


Total: -104.6 lbs



NOTE: continously updated with info. "?" denotes approximation.

phantasms

OMG. A positive thread about weight! Thank you!


Best,
Gene

JG853

Since the lightest C7 Z06 coupe is 3524, what will a Z07 weigh with the competiton seats in the coupe version? WIll that be 3600?

Snorman

I believe the brakes are slightly lighter (CC rotor offset by larger caliper) and the comp seats are probably not heavier than the GT seats.
S.

JG853

So a little savings from the 3524? I was thinking it would be heavier?

Ching Ho

If people are serious about incremental weight loss, the best way to lose weight is to go on a diet. But most of them really just wanna complain. It's also much cheaper.

tail_lights

Yeah, unfortunately I think I can lose more weight than my Z (when I get it) could

Maybe I'll make that a personal goal/game. I know I want a lighter battery and I'm sure other stuff may pop up, so I'll challenge myself and my Z to go on a diet

3 Z06ZR1

3524 is low goes up from there!

SBC_and_a_stick

The Z07 versions are probably a bit heavier. The rotors are lighter yes, but the calipers are bigger. Add to that heavier aerodynamic parts. Indeed they are carbon fiber but they have to be rigidly mounted on the car to survive 200 mph runs. Those will add weight guaranteed.

Racer X

I thought the C7 Z06 was going to have a carbon Fiber Torque Tube instead of the steel one in the Stingray.

SBC_and_a_stick

That is correct I'll try to fix it.

I also found this nugget:

"Hatch: several pounds lighter"
source: http://gmauthority.com/blog/2013/04/...e-3298-pounds/

SBC_and_a_stick

Updated torque tube section and hatch section

Snorman

CC ZR1 15.5" front rotors 13#. (found 2 weights for these)
CC ZR1 15" rear rotors 16.2#.

Stock C6 Z06 14" one-piece front rotors 26.5#.
Stock C6 Z06 13.5" one-piece rear rotors 19.9#.

Of course, the C7 Z06 rotors are 14.6"/14" and two-piece. Various aftermarket C6 Z06 two-piece rotors weigh 16-21#F/14-18#R and with the additional rotor ring diameter...well...who knows what they'll weigh, lol.

ZR1 front caliper 16.12#.
ZR1 rear caliper 10.34#.

C6 Z06 front caliper 11.44#.
C6 Z06 rear caliper 9.62#.

I would guess the base C7 Z06 calipers to be similar in weight to the C6 calipers.

The weight savings might be less than at least I thought. Maybe 8-10#F and 4-6#R when going from base iron brakes to CCB's? That does, probably, more than offset the minor weight gain from the larger front splitter and rear wing and rocker aero on the Z07.
S.

SBC_and_a_stick

I can modify the first post to reflect weight savings over steel rotors but so far the comparison has been generation to generation. C6 vs. C7. The ZR1 and Z07 Z06 of old had carbon ceramic brakes, so the weight savings don't exist since the brakes are nearly identical.

If we make it a C6 Z06 Z07 vs C7 Z06 Z07 again the CCB comparison is nullified.

stevebz06

Nobody here seems to care about weight - until the performance numbers start coming in and they can't figure out why a car with 650 hp is slower in the quarter than a car with 638.

briannutter1

Not that I can afford the car (or a 600+ whp all motor 454 ci gen 4 engine), but thats another 100lbs off the nose.

nitrojunky

i don't think the C6ZR1 will be faster in the quarter. better launch control + 8 speed auto will make up for the weight. not sure how the power curves compare, but i expect the C7Z will also stay closer to its peak power more of the time.

SBC_and_a_stick

LS7 is still desirable for sure, even with the 5th gen engines out.

Making 145hp the right way, ie. keeping the same reliability, octane, form factor, emissions, efficiency, sound pressure level, throttle response, and torque curve is just supreme in my book.

There are many ways to balance the wight on the nose, more rear downforce, wider tires up front, softer compound up front, more camber up front etc.

Besides we say nose, but it lands behind the front axle entirely.

ChucksZ06

If you look at how areas of the frame are beefed up on the c7, you can see where some weight creeps back in. I think the designers fool themselves sometimes with the aluminum frame. By the time they get the stiffness they want with beefing up the front and rear subassemblies and suspension mounts the frame is not as much lighter as we are led to believe. I also wonder about the electric steering...looks heavy to me. Anyone know what it weighs versus the old rack and pinion/pump setups. Maybe the extra 300 lbs is from better seats, airbags, cooling systems. It does not seem to make sense though.

nitrojunky

the frame was also designed around a removable top; could have been lighter with the same stiffness metrics if it was fixed roof only.