SteveDoten

I'll be honest, I typically stir the pot on these threads

I sold my high production EB Z for the rare FRC

Ryan L

BRENRIT

Be patient. I was in the same boat cash wise about a year ago. At the time its was between an 01' Z and the 02'-04' Z's. I held out for a year searching and lurking around. Pretty torcherous actually. Then I picked up 03' Z and couldn't be happier. I am glad I held out.

There are plenty of 01' Z's dropping into the mid 20K's. Don't really know how much you are looking to drop but everyone is right. Unless you really don't care and just want fun daily driver, you'll probably be thinking, damn I wish I had the Z and then you will spend money to mod it anyways.

Good luck in your search

mr-z

The 99 and 2000 HARDTOP CAME ONLY IN A 6 SPEED.
And the resale value will go up in time.
Good luck.

Road machine

Clones are for clowns. If you want a Z06 buy a Z06. An FRC may be very nice and comfortable but in the end it is an econo-vette. It was designed to be an affordable corvette. The Z06 was Designed and built to give the very best performance of all vettes and the top of the line dollar wise. Save your pennies, do odd jobs for extra money,do whatever it takes to get the car you realy want....the Z06.

OutKlast

Didn't mean to offend anyone. I know they are different but they're definetly more similar then different when comparing the hatchback or convertible to Z. Like I said in the original post I don't own either and I've read on paper what the differences are from FRC to Z06 but I was looking for some real world opinions from people who have driven these cars about whether or not that upgrade was worth it.

OutKlast

Yea I think I'm going to keep my eye out for a Z a little longer. I actually thought I was going to be picking up a MY 03 Z06 with 34k this week (even bought a GM bra and mirror covers for the ride back). Had cash in hand for the sellers asking price but he ended up selling it to someone local.

Guess I should just be patient but like most guys I've wanted and loved vette's since I was a little boy and now I'm actually in a position to own one so I guess I'm just going a little cause I want a vette NOW. But I suppose I should heed the "good things come to those who wait" philosophy.

93Polo

You can mod a FRC past the Z06 for less $$ than you would have in the Z06. I did have the 04 Z06 shocks springs and sway bars under my FRC, 01 Z06 wheels as well as an M12. IMO 3.90s with a M6 is the best gear spread. However the FRC will not be worth as much as the Z06 in most cases on the other hand you have less in the FRC so it maybe a wash.

If you are planning on H&C etc I would start with the FRC. If you really plan on never getting past bolt ons the Z06 maybe your best option.

93Polo

Posers are for clowns. I never added the badges, front screens, or scoops on my FRC. IMO the FRC looks better, clean nothing tacked on (not saying the Z06 looks bad). I had the Z06 wheels becuase they were cheap and I was in the process of adding Fikses when the car was sold.

I do agree it was designed to be an affordable car, my car had no active handling and manual AC just the way I wanted it. It did have the HUD which I did not want and if I get another C5 I will try to avoid it.

Some people like the Corvette getting back to bare bones down to business performance which is what the FRC was.

Twil1ght

That won't stop some people from venturing down the "I still have a dream" road though.

Independent1

I have driven both a 2002 Z06 and an 1999 FRC.

Basically, I see the Z06 as an FRC on steroids.

The Z06 has more hp and torque, and you can feel it seat of the pants.

The Z06 has active handling, while many FRCs do not. For some this is a drawback for FRCs, for me it's a plus as I intend to use my FRC at HPDEs and other road racing like events.

The Z06 is lighter mainly because it does not have EMT tires, lighter glass, and Ti exhaust. You can get most of that weight savings with an FRC might changing tires and adding Ti exhaust (can buy one used for less than $500).

The Z06 has better handling because of better shocks, springs,anti-roll bars, and wider tires. All easy to fix on an FRC.

I just bought my 99 FRC in the rare Nassau Blue color for a ridiculously low price from a place most people would never look. The car had less than 37K miles on it, and I love it.

One other thing, the transmission gearing on the Z06 and FRC differ. The Z06 first 2 gears are lower than the FRC which has the MN6 tranny. More fun on the street to have the MN6. It is also the stronger tranny of the 2.

Will I mod my FRC. You bet. I plan to keep this one!!!

I don't know if you have drove both cars you are considering, but I highly recommend that you do. They are both great cars and have more power and handling than you can safely use on the street.

Good luck with your search. I hope you find the right car for you.

mr-z

New Car/Review
1999 Chevrolet Corvette Hardtop
by Carey Russ

Chevrolet Full Line factory footage (22:43) 28.8, 56k, or 200k
Few automobiles have reached the legendary status of the Chevrolet Corvette. It is an icon of American automotive performance. In its 46 years of production, the Corvette has had little domestic competition and performance parity with foreign sports cars costing far more. Over the years it has become increasingly civilized without losing its edge. When the fifth-generation Corvette, nicknamed "C5", was introduced in 1997, it heralded further refinement, to the point that some potential customers worried that it would sacrifice performance to luxury. There was a demand for a more basic, and seriously performance-oriented, C5 'Vette.

With the recent introduction of the Corvette Hardtop, that demand has been answered. The first fixed-roof Corvette since the Sting Ray in 1967, it is the lightest, quickest, and fastest version of the current 'Vette. The six-speed manual gearbox and Z51 sports suspension are optional on the C5 Coupe and Convertible. They are the standard equipment on the Hardtop, with no substitutions.

This is not to say that comfort has been neglected. All C5 Hardtops come with leather upholstery, air conditioning, and a full complement of power accessories. Only about six dyed-in-the-Harris tweed purists will be disappointed by the lack of cloth upholstery and side curtains. For anyone else, the Hardtop does what Corvettes have always done best - give exotic sports car levels of performance and handling at a relatively affordable price. It is the least-expensive 'Vette, with a base price of just over $38,000.

I discovered how much performance the C5 Hardtop has during a recent week with a bright red example. In one word: plenty. The "extra weight" of the civilized accoutrements has little impact. Sixty mph comes up in less than five seconds, and cornering and stopping abilities are just as good. Top speed is reputed to be in the neighborhood of 170 mph, although I missed that by about 100 mph. Despite the extreme performance envelope, the C5 Hardtop is completely civilized in everyday use. It may not be absolutely the quickest and fastest car available today, but a little extra performance elsewhere is significantly more expensive.

APPEARANCE: The C5 is unmistakably a Corvette, and has a similar profile to the previous generation. It's rounded where the C4 was angular, but the pop-up headlights remain. The Hardtop looks much like a Convertible with a hardtop, but the top is not removable. What appear to be air intakes in front are styling features; the engine breathes from under the long nose. The Hardtop's passenger cabin is set well back, for classic long-hood, short-deck sports car style.

COMFORT: The Hardtop is definitely not a "bare-bones" sports car. It has all of the comforts expected of a car in its price range, including leather seats, power windows, mirrors, and doorlocks, and a good climate control system. Low door sills and wide doors make access much easier than was the case with the C4. It's a driver's car, with snug bucket seats, a thick-rimmed, leather covered steering wheel, and good instrument and control layout. The Hardtop's luggage capacity is minimal, but a real trunk lid helps access.

SAFETY: The 1999 Chevrolet Corvette Hardtop has crash avoidance features including quick acceleration, excellent handling and maneuverability, and 4-wheel antilock vented disc brakes. A safety cage around the passenger compartment, front and rear crush zones, three-point safety belts, and next-generation airbags protect occupants in case the crash is not avoided.

ROADABILITY: All C5 models have the stiffest chassis ever found in a Corvette, and the Hardtop is the lightest current model. Much like the previous generation, a perimeter-and-backbone frame supports a fiberglass body. But the new frame is lighter and much more rigid than that of the C4, allowing a more compliant tuning of the fully- independent suspension. A rear-mounted transaxle gearbox, unusual for a front-engined car, improves weight distribution. The Z51 sports suspension is firm, but nowhere near as harsh as the suspension of early C4s. That compliance allows the tires to stay in contact with the road, and the huge contact patch of the P245/45 ZR17 front and P275/40 ZR18 rear Goodyear Eagle F1 tires ensures excellent cornering and stopping power, aided by the optional "active handling" electronic stability control system. Its abilities are far, far beyond what can be used sanely on the street, but a C5 Hardtop should make an excellent autocross and time trials car even with the leather seats and power windows.



SPECIFICATIONS
1999 Chevrolet Corvette Hardtop

Base Price $ 38,197
Price As Tested $ 40,622
Engine Type pushrod overhead valve V8, 16 valves
Engine Size 5.67 liters / 346 cu. in.
Horsepower 345 @ 5600 rpm
Torque (lb-ft) 350 @ 4400 rpm
Transmission 6-speed manual
Wheelbase / Length 104.5 in. / 179.7 in.
Curb Weight 3153 lbs.
Pounds Per Horsepower 9.1
Fuel Capacity 19.1 gal.
Fuel Requirement unleaded premium
Tires front: P245/45 ZR17, rear P275/40 ZR18
Goodyear Eagle F1 run-flat
Brakes, front/rear vented disc / vented disc,
antilock standard
Suspension, front/rear independent unequal-length arm with
transverse monoleaf spring /
independent 5-link with transverse
monoleaf spring
Drivetrain front engine, rear-wheel drive

PERFORMANCE
EPA Fuel Economy - miles per gallon
city / highway / observed 18 / 28 / 19
0 to 60 mph 4.8 sec
1/4 mile (E.T.) 13.3 sec

OPTIONS AND CHARGES
6-way power driver's seat $ 305
Color-keyed front floor mats $ 25
Active handling system $ 500
TR9 Lamp group $ 95
AM/FM/CD stereo $ 100
Bose speaker & amplifier system $ 820
Destination Charge $ 580

http://www.100megsfree4.com/corvette/1990/vet99.htm

Tuk

econo-vette? bullocks. It was a vette for men who didnt want to fork out extras for useless options. It was custom tailed to the Corvette crowd that wanted a strictly performance geared car. I didnt buy a Cadillac. My "stripped down" vette has power seat and an AC/heat ****. More than you need! I bought a car stock with a 6-speed and better Z51 suspension, better handling and lighter than the average coupe. The FRC paved the way for the Z06, it seperated the economical from the ***** out.

SteveDoten

worth repeating and done on many instances

C5Z

The FRC is not a Z, but it is still a good car. If that's what you can afford, and you want it, then buy it! I'm sure it will make a fine daily driver and provide many miles of smiles. However, if you're a performance junkie then you probably should hold out for the Z.

Mr. Azrael

You may want to finish that thought though... You sold your Z06 to buy the FRC which you turned into a Z06 clone...

In the end the rarer FRC will be worth less than a Z06 anyway.

meadowz06

How did this thread go down the crapper? Having had BOTH A FRC AND NOW A Z06, I can say that there is simply no comparing THE TWO CARS! They could not be more different. The LS6 pulls like mad, the transmission has different ratios. The shocks, suspension, and brakes are better in the Z06. The gauges are different, and I could go on and on. The FRC is a outstanding car. It was the test mule for the Z06. Dave Hill has stated that in many a interview. I loved my FRC, but for the money, there is simply not a better performance car than the Z06!

93Polo

Maybe for you but as a base for serious mods it makes no real difference as most of the non cosmetic changes between the FRC and Z06 would be replaced if I get another Corvette. Suspension, heads cam etc. all would be replaced Z06 or FRC. For the money from my point of view a FRC is a better purchase.

BTW the only change between FRC and Z06 brakes are the color of the calipers. As far suspension only the wheels, shocks, front stabilizer bar, and the rear spring changed between the Z06 and FRC, which is an afternoon to change.

If you change just the shocks, swaybar end links, and tires on a FRC most drivers would not be able to tell the difference in handling between a FRC and a Z06. IMO the complete 04 Z06 conversion on my car was a complete waste of cash.

Also at any Corvette meet there will be more Z06s than FRCs. It is fun to have the only FRC.

Independent1

I agree that the FRC is not a Z06. I completely disagree with you on the FRC being an econo-vette. As others have stated, if you are going to mod your car most of the differences between the FRC and Z06 go away.

I do agree that people turning their FRCs into Z06 clones is, well how should I put this nicely, distasteful. I have both an FRC and Z06. I have no intention of turning my FRC into a Z06. I say viva la difference!

meadowz06

Dude, if you change every part on the FRC, then what is the point?
And how is that COST EFFECTIVE? Thanks for making my point for me!
The Z06 and FRC are about as similiar as apples and oranges. Geez.