ghoffman

Last Friday (11-7-05), I took the new Z to Lime Rock Park for a track test. I wanted to run it "as is" to get a baseline. I could have changed the brakes out to Wilwoods but I wanted to see how it performs right off the showroom floor first. The biggest problem with the brakes is the thin pads that are unavailable right now and the stupid rotors with left sides on the right and useless "cross drilling". The stock pads are a Ferodo street compound and at LRP they worked OK but they had a lot of taper after. I have sent drawings to 2 brake companies so we will see how they respond. I must say however, that the stock brakes did work very well and I had no complaints but the thin pads are a problem for extended track use.
The car came with negative 0.9 degrees camber and it could have used some more, especially in the LF at this track. The stock aglinment cams will move eventually buy did not for this test with the stock runflats. I was unwilling to run the car at a maximum effort because I know the alignment cams do move and I had to drive this car home. The Hardbar camber kits we have proven for the last few years are a perfect fit for this car and would prevent this, but again, we were just base lining the car stock. The runflats worked OK for a couple of laps but would get greasy after 3-4 laps.

As far as handling goes, in most places it was superb but on the exit of Big Bend the inside front tire would shake. Everybody knows that the unloaded side is the hardest suspension corner to control and this was no exception. It is great for 99% of the owners out there and to max out the capability of this car stock will take a very experienced driver. The power of this car is amazing and I only needed 3rd gear for most of the track with 4th being used for the front straight where I would consistently see 141-144 MPH into Big Bend. The gearing was perfect for the massive powerband and at the end of "no name straight" I would see 6800 in third. My lap times were in the 57's and that is quicker that the current T1 record and on par with the W/C Touring car lap times, and 3 seconds off the World Challenge GT times. Remember, this is totally stock and on runflats with stock brakes. The oil temps were around 235, witch is no problem for the Royal Purple 5w-30 we were running (OK, so it was not TOTALLY as delivered, I also had a Hardbar Delrin shift ****), and the brake rotors were within 25 degrees of each other F/R.
For continued track use, this car needs a Harness bar (we will have that very soon), harness and lap belt bar (available now from us) race pads at least on some non-drilled rotors, a camber kit for safety and proper alignment and of course, tires. I think additional power is the last thing this car needs, but to each his own. This street car got point by's from 2 NASCAR trucks and some very modded C5's. My hat is off to Corvette for doing a magnificent job and if they retrofit the stupid rotors they will have a Grand Slam not just a home run.

BTW, I know our web site is down, just call if you need anything for the time being!

Gary Hoffman
Hardbar.net
603.682.8073

John Shiels

57 on stock tires is flying How did the brakes look for wear?

With slicks and brakes what would you gain?

ghoffman

The pads were tapered very badly, like 2mm thicker at the bottom. In addition, I have never seen this much brake dust, my wheels were virtually black after. I was talking to Larry at Carbotech and we traded theories for this. I do not think it was caliper flex but the taper was consistent L/R and F/R. The tires would go away badly after 3-4 laps so I would do a few laps and pull into the pits for a couple of minutes and go again. The tire temp distribution was far from optimum as well and I had to bleed the pressures down as the pressures would get too high (40 PSI+). Slicks and a proper setup would allow much more consistant lap times and much more confidence.
The motor is amazing, not only in max power but flexibility. Road Race engineering 101 tells us that the area under the curve is more important that peak HP, and this is the best example of this there is. A GT-1 or T/A 310 race motor has more peak HP, but this thing is like a diesel for torque. It is fun to motor by a couple NASCAR Craftsman trucks in a street car!

John Shiels

Slicks I think would be worth an easy second plus at LRP. Hardbar **** 2.5 seconds shaved off dam you will be WC record

Torque must make it nice to drive. What are the gear ratio compared to the old Z?

Hows the air cleaner? Is it up near the hood opening? How is it protected from the rain or snow?

I need one of these stump pullers with a nice big cam and dry sump swapped into a C5. Guess tuners will be doing it by spring.

Great ride you have Gary

Oyishdog

that would be nice...but 14.5k for the ls7 - i can make my z just as fast and handle better for that price but then again, it is a 427 small block

ghoffman

Oh yea, I forgot. The HUD has oil pressure as a bar graph on the right side (you have options for oil temp, water temp) and in the corners the pressure did not fluctuate, at least when I saw it. I am still getting used to having a HUD, so I only look at it for that kind of detail once in a while. As far as I am concerned, dry sump is the best for road course work, everything else is a bandaid.

John Shiels

It would be hard to make a 427 for what some have paid 13,000 and have ti rods and great heads. If you start with a LS2 402 stroker you'll still be down 25 cubes and spend more. Some being done now just need to see what power they make when all the parts are available.
C5R block build up is near or over 30,000. I'd get weak real fast if that starved for oil

Oyishdog

I was thinking more like adding a dry sump system (if possible) and throwing on a turbo granted, still $, but the remaining can add on some nice coilovers and sways...with some nice shocks

John Shiels

Never did it but I rode in some turbo's and it may be tough to road race a turbo. Turbo setups are expensive too no? Dry sump can be installed.

Oyishdog

As long as the turbo does not have lingenfelter on the side of the car, a good turbo setup will run 6k...tuning is key, and most who run them are probably more concerend with straight line speed which is not important on a road course...if you are able to control the boost and the "spike" you should be good to go...gearing is key too, but with a stock z drive train, you should be able to stay in boost, especially since you most tracks are 3-4th gear tracks.

I will say though, i have driven a few car with a lgm cam install and wow! talk about bang for the buck and not too much less power then the new z!

John Shiels

Who makes a reliable kit for 6,000? Cooling a problem in 25 minute stints? How much power do they make?

Oyishdog

price went up big time..8400, but check out
http://turbochargedpower.com/Corvette.htm when the kit first came out it was sub 6k. Although, the 8400 might be the stage II kit. Eitherway, that is a TON of power

A buddy of mine has this turbo kit on his 93 cobra (obviously a different design for his car)...extrememly reliable, no issues, and has run stong for 2 years.

As for cooling who knows. The kits have an intercooler on them....turbos are much more reliable for road racing then a supercharger which will overheat big time...also, unlike a supercharger, when you let off the throttle, the a/f ratio will not become lean.

Oyishdog

looks like the turbos are oil fed by the engine oil...assuming the addition of an oil cooler, high temps should not be an issue

John Shiels

that would be fun even in a straight line

0Randy@DRM

Got boost? That would be fun anywhere! The turbo charged motors have won about every race out there. Drag racing, rally, roadracing, salt flats, in the desert. The turbo lag will be almost non-existed because you will on the track with your foot down. That is if they used the right parts. Good luck and have some fun with that. Cooling may become a huge issue because the intercooler is blocking most the airflow.

Randy
NA is the "smarter" motor package but not the same crazy torque.

0Randy@DRM

Got boost? That would be fun anywhere! The turbo charged motors have won about every race out there. Drag racing, rally, roadracing, salt flats, in the desert. The turbo lag will be almost non-existed because you will on the track with your foot down. That is if they used the right parts. Good luck and have some fun with that. Cooling may become a huge issue because the intercooler is blocking most the airflow.

Randy
NA is the "smarter" motor package but not the same crazy torque.

Shinobi'sZ

You describe it well. I need some good brakes now!

astock165

Gary,

When you ran laps what mode did you have the stability control in? Thoughts on the system in general?

astock165

Gary,

When you ran laps what mode did you have the stability control in? Thoughts on the system in general?

STEVEN13

Hi,

57s are quite impressive!!!

Steven