the Z series Vettes?

[fatherlarry]

For all you Z06 FRC/Hardtop owners, and ZR1 owners, I'm just curious on how everyone here feels about moving over and making room for the new C6 Z06 in 2006. Will we be slowly fading out like the ZR1 and be only a select few who are dedicated to the Z06? Do you feel part of a cult with the Z06 like the ZR1 and L88 owners do? What do you feel about a site dedicated to only specialty Corvettes, or maybe just the Z series Vettes?

[vettepilot]

To me, being outdated by something new is just part of life, like turning 50 when you least expect it....
IMHO the C5 Z06 will live on and may, someday down the road in 15 to 20 years, even reach the legendary status of the L88 and ZL1 because of the great press that it currently enjoys today. Furthermore, as the years pass, the memories of the Z06 / LS6 will become slightly hazy, and like fishing stories, will become more exaggerated with time.
The really great thing about the current Z06 is that it seems like everytime a new high performance vehicle comes out, it is being compared to the performance figures of the current Z06 by the automotive press. That speaks volumes about how the Z06 is thought of today, and may continue on for many years.
Like I said though.... IMHO

In respect to another dedicated site for Z series Corvettes or specialty Corvettes... I have enough problems remembering where I saw what from all the current Corvette sites available... ???Old Age kicking in maybe???

vettepilot

[smokeyburnouts]

i always loved the ZR1 growing up. infact, it still may be my favorite...tied w/ the Z06. i get angry when people act like the ZR1 is a joke now, and i fear that the same is going to happen to the C5 Z06. i'm not one of those people who thinks that the newest is always better. i understand progression, but i also respect the cars that dominated their time period. i plan on being a C5 Z owner for a long time. and if i had money for another vette i'd take a close to new as possible 95 ZR1 over a C6. i'm just a 'Z' vette fan.

[Bad Machine]

If our cars or the other Z Corvettes were never improved or over shadowed by something new they would never become "Legdendary". It dosen't bother me one bit. Imagine how the guy felt who just bought his 1966 Stingray 427CI/425HP when the very next year the same body style came out with 427CI/435HP and that killer "Stinger" hood.
I say keep making them, if they stay the same too long or don't get any better they will just become boring. It's why every Corvette is unique I love'em all!

[Zoomin]

While the current owners may move on, they will be replaced by enthusiastic displaced f-body owners, and Mustang owners that can now afford to own them. So I fully expect the Z06 to flourish for quite a while. Unlike the ZR1, parts are readily available, so that should help too.

If the C6 Z06 does not offer a FRC-style roofline, I think that will heighten the attraction for the current cars too.

[smokeyburnouts]

i agree, totally. but i disagree with how alot of people act like when the new one comes out that the previous is obsolete. i hope this doesnt happen to the c5 Z06, but i'm sure it will. then we will be left as a small "cult following" of these cars, similar to ZR1 owners now.

[scotts]

I will probably buy the new Vette in a few years but I think this car is a keeper.
Guess I need to make room for two.....

[BLEUBYU]

I have owned 6 Vettes, two of them being a '93 ZR-1 that I owned for 5 years and my 02 Z which I will have had for 3 years this August. These were (are) the best 2 Vettes I have owned and are both very special. However, my Z06 is a better car in every respect IMHO - an opinion I feel somewhat qualified to make.

The ZR-1 introduction in 1990 was a monumental event which will forever enshrine the car in Corvette history. The regular Vette in 1990 had a truck like L98 engine which made all of its power by 4300 rpm or so, and had only 250 h/p ( I had an L98 motor car also). The LT5 ZR-1 motor was an engineering masterpiece in its time and light years beyond the L98 engine. However, list price for my 405 h/p '93 was $69k - which was a hell of a lot of dough for a Corvette 11 years ago. There were problems. However great the LT5 engine was, it still resided in a weak "flexible flyer" C4 chassis - and quality control was still pretty bad in '93 - much worse than it is today. The car was a literal pain to get in and out of - like all C4s - and ZR-1 parts rapidly became very difficult to find and quite expensive when you did fine 'em. Very few dealerships or tuners knew how to work on these cars or even wanted to. The car was heavy, especially up front - giving it a lot of understeer or "push" which was especially noticeable on shorter tracks with lots of corners. Finally, when the '92 LT1 motored Vettes came out, there was far less difference in power output and exterior styling between the "regular" car and the ZR-1 - making its hefty surcharge harder to justify.

My Z06 cost over $20k less, has equivalent stock power, is 400 lbs lighter, has a chassis 400% stronger, far better quality and comfort than my ZR-1. The FRC body style is unique to the Z06, thus more visually setting it apart from its brethern. All that is spelled "progress" and I have never regretted selling the ZR-1 and getting into the Z06.

As for the C6 Z, well we will all just have to wait to see if the performance, price and style will make his car a worthy successor. If not, I will likely be talking 427 upgrade to 21st Century.

[bigbadbevo]

I don't think the current Z06 will fade away into the sunset as quickly as some may believe. We live in a new is better society so the general public and public spot light will no longer shine as brightly on our Zs but that doesn't make them any less of a car they are today. WRT to a special forum, I think we should just make room here, maybe a different section like it is now. I am not to thrilled about having to check multiple sites for info. when this is already the best one out there!

I'm not sure if a C6 Z06 is my future but I'll be hanging onto this one for a little while to see how things play out. I bought my Z as a transition car and ended up liking a whole lot. My first vette and I am very impressed, not flawless, but very good.

[AudiBiTurbo]

Bottom line, this is a great car, and always will be considered a great car when compared to cars from the same era. Our cars are "better" (mechanically, not necessarily emotionally) than cars from 30 years ago. I admire 30 year old cars, but only want to own new technology and performance.
Enjoy it, and rest assured people "in the know" will *always* give a smile and nod to a Z06 driver.

Mark

[Goody]

The current Z06 is leaps ahead all the past performance cars, but then it should be given the better technologies available to it. I expect the next Z06 will also be able to exploit the newer technologies as well. I expect it'll be the best vette yet when it appears in January and sales will stay ahead of production for a while.

So long as GM makes a Z06 look different than a standard base model Corvette, then people will flock to the performance side. I won't be surprised to see a redone stinger hood on the new Z06 and a 7.0 liter engine making 475 hp come January.

[IT L GO]

I would much prefer to have call the next generation called something other than Z06. Retire the Z06 name for 20 years or so. I would call the generation the Z07.

[smokeyburnouts]

Originally Posted by IT L GO

I would much prefer to have call the next generation called something other than Z06. Retire the Z06 name for 20 years or so. I would call the generation the Z07.

x2

[PowerPro01]

Every generation of Vette STILL has it's hard core following.
There are people who think "real" Vettes ceased when they went to IRS. A '62 fuelie is/was as good as it gets, especially with the Big Brake option, think they.
Others, it's MID-YEAR all the way...
L88/ZL1's? "Awesome, best they made", say others...
Guess what? Our entire HOBBY is based on people with a passion for (insert YOUR favorite here)...
Z06? Best so far, but the future IS exciting, and I for one can't WAIT...
IMHO

[augydog]

This has been a good thread, made me do a lot of soul searching.

My past:
Most of you don't remember when the C1 Corvettes came out, I can still remember the feeling I got when I walked up to a beautiful 58 polar white with red interior vette. It was awesome. No way could I afford a $3,400-$3,800 car back then. Those were my dream cars. I never owned one.

Fast forward:
I wonder if I had a 58 vette today if it would mean the same?
I don't think so, I can't get back that same feeling, nor should I. What I've got now is the ultimate poor* man's world class sports car.

My experience is somewhat limited when it comes to fast cars.
The only comparison I can make to the Z is a friend's 65 GTO 389 tri-power. I can remember riding in it like it was yesterday, and that was 33 years ago, and it gave me the same smile as my Z.

I'm looking forward to seeing the new Z in January, and finding out all the goodies about it. I know it will be AWESOME, GM knows it better be!
Technology is the name of the game.

In the meantime, I'm thankful to have and enjoy my Z.

augydog

*Not in the same price range as Lambo,Porsche,McLaren,Ferrari