Hello all, I'm new to the forum and a professing Corvetteaholic. I have to say of the many car websites I have visited to satisfy my jones for information and pictures of the Z06, this site is one of, if not, the best I've come across. Responses are detailed and respectful. It's nice to come across a website where no question appears to be treated as silly or stupid, no matter how simple or mundane in nature.
Before I purchase a Z06, I have two questions which have arisen as a result of reading the questions and answers of this forum:
1. Many owners have stated the car feels "unsettled" at speed. How have or are owners addressing this feeling? Coilovers, lowering springs, sway bar????
2. Does an "excessive heat problem" exist at the transmission tunnel? If so, what actions are being taken by current owners to correct the situation?
Your insight and knowledge is greatly appreciated and I apologize for the long post.
I have an 08Z after coming out of the 03Z. The C6Z is a very different car. It does in stock form get unsettled at speed but that is at a very high speed. Some have put on coil overs and the wider spoiler which I think comes off of the C6R. I hear that is the answer if it is an issue for you. They had changed the rear shocks in o7 and 08 which helped some but not dramatically. If you plan to track the car or routinely be over 150mph then this may come up. As for tunnel heat , it gets hot after longer trips or traffic. The fix is a new tunnel plate and some insulation. There are alot of threads on the heat and the fixes if you do a search. It is two 3" pipes right down the middle. The whole fix insulating and the plate is under three hundred dollars if your handy and have a lift. I'm going to be doing it before the summer and I'm going to do the inside and tunnel area w/ the new plate. It is still some car w/ these little annoyances. Go drive a Viper and you will have no complaints about the Z!!! Best of luck and welcome to the site! Jim
1. Many owners have stated the car feels "unsettled" at speed. How have or are owners addressing this feeling? Coilovers, lowering springs, sway bar????
The car is fine for its designed intent, which is a production street car. Suspension is not as much of an issue as is the lack of downforce. Generally speaking, cars that are this fast often have more aerodynamic downforce, not to mention better tires for lateral grip and better suspension in order to keep those tires in contact with the surface. However, all the grip in the world is no good if the entire car becomes airborne.
As far as I know, the full width rear spoiler has never been used on the C6R's, although Ron Fellows did state at one time they were going to use it in addition to the rear wing.
Quote:
2. Does an "excessive heat problem" exist at the transmission tunnel? If so, what actions are being taken by current owners to correct the situation?
Heat from the transmission tunnel has been a commonly discusssed topic here with many claiming it is unbearable. There have also been a lot of posts discussing various methods of reducing this radiated heat. Personally, it hasn't bothered me and in fact I haven't really noticed it, although my wife and others have mentioned their legs were getting hot.
The center console does get hot and I would not leave anything in it that was susceptible to heat damage and certainly nothing prone to melting such as a candy bar, etc.
Although I do not sugar coat anything, in the end these are both minor issues and neither does not nor would not preclude me from owning or recommending the car.
1. Many owners have stated the car feels "unsettled" at speed. How have or are owners addressing this feeling? Coilovers, lowering springs, sway bar????
Teacher... call on me! (hand up)
I've noticed that my car is a little fidgety above 130. The times I've had it there it may have been breezy out so I'm not positive. I'd be really nervous about going anywhere near the published top speed.
If you feel a slight unresponsiveness or float, check to ensure you have your air dam underneath. It is a 3 piece design that deflects the air around the car, but the center piece deflects it up into the radiator area. I was missing mine and when I got it replaced, I felt a major difference, especially at higher speeds.
__________________
2KC5 FRC MN6, Bad Head & Cam install, Failed Lifter, Burnt Clutch, Cracked Rotors, Bad Tune, Blown Piston, Blown Head Gasket, and faulty rockers.....but I still come back for more.....Installed/Tuned by LG Motorsports. Best 1/4 Trap: 11.94 Best Top Speed 121.10 on street tires at 1200 Ft ASL.[/center]
I have an 08Z after coming out of the 03Z. The C6Z is a very different car. It does in stock form get unsettled at speed but that is at a very high speed. Some have put on coil overs and the wider spoiler which I think comes off of the C6R. I hear that is the answer if it is an issue for you. They had changed the rear shocks in o7 and 08 which helped some but not dramatically. If you plan to track the car or routinely be over 150mph then this may come up. As for tunnel heat , it gets hot after longer trips or traffic. The fix is a new tunnel plate and some insulation. There are alot of threads on the heat and the fixes if you do a search. It is two 3" pipes right down the middle. The whole fix insulating and the plate is under three hundred dollars if your handy and have a lift. I'm going to be doing it before the summer and I'm going to do the inside and tunnel area w/ the new plate. It is still some car w/ these little annoyances. Go drive a Viper and you will have no complaints about the Z!!! Best of luck and welcome to the site! Jim
Hey Jim,
How does the 08 compare to your 03? I had my 03 up to 168 on a couple of occasions and it never felt unstable. As a matter of fact the only concern I had was the cops. Having just bought the 08 I haven't had the car anywhere near 100 yet. Soon though. Very, very soon!
The car is fine for its designed intent, which is a production street car. Suspension is not as much of an issue as is the lack of downforce. Generally speaking, cars that are this fast often have more aerodynamic downforce, not to mention better tires for lateral grip and better suspension in order to keep those tires in contact with the surface. However, all the grip in the world is no good if the entire car becomes airborne.
As far as I know, the full width rear spoiler has never been used on the C6R's, although Ron Fellows did state at one time they were going to use it in addition to the rear wing.
Heat from the transmission tunnel has been a commonly discusssed topic here with many claiming it is unbearable. There have also been a lot of posts discussing various methods of reducing this radiated heat. Personally, it hasn't bothered me and in fact I haven't really noticed it, although my wife and others have mentioned their legs were getting hot.
The center console does get hot and I would not leave anything in it that was susceptible to heat damage and certainly nothing prone to melting such as a candy bar, etc.
Although I do not sugar coat anything, in the end these are both minor issues and neither does not nor would not preclude me from owning or recommending the car.
Minor issue, like posted above. Welcome aboard and good luck.
How does the 08 compare to your 03? I had my 03 up to 168 on a couple of occasions and it never felt unstable. As a matter of fact the only concern I had was the cops. Having just bought the 08 I haven't had the car anywhere near 100 yet. Soon though. Very, very soon!
Thanks,
JB
I love the 08 but it does get hairy over 160. The 03 was like an extension of myself although the 08 will bite you if your not on top of it. I have been in the 03 above 165 and I felt that was where the rear got lite. The 08 gets lite in the rear around 160 as I've noticed. This is all, at the track of course! I'm hoping to hit Sebring Raceway this summer and really get in the groove with the 08. I felt more confident in the 03 as far as road racing. I also owned that car for over 4 years and initially it was my daily driver. The 08 is an animal and a 0-150 MPH Monster! It is hard to fully explain but they are very different cars. I got in the groove w/ the 03 pretty quickly. The 08 is taking some time, I just don't know why and the limits. Good luck Jim
Thanks Jim. I had my 03 for 5 years and knew that car inside and out. The 08 is really different. I guess the fun will be in learning this car. That is when it quits raining.
I've noticed that my car is a little fidgety above 130. The times I've had it there it may have been breezy out so I'm not positive. I'd be really nervous about going anywhere near the published top speed.
At the fest last year, I had occasion (with Mark Dickie as a passenger) to take my '07 up close to 180. Won't spend a great deal of time talking about the reasoning behind this little jaunt, but I can't say that I felt any lifting or shimmying at those speeds. The car felt pretty stable to me....although the scenery did seem to go by rather quickly
At the fest last year, I had occasion (with Mark Dickie as a passenger) to take my '07 up close to 180. Won't spend a great deal of time talking about the reasoning behind this little jaunt, but I can't say that I felt any lifting or shimmying at those speeds. The car felt pretty stable to me....although the scenery did seem to go by rather quickly
Mike
Nice! I've done that on a sportbike (very stable) but it was just too extreme to enjoy what I was doing - "Where's the cop! Where's the cop!".
I may have to explore some suspension mods or the tray mentioned by an earlier poster.
It's not that I want to do this regularly but there are times when a fella's gotta be an idiot.
On a flat straight, high speed aerodynamics are not as much of an issue at the speeds the car is capable of. It's when the road undulates and the car gets light on the suspension that the lack of downforce can become readily apparent. This can even lead to the car becoming airborne, as was the case when Jan Magnussen drove the fast lap on the Nordschleife. Here's what he had to say about that...
"The photo is taken at Flugplatz. I´m going 240-250 km/h [149-155 mph] at full throttle in 4th gear and the car is actually jumping twice: After the first jump it lands so hard that it takes off again, as you can see in the second picture. As it lands the second time I have to take a sharp right immediately after. The car is a standard car with street setup - had it been my racer it would hardly have left the tarmac."
and...
"The street Corvette has virtually no grip compared to my race car which has a large rear spoiler."
Aerodynamics play a huge role in a cars high speed capability and even purpose built race cars have gone airborne and done 'back flips', even at speeds less than 200 mph.
On a flat straight, high speed aerodynamics are not as much of an issue at the speeds the car is capable of. It's when the road undulates and the car gets light on the suspension that the lack of downforce can become readily apparent. This can even lead to the car becoming airborne, as was the case when Jan Magnussen drove the fast lap on the Nordschleife. Here's what he had to say about that...
"The photo is taken at Flugplatz. I´m going 240-250 km/h [149-155 mph] at full throttle in 4th gear and the car is actually jumping twice: After the first jump it lands so hard that it takes off again, as you can see in the second picture. As it lands the second time I have to take a sharp right immediately after. The car is a standard car with street setup - had it been my racer it would hardly have left the tarmac."
and...
"The street Corvette has virtually no grip compared to my race car which has a large rear spoiler."
Aerodynamics play a huge role in a cars high speed capability and even purpose built race cars have gone airborne and done 'back flips', even at speeds less than 200 mph.
At the fest last year, I had occasion (with Mark Dickie as a passenger) to take my '07 up close to 180. Won't spend a great deal of time talking about the reasoning behind this little jaunt, but I can't say that I felt any lifting or shimmying at those speeds. The car felt pretty stable to me......
Thank you everyone for your very informative and insightful responses. Seeing how I live in and most of my driving is performed in and around the Los Angeles and Orange County areas, I don't foresee reaching or exceeding 150 mph to often, if ever, so the "unsettled feeling" is not a deal breaker.
Since I do plan on taking many LONG journeys in the car, the heat problem will need to be addressed. Jim you stated, "you are going to install a new thermal plate and insulation" in the tunnel to correct the problem. Where does one purchase these items, from the dealer or your local auto parts store?
Thanks again and thanks for the welcome, much appreciated.
Thank you everyone for your very informative and insightful responses. Seeing how I live in and most of my driving is performed in and around the Los Angeles and Orange County areas, I don't foresee reaching or exceeding 150 mph to often, if ever, so the "unsettled feeling" is not a deal breaker.
Since I do plan on taking many LONG journeys in the car, the heat problem will need to be addressed. Jim you stated, "you are going to install a new thermal plate and insulation" in the tunnel to correct the problem. Where does one purchase these items, from the dealer or your local auto parts store?
Thanks again and thanks for the welcome, much appreciated.
Dennis
I believe it's called thermal abs, if you do a search here for the tunnel heat you'll find the thread that was directed to me when I inquired. I haven't made the purchase just yet, I'm overwhelmed w/ my 70 GTO Conv LS1 project as of late! Even better Google Thermal Abs. That covers the plate. The insulation I'm using was recomended here by some members to work well and that I did purchase at Lowes. It's in the heating and cooling section, foil and foam roll 12" wide w/ the adhesive already on it. It's for cooling ducts. About 1/4" thick. I think it is by Kool king or something. If you can't find it PM me and I'll go find it in the garage and get you the part #. Jim
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Having just bought the 08 I haven't had the car anywhere near 100 yet. Soon though. Very, very soon!
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