PREMISE: Just got back from three days of an intensive and grueling driving school located in Chandler, AZ – you guess which one. Learned a lot in a short time. Would recommend it to anyone who is serious about knowing and understanding the limits of their vehicle – and themselves. But what I found out about the Z06 platform from their technical crew was a revelation. Here are some of my observations about cars driven and beaten in the desert seven days a week. You decide.
OBSERVATIONS:
1) Z06 wheels: after over a year of continuous abuse, did not fail. Some bent rims occurred after hitting curbs and going on off road extrusions – BUT NO CATATROPHIC FAILURES. Lesson: save your money.
2) Brakes: rotors and calipers are so robust that big brake transformations are not needed. Drilled and/or slotted rotors are not used. Just lots of TLC on their maintenance. Lesson: save your money.
3) Brake pads: PFC metallics for the track. The Z-rated pads were tried and were found to wear too quickly. Hawk HP +’s are currently being used on their Grand AM’s that are drifting cars and are under review.
4) Brake fluid: DOT 5 SPF synthetic brake fluid is the way to go on the track – but it surely isn’t cheap - $85.00 a liter! Lesson: invest your money here.
5) Brake ducts: the often raved about Doug Rippie brake duct extensions are overkill. None of the C5’s or Z06’s run them in the desert heat. Lesson: put your bucks somewhere else.
6) Brake lines: stainless braided brake lines in hot, dry conditions build up such a static charge that they arc and interfere with the ABS system! Stay with fresh rubber hoses. Cheap investment here.
7) Oil capacities: 7 ¾ quarts of Mobil 1 for the motor.
8) Transmission/Differential coolers: these are a must for anyone doing hard driving on a track where there are lots of 2nd and 3rd gear changes. Temperatures without them cook the parts from 375 to 410 degrees! Use Mobil 1 fluids. Lesson: invest your money here.
9) Transmission/Differential cooler location: mount them behind the rear wheels venting out the rear fascia horizontal slots. Some cars have thermostats; some don’t. In the AZ summer, the coolers come on at ignition. To take advantage of this prime location requires the use of a central muffler on the X-pipe. Also, be sure to add a wide rubber mud flap to protect the fans and coolers from road junk kicked up by the tires. One comment from the technical crew was that the coolers were a whole lot quieter in this aft location, versus the Doug Rippie’s that are installed inside the rear fenders adjacent to the wheel ducting. (Even in a helmet with a loud exhaust I still heard the aft units whirring kick in.)
10) Radiator: bare bones stock. Don’t get suckered into buying an expensive after market unit! In fact, the school has run their cars with the consol temperature gauge pinned at 260 all day without one hick-up. While I would not do this myself, a GM engineer told them that this situation had been foreseen.
11) Clutches: Luk twin plates are used throughout, are beaten on daily, in the heat, and by some very ham-footed idiots. They’re a good investment, but make sure that you balance them before installation.
12) Suspension: bare bones stock, although I did see some plastic bushings on the sway bars – logical given the AZ heat.
13) Tires: Goodyear-sponsored Super Car F1’s.
14) Tire pressures: 40 pounds all around on the C5’s; 35 front and 28 rear on the Z06’s.
15) Platform reliability: When I asked several mechanics about “what breaks” on the Z06, I received blank stares. Finally, when prodded, worn tie rods were once mentioned, brake pads universally, and then silence. One just flat out said that the Z06 was over-engineered.
16) By the way, my two-year-old bright yellow anniversary C5 edition ride had 19,500 miles on it and it still ran like a deer.
CONCLUSION: We lucky individuals who own Z06's just don't know how good we have it!
DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this message is not to start an opinion firestorm about this and that. Rather, this is just what I saw and heard that I believed was worth sharing with you.
Grins. :coo:
PS: I still cannot wipe the grin off my face about the driving school.
OBSERVATIONS:
1) Z06 wheels: after over a year of continuous abuse, did not fail. Some bent rims occurred after hitting curbs and going on off road extrusions – BUT NO CATATROPHIC FAILURES. Lesson: save your money.
2) Brakes: rotors and calipers are so robust that big brake transformations are not needed. Drilled and/or slotted rotors are not used. Just lots of TLC on their maintenance. Lesson: save your money.
3) Brake pads: PFC metallics for the track. The Z-rated pads were tried and were found to wear too quickly. Hawk HP +’s are currently being used on their Grand AM’s that are drifting cars and are under review.
4) Brake fluid: DOT 5 SPF synthetic brake fluid is the way to go on the track – but it surely isn’t cheap - $85.00 a liter! Lesson: invest your money here.
5) Brake ducts: the often raved about Doug Rippie brake duct extensions are overkill. None of the C5’s or Z06’s run them in the desert heat. Lesson: put your bucks somewhere else.
6) Brake lines: stainless braided brake lines in hot, dry conditions build up such a static charge that they arc and interfere with the ABS system! Stay with fresh rubber hoses. Cheap investment here.
7) Oil capacities: 7 ¾ quarts of Mobil 1 for the motor.
8) Transmission/Differential coolers: these are a must for anyone doing hard driving on a track where there are lots of 2nd and 3rd gear changes. Temperatures without them cook the parts from 375 to 410 degrees! Use Mobil 1 fluids. Lesson: invest your money here.
9) Transmission/Differential cooler location: mount them behind the rear wheels venting out the rear fascia horizontal slots. Some cars have thermostats; some don’t. In the AZ summer, the coolers come on at ignition. To take advantage of this prime location requires the use of a central muffler on the X-pipe. Also, be sure to add a wide rubber mud flap to protect the fans and coolers from road junk kicked up by the tires. One comment from the technical crew was that the coolers were a whole lot quieter in this aft location, versus the Doug Rippie’s that are installed inside the rear fenders adjacent to the wheel ducting. (Even in a helmet with a loud exhaust I still heard the aft units whirring kick in.)
10) Radiator: bare bones stock. Don’t get suckered into buying an expensive after market unit! In fact, the school has run their cars with the consol temperature gauge pinned at 260 all day without one hick-up. While I would not do this myself, a GM engineer told them that this situation had been foreseen.
11) Clutches: Luk twin plates are used throughout, are beaten on daily, in the heat, and by some very ham-footed idiots. They’re a good investment, but make sure that you balance them before installation.
12) Suspension: bare bones stock, although I did see some plastic bushings on the sway bars – logical given the AZ heat.
13) Tires: Goodyear-sponsored Super Car F1’s.
14) Tire pressures: 40 pounds all around on the C5’s; 35 front and 28 rear on the Z06’s.
15) Platform reliability: When I asked several mechanics about “what breaks” on the Z06, I received blank stares. Finally, when prodded, worn tie rods were once mentioned, brake pads universally, and then silence. One just flat out said that the Z06 was over-engineered.
16) By the way, my two-year-old bright yellow anniversary C5 edition ride had 19,500 miles on it and it still ran like a deer.
CONCLUSION: We lucky individuals who own Z06's just don't know how good we have it!
DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this message is not to start an opinion firestorm about this and that. Rather, this is just what I saw and heard that I believed was worth sharing with you.
Grins. :coo:
PS: I still cannot wipe the grin off my face about the driving school.