Charlie, when I 1st saw this thread I thought to myself "Oh great.... another Camaro poll in the absence of any news". Normally, things like this I mentally file with those "What type of rims should the Camaro have" and those "I'm not buying a Camaro because I don't like the script their using for the name" threads, and I skipped it the past couple of days.

But even though it's not going to make a heels beans of difference, it was a though provoking question that stuck.

The Z28 originally wasn't about having the biggest most powerful engine around. It was a track car with a smaller high revving V8. It was a little on the spartan side, and if it didn't improve performance, it was largely left off.

I think a modern version of this wouldn't be a "loaded-for-bear" supercharged, 500 horsepower monster in the likes of a GT500. Instead it would be more along the lines of a quick revving, direct injected 5.3 V8. Tuned suspension, Z06 rims, tires, & brakes. Finally, the car would be essentally a base model Camaro as far as standard equptment. Possibly a fiberglas or composite hood.

I know I'm poking a den of bears when I say this, but a supercharged, 500+ horse Camaro is more along the lines of a Camaro SS IMHO. Early Camaro SS had the biggest, highest powered engines possible. 396 cubic inches. Sure they could handle, but they were mostly for crusing and drag strip action. SS and Z28s were close in 1/4 mile times, but each one had their clear specialty. Much like the Cobra and Mach 1 Mustangs of late (Mach 1 being the quarter miler and Cobra being the track car while both were within half a second in the quarter mile).

My vote would be for a Z28 that although doesn't come close to a SS's 500 horsepower, the lighter weight from a lack of a supercharger, intercooling, and the lack of heavier duty (and heavier weight materials needed to handle 500 horsepower dependably) drivetrain components would make the Z28 nearly as quick in the quarter, but far superior on a handling course.

Being that I favor handling over brute horsepower numbers (which I consider shallow), my vote would be with a track carver with a smaller and quicker revving engine, but neither of the choices you presented.

I figure a 5.3 producing just 400 horses would be plenty.

 

This is a no brainer. The lighter NA car. On a daily basis, I rarely tap into my car's power, and it is almost 150hp less than a 500hp 5th gen. However, I drive my car everyday, and I encounter things called corners most everywhere I go. A lighter, better handling car is a car that is more fun to drive, especially when you drive the thing everyday, as no doubt some 5th gen owner's will. 500hp in a car under 2 tons is already more than enough, I would be worried about trying to plant that power consistantly on the street. All of these internet bench racers talk of ease of modification of the blown car, but you can't have fun in a car that won't hook up, and replacing tires every month gets pretty old pretty fast.

 

I also like the idea of not having to haul around all that extra weight for gas mileage's sake.

 

Geee....and it once again turns to weight.

 

Apparently it is an important issue or something.

 

Agreed!! Having owned a first gen. Z/28 "back in the day", your descriptions certainly hit the nail on the head for me, I'll take the lighter, better handling version any day over simply having brute horsepower. I still want to straighten out the curves in the road, not run quarter miles.
Clyde

 

You just made the list buddy!

In your universe I can see it now... "nice track car, its too bad the guys in the Mustangs and Challengers smoked your @$$!"

 

Unfortunately, when you drive on the street, this is a reality to deal with. The track car is going to probably need power too. This is the land of drag racing.

Just for the record, I prefer the lighter, NA motor.

 

I dont like to comment in these types of threads because i think all they do is give guys a place to argue about something that really doesnt matter at anyway. im sure the people running the camaro project already have a really good idea of what motors they are going to use in the 2010 cars, but im gonna throw my 2 cents in anyway.

first off, like said before, the first post was very persuasive towards the NA motor. It’s dumb (i dont like using that word towards another member) to even ask this question. “do you want a 500hp motor that is light and nimble? or do you want a motor that is big, fat and sluggish with the same hp?” common man!!!

if they are looking for a certain hp level, and they cant do it with the motor they've got, then maybe they will us FI to get the numbers. if they can do it cheaper with a lighter motor then they will go NA.

im not sure why guys keep referring to the 7.0 Z06 motor and a high revving 5.3 with 500 horses. they wont put the Z06 motor in it and we all know why, and if they had to build that bad *** motor to get the 500 horses they wanted, then why does anyone think that they would even ever get 500hp out of the 5.3????? (or 6.2 for that matter) i know they could do it (we can get 500 with a cam and heads swap on an LS1), but that is too much trouble for them to go back to the drawing board at this point. Not to mention they have a lot more to think about than we do when it comes to simply making a motor with more ponies(smog, etc..)....

damn, there is just so much more to this question than what this poll asks. isnt it rumored that they are considering two different V8s anyway??? if so, then everyone should be happy with the choices of a lighter, lower hp V8, as well as a big bruiser.

 

here is an interesting post

https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=551143

 

You don't like to comment - but you do.

You don't like to call another member dumb - but you do.

hmmmm


That's where the inspiration for these 3,4 threads came from.

 

that is correct. i dont respond to every single post i read (as you can tell since i dont have 6,000+ posts).

i said that i didnt like to use that word, i didnt say that i wouldnt use it. i am not one of those guys who has no problem verbally attacking people (people i've never actually met in person) on internet forums, but i mean really, what kinda question is that?

you have the choice of two 500hp motors....do you want the heavy one? or the light one???

 

Whichever is lighter, and N/A.

 

Yup, that's the question bud. And we've gotten 5 pages of good debate on it, in this tread alone.

 

Just a couple of quick questions:

Why do people think an mostly Aluminum supercharger/all aluminum intercooler will weigh 100 lbs or more, which I think would be half that??
And adding one to the smaller 5.3L would probably weigh the same or less than a 6.2L, IMO...adding to fuel economy, and performance.

How many people will get a significant gain in handling from a 60 lb reduction in the front end??...and would even notice it on a daily basis??

If it hurts performacnce so much, why do cars like the EVO and STi handle so well with them??...