iNF3RNo

On a street driven f-body, say driven almost daily in sunny weather (or whenever you pleased) in the summer, how well could it be modified to handle? This is within a reasonable budget and drive-ablity too - no 750hp built LT1 TT motors, C5R blocks, keeping stock interior sans backseats, all readily available market parts, etc. Basically Z06-afying a LT1/LS1. Except 335 drag radials fly here, if so be it.

And keeping stock tires.... just kidding. But seriously, how would say, a R&T editor or Top Gear respond to a car with its performance characteristics?

How close to touching Z06, Lamborghini, race-class 911, Ferrari... Lotus performance can these cars see? Or are they just too heavy and possess dated designed in the suspension? 10-18kish budget, paying for very little labor (only machine shop, tuning things). Brave a itemized list if you want...

Or should I just save my effort and bang out a LS2 powered C4 / RX7?

Camaro_Maniac63

F-bodies can be made to handle pretty good, and the design of the suspension isn't that bad. However, I don't think they will ever handle like the exotics, thanks to the good old live-axle. Nevertheless, it should be noted that some Camaro/Firebird drivers have beaten Z06s on the track, but I think that is more related to driver skill than the capabilities of the car.

I actually have a similar plan to yours: Buy another 4th gen Z28, and turn in into a road racing/street car that goes to Sebring raceway once a month. And here are my favorite suspension pieces at this moment:

Koni DA shocks front and back, GC Coil Overs front and back, 35 or 36 mm hollow front bar/22 mm rear bar, rod-end panhard bar, rod-end LCAs, Unbalanced Engineering front upper/lower control arms, LG K-member (if they ever release it ), and some more things I can't think of at this time...

Also, if you want a car that is very good on the track as well as being good on the street right off the showroom floor, save your money for the new Z06, or a nice used one. But if you are like me and you like to put things together on your own, then looks like we have some fun times ahead of us. Good luck.

Norm Peterson

Flip through the Topeka Solo II Nationals results (2003 isn't a good year to use for these comparisons due to some but not all heats being run in the rain). Note that comparisons based solely on auto-x results are mostly "smooth-surface" indications, and don't necessarily reflect "real-world" driving. And that since all the cars in these comparisons are running on Hoosiers, there isn't any excessive "tire advantage" either way.

An ESP level of F-body modification will probably get you a performance potential that's between a "stock" C4 and a "stock" C5.

As you continue to mod toward the maximum CP level, you'll start beating the C5's, eventually including SP 'Vettes. But you'll be much closer to a one-off race car than F-body at this point, and you'd be barely streetable at best (forget any dreams of remaining street-legal).

Somewhere in between I think you'd be roughly *at* the "stock" C5 level, close enough to where you'd have to sort it out with lap times.

Norm

LT4Firehawk

I've posted this info before, but here it is again:
stock C5 Vettes (including Z51 suspension) on street tires: 1:35
92 C4 (modded suspension, 280RWHP, w/ Nitto 555R/RII 275/315 tires): 1:34
95 Formula (modded suspension, 280RWHP, Kumho V700 265 tires): 1:34
97 Firehawk LT4 (311RWHP, stock except for 555RII 275 tires): 1:33
01 Z06 (350RWHP, 275/315 Nitto 555R/RII tires): 1:29

All these times were with me driving at our local roadcourse (Hallett). The Firehawk time was after only 2 sessions (ended the day early) and I'm sure with more time I could have pulled another second or two off that time. Also, I've now added upper front A arms for addtional negative camber (now -1.5 versus -.8 before), 35mm front sway bar (versus 32mm), a Unbalanced Engineering adjustable panhard rod, and 315 (on 11" wheels) Nitto 555Rs for the rear. I'm planning on going back out next month, and am pretty sure I should be able to pick up another 2-3 seconds a lap which will put me right at the same times as the Z06.

Of course, having the same lap times does NOT mean the cars handle the same. The Corvettes (both C4 and C5) are much easier to drive fast around a track than an f-body is, and the Z06 is much easier to drive fast than a C4. The difference can be made up by a good driver, but their individual handling characteristics are very different.