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Want another sports car, narrowed it down to three

2K views 46 replies 16 participants last post by  Sir Hacksalot 
#1 ·
I drive a sports car now but I'm an anonomous kinda guy so I won't say what it is.

What I'm thinking about getting is either:

03 Mustang Cobra (@$28,000 w/@15,000 miles)

02-03 Corvette Z06 (@$30,000 w/@15,000 miles)

Or save up a while for a used '05-'06 Corvette with Z51 option. (@$40,000 in a year or so with @15,000 miles) The '06 Z06 just costs too much.

I will treat this car like I do my current one. Daily driver and plan two to three open track events a year.

Tough choice. The Cobra is more affordable, easier to work on, cheaper to mod if I choose too. The Z51 is great, and will do as well as a new non-z06 C6 daily driving and on the track.

But that new C6 is just a gorgeous car! I'd have to wait another year or so before I could get one of those.

Thoughts?

Oh, they'd all be 6-speeds of course!

Ron3
 
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#29 ·
"Frankly, the 99-01 Cobras don't feel that fast until you twist the RPM's up, then they scream."

Roger that! I had a '96-'98 Cobra, I hated those 3.27 gears every time I drove. I put in some 4.10's and woke it right up!
If it was just a drag-strip car I'd have moved up to 4.56's but I drove it daily. That engine was happiest between 4500 and 6500rpm! And that no-cat H-pipe and Bassani mufflers were freaking music at 6500rpm!

Hell, maybe I should get another one of those and build it up for the track! ;)

Ron3
 
#30 ·
Hey Glock[19],

What do you not like about your Z06? Just curious.

Also, does your 'vette launch good with that IRS or does it have wheel hop or spin?

What kinda of mileage do you get? Yea I know it shouldn't matter but since it's rated at 18-28mpg I was wondering what you really get.

And hows the ride for daily driving?

Ron3
 
#31 ·
You sound like you know your stangs. It also seems that is what you really want. You can find an 03/04 Cobra for less than 28K. Those cars are awesome and can easily make some serious power. If you have the money forget any earlier model of Cobra. None of them can hold a candle to the 03-04. I just sold my 04 Mach 1 and want an Cobra for my next car.
 
#33 ·
Does anyone like the 93-95 ZR1? I have been looking at a few online. Being in my early 30's, I was just getting into cars when the ZR1 launched in 1990. The later models had 405HP stock. I realize the chassis isn't as good as the C5 or C6, but something about them really interests me. I wouldn't mind having one at some point. Anyone else like them or have one?
 
#34 ·
Originally posted by Ron3
"Frankly, the 99-01 Cobras don't feel that fast until you twist the RPM's up, then they scream."

Roger that! I had a '96-'98 Cobra, I hated those 3.27 gears every time I drove. I put in some 4.10's and woke it right up!
If it was just a drag-strip car I'd have moved up to 4.56's but I drove it daily. That engine was happiest between 4500 and 6500rpm! And that no-cat H-pipe and Bassani mufflers were freaking music at 6500rpm!

Hell, maybe I should get another one of those and build it up for the track! ;)

Ron3
I also have the full Bassani set-up, it sounds like an ALMS/Rolex series car when the revs are high. I'll probably do the gear thing next spring, 4:10's also since I don't drag it. Like I said before, I envy you, the search is really half the fun.....Mark.
 
#36 ·
Ron3, just a few answers to your questions. I can't think of anything that I don't like about my ZO6. Well one thing is the interior.For the money the car costs,I would expect all leather seats and a more refined interior (too much plastic). I get no wheel hop when launching the car, but on the 1/4 mile I have not had any luck with getting the car to hook. This is on the F1 Goodyear tires. I know a lot of claims for low 12's on these tires, but I haven't seen it. Turned this baby sideways in 3rd gear with traction control still on. Talk about the pucker factor. On the highway, the 6 speed is a dream. 6th gear is an overdrive and I get anywhere from 25 to 30 MPG.The ride is quite firm in mine, which I like, but you will find the car to be somewhat noisy inside. Remember, this car was put on a weight reduction program and I know this contributes to the noise (no sound insulation, thinner glass,etc.). I do not use this a daily driver, and would not recommend it for that. If you have any thing else you would like to know about the car, please let me know.
 
#39 ·
Triggerjerk, hope you have something on which to base that statement. Had a guy with a C5 coupe equipped with a Mag supercharger test me. No problem going by him. People tend to forget that there are some who are not satisfied with a stock ZO6. Besides the cam ,etc. you may want to add the ZO6 rear end gearing along with the ZO6 trans. Also when adding the cam, be sure to get the ZO6 valves and springs or something like them for the after-market heads. At this point you may be close but you still need to lose a few pounds in the car.:)
 
#40 ·
there's almost always a compromise when trying to make a lower end car compete with a higher end version. Maybe it costs more over the long run, or one performance aspect is lacking, or there's no warranty, etc. I like to tinker as much as the next guy, but there's something to be said for being able to take a box stock car, drive to the road course, woop ass, and drive home.
 
#41 ·
Originally posted by glock[19]
Triggerjerk, hope you have something on which to base that statement. Had a guy with a C5 coupe equipped with a Mag supercharger test me. No problem going by him. People tend to forget that there are some who are not satisfied with a stock ZO6. Besides the cam ,etc. you may want to add the ZO6 rear end gearing along with the ZO6 trans. Also when adding the cam, be sure to get the ZO6 valves and springs or something like them for the after-market heads. At this point you may be close but you still need to lose a few pounds in the car.:)
A C5 Z06 weighs nearly the same as a fixed roof coupe C5.
Can't speak for the magnacharged car you raced.
What car were you driving?

Once you put a cam, headers and ported heads on a ls1 block, gearing isn't going to be much of a factor when taking on an unmodified car (ls6 c5 for example).

My point is, you can buy and modify a C5 to crush a Z06 C5 for less money than buying the Z in the first place.
 
#42 ·
TJ, all ZO6's are fixed roof coupes. This means the roof does not come off. The C5 coupes are not and all coupes have a removable targa top and a sloped rear glass that distinguishes them from the ZO6. There is a notible difference in the weight of the cars. One which you will not overcome. In answer to the question"What car were you driving" it was my ZO6. As a matter of info, the LS6 was only available in the ZO6. All the other models of the corvette (coupe & convertible) had the LS1. For the money you would have to put into a coupe in order to "crush aZO6 C5",you would be wiser to get the Z and tweak it a little and have a car very few will ever touch in a straight line or on a road course.
 
#43 ·
Sorry, but not all C5s are targa tops. Below is a frc coupe that IS NOT a Z06.



An LS1 c5 with bolt ons can hang with a Z06.
I drive a cammed and headered ls1 camaro so I do have an idea of what a bolt-on ls1 can do. Cylinder head prices are coming down alot now too. A friend of mine has $1300 in heads and cam (did labor himself) in an ls1 firehawk that puts down 450rwhp. Imagine that in a lighter frc C5.
Sure the ls6 is better but the cheaper route imho is to start off with a clean frc ls1 C5 and mod away;f
 
#44 ·
TJ, odd that you would post a picture of that model. It's either a 1999 or 2000 FRC (fixed roof coupe)that led to the ZO6. You could still get the standard coupe and convert also.The car shown in your photo is one of the most wanted FRC's that were made for 99 and 00.These 2 years were the only ones where the FRC had the LS1.
 
#45 ·
Originally posted by bac1023
Does anyone like the 93-95 ZR1? I have been looking at a few online. Being in my early 30's, I was just getting into cars when the ZR1 launched in 1990. The later models had 405HP stock. I realize the chassis isn't as good as the C5 or C6, but something about them really interests me. I wouldn't mind having one at some point. Anyone else like them or have one?
Wait until you want or need to buy engine parts, that is no regular small block chevy. That said, it was a neat motor. A local engine builder I know got one in the high 9's in the 1/4, naturally aspirated; but it sure wasn't cheap!
 
#46 ·
Originally posted by elsolo
Wait until you want or need to buy engine parts, that is no regular small block chevy. That said, it was a neat motor. A local engine builder I know got one in the high 9's in the 1/4, naturally aspirated; but it sure wasn't cheap!
Yeah, Lotus had a hand in its design. It sure looks great though. I have a Lotus Esprit V8 and realize what engines like that cost to maintain or repair.
 
#47 ·
Originally posted by fnfalman
It's just me and my personal bias but there is no way in hell I'm going to bother with the Mustang as a track car. It wasn't meant to be a corner cutter and the Ford boys can do all of the suspension mods they want, it will never be a corner cutter like the 'Vette.
Two words:

Maximum Motorsports.

End of discussion regarding cutting corners.

Hax
 
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