My dad claims that his stock WS6 handles as well as a Vette

I am curious how much better you all think a Vette handles vs a stock (Or close to stock) F-bod. Also, are there big differences between the stock Vette suspension and Z51 and Z06 optioins? How do you AutoX'ers fare against Vettes? I thought that the handling of my stock 94 Z Royally Stunk and if I am going to shell out the money for a 97+ newer (Used) Vette I have to know it is going to be worth it.

Thanks

Vette is lighter, and the IRS will help on un-even surfaces, lower COG, better brakes... Since the Vettes are turning better times in just about every way stock for stock, I dont buy that Vettes are no better than Fbodies.

We got a pretty good car for the moola, but I want a Vette too. They are getting very good looking price tags right now too.

In terms of your 94, I have a 94 and I think its pretty good, but I've played with the suspension a bit. The worst thing the car has going for it is lack of grip, my $1500 240Z blows it away in that department, but its not stock either. I also like a stiffer suspension compared to stock.

I agree with Mudge. While our cars can handle pretty well, it is obvious after being at the road course that a Vette is still a much better handling car.

Our cars are great bang for the buck, but given a choice and money of course, then I would be driving a C5 also. :D

I've owned 3 Camaros and a Z51/LT4 Corvette--there is no comparison. Sorry, Corvette all the way. I miss my Corvette very much. :cry:

The newer ones are even better--I got to drive my bosses '02 Z06 for a little while--pretty nice :cool:

With effort and money they can be modded to be closer, but they will still have a big weight penalty and never have IRS. I hope to be able to get my car close one day, but it's going to take a lot more money than I've put into my current car to get both power and handling capabilities that good.

Year for year, the f-body does not handle like a Vette. Now, if he wants to compare his new car to a 70's Vette, then he has a point.

I have a 97 SS with what I think is a good supension, all aftermarket. I also have a 01 C5 with F45 supension, I lowered it 1 in, added Z51 sway bars and upgraded end links. Really no comparision, the SS handles nice, the vette is a step up:)

A lot of guys in my local road racing club have modified Z06's. The only Z06's that can pass me, are driven by instructors. They all can't believe how well my car handles and how fast it is. After a race, some guy will come up to me and say something like: "I can't believe how well your car handles for such a heavy car".
I like being the under dog that's kicking a$$. :D But then again, the list of mods in my sig is pretty long. ;)

It's been a long battle with heat issues on the race track, but I finally won!!!! I've done just about everything possible to keep the engine and brakes running cool during road racing events. Sure you could buy a Corvette and have fewer problems. But my car still costs less than a Z06, even with all the mods. And I personally think it's more fun to modify a car, then race it to see how much it improved.

Kurt

I once had the pleasure of running a Z06 off road (on a track), I was on his boot in the corners but he was GONE in the straights, that is when I said I need more HP. A bit of a false conclusion...

Anyhow, I dont think that says my car is just as good, not at all, keep in mind the driver makes the car work its magic, or puts it into a wall, or somewhere in the middle. Britney Spears crashed the Ferrari, the Ferrari did not crash Britney.

Driver, driver, driver.

I think that 4th gen FBods handle decent. Not good enough for me though. My lap times are within 2-3 % of matching the C5's that are in my club and I'm all stock. I know that I'll never be quite as fast. But it's close. Their front/rear balance in the C5's can't be duplicated in an FBody. Their wheels/tires are larger in all dimensions.

But if the C5 owners get in my car for a fun run, they're no where near my times. They complain of sloppy handling with way too much body roll. The front pushes out easier. The brakes aren't as good. Etc, etc.

Stiffer and lower suspension mods are in the works for me. I'm looking to close the gap. :) If your dad hung with a C5 on a twisty road, he just has bigger balls than the C5 owner did.

Now after killing yet another car I realize that I am a crappy driver. My dad on the other hand started racing Sunbeams and Triumphs and had some sort of racing licence. He used to rebuild engines all the time, I have only rebuilt one in my days. Since I am not much of a modder I need to be happy with a stock car. It is nice to see that some of you guys can hold with the Vette but that corrected for the driver the Vette is better. When I say my 94's handling stunk I think that was due to age. It "seemed" to handle better when it was newer, however I always kept it in very good condition and replaced parts with 1LE when needed. I have been speaking to some oldtimers around work and all they ever say is "Darn Unibodys are Cr@p" One guy even said he thinks that unibodys fatigue or deteriorate on our Michigan raods (Tons of pot holes, harshly uneven pavement, big cracks etc) Do you think this is reasonable? More oppinions please :bow:

Originally posted by Dr.Mudge
Britney Spears crashed the Ferrari, the Ferrari did not crash Britney.

True!!!! So true!!!!! :D

I've seen a couple of rich idiots crash Ferrari's because they are rich idiots!!!! :cool:

My brother-in-law used to have a 348, so every time the local Ferrari dealership has a special event, he gets invited and of course takes me along. Anyway, to make a long story short. This special event was a couple of years ago; the event was for an old rich idiot who just bought an F50. This guy couldn't even drive a stick shift car, so the dealer taught him how to drive stick in a Testarosa. That must have been funny to watch!!!! :) Anyway, the rich idiot was driving his new F50 on the freeway and he some how launched it off an over pass killing himself and the passenger. I saw the F50 in the dealership a few weeks after hearing about the wreck. The car had a cover over it and I was not allowed to touch it. But I could tell from the cover that the whole front end was gone.

Back to the topic at hand. 4th Gen. F-bodies have the softest suspensions of all F-bodies. Why? To sell more cars to people who want a sporty Cadillac. Did it work? I don't think so, 4th gen. sales were at an all time low and GM dropped the F-body.

F-bodies and Mustangs have been uni-bodies from day 1. I've seen a lot of F-bodies and Mustangs do 1+ foot wheel stands over and over without any problems. I personally have never heard of a GM uni-body problem. However, early Mustang's do have problems with uni-body rust. That's where they got their nick name "Rustangs"

HEY!?!?!?! Have you ever seen old-timer's smoke crack? It's not a pretty sight!!!! ;)

Kurt

"I have been speaking to some oldtimers around work and all they ever say is "Darn Unibodys are Cr@p" One guy even said he thinks that unibodys fatigue or deteriorate on our Michigan raods (Tons of pot holes, harshly uneven pavement, big cracks etc) Do you think this is reasonable? More oppinions please "

Depends on the unibody, of course. F-bodies are not great, old design, weight saving was a priority. Get subframe connectors, you'll appreciate the difference, especially if you plan to keep the car.

OTOH, a late model BMW's unibody ain't bad at all. And Michael Schumacher's unibody is damn near perfect. Nothing wrong with the concept at all.

Before I got my Camaro I was looking at an L98 C4. It was an 88 model with some bolt ons. the handling difference between that and my Z28 is like night and day. If an '88 C4 felt that good I can't even imagine how a C5 would fee like! With a few mods F-bodies start to handle well too. GM made them a little too conservative from the factory IMO.

Originally posted by greenZ94
When I say my 94's handling stunk I think that was due to age. It "seemed" to handle better when it was newer, however I always kept it in very good condition and replaced parts with 1LE when needed.

Felt better, or honestly handled better? Do you have lap times that went downhill to prove it with? If not, it could all be in your head, either the above or maybe you just got used to the car and wished it was somehow more. Its a heavy car and it has dinky tires on it, that doesn't help the 'feeling' that you can drive the car fast without it going all over the road.

Ok, although I am sure nobody would want me on the track with me that is not the only reason I don't have lap times. I thought that I was very in tune with my car, I could tell if a tire was a little down on pressure by the feel, I can definately tell a fast day from a slow day even though the 1/4 mile time is probably <0.5 seconds slower. You may be right, it seems that I could feel a difference between old and new tires right after they were changed but as you may recall I had trouble chasing a ball joint problem. I also left out this point, last year I was hit in the right rear wheel by a Neon, hard enough that he ripped his control arm out of the frame. Minimal body damage to my car but my car always felt different after that. I was frusturated because the garbage repair shop said" We put it on the rack and it was straight" This is the same place that must have forgotten to wash my car prior to painting it :mad:

Some of it may just be mental, but there are plenty of folks that believe, even with computer straightening, that a hit car is no longer the same car...