Let's collect parts for a sensible Z/28....
03-25-2009, 02:02 PM
#62
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Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Brighton, IL
Posts: 694
Let me refine that. 6 piston calipers on 14" cross drilled rotors up front.
Basically I want a 2 door CTS-V without all of the luxury. If the CTS-V can pull a sub 8 second lap time at "The Ring" then my recipe should pull it off no sweat.
Basically I want a 2 door CTS-V without all of the luxury. If the CTS-V can pull a sub 8 second lap time at "The Ring" then my recipe should pull it off no sweat.
03-25-2009, 02:10 PM
#63
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: FL/MI
Posts: 1,808
Go for slotted rotors as opposed to drilled. Drilled rotors are nothing but bling. Pads that work don't "gas" anymore.
03-25-2009, 02:18 PM
#64
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: ohio
Posts: 4,482
good luck finding a base model cts-v.i just looked at their web site. it showed the model that we are all familiar with and said 68 and some change. so im sorry not 70 exactly.
03-25-2009, 02:39 PM
#65
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Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Kilgore TX 75662
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only 20s will fit? OK then, how does the ZR1 get 15.5" discs inside 19" wheels?
OK, back to the main thinking of the thread. What does GM currently have available that would be suitable for a Z/28?
On the engine side of things, how about we all just trust GM's Powertrain department? They have given us AWESOME engines and transmissions over the years. They have several great engines already in production vehicles that we all would love to see in the Z/28. Who knows? Maybe they have something new up their collective sleeves for us?
For the rest, let us look at some of the other performance tuned vehicles that the General has in its stable...
Corvette Z06 and ZR1
Cobalt SS / HHR SS
Trailblazer SS
CTS-V
STS-V
XLR-V
Pontiac G8 GXP
The STS-V and XLR-V use supercharged Northstar engines which barely make more than the Camaro SS's LS3 and they kind of come from a previous generation of GM Performance. The G8 GXP doesn't offer much more than the Camaro SS already does, so let us look at the next closest in potential power and weight. The CTS-V has a LOT that the Z/28 could use. The Camaro has always pulled parts from the Corvette line, so why stop now? The Cobalt SS gets optional Recaro seats. The Trailblazer SS had optional suede accents on the seats and those cool ducts built into the grille.
I think this stuff would be great as standard equipment:
Strong transmissions with matched gearing in the larger differential.
Larger 6-piston Brembo brakes
Shorter and wider 19" wheels (preferably forged instead of cast)
Magnetic Ride Control with electro-magnetically controlled shocks
Sueded-Fabric Accents on the Steering wheel, shifter, and seats
Carbon fiber hood
And instead of the current grille, a cross-hatch-styled grille design similar to the Cobalt SS, HHR SS, & Impala SS might look nice.
And these would be great options:
ZR1's Carbon-ceramic Brembo brakes
Recaro seats
And a Carbon-Fiber Exterior package that uses exposed CF on roof panel and on the taillight surrounds (replacing the chrome.)
How much should this cost? A CTS (with the DI V6) starts right under $16k over the base price of a Camaro. And naturally it has a lot more standard content. A CTS-V starts at $60,650. So, I wouldn't doubt that Chevrolet could MSRP a Z/28 for under $45k+options. That is $5k less than the Corvette's MSRP, however you can get a Vette for under $40k if you try hard enough. That is alright though. The Corvette weighs a lot less, so it should be the better performer on the track.
Now how much would the Z weigh? Well, I wouldn't be too surprised if the folks who built the Camaro body fully expected it to get a factory supercharged V8 at some time. Plus they knew that enthusiasts would be throwing tons of power at them. So for the most part, there shouldn't be much, if any at all, additional strengthening needed to handle additional horsepower. Now, the differential should probably be upgraded to whatever is in the CTS-V to be able to handle the power output. The switch from 20" wheels to 19s should drop several pounds per corner (even more if they use forged aluminum instead of castings.) The carbon-ceramic brake rotors are lightweight (GM claims 11 lbs. per rotor over comparable cast-iron units.) The Carbon-fiber hood and roof would reduce weight while lowering the center of gravity, or they should at least offset the increased center of gravity from the lighter wheels and brakes.
Overall, I could see the Z/28 weighing in close to what the V6 Camaro weighs and fully optioned coming in somewhere around $50k.
OK, back to the main thinking of the thread. What does GM currently have available that would be suitable for a Z/28?
On the engine side of things, how about we all just trust GM's Powertrain department? They have given us AWESOME engines and transmissions over the years. They have several great engines already in production vehicles that we all would love to see in the Z/28. Who knows? Maybe they have something new up their collective sleeves for us?
For the rest, let us look at some of the other performance tuned vehicles that the General has in its stable...
Corvette Z06 and ZR1
Cobalt SS / HHR SS
Trailblazer SS
CTS-V
STS-V
XLR-V
Pontiac G8 GXP
The STS-V and XLR-V use supercharged Northstar engines which barely make more than the Camaro SS's LS3 and they kind of come from a previous generation of GM Performance. The G8 GXP doesn't offer much more than the Camaro SS already does, so let us look at the next closest in potential power and weight. The CTS-V has a LOT that the Z/28 could use. The Camaro has always pulled parts from the Corvette line, so why stop now? The Cobalt SS gets optional Recaro seats. The Trailblazer SS had optional suede accents on the seats and those cool ducts built into the grille.
I think this stuff would be great as standard equipment:
Strong transmissions with matched gearing in the larger differential.
Larger 6-piston Brembo brakes
Shorter and wider 19" wheels (preferably forged instead of cast)
Magnetic Ride Control with electro-magnetically controlled shocks
Sueded-Fabric Accents on the Steering wheel, shifter, and seats
Carbon fiber hood
And instead of the current grille, a cross-hatch-styled grille design similar to the Cobalt SS, HHR SS, & Impala SS might look nice.
And these would be great options:
ZR1's Carbon-ceramic Brembo brakes
Recaro seats
And a Carbon-Fiber Exterior package that uses exposed CF on roof panel and on the taillight surrounds (replacing the chrome.)
How much should this cost? A CTS (with the DI V6) starts right under $16k over the base price of a Camaro. And naturally it has a lot more standard content. A CTS-V starts at $60,650. So, I wouldn't doubt that Chevrolet could MSRP a Z/28 for under $45k+options. That is $5k less than the Corvette's MSRP, however you can get a Vette for under $40k if you try hard enough. That is alright though. The Corvette weighs a lot less, so it should be the better performer on the track.
Now how much would the Z weigh? Well, I wouldn't be too surprised if the folks who built the Camaro body fully expected it to get a factory supercharged V8 at some time. Plus they knew that enthusiasts would be throwing tons of power at them. So for the most part, there shouldn't be much, if any at all, additional strengthening needed to handle additional horsepower. Now, the differential should probably be upgraded to whatever is in the CTS-V to be able to handle the power output. The switch from 20" wheels to 19s should drop several pounds per corner (even more if they use forged aluminum instead of castings.) The carbon-ceramic brake rotors are lightweight (GM claims 11 lbs. per rotor over comparable cast-iron units.) The Carbon-fiber hood and roof would reduce weight while lowering the center of gravity, or they should at least offset the increased center of gravity from the lighter wheels and brakes.
Overall, I could see the Z/28 weighing in close to what the V6 Camaro weighs and fully optioned coming in somewhere around $50k.
03-25-2009, 02:39 PM
#66
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 1998
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 214
Click the build your own link and you can see that the base MSRP of the CTS-V is 58,575.
I think it is most useful to compare base MSRP to base MSRP when trying to determine what price GM might be able to put on a car. Options muddy the waters, particularly given that the CTS has some options that would likely not be available on a Camaro.
I think it is most useful to compare base MSRP to base MSRP when trying to determine what price GM might be able to put on a car. Options muddy the waters, particularly given that the CTS has some options that would likely not be available on a Camaro.
03-25-2009, 02:42 PM
#67
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Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Kilgore TX 75662
Posts: 3,372
03-25-2009, 02:44 PM
#68
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Okemos, MI
Posts: 9,479
If there's no gas anymore, then slots are just bling too.
03-25-2009, 02:59 PM
#69
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Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Kilgore TX 75662
Posts: 3,372
it seems to me that slots would add surface area to the rotor to allow it to cool quicker. They would also allow a moment of non-friction between the pad and rotor to allow heat to escape then?
Cross-drilling of the rotors should allow heat built up inside the vanes of the rotor to escape easier also. Or maybe they do the opposite and let heat built up between the pad and rotor to escape into the vanes?
Both reduce pad contact with the rotor, but not by much.
Cross-drilling of the rotors should allow heat built up inside the vanes of the rotor to escape easier also. Or maybe they do the opposite and let heat built up between the pad and rotor to escape into the vanes?
Both reduce pad contact with the rotor, but not by much.
03-25-2009, 08:56 PM
#71
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Chicagoland IL
Posts: 16,179
