I've been looking at c6's lately. Considering getting one but I know very little about them.

Is a base 08 c6 substantially worse then a c5 z06?

I really hate the pop up headlights on the c5, but would be willing to cope if its substantially better. c5 z06's are so cheap these days I could pretty much trade out for one.

From my brief 30 minute browse of hendrick chevy today I noticed the paintjobs on the c6's look pretty shitty. Are vettes known for bad paint? It had very substantial orange peel. I'm coming from a honda so I know bad paint when I see it. The poor paint is probably my only complaint with the s2k.

What's the reliability like on vettes? I'm assuming parts are cheap.


I sent this to bigblueram but I think I may have laced it with too many negatives to get a response. Thanks for any help. If anyone has a c5 z06 in Raleigh I would love to ride in one see if I could live with it. I'm pretty certain nothing can be smaller or louder then what I have now so it shouldn't be an issue.

7/21/2008 6:10:46 PM

Why now?

7/21/2008 6:14:16 PM

personally, i'd rather have a C6 than a C5 Z06. you can get either for high 20s now (maybe even low to mid 20s for a C5 Z06). C5s have fucking TERRIBLE interiors. the C6 is pretty equivalent to the C5 Z06 in performance, and I think it looks better.

C6 is on my short list of cars I'm gonna look at when I get back from Iraq. I've driven a C6 Z51, and it's a helluva car. A lot more...deliberate feeling than my Evo, but most cars are.

I wouldn't mind having another Evo IX, actually...but modded out next time.

330ci/G35 coupe/E46 M3 are other options for slightly to substantially cheaper (than the C6, anyway...the M3 would cost the same or more than the Evo).

might do another supercharged S2000...with an MP62 or Rotrex blower instead of Comptech this time.

[Edited on July 21, 2008 at 6:16 PM. Reason : asdfasd]

7/21/2008 6:15:33 PM

Quote :

"Why now?"

C5 z06's are so cheap that I can make the jump for sub 3,000$

The c6 is tempting and just because "i want one". I lurk around and look for 72 month finance offers from chevy which always apply to everything BUT the corvette. I'm assuming/hoping that will change if the economy continues to decline. I don't think a corvette is high on the fast mover list right now.

7/21/2008 6:26:44 PM

dude, you can get a clean C6 in the high 20k range if you look around.

7/21/2008 6:32:02 PM

I've been lurking : http://www.corvetteforum.com

Quote :

"C6 is on my short list of cars I'm gonna look at when I get back from Iraq. I've driven a C6 Z51, and it's a helluva car. A lot more...deliberate feeling than my Evo, but most cars are. "

The only cars I would "sell out" for would be an NSX or corvette. The rest really are not worth the effort to me (read : $$$$$ loss ).

[Edited on July 21, 2008 at 6:37 PM. Reason : .]

7/21/2008 6:32:51 PM

i'd bone an NSX, but they are way too little bang for the buck, in my opinion, and it costs a metric shit ton to increase the grunt.

drive an Evo before you write it off. I was an Evo hater (too big, too heavy, too ugly, and 60/40 weight distribution)...until I drove one. I started the search that very day, and picked one up a few weeks later. Don't get me wrong, it has its shortcomings from an ownership/DD perspective (requires a good bit of servicing, devours consumables--especially clutches--at the cyclic rate, and is kinda loud/rattly/cheap feeling, at least in the controls and interior fit/finish, but ohhhh, what a drive...and you can make it run 11s for about $1000 and a couple of hours with a socket set.)

if i could make a C6 have the Evo's super-direct, lightning-fast steering and mongoose responses to control inputs, I probably wouldn't consider anything else. Shit, if I could just fix the steering, that would, along with stiffer shocks/springs/sways and some work to the gearshift, probably make the car feel like I want.

...although the Evo will make a decent driver look fucking awesome, and a great driver look...even more fucking awesome. It's like a superman suit with wheels.

[Edited on July 21, 2008 at 7:21 PM. Reason : asdfads]

[Edited on July 21, 2008 at 7:25 PM. Reason : asdfads]

7/21/2008 7:15:01 PM

Definitely the C6.

The paint is shitty on a lot of them because a LOT of vettes get repainted off the lot (and cheaply so). Don't know if the factory paint is as bad, but it's probably not great either. Getting a real, decent solid color repaint will only run you about $3500 bucks, if that.

Reliability is excellent, there haven't been major problems with the Corvette since the early C4's in the late 80's. It will definitely be MUCH more quiet than the S2000, and is more plush (for better or worse) and spacey inside.

Get a base model or slightly modded C6, you can always upgrade cheaply in stages. Lingenfelter offers a lot of affordable, warrantee backed engine and car upgrades. Huge community out there, huge secondary parts market.

If you want a car to track and drive to work everyday, the vette is an excellent choice.

7/21/2008 7:18:44 PM

I'm not buying an evo. I dont really need to explain myself as you pointed out the majority of its flaws. I'm sure it drives great.

7/21/2008 7:18:55 PM

get an early C6..

why the hell are you even looking at a a dealership?

the money this 72 month financing bs is going to save you is nothing compared to the difference in price they're going to charge. get on some corvetteforums, have financing available from your bank or cash available..whatever it is you want and be ready to buy when soembody posts one up for cheap. it happens often enough that within a few months you will get one for lower than you're expecting.

7/21/2008 7:19:11 PM

I was trying to get a good idea of the condition the cars are sold in so that when I look at used ones i know if they are in good shape (paint, body panels lining up). I'm glad i did, the paint as i posted earlier looked pretty bad. They do park the things outside though, and I'm interested in black/white.

7/21/2008 7:23:58 PM

The nice thing is it's really hard to "beat up" a C5/C6. If it's been wrecked, you can tell in a 2 minute lookover. If it's been run hard, you'll know in a 5 minute test drive.

7/21/2008 7:29:23 PM

def a bonus. they are all super low mileage too.

7/21/2008 7:32:12 PM

they have the new corvette at bBobby Murray Chevrolet. go look

7/21/2008 8:17:20 PM

Quote :

"I sent this to bigblueram but I think I may have laced it with too many negatives to get a response"

haha, nah not at all. honestly it had just slipped my mind to reply... when i read it i was in the middle of talking to duke about something. just because i have one definitely doesn't mean i think they're perfect and will ignore anyone who doesn't hold the same opinion. anyway, i guess i'll respond here now for anyone else's curiosity.

Quote :

"Is a base 08 c6 substantially worse then a c5 z06?"

in what terms? performance? for the most part, even a base c6 is better than a c5 anything.

Quote :

"I really hate the pop up headlights on the c5, but would be willing to cope if its substantially better. c5 z06's are so cheap these days I could pretty much trade out for one."

i think they look like out of place ricer crap, but there are companies that make fixed light conversions if you hate them that bad. i can't say i really have an opinion on the front end looks of c5 vs. c6, i like them both. i can tell you the c5's factory lighting sucks. hid conversions have gotten cheap and vastly improve things, but you've still got the few drawbacks of an hid bulb in a normal housing.

Quote :

"From my brief 30 minute browse of hendrick chevy today I noticed the paintjobs on the c6's look pretty shitty. Are vettes known for bad paint? It had very substantial orange peel. I'm coming from a honda so I know bad paint when I see it. The poor paint is probably my only complaint with the s2k."

gm's in general are known for bad paint, but quality of the materials has improved in recent years even if the texture hasn't. you just aren't going to get a brilliant, smooth finish on something that's passed down an assembly line in mass production. late model corvettes are substantial bargains in the sports car world, but you're going to pay somewhere. in reality, it's nothing that someone adept in using compound and a buffer or even wet sanding won't cure. for reference, my car has spent most of its 138k mile life outside. the paint is showing obvious weathering, but it doesn't have any glaring problems like clearcoat peeling, etc. i could do a lot for it with a good detail probably, but i don't really care. i'm not concerned enough with how it looks. the original top is still on it too, but will be getting replaced next week. the one on it could probably be repaired, but it's not worth it for the price i got on the new one.

Quote :

"What's the reliability like on vettes? I'm assuming parts are cheap."

it's good, especially mechanically. c5's have some issues with bcm and other wiring, but nothing major. mostly just on cars that have spent a lot of time out in the weather, garage queens are usually fine. they used some very advanced programming/on board diagnostics for the time, but its easily confused and sent haywire by simple things like a corroded ground. interior quality isn't great on c5's or c6's, and is the other place you're paying for that bargain. used and new parts are plentiful though. parts aren't always a bargain, you'll become familiar with the "corvette tax" if you get one. it basically means that a lot of parts are jacked up simply because they're for a corvette and companies know the owners will pay.

Quote :

"I've been lurking : http://www.corvetteforum.com"

good place, and about the most tech oriented forum i know of. it's the only corvette specific site i frequent at all. still plenty of your stereotypical mid life crisis having corvette owning goons around, but lots of good stuff and smart people overshadowing any of that. tons of good vendors offering stuff for cheap, awesome classifieds sections, etc.

Quote :

"If anyone has a c5 z06 in Raleigh I would love to ride in one see if I could live with it."

i can't personally help you with a z06, but i can offer you both extremes of the regular c5. high mileage, well used, loud, obnoxious, and modified a4 roadster and/or super low mileage, all stock, garaged, and babied z51 6 speed coupe. you might post on ww.horsepowerjunkies.com also, there are some local guys with z06's on there.

overall, i would go for a c6 if you can swing it financially. the performance and refinement is a very noticeable difference and worth the extra money imo now that prices on them are starting to really fall. just don't rule out a c5 completely, the chances are very high to run across them at ridiculously low prices. also, i don't know how much you care, but don't forget a c5 z06 is fixed roof.

7/21/2008 10:33:35 PM

http://www.atlanticautoexchange.com/carView.php?car_id=457&PHPSESSID=e4db586144e54ab59524965b0ba44351

In case you want to test drive a Z06 C5.

7/21/2008 11:15:52 PM

at first i was like hmmm, not a terrible price for a 4800 mile c5 zo6. stick it in a garage for 15-20 years, enjoy occasionally on the weekends, and sell at a profit. then the extra "0" registered... that's ridiculous!

speaking of corvettes in general, i'd really love to find a cheap c4 zr1 to squirrel away for a while. i think the publicity of the new ones are going to drive their prices up soon. a 1990 representation (old body/new interior) has always been on my short list of cars i want but can't afford anyway, and is definitely the rarest of them. there's a guy in north raleigh selling a 1993 i think it is for $18k. not bad.

7/22/2008 12:12:25 AM

buddy of mine had/has? a 1990 zr1

there will definitely be money to be made if he ever sell it

7/22/2008 12:15:20 AM

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/car/762738208.html

better deal.

7/22/2008 12:19:24 AM

what sort of rwhp/1320 times can be expected from the C6? Is there a pretty set path of upgrades that people have figured out is the least expensive and most effective and efficient progression (the way DSMs and Evos are)?

7/22/2008 2:38:52 AM

Quote :

"for the most part, even a base c6 is better than a c5 anything."

could you elaborate more on that? especially the performance part. A base c6 is better than a c5 zo6? I actually prefer the front of the c5 than c6, so that's why I asked.

7/22/2008 2:53:29 AM

Quote :

"http://raleigh.craigslist.org/car/762738208.html better deal."

That's pretty amazing.

It's almost a straight trade at this point.

I need to spend around a grand just to track my s2000. If you factor that in its cheaper to just buy a z06 c5.

7/22/2008 8:10:19 AM

Quote :

"then the extra "0" registered... that's ridiculous!"

Yeah, I agree that the price is a little high. I just spotted it and figured I'd post it in case Quinn wanted to see one in person. Those guys keep really nice cars though and they race Vettes (or at least they used to.) If nothing else, it is probably a good car for him to check out to see if he is even interested in the C5 version.

[Edited on July 22, 2008 at 8:42 AM. Reason : s]

7/22/2008 8:42:13 AM

Quote :

"what sort of rwhp/1320 times can be expected from the C6? Is there a pretty set path of upgrades that people have figured out is the least expensive and most effective and efficient progression (the way DSMs and Evos are)?"

oh yeah, definitely. there are several different "formulas" to get big power for relatively little investment. you're probably getting ready to read a whole lot more than you ever cared to just for those simple questions, but oh well... i'll ramble through all the details and it'll be here for any future reference.

stock, ls2's will put down somewhere in the neighborhood of 350rwhp. the new ls3's are doing an impressive 390rwhp on average. ls7's are good for about 470rwhp. keep in mind these are totally stock, privately owned, and straight from the dealership cars. the figures are almost always sae corrected as well. many of the ls3/ls7's are hardly past the break in miles too. there's a local c6 zo6 owner in wilson that belted out just shy of 500rwhp on rpm's dyno with ONLY a cai and some tuning a few months ago. that's just sick.

in the 1320, ls2's are good for mid-high 11's. i haven't checked the national lists recently, but as of a couple months ago ls3's weren't really putting out any better times despite the decent advantage in rwhp. i doubt anything more impressive has come with it being summer, maybe by fall/winter. i haven't seen one run at all anywhere locally yet (and only a very few c6's in general). i have a feeling that's only because they haven't even been out a year yet, i think eventually they'll prove to be low-mid 11 sec. cars, a handful have been in the high 10's with just bolts ons and drag radials. so, that's somewhat indicative of what a stock one should be capable of. ls7's have been into the 10's, but under perfect conditions with excellent track prep. deep 11's is the norm. substantial gains for all of them can be made simply with drag radials. the stock runflats are better than what came on c5's, but they still suck.

for everything else below, i'll just assume an ls2 platform for numbers. you can roughly speculate how that translates to the ls3/ls7 based on the paragraphs above. i can cover any specifics of the c5 ls1/ls6 stuff, various options for full on lsx based engine builds, parts swapping and interchangeability between all gen III/IV engines, at what level various drivetrain parts become a liability, or whatever in a future post if anyone is interested. the same general themes apply across the board for most of the basic stuff though.

for na upgrades (the most popular), the most common/effective route is cai, longtubes/exhaust, and cam. in fact, the term "cam only" is a running joke among lsx owners and other performance enthusiasts because it's used so much in people's descriptions of their cars. a lot of people take it a step further with a complete matched heads/cam/intake package. rwhp can range anywhere from 450'ish to 550'ish depending on if it's just cam only, how far you take the specs on the cam and/or heads, manual or auto, etc. if you do it right, it's stuff that can be retained for any future plans of an iron block or stroker build, forced induction, etc.

of course forced induction on just a stock motor is popular too. procharger makes about the best sc kit imo. there are single and twin turbo kits available from a few companies as well and several shops throughout the country that specialize in custom fab'd setups. rwhp numbers are going to be closer to the upper half of the range listed above. for example, the guy i bought my c5 from has a procharged ls2 c6 now. it put down 560/505 the other week with just a pulley swap, full exhaust, and a cai. that's gettin it done! the power under the curve on stock motor fi isn't going to be quite as strong in most cases as the na h/c/i cars.

of course, nitrous is still king of the power for cheap department. i mention it last because most people (myself included) don't consider it to be a "real" mod for a street car since it's not something that's on the car 24/7 to use as much and as often as you like. there's just too many limitations to using it, even in an optimal setup. that said, lsx motors love the shit and eat up very healthy doses of it without even flinching. off the c6 topic a bit, but there's one c5 zo6 owner on corvetteforum that was spraying a freaking 300 shot on a stock bottom end ls6! it lasted for like 130 1/4 mile passes or something ridiculous. he finally popped it on the dyno. needless to say, there are tons of people using 150-200 wet shots on even high mileage stock block lsx's with no issues. even 100-150 dry shots are fine.

7/22/2008 12:08:03 PM

wait, a bone stock early C6 will run mid-high 11s? I thought they were like mid 12s, maybe low 12s with good tires on a good day.

and something like an '05-06 C6 (with 6 speed, of course) will put down 450+ rwhp with just a full exhaust, CAI, and cam? what's that, $2000-2500 in parts?

what if I did that plus a light dose of bottle feeding (like 100 wet or something)? what components would I have to start worrying about failing?


can the traction/stability control be tweaked on the C6, and if so, is there any point in doing it?


I'm liking the C6 more and more...especially if the aftermarket can make the gearshift worth a damn, and if I can retrofit the '08 steering components that are supposedly so much better.

7/22/2008 12:20:18 PM

I'm hoping the shifter isn't bad. I'm coming from an s2000 so I'm going into this knowing ill be disappointed in the gearbox. Is it worse then a e46 m3 dump truck gear box?

7/22/2008 12:40:18 PM

I can only speak from my c4, but the gearbox was one of the best I've ever driven on.

I'd imagine the c6's have only gotten better. I never worried about dumping the clutch to launch or burning it up on a mis-shift. Damn thing was like a tank tranny

7/22/2008 1:49:21 PM

oops thought we were speaking of automagics.


[Edited on July 22, 2008 at 2:03 PM. Reason : ]

7/22/2008 2:03:22 PM

^those are pretty dope too

7/22/2008 2:21:14 PM

bone stock C6's running 11's? I'm sure there's somebody somewhere who is beating magazine times by at least half a second, but don't go expecting better than mid 12's on any c6 or c5 z06 for a typical driver on your typical/mediocre track conditions.

but still, go for the C6 unless you really want the more hardcore features of the C5 Z06. The C6 interior is so much nicer.

[Edited on July 22, 2008 at 4:30 PM. Reason : .]

7/22/2008 4:26:59 PM

I hated the C5 Z06's gearbox personally. I also think a stock e46 M3's shifter blows. Amazing how much worse it is than an e36 (which itself isn't great compared to an S2k's).

Anyway, you know what you should do... C6 z06, end of game.

You would then own a car that I can be jealous of.

7/22/2008 4:40:46 PM

^^^^^^^well, i guess mid is a little bit of a stretch... high isn't though. several people have gone 11.7x-11.9x in completely stock ls2's though. they're a rock solid 12.0x-12.3x car and mid 12's is a breeze.

yep, you're dead on with that rwhp and those mods with a mn6. that's with a very tame cam also. getting a little more aggressive yet still perfectly daily driveable can net even more. hell, there are people pushing 400-425rwhp out of lowly ls1's with just basic bolt ons, tune, and a cam. arghx can vouch for that, one of his friends is doing it. granted, it's a pretty rowdy stick at that point and you're sacrificing some street manners.

a 100 shot on top of those mods assuming 450rwhp would put you over 525rwhp, and possibly even knocking on the door of 550-575rwhp. like i said before, these motors love the gas for some reason. assuming everything else is right, they almost always meet or exceed the advertised power numbers of whatever jets you put in (remember, those numbers are for crank hp).

on a 6 speed, the first problem you run into at those power levels with almost any driving style is the clutch. other things are entirely dependent on what you're doing with it and how well it's hooking. if you're drag racing on a good set of dr's or slicks, then things like the input shaft, diff outputs, halfshafts, etc. can become an issue. even hard street use can kill stuff at the power levels we're talking about here. wheelhop is also a big drivetrain parts killer on c6's and is a somewhat common problem. there are some fixes for it though in terms of parts, adjustments, and custom alignment specs.

oh man, the subject of tuning in relation to the torque management, traction control, active handling, etc. could be a whoooole other long ass thread in itself. drive by wire has opened the door for some very in depth computer controls. on one hand, it's pretty cool that technology has gotten to the point where mechanical inputs are all but gone and you have such control over everything with just running your fingers over a keyboard. on the other, it can be a royal pain in the ass to find and create work arounds for some of the factory shit. i won't even begin to get into it all, but the short answer is yes, you can mess with it and even eliminate some things to an extent. you'll definitely want to also, leaving certain parameters in place can really hurt performance. especially once you start throwing mods at it.

^^^^^^yeah, unfortunately they're a little bit (okay, a lot) like rowing a boat. c6's are better than c5's though, and the aftermarket has a number of offerings for both to keep throws nice and short with improved feel as well. i haven't driven an 08 yet, but supposedly they're closer to how it "should" be from the factory. in addition to the engine and steering differences already mentioned, the 08's are almost entirely a different car mechanically. i'm eager to drive one, but just haven't gotten around to it yet.

^^^^^you had the zf 6 speed. unfortunately, things kind of took a step back with the switch to borg warner. strength and reliability was improved a lot (it had to be with all the extra power), but the throws and general shifter feedback/engagement was pretty bad in comparison.

^^^real world is almost always considerably faster than any magazine. their figures are usually more like what you could expect leaving a stoplight on the street or something. you've also got someone doing the times that only has limited experience in the car at hand, and may not even be any kind of driver in the first place.

[Edited on July 22, 2008 at 4:54 PM. Reason : .]

7/22/2008 4:45:43 PM

its the rear transmission thing too much linkage...

^ wow you write alot... and with an lsx motor don't go the bitch way and use spray until you've done heads cam etc.

7/22/2008 4:47:34 PM

partially it's the linkage (which there are upgrades for also), but not completely or even the majority. t56 f-bodies are hardly any better.

7/22/2008 4:56:16 PM

Quote :

"yep, you're dead on with that rwhp and those mods with a mn6. that's with a very tame cam also. getting a little more aggressive yet still perfectly daily driveable can net even more. "

and what about my cost estimates? $2.0-2.5k sound about right?

I'm ok with a little bit more cam, but I'd want the exhaust to be fairly quiet. I like sleepers, and I don't like a booming exhaust on a DD.

_____

keep your ears open for anyone putting the '08 steering components on an earlier C6.

7/22/2008 5:42:18 PM

Quote :

"I hated the C5 Z06's gearbox personally. I also think a stock e46 M3's shifter blows. Amazing how much worse it is than an e36 (which itself isn't great compared to an S2k's). Anyway, you know what you should do... C6 z06, end of game."

If that were a viable option..... but its not .

7/22/2008 6:22:09 PM

Quote :

"and with an lsx motor don't go the bitch way and use spray until you've done heads cam etc."

shut the fuck up queer. wheres your mullet mobile? what do you mean you dont have one? what do you drive anyhow?

7/22/2008 9:30:14 PM

Quote :

"I hated the C5 Z06's gearbox personally."

gearbox..no

shifter..yes

hell i just cut mine with a hacksaw and it was 100x better

redneck shortshifter ftw

7/22/2008 9:36:12 PM

^^^^yeah, that's a fair estimate depending on exact brands, etc.

eh, you just tell people it's got a bad miss/running on 7 cylinders. you can keep the c6's fairly quiet using the factory butterfly valve style exhaust from a zo6 or an 08 ls3. some aftermarket companies like b&b offer similar dual mode systems that are a bit larger and better flowing to support heavier mods.

[Edited on July 22, 2008 at 9:48 PM. Reason : .]

7/22/2008 9:47:42 PM

Who wants quiet?

Everyone should hear the v8 roar.

7/22/2008 10:02:09 PM

blowmaster ftw

7/22/2008 10:08:43 PM

^ corsa is like a sore dick when it comes to vettes

7/22/2008 10:24:01 PM

I know a fella with a bone stock LS2 C6, A4 car. If I remember correctly, it ran 12.4@115 either stock or with just a CAI.
My LT1 Camaro makes ~360rwhp, and he pulled me slightly on the highway, if that really means anything.

I'd think that the LS3 cars would be a couple mph faster and a couple clicks quicker in the quarter.

As stated, the addition of longtube headers, induction, and a good cam will result in rather dramatic gains with either, just as it always has with LSx motors. Nothing really new here, except that the numbers are now a bit higher than they were with the earlier LS1 motors.

Go for it Duke

[Edited on July 23, 2008 at 11:00 AM. Reason : ,]

7/23/2008 10:55:02 AM

A Corvette seems like the perfect car for Duke

7/23/2008 12:21:55 PM

yeah, i've been telling him that since before he bought that s2k.

^^you still have your car? come out to the track tomorrow night.

[Edited on July 24, 2008 at 12:19 AM. Reason : .]

7/24/2008 12:17:22 AM

^^ actually, it isnt a bad choice

7/24/2008 12:20:52 AM

want

7/29/2008 3:49:58 AM

I never had been a huge fan of the verts but that's a nice ass ride.. Wish I had the $$ laying around for another one right now.

7/29/2008 7:43:34 AM

I don't really dig the satin or believe in huge convertibles sebrings, pt cruisers, vettes, etc...

7/29/2008 8:16:28 AM

yeah, while i like that first pic with the coupe that's actually a high dollar job. kinda defeats the purpose of doing a flat/matte in the first place. the whole point is for it to be cheap, durable, and hide imperfections. function over form. that vert is more in the true spirit of it. $600 at a regular body/paint place including all materials and labor. something needs to be done about the wheels though, offset is all wrong.

mine is a vert too. it's not a small interior, but i wouldn't call it big at all either. especially if you're anywhere close to 6ft. or taller. i guess for someone shorter there is plenty of room to spare. the physical legroom/width is the same as the coupe and frc, but you don't have all the open space behind the seats so you lose physical room as well as the larger feel. in case you didn't know, the c5 was specifically designed and engineered as a roadster from the start, which is opposite of most models carrying multiple body configurations, even previous corvettes. the frc/coupe models were added on and modified from the roadster. as a marketing plan, they specifically released the later two first in 97 as a "teaser" and the vert the following year in 98. in fact, the verts actually weigh a few pounds less than coupes because of the B pillar yet maintain the same chassis integrity.

i personally think the roof and rear glass lines of the frc followed closely by the vert look much better than the coupes. i love the clean look and simple functionality when the top is down of the integrated hard cover on the vert also. i thought about buying a hardtop for mine instead of a new cloth top to have the best of both worlds, but i just use it too much even in the winter to be taking it on/off all the time. with the coupes, i've never quite gotten used to the hatch area extending so far back coupled with the ginormous ass. the c6's amplify it even more. that's definitely just pure opinion though.

7/29/2008 1:44:08 PM