oldracer Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 OK, I promised that I would provide my driving impressions of the 2007 Z06 after my return to Florida. I drove a Blue 2007 belonging to my cousin's husband who owns a Chevy dealership....he was gracious enough to tell me to beat the Hell out of it and tell him what we will have to "fix" on his race car that should be here in 2 months and will be setup by my old shop for his forays into track days and racing... To kill the suspense, it isn't perfect and has some issues, but I would buy 1 in a NY heartbeat, (or the Heartbeat of America). I pushed it very hard on backroads and the highway, probably to the 9/10s level with 2 minor incidents being the extent of the drama experienced. You all know by now that I raced 911's in SCCA for 17 years, (oldracer..get it), so I have a fairly good feel for handling and braking limits and chassis dynamics. I also drag raced for 15 years and drove Modifieds and raced motorcycles...a true adddict This car feels like a slightly civilized race car at everything over 6/10s and like a daily commuter under that...comfortable enough to drive every day. AMAZING is the word I kept thinking over & over Bad things first: 1) Poor lateral seat support for the performance capability....race harnesses and a good seat would provide significant improvement in driver comfort and confidence. 2) Somewhat "twitchy at the upper ranges, not as easy to drive as a Viper, but still impressive. 3) Traction is available, just not always when you would like it, or for that matter need it... 4) Viper T-56 6 spd trans application here is "clunky" and rough for lack of a better description...needs a good shifter to smooth out 2-3 shift and improve the overall feel. 5) Poor tire life is a given, so what!!!!!! GOOD Things: 1) Handling up to 8/10s....then skill is required, an absolute blast to pitch thru a simulated cone layout and a good driver will enjoy the throttle induced oversteer immensely...I had a grin 3 hrs after I got done with it. 2) POWER, POWER, POWER did I mention the power?, smooth with excellent delivery and explosive upper rpm acceleration.. specs say 4.5 to 60, I'm betting high 3's is more like it with wheelspin and issue all the way to 100+ backpedaling was the order of the day and it still impressed the shit out of me!!! 427 ci pushrod smallblock, dry sump and torque up the ass.... 3) Brakes...Porsche-like stopping ability every time, no drama at all. You all know how Porsche's stop...this is equal at least...extremely impressive and massively confidence inspiring. 4) Looks, subjective but I like it...a lot. The standard Heads-Up is actually useful, not normally my thing, but easy to adapt to. 5) Overall competence is stunning and when the price is factored in, (his listed for $68K, and cost him only $57K after his discounts etc..), is a bargain that cannot be beat for an out of the box stock car with this level of race-like performance...some of you have that much in your Cobras I imagine by now... The "incidents" I mentioned were one on a back country road, where I got a little more than my planned degree of sideways, (think 60-70 Degrees due to surface and leaves), stability control kicked in and problem solved snapped right back. I feel that on the track I would disable it and be faster, but as you develop your skill set to handle this vehicle it is a wonderful thing to have in your back pocket to prevent catastrophic body damage.... As Bob Bondurant used to say: The difference between a spin and a crash is the noise at the end.... 2nd incident involved me doing a 360 degree tire smoking spin in a parking lot, just for the Hell of it......turns out that the power band converted that to a 900 degree spin instantly...2 1/2 loops of tire shredding blast...my cousin almost pissed himself laughing and couldn't stop laughing everytime we told the story....I laughed because it was fun and Hey, they were his tires after all....... I would be hard pressed to not buy one at his price or MSRP even if the GT500 is available at list.....it is that good regardless of what it is compared to....truly a great job by the Corvette team. The bad list is easily addressed and really doesn't matter at this level of performance, they are more annoyances than purchase killers... After we finished all this insane fun we went and got my new 2007 LTZ Suburban and then went home and had a few drinks and pizza....the car was better than the drinks and the pizza...... :bandance: :happy feet: I will detail my new 'Burb impressions and my 3100 mile drive in our new Sport Trac V8 Limited in another post.........Trac is an awesome highway and long trip vehicle....we love it. Best damn Ford truck we've ever owned so far..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71stang99 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 thanks for the great write up, if I could buy one of those cars new today for 57k I would pull out all the stops to get one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldracer Posted October 19, 2006 Author Share Posted October 19, 2006 (edited) I find myself figuring out where I would have space to put a Z06.....I really liked it a lot and I have my doubts the GT500 will be as pleasureable a driver...the approx 700-800 lb weight advantage of the Vette is hard to ignore in turn-in situations and daily usage. Apparently I really liked it.........a lot, did I mention the power? the throttle response? the brakes? However for the difference in MSRP, (not insane greedy dealer markup cost), I would expect that and it wouldn't stop me from purchasing a GT500...at the right price. They are very different and equally appealing to a car addict like me...they are just in different areas of the enthusiast world due to $$$ and philosophy. I was very amamzed at the overall execution and performance, a true Supercar overall. Edited October 19, 2006 by oldracer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldracer Posted October 25, 2006 Author Share Posted October 25, 2006 Apparently no one liked my review or worse, they are not on the board checking in..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pj951 Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 An interesting piece. Now I want one. I think your cousin needs a highly experienced Porsche road race pilot to more fully evaluate his car for him... tell him the road trip was just a warm up. Peter J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HITMAN Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 Great review, John. Thanks for whetting my appetite for a car I can't possibly afford for about four more years... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldracer Posted October 31, 2006 Author Share Posted October 31, 2006 Hmmm I am a highly experienced Porsche Road Race driver, did you mean me or you? I will be involved with the conversion of his Z06 #2 to a road race car....I know it is a shitty job, but someone has to do it..... HITMAN, 4 years will fly by, or take the attitude it's only $$, do it while you are still young..... Did I help any??? :bandance: :happy feet: Good to see you are still here, we need to revive this place, I just found out no pornography reading a Richard Jensen string....what kind of silly shit is that? No wonder everyone left...no politics, no rudeness, no porn, no worthwhile info.....damn we have killed our rowdy baby......this was the wildest place on the net...now we have silly rules and political correctness??? :happy feet: Our great freedoms are in danger from whiners and candy asses apparently....I say just shoot them if they disagree.......J/K of course.....that would be wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dvarapala Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 Apparently no one liked my review or worse, they are not on the board checking in..... I liked your review, but I'm not on the board checking in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batchman Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Hey Oldracer nice review. In my autocross club one guy picked up a red one early summer. I made the mistake of saying "hell yes" when he offered it to me on a fun run. I had just spent the entire day arguing with my car on severel sections of our 1.6 mile cone course. I jumped in and it instantly did everything I'd been trying to do all day. On runflats! It was a rocketship that turns. It had no soft spots, balance was excellent, weight transfer was nearly instant yet it was very tractable. That run had to be 5 seconds faster than I'd been running all day, and I wasn't even really trying. Like, everything you said. I am now spoiled. I guess it's been a while since I looked in. I really miss this place at it's prime. And the tech seems to be gone from the archives, damn we had good stuff built up. Best to all, - jeff still scaring the shit out of cones now prepped for scca f-stock on 710s giving the regional title a run next season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
52merc Posted December 17, 2006 Share Posted December 17, 2006 Nice review. This board is just quiet these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Thanks for the review Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldracer Posted March 14, 2007 Author Share Posted March 14, 2007 I wish I could do reviews and test drives and make a living at it....truly the best job for a speed/race addict like me. The Z06 is truly well done and is a race car with tags and civility...for the most part. My cousin's race car is almost done, (at my old shop), and I will fly up as soon as the weather permits track time and dial it in....probably at Watkins Glen....my most favorite road course ever....I'm even doing free for him!!!! Of course he's buying the Drinks & Pizza. I will be renewing my competition licenses this year, NHRA, SCCA and with luck my ALMS depending on the requirements, that may take longer. I believe I will NOT renew my AMA license, I cannot see any reason to race motorcycles at this point... I am looking at buying an existing Ford performance shop and expanding the racing and fabrication aspects. This is a shop many of you who read 5.0 and MM&FF have seen in the magazine... that is all I will say until the situation is completed.......I'm like a kid in a candy store!!!!!!!!!!!!! :happy feet: Bye Bye 100 mile/day drive and Aerospace, back to doing something I love..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svttim Posted April 8, 2007 Share Posted April 8, 2007 I wish I could do reviews and test drives and make a living at it....truly the best job for a speed/race addict like me. The Z06 is truly well done and is a race car with tags and civility...for the most part. My cousin's race car is almost done, (at my old shop), and I will fly up as soon as the weather permits track time and dial it in....probably at Watkins Glen....my most favorite road course ever....I'm even doing free for him!!!! Of course he's buying the Drinks & Pizza. I will be renewing my competition licenses this year, NHRA, SCCA and with luck my ALMS depending on the requirements, that may take longer. I believe I will NOT renew my AMA license, I cannot see any reason to race motorcycles at this point... I am looking at buying an existing Ford performance shop and expanding the racing and fabrication aspects. This is a shop many of you who read 5.0 and MM&FF have seen in the magazine... that is all I will say until the situation is completed.......I'm like a kid in a candy store!!!!!!!!!!!!! :happy feet: Bye Bye 100 mile/day drive and Aerospace, back to doing something I love..... Not a Corvette fan but I would expect everything here. They are great cars and at this point, a better value than the GT 500 (thanks to the dealers). But, the corvette and the Mustang should never be compared to the Vette, bring on the GR-1. Thanks for the review Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbone Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 (edited) Well, it certainly has been awhile. Good writeup there, oldracer, you could and should write for a mag. Made me feel a bit like I do when I am flying my baby. Edited April 9, 2007 by Redbone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldracer Posted April 12, 2007 Author Share Posted April 12, 2007 I really would like to write for a magazine...........for $$$ as a retirement gig......but probably a pipe dream....but everyone should do what they love I'm told and the $$$ will follow.... I am evaluating the job/retirement/race shop thing and trying to decide which way to go...I'm coming up on 30 yrs of DoD/aerospace career time and I'm burnt out with dealing with the aggravation and budget issues..... I will be making a big change in the next 18 months, just don't know which way I'm going yet.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SVT99 Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Hey, don't mean to jack your thread or anything but I just had to post and say how amazed I am to find a lot of the same names still on here! I was talking to my wife and the subject of this board came up so I figured I'd check to see if my login still worked. How is everyone doing? Back on subject... I'd love a new Z06... a couple people at work just got them. But with a new baby in the house, a back seat is now a requirement Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trans man Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Hey, don't mean to jack your thread or anything but I just had to post and say how amazed I am to find a lot of the same names still on here! I was talking to my wife and the subject of this board came up so I figured I'd check to see if my login still worked. How is everyone doing? Back on subject... I'd love a new Z06... a couple people at work just got them. But with a new baby in the house, a back seat is now a requirement Hey Ben The new Camaro will have a back seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SVT99 Posted August 15, 2007 Share Posted August 15, 2007 Hey BenThe new Camaro will have a back seat. Hey Mike! Good to see you. How are things going? Looks like you have that Duramax setup pretty well to be nearly breaking into the 12s :shades: I'm actually contemplating bying an 08 superduty with the new 6.4 diesel. What are your thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trans man Posted August 15, 2007 Share Posted August 15, 2007 Hey Mike! Good to see you. How are things going? Looks like you have that Duramax setup pretty well to be nearly breaking into the 12s :shades: I'm actually contemplating bying an 08 superduty with the new 6.4 diesel. What are your thoughts? ben You still have the same phone number? Give me a call as mine is the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Greene Posted August 18, 2007 Share Posted August 18, 2007 Another nice thing about the street Corvette....is addition to the overall performance, styling, and value....you can put it in "cruise control" and go up the Interstate at posted speeds and get very impressive fuel milage. I'm coming to appreciate that. Balanced performance makes sense to me for street use. If you want a race car....gut a car and build one. It's not difficult to build a race car. But to build a full weight all around performance car for the streets takes some good engineering. I don't see how you can compare a heavy GT 500 Shelby Mustang to a Z06 Corvette. The Corvette is such a higher level of all around performance. But you might have more fun at car shows, cruises, and drag strip with the GT 500 Shelby. Nice report John. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SVT99 Posted August 19, 2007 Share Posted August 19, 2007 benYou still have the same phone number? Give me a call as mine is the same. Mike, I bought the truck tonight so too late to tell me not to! I got an 08 F250 crew cab short bed 4x4, PSD. I think you have my old cell number. I have your number at the shop. When is the best time to call? -Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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