[Z06] Why I don't miss Removable Roofs, Verts and Automatics
05-12-2008, 10:12 PM
#41
Burning Brakes
05-12-2008, 10:14 PM
#42
Le Mans Master
05-12-2008, 10:42 PM
#43
Team Owner
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CI 3-5-6-7-8 Veteran
Hahahaha... guess you guys can't appreciate custom DIY work 
I've done every modification to this car myself with the help of a few great buddies. The only thing I've ever paid a shop to do was press in my poly bushings, tune the car after I put the cam in, and do my allignments.
There won't be, GBVette has done it and I'm following his guidance... it uses oem coupe parts. The C5Z chassis is the same as the coupe chassis other than the extra crossbar where the trunk lid mounts/hinges, so the B-pillar rollbar has all the holes for the coupe hardware pre-drilled and pre-threaded. The location of the rib we molded in is dictated by the frame and the holes for the screws for the eventual trim... there's really no way to mess it up. But of course, if you've never done custom work like that I can see how you'd assume.
Oh... and if you liked my car... here's my buddy Mike's Z06 (illmac77)... another vettebarn creation
Before
Note the lack of door handles and molded rocker scoops... no shop, all owner done.
After
Some pics of the work:
I've done every modification to this car myself with the help of a few great buddies. The only thing I've ever paid a shop to do was press in my poly bushings, tune the car after I put the cam in, and do my allignments.
I am really hoping that Cobra4b doesn't end up with water leaks during a hard downpour or excessive wind noise from his windows not forming a tight seal, as a result of this project.Oh... and if you liked my car... here's my buddy Mike's Z06 (illmac77)... another vettebarn creation
Before
Note the lack of door handles and molded rocker scoops... no shop, all owner done.
After
Some pics of the work:
05-12-2008, 10:51 PM
#44
Race Director
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I agree with Quicksilver. I have had verts and removable roofs and I don't miss them at all. As for me, if i want the open air feeling, I will ride one of my Harleys.
05-13-2008, 12:12 AM
#45
Instructor
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I read that one before. The general points he makes are true, but they only apply with caveats when we're talking about the C6Z06. The most important phrase in his post is "assuming identical stiffness properties". But they aren't the same. Can an aluminum frame be built as stiff as a steel frame? Sure. Is the C6Z06 aluminum frame as stiff as the C6 steel frame? No.
"The final Z06 frame including the magnesium roof structure
is 97% as stiff (frequencies not force per unit displacement or moment per unit
angular rotation) as the steel C6 frame.", from post #18 in this thread.
Changing the frame of the Z06 to steel would result in improvements in some aspects of performance, and degradations in others. And the same would be true for adding a targa or vert, even putting frame material aside.
None of that is the point, imo. Customers who choose a targa or vert for their high-performance street car know (or should know) the trade-offs they are making. Let them make that choice, and sell them the car. For those who want the benefit of the aluminum frame, let them buy that. I stongly suspect GM "forces" us to buy the aluminum frame on the Z06 because they know darn well that very few people would pay extra for it otherwise, and then production volumes would be too low to make it practical. They essentially "bribe" us to buy the AL frame with the 427. Why do they bother? Because they want to prove-out aluminum frame production technology with their vendors.
That's now done, and as of July 14th the Z06 will no longer be King. So we'll see what happens next year, and the year after.
Hands up, every current Z06 owner who would consider trading up to a targa or vert C6Z06 if the factory offered one, even if it had a steel frame?
I would.
"The final Z06 frame including the magnesium roof structure
is 97% as stiff (frequencies not force per unit displacement or moment per unit
angular rotation) as the steel C6 frame.", from post #18 in this thread.
Changing the frame of the Z06 to steel would result in improvements in some aspects of performance, and degradations in others. And the same would be true for adding a targa or vert, even putting frame material aside.
None of that is the point, imo. Customers who choose a targa or vert for their high-performance street car know (or should know) the trade-offs they are making. Let them make that choice, and sell them the car. For those who want the benefit of the aluminum frame, let them buy that. I stongly suspect GM "forces" us to buy the aluminum frame on the Z06 because they know darn well that very few people would pay extra for it otherwise, and then production volumes would be too low to make it practical. They essentially "bribe" us to buy the AL frame with the 427.
Why do they bother? Because they want to prove-out aluminum frame production technology with their vendors.That's now done, and as of July 14th the Z06 will no longer be King. So we'll see what happens next year, and the year after.
Hands up, every current Z06 owner who would consider trading up to a targa or vert C6Z06 if the factory offered one, even if it had a steel frame?
I would.
05-13-2008, 03:28 AM
#46
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to quicksilver i say go rent a 2008 vert for just one day, put the top down and you will probably be trading your z06 in
the car is faster with the top up, but sometimes on the street you just want to cruise open air style, come on everyone loves a sunroof, its an upgrade on almost every car.
the car is faster with the top up, but sometimes on the street you just want to cruise open air style, come on everyone loves a sunroof, its an upgrade on almost every car.
05-13-2008, 11:38 AM
#47
Team Owner
to quicksilver i say go rent a 2008 vert for just one day, put the top down and you will probably be trading your z06 in
the car is faster with the top up, but sometimes on the street you just want to cruise open air style, come on everyone loves a sunroof, its an upgrade on almost every car.
the car is faster with the top up, but sometimes on the street you just want to cruise open air style, come on everyone loves a sunroof, its an upgrade on almost every car.
05-13-2008, 08:30 PM
#48
Team Owner
Thread Starter
05-13-2008, 08:51 PM
#49
Team Owner
Not to mention I'm not sure how well she could handle 550hp.
05-13-2008, 09:53 PM
#50
Drifting
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If I could leave the targa top off I would. For as many people here who say they have only taken the top off once or twice, I do it whenever possible.
Anyway, this thread has started to sound like the "I hate your Corvette options" thread. Sad, really.
Anyway, this thread has started to sound like the "I hate your Corvette options" thread. Sad, really.
05-14-2008, 12:50 AM
#51
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05-14-2008, 02:03 PM
#52
Navigator
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That was it with me, I rarely let the top down or removed the roof panel.
And when I did it was like ......OK....I don't see the big deal here other than the wind beating the crap out of my ears, loose items like gasoline receipts or any other loose paper I had in the car blowing around, the sun beating the crap out of my arms and legs if I was wearing shorts and short sleeves, and no trunk space for my golf clubs if the roof panel was off or the vert top down. .
When I get to where I'm going, I'm going to have to button everything back up and when I got ready to leave I rarely if ever bothered to lower or remove the tops for the return trip. ..... So it got to where I wouldn't bother for the trip out either. And I never left it in the garage with the top off.
But no, to reiterate, I don't miss a removable top on my Corvette at all.
And when I did it was like ......OK....I don't see the big deal here other than the wind beating the crap out of my ears, loose items like gasoline receipts or any other loose paper I had in the car blowing around, the sun beating the crap out of my arms and legs if I was wearing shorts and short sleeves, and no trunk space for my golf clubs if the roof panel was off or the vert top down. .
When I get to where I'm going, I'm going to have to button everything back up and when I got ready to leave I rarely if ever bothered to lower or remove the tops for the return trip. ..... So it got to where I wouldn't bother for the trip out either. And I never left it in the garage with the top off.
But no, to reiterate, I don't miss a removable top on my Corvette at all.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up my '08 Coupe...but, having ridden in plenty of convertibles in the past, I was expecting a lot of wind noise and buffeting with the top off at speed. The day I got the car, my Dad and I were cruising on the highway at 65-70mph having a conversation with normal voices, no problem. There was a little wind, but it wasn't obnoxious or uncomfortable at all. Maybe others are more sensitive to it, but the wind doesn't bug me one single bit. I fell in love with the Z06 when I first saw it, but after owning my Coupe, I don't know that I could get into a Corvette that didn't have a removable roof...it's just so much more fun to drive with the top off on a nice day.
I'll take the roof off (takes about 30-40 seconds) just to go for a 5 minute drive, put the roof back on and go in the store and pop it off again for the 5 minute drive back home. I really don't think it's that inconvenient or a big deal at all; but it really does make driving the car so much more fun on a nice day...oh, and my girlfriend's hair (which is reasonably long) doesn't get messed up at all when riding shotgun. Maybe I have some kind of optional aero package or something
