Corvette fever

[FLT]

Actually in my (admittedly also a non professional but many years of amateur racing experience) opinion a car with 50/50 balance is very good but not optimal. For a really lively car with excellent turn in characteristics you want a more rearward weight balance. Look at most really fast cars (F1, Indy Car, IMSA Prototypes, etc.) and you will see they all have more weight over the rear. A good driver knows how to move the weight through suspension movements with braking, acceleration and steering to have the weight where he needs it when he needs it.

For most drivers the car with 50/50 balance feels more comfortable to drive fast but for all out speed most prefer to have a little more weight at the rear. Not too much as the car becomes very tail happy very fast, think early 911's. Usually the "optimum" balance is considered 57% rear, 43% front. Over the years I've driven a front heavy car (mustang), a 50/50 car (Porsche 944) and rear heavy cars (open wheel formula cars) on track at speed. The 944 was probably the easiest to drive fast but for all out cornering speed the open wheel formula cars or any car with a silmilar weight balance is best.

Now back to the subject of this thread. A 'Vette with 50/50 balance is going to be the best street driver. It will be the most confidence inspriring when going fast and feel great at more normal speeds!

That sounds pretty professional to me , it sounds like you have a ton more experience than I have at any rate .
seems that I was wrong . My experience is limited to street cars except for some straight line quarter mile passes. I have however owned corvettes for more than 50 years , for many years I got a new one every year. Although I’ve owned a few cars that were more exotic , vetts were always my favorite.

 

[MauserLarry]

Actually in my (admittedly also a non professional but many years of amateur racing experience) opinion a car with 50/50 balance is very good but not optimal. For a really lively car with excellent turn in characteristics you want a more rearward weight balance. Look at most really fast cars (F1, Indy Car, IMSA Prototypes, etc.) and you will see they all have more weight over the rear. A good driver knows how to move the weight through suspension movements with braking, acceleration and steering to have the weight where he needs it when he needs it.

For most drivers the car with 50/50 balance feels more comfortable to drive fast but for all out speed most prefer to have a little more weight at the rear. Not too much as the car becomes very tail happy very fast, think early 911's. Usually the "optimum" balance is considered 57% rear, 43% front. Over the years I've driven a front heavy car (mustang), a 50/50 car (Porsche 944) and rear heavy cars (open wheel formula cars) on track at speed. The 944 was probably the easiest to drive fast but for all out cornering speed the open wheel formula cars or any car with a similar weight balance is best.

Now back to the subject of this thread. A 'Vette with 50/50 balance is going to be the best street driver. It will be the most confidence inspriring when going fast and feel great at more normal speeds!

I don't think weight distribution means a whole lot to a Corvette. They're basically road racers and are built to haul ass in a straight line. They do that remarkably well. I've had a Porsche 924, 2-944's and a 928. The 944 was hands down the finest car I ever drove. It was a dream and got really good performance with a 4 cylinder engine. The 928 had some incredible engineering behind it. When you got to a 100 MPH the thing would lower itself several inches. When you turned at speed the rear wheels would lean helping with high speed turns. They were all expensive to maintain. The Corvette for high speed road racing is the equal to any of them.

 

[JWlineman]

I have pretty much decided on a '02 Z06 that has 88k miles. Hopefully get a chance to ride over to Georgia and take a look at it. People around here want premo money for their stuff apparently.

 

[MauserLarry]

I have pretty much decided on a '02 Z06 that has 88k miles. Hopefully get a chance to ride over to Georgia and take a look at it. People around here want premo money for their stuff apparently.

Good choice! It'll give you years of good service and enjoyment.

" People around here want premo money for their stuff apparently."...........................Gun prices especially!

 

[M60Gunner]

Saw corvettes all weekend lol since this thread

 

[JWlineman]

Still running a fever and it causes me see all of em as well! Lol

 

[Welldoya]

I like to look at Corvettes but never had the desire to own one. I can remember driving 2 in my lifetime - a ‘64 fastback and a ‘65 convertible.
I’ve kinda had my eye out for a ‘67 Mustang simply because that was my first car but prices have skyrocketed in the past 10 years.
I’ve seen lots of reasonably priced low-mileage Corvettes but nice Mustangs seem to bring a premium.
And, since I’m not a mechanic, don’t even know if I should be looking.

 

[JWlineman]

I'm not a mechanic either but I've always like the C5, as those were my early 20s dream car. There's a few deals out there but most are automatics which, for me, takes away se of the fun of owning a sports car.

 

[M60Gunner]

Ah yes, the millennial anti theft device lol

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Im biased...love my 03Z

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

 

[JWlineman]

A very, very nice ride! Thanks for the info the other day!

 

[fv22]

Get your new vette soon and be here April 8:
Track Night 2021: NOLA Motorsports Park - April 8 - Track Night in America

For more info look here:
What to Expect - Track Night in America

 

[JWlineman]

Settled on an '04, not a Z06 but a clean ride. Hopefully some paperwork issues will come thru and I'll have it in a week or so.

 

[stage20]

Cool ride. Now start ordering parts!

 

[JWlineman]

It's coming with BNIB MGW shifter and side marker LED upgrade kit. That'll get me started...

 

[stage20]

You need clutch and cam and a bunch of other stuff. Lol its coming!

 

[JWlineman]

Yeah for sure! Haha

 

[socalpig]

One of the retired pilots up in Rucker area is selling his ‘73 stingray. Numbers matching 454 car....pretty tempting.

 

[FLT]

Those were pretty nice , the first year of the rubber ducky front bumper. In 74 they added the rear two piece rubber bumper. 74 was the only year it was 2 piece.

 

[JWlineman]

I have come across some very nice C4 generation cars but I'm stuck in the C5 for reasons. I always liked the fender lines and curves of the early to mid 70s.