Greetings! My DD is a 700hp Audi S6, and was going to get gen1 Audi R8 with Lambo V10 and gated shifter. Sadly those have jumped up $30k, and spending six figures on a weekend toy is a bit more than I care to spend. Also my 7 year old son liked the Vettes at the cars and coffee better (although he liked the new McLaren best). Also, a vette would save a lot of money anyways.

I have been in the German performance world for last 10 years, and it is pricey. This would be a weekend car and would like to tinker with it. I am currently debating 2010+ C6 Z06 + lots of mods vs 2017+ C7 Z06 with some mods. I have read a lot about these, but have questions that I can’t find answers to. Hoping you all can help:

1) How much more tech/more difficult to work on is a C7 Z06 vs C6? I have built an engine myself in over 20 years, and back then I ran it all on a stand alone EMS. My wife’s Mercedes is a tech nightmare, and basically the opposite of what I want.

2) Does anyone pull tech out of these cars? For example rip the screen out of the C7 dash and put real gauges in. Bypass stock sensors and computer.

To better understand me: I want to be able to fix/mod things myself, yet I also want top notch stuff. If money was no object- I would do a restomod 63’, on a custom tube chassis, with LS7, and C7 suspension. Alas, I cannot do $200k+. Thanks in advance for anyone taking a stab at my bizarre questions.

 

Welcome to the forums. If I were you I would look at the C-7 Zo6 for the suspension options. It sounds like you want a street race car. Zo6 stripped and built to race car specs for the street. It can be done but under six figurers it would be tight, to buy the car and the parts necessary. You would need to do most of the swapping yourself to keep the cost down. Sounds like a fun car.

 

Thank you for the reply! I probably wasn’t clear enough in what I was looking for, but perhaps your recommendation is still the same.
I want a simplified grand tourer, in the low 11/ mid to high 10 second range) that I can drive 8hrs with my wife and she is happy about it. I also want something that doesn’t have a bunch of electronics/sensors that can break and will not have replacements way down the road (I have a CEL right now, because some emissions sensor crapped out- nothing is broke but this damn sensor that is embedded in the motor.

I want things that will age well, and I don’t think screens will. Basically, a state of the art/mostly analog car- think McLaren F1. Last car that didn’t make the cut was the new Lotus Emira because the manual transmission can’t hold 500hp, not a big engine (although sounds amazing for Camry engine), and the digital dash.
In light of this, do you still suggest the C7? If so- what is it that you like better than the C6, without giving any consideration for interior/exterior aesthetics?

 

I myself would have preferred a-8 for the balance of the car but they have no manual transmission. The C-7 has a 7 speed trans option over the C-6 with a 6 speed trans and more engine options. The newer the vehicle the less problems you should have. Owned many different GM vehicles over the years and had very little worry over the electronics, or had very little issues with the electronics GM uses. GM carries most of the car parts for ten years if they can, (they had problems over the last 2 years) but I think they are catching up. I would not have any problem buying a C-6,7 or 8 corvette and driving it across the country. And still be under 6 figures.

 

Thanks. Yeah, C8 is the way I would go, if you could row gears in it. I hoped someone would figure a way to retrofitting a manual, but so many have looked at it and it seems near impossible. I wish I didn’t care about the manual, but IMO electric has won the speed game. Hard to beat the Plaid’s acceleration, but it has no soul. I am probably going to buy one for my DD, but I want the opposite of it for the weekends- deep/loud, lightweight, and with gears. Thanks for your again for your input.

 

welcome to the forum