[trj]

Ok Im not trying to start a fire here. Just working through my next street/track car purchase. Looking at the GT350 R and the ZL1 1LE.

I love the look and feel of the Z as I saw it at the Rolex 24 last weekend. Prices on the car are good. Performance is insane. BUT feedback on reviews reports terrible street behavior and in my opinion 3800 lbs is way too heavy for the track. So is it just me or did Chevy build a car that really does not have a fit here?

My next questions is how much weight can be stripped out of the ZL1 1LE without going bonkers??? Yes a roll bar will have to be added back in.

Thanks

[closs2sx]

if you can deal with a little bit stiffer ride on the street and you want a better performing car in all aspects get the zl1 1le. if you want a little nicer ride on the street and willing to sacrifice performance get the gt350r

[FringBirdAloha]

Not really an apples to apples comparison. The ZL1 1LE runs with Ford GT’s. The 350 will be a significant performance drop.

[trj]

Originally Posted by FringBirdAloha

Not really an apples to apples comparison. The ZL1 1LE runs with Ford GT’s. The 350 will be a significant performance drop.

I agree, totally not even in the same ball park on the track.

[iPODFAN11]

Regular ZL1 M6 with the 1LE aero added to it, rear seat removed, and some lightweight alloy wheels for the track if you want 1LE but street comfort.

[kwav8r]

Originally Posted by trj

Ok Im not trying to start a fire here. Just working through my next street/track car purchase. Looking at the GT350 R and the ZL1 1LE.

I love the look and feel of the Z as I saw it at the Rolex 24 last weekend. Prices on the car are good. Performance is insane. BUT feedback on reviews reports terrible street behavior and in my opinion 3800 lbs is way too heavy for the track. So is it just me or did Chevy build a car that really does not have a fit here?

My next questions is how much weight can be stripped out of the ZL1 1LE without going bonkers??? Yes a roll bar will have to be added back in.

Thanks

I think a lot of people bought them for looks and bragging rights before they really understood the intent of the car. It is, and Chevy states it, a car for track enthusiasts. That a lot of people bought them thinking it would be a good DD is likely the reason it gets "terrible street behavior" remarks.

The car fits right at home on a track, not on crappy, potholed and patched streets that the average driver puts up with.

Concur, 3800 lbs is heavy for a track car but it could be lightened if you're serious (is this the "fit" you're referring too?). As some guys on here have done, first place I'd go would be to reduce the underslung weight, put the wheels on a diet and it will liven up the ride on the track quite a bit.

[Kyle M]

Originally Posted by trj

Ok Im not trying to start a fire here. Just working through my next street/track car purchase. Looking at the GT350 R and the ZL1 1LE.

I love the look and feel of the Z as I saw it at the Rolex 24 last weekend. Prices on the car are good. Performance is insane. BUT feedback on reviews reports terrible street behavior and in my opinion 3800 lbs is way too heavy for the track. So is it just me or did Chevy build a car that really does not have a fit here?

My next questions is how much weight can be stripped out of the ZL1 1LE without going bonkers??? Yes a roll bar will have to be added back in.

Thanks

Curious what "terrible street behavior" means? Sure the ride is stiff, but it's far from what I would consider terrible. As others mention, you could opt for a regular ZL1 and add the 1LE aero and do some weight reduction.

I think the ZL1's and ZL1 1LE's track times speak for themselves. For the price, you will not find a more dominant track platform...3800 lbs or not.

[trj]

Originally Posted by Kyle M

Curious what "terrible street behavior" means? Sure the ride is stiff, but it's far from what I would consider terrible. As others mention, you could opt for a regular ZL1 and add the 1LE aero and do some weight reduction.

I think the ZL1's and ZL1 1LE's track times speak for themselves. For the price, you will not find a more dominant track platform...3800 lbs or not.

Thanks Kyle I am glad to hear you think the street ride is tolerable. My cars are only used for short burst of street fun and track. Unfortunately there are not a lot of dealers offering test rides.......

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by trj

Ok Im not trying to start a fire here. Just working through my next street/track car purchase. Looking at the GT350 R and the ZL1 1LE.

I love the look and feel of the Z as I saw it at the Rolex 24 last weekend. Prices on the car are good. Performance is insane. BUT feedback on reviews reports terrible street behavior and in my opinion 3800 lbs is way too heavy for the track. So is it just me or did Chevy build a car that really does not have a fit here?

My next questions is how much weight can be stripped out of the ZL1 1LE without going bonkers??? Yes a roll bar will have to be added back in.

Thanks

GT350R (without tech pack) is 3713. Camaro is 3820-some (and it's loaded lux-style)...Both cars have the same weight balance characteristics. So in my humble opinion, this is really a non-issue. Except the ZL1 1LE is going to be pushing with 124 more horsepower, and 221 more lb/ft torque. Furthermore, I can attest to the fact that the way they've got the suspension setup on an already superior chassis - it hides and handles the weight well. Just like Gen 5 (but way better), you'd never know this car was 3800 lbs.

Another quick thought on weight...the suspension components (DSSV) are much lighter than the MR the GT350R uses...this will result in the same sort of nimble-responsiveness to changes in the road surface that the GT350R benefits from its wheels. Except the Camaro removed the weight from the working components of its suspension.

Street behavior? It's like any other M6 ZL1 except for a couple differences - the ride is a little stiffer than "Track" mode in ZL1, but stiffer doesn't mean "harsh"...it's just...stiff, not painful. The only other street manners consideration is the front splitter...you should raise the shock heigh adjustments to full-high for street driving. That all said - I drive mine daily during the summer, when conditions allow (the Goodyear 3R tires are DOT R-comps, just like Pilot Cups...they don't like heavy rain).

If you wanted to dump weight...you could start by swapping the heated, cooled, powered seats with Recaro or Sparco shells. And remove the rear seat....might be looking at 65-80 lbs there, depending on what you put back in.

Then there's adjustability. Chevy designed the front struts to be adjusted for height...they included a camber plate for radical amounts of front camber...the rear stab bar has adjustments for under/oversteer...and the driving modes can fiddle with the weight of the steering. Alignment bolts, etc are very simple and easy to use. I have been told by someone attempting to align a Mustang GT350R that it's a b!tch; and a lot of cars out on the track are likely misaligned because of it. This particular person saw an amateur GT350R driver (consistent before and after) drop 5 seconds off his track times after a proper alignment because how it was to begin with was so bad.

Read some reviews...watch some videos. The ZL1 1LE is the superior track car, in virtually every single way.

[Kyle M]

Originally Posted by trj

Thanks Kyle I am glad to hear you think the street ride is tolerable. My cars are only used for short burst of street fun and track. Unfortunately there are not a lot of dealers offering test rides.......

Understand that. And to be fair, I've been street driving my track cars for years so I'm more desensitized than others may be. I've never once gotten out of the ZL1 1LE and said "this sucks". It's usually grins.

Wish you were closer so I could offer you a test drive. I think it would help make your decision easier to buy one.

[Kyle M]

Originally Posted by Mr. Wyndham

GT350R (without tech pack) is 3713. Camaro is 3820-some (and it's loaded lux-style)...Both cars have the same weight balance characteristics. So in my humble opinion, this is really a non-issue. Except the ZL1 1LE is going to be pushing with 124 more horsepower, and 221 more lb/ft torque. Furthermore, I can attest to the fact that the way they've got the suspension setup on an already superior chassis - it hides and handles the weight well. Just like Gen 5 (but way better), you'd never know this car was 3800 lbs.

Street behavior? It's like any other M6 ZL1 except for a couple differences - the ride is a little stiffer than "Track" mode in ZL1, but stiffer doesn't mean "harsh"...it's just...stiff, not painful. The only other street manners consideration is the front splitter...you should raise the shock heigh adjustments to full-high for street driving. That all said - I drive mine daily during the summer, when conditions allow (the Goodyear 3R tires are DOT R-comps, just like Pilot Cups...they don't like heavy rain).

If you wanted to dump weight...you could start by swapping the heated, cooled, powered seats with Recaro or Sparco shells. And remove the rear seat....might be looking at 65-80 lbs there, depending on what you put back in.

Read some reviews...watch some videos. The ZL1 1LE is the superior track car, in virtually every single way.

This

[Xlr8ion]

Let’s just say at the track I blow away GT-R’s.

[nighttowl]

Originally Posted by trj

Ok Im not trying to start a fire here. Just working through my next street/track car purchase. Looking at the GT350 R and the ZL1 1LE.

I love the look and feel of the Z as I saw it at the Rolex 24 last weekend. Prices on the car are good. Performance is insane. BUT feedback on reviews reports terrible street behavior and in my opinion 3800 lbs is way too heavy for the track. So is it just me or did Chevy build a car that really does not have a fit here?

My next questions is how much weight can be stripped out of the ZL1 1LE without going bonkers??? Yes a roll bar will have to be added back in.

Thanks

Not exactly the same, but there is a 5th gen SS drift car that was featured in an old camaro now magazine. They got the car down to 2800 lbs.

[trj]

Originally Posted by Xlr8ion

Let’s just say at the track I blow away GT-R’s.

Beautiful car!