Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C7 Forum - View Single Post - What do you think about adding Z06 pieces to the Z51?

purpleRac3r · 03-16-2014, 08:41 AM

The front end seems like it will be fairly straight-forward. However, every body panel from there back is different, especially the rockers, door panels, rear fenders and rear fascia. I read in a couple of places all of these are about 3" overall wider. You can see that in the rear photos. While the fenders and fascia are relatively easy bolt-on swaps, you'd need to swap entire door shells (transferring all the other parts from your current doors). And as the rockers are bonded to the frame very early in production and have a lot of parts installed over them, they might well be impossible to switch out without dismantling about half of the car. I admit the look of a Z06 is awesome, but suspect a full conversion of a base or Z51 to the wide-body look a Z06 would be cost prohibitive. By the time you did this and then painted the entire car, you could then actually afford a Z06, and get the supercharger too!

Maybe the aftermarket could step up and offer a bolt-in kit that either skips the extra width at the doors and rockers, or has pieces that bond onto the existing doors and rockers to gain the width.

03-16-2014, 08:41 AM	#8
purpleRac3r Drives: 1974 & 2014 Corvette Stingrays Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Troy, Mo Posts: 623	The front end seems like it will be fairly straight-forward. However, every body panel from there back is different, especially the rockers, door panels, rear fenders and rear fascia. I read in a couple of places all of these are about 3" overall wider. You can see that in the rear photos. While the fenders and fascia are relatively easy bolt-on swaps, you'd need to swap entire door shells (transferring all the other parts from your current doors). And as the rockers are bonded to the frame very early in production and have a lot of parts installed over them, they might well be impossible to switch out without dismantling about half of the car. I admit the look of a Z06 is awesome, but suspect a full conversion of a base or Z51 to the wide-body look a Z06 would be cost prohibitive. By the time you did this and then painted the entire car, you could then actually afford a Z06, and get the supercharger too! Maybe the aftermarket could step up and offer a bolt-in kit that either skips the extra width at the doors and rockers, or has pieces that bond onto the existing doors and rockers to gain the width. __________________ '74 Stingray coupe, heavily modified, as seen in August 2011 VETTE magazine, 2014 Stingray Z51 #196, ordered 02/11/13, built 08/29/13, Museum Delivery 10/04/13, driven daily!