Just ate a modded Z-06

[Viper X]

A couple of nights ago a I ran into a modded Z-06. Yellow, very nice looking car. The driver was a car guy, like most of us and we spent a few minutes talking. He told me that he had spent over 15K in mods on his Z-06. Heads, cam, exhaust, etc. and had recently dynoed at 450 rwhp. I read a thread a few weeks back where a guy from the San Diego area claimed that his stock Z-06 was 4-0 against stock Vipers and I assumed he ment SRT-10s. The San Diego guy claimed lower gears, lighter, better driver, etc, made his Z-06 faster than Vipers. This made me a bit apprehensive in "playing" with this highly modded Z-06, which sounded very strong. We played anyway. My SRT-10 is, as they say, bone stock except for the 3.55's I had installed a short time ago, and I had not really driven it hard since I had the gears installed. I decided to play anyway.

I know that my SRT-10 runs very good, but I was surprised at how easily I was able to walk, or maybe the term should be run, away from this Z-06. We started from a very slow roll (maybe 2 mph) and I let him start first. I don't even remember ever being even with this guy, except at the start. My Viper was so quick to the shift point that when I hit second gear, the Z-06 was back in my rear view mirror. As most of you know, you really have your hands full when accelerating this quickly, so I asked my wife, "What just happened?" She said he never got close and when we hit second gear we just "rocketed" away from him.

We slowed and talked again a couple of minutes later and he asked how much that thing (my Viper) cost and told me that it ran very well. As a former Corvette owner, I loved my vette, and am not trying to criticize the product, but this Viper with 3.55's is a real runner / sleeper.

K & N intake / filters and Corsa Track "cat backs" should be here next week. Then perhaps some more. What a car. Anyone else had a similar experience?

 

[AG98RT10]

I'm not surprised. Vettes are pretty fast small block cars, but they can't hang with the V10.
Coming from the Vette world too...

 

[Snakester]

I'm sure that the 3.55's helped, as did running from a slight roll. I'd say that either he is exaggerating about the 450RWHP, or he spun the tires badly, or he is not experienced in launching his car for best acceleration.

Most Z06s that I've run against launch better than I can, and it's second gear on up is where I catch and pass them.

The Vipers do clearly have more power than the stock Z06s (especially torque), and if you get good traction on a launch and shift decently, you can usually just walk away from him.

But generally it's close enough (especially with unknown Z06 mods) to be up to driver's skill to determine who wins.

-Dean.

 

[homesite]

Corvette Z06 guys say a stock Viper would not beat a MOD Z06:



http://www.zo6vette.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59933

 

[Ghetto2315]

As a former Corvette owner, I loved my vette, and am not trying to criticize the product, but this Viper with 3.55's is a real runner / sleeper.

Sleeper?

Doesn't that term equate to vehicles that do not look like they have much, but are really a silent assassin?

I'm pretty sure a Viper is not in that category...

Very nice kill!!

 

[Viper X]

Hey Snakester, I thought about this all day. I think you may be right, perhaps this guy was bragging about HP that he didn't have. He really sounded healthy but one never knows for sure. By my estimations, we should have had about the same RWHP. We really should have been about even, especially with me having a passenger. Maybe the roll helped too. But I beleive the gears and the torque really made a difference.

Ghetto2315 is right. This thing really isn't a sleeper and gets 20 times the attention I got in my Vette, but some of the Corvette guys (I was one) really don't realize just how quick and fast these Vipers are. Maybe the rarity of the Viper has something to do with it.

And is was a sweeeeeeeet kill.

 

[SnakeEye]

Good smack down.