So... how are the C8 Z51 Corvettes holding up on track these days?

Yep.  Nothing gives you the feel that a manual transmission does.  I'm looking at it from a lap time perspective.  Plus, if you haven't heard a PDK rip off downshifts, you need to.

SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) said:

Yep.  Nothing gives you the feel that a manual transmission does.  I'm looking at it from a lap time perspective.  Plus, if you haven't heard a PDK rip off downshifts, you need to.

Agreed, but screw lap seconds in an HPDE, not like youd be dogging it with a GTS4.0. If you could get them for the same price and with the same warranty, you choosing a vette?

In reply to SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) :

When it comes to HPDE I just don't care about lap times........I get way more enjoyment out of a manual.

In reply to Olemiss540 :

Nope, I'm going 718.  However the choice is no longer as easy as it once was, the C8 is that good.

However, lap time aside, I'm still going PDK.  Fast or slow, it's just more enjoyable on the track.  I'll keep my manuals for street use.  

Tom1200 said:

ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) said:

Once in a while I think "I should just get another Porsche".  Then I spin in circles over the ridiculous price escalation, and go down every other rabbit hole, and hear things like this, and think "I should just get another Porsche".  

The problem you will have now is there is no going back from the Radical.

My cousin reset the P2 lap record at Laguna Seca and I think it's sub 1:30, which would be 10 seconds faster than a C8 or Cayman

 

Yeah, it's an issue.  I LOVE the Radical, it sorta reset all my expectations for what a track car could be.  So fast, so balanced, so fun... it's a weapon.  The problem I'm having is that I have a heart arrhythmia that acts up whenever I do highly strenuous activities.  It's not dangerous or life threatening, but I feel kinda crappy for a while when it hits.  Turns out that ripping around a track at 2+G's is a highly strenuous activity, and I haven't quite solved the heart thing yet.  As much as I like the Radical, if I can't get this sorted out I'll probably have to go back to something a little more sedate.

This getting older stuff isn't for sissies.  And what a time to be alive, when falling back to a Porsche or Vette is a move towards something more mellow.

Relevant to the other points... I owned a 981 Cayman S for a while and it was magnificent.  It really needed the LCA's for camber though, I was destroying tires at a furious clip.  Before I got around to doing the LCA's I sold it to move into classed race cars.

Olemiss540 said:

CAinCA said:

My car has the Z51 package...

Are you swapping pad compound on the same rotors? My dart throw is you would eliminate the problem if you ran a dedicated set of rotors, then matched your pad compound to rotors.....

Of course a 9k brake setup would be a vendor's recommended solution, but brake rotor pulsing is 95% of the time uncompatable pad deposits. No way are you over working the brakes in an HPDE to somehow warp a rotor surface. Which pad compound are you using?

ZL1 (3800lbs) with 650hp and AR1 tires running stock rotors/calipers and DTC60s without issues on back to back sessions....

I'm using Cobalt XR2 pads. They say that they don't need any special rotor prep and they are supposed to be compatible with other brake compounds.

Your ZL1 has six piston calipers with 370/365mm rotors. The C7 Grand Sport also used the same 370/365 setup. The C8 Z06 uses the same 6 piston caliper with a 370mm two piece rotors. The C8 Z51 has four piston calipers with 340/350mm rotors.

There are a couple upgrade paths I could take:

1. OEM 6 piston calipers and OEM 2 piece rotors for around $2400.

2. OEM 6 piston calipers and Girodisc two piece rotors for around $3000.

2. AP racing 9660/372mm kit retails for $5300. I might be able to get this at a discount.

From what I've been told the rears are fine just swapping to two piece rotors.

CAinCA said:

Olemiss540 said:

CAinCA said:

My car has the Z51 package...

Are you swapping pad compound on the same rotors? My dart throw is you would eliminate the problem if you ran a dedicated set of rotors, then matched your pad compound to rotors.....

Of course a 9k brake setup would be a vendor's recommended solution, but brake rotor pulsing is 95% of the time uncompatable pad deposits. No way are you over working the brakes in an HPDE to somehow warp a rotor surface. Which pad compound are you using?

ZL1 (3800lbs) with 650hp and AR1 tires running stock rotors/calipers and DTC60s without issues on back to back sessions....

I'm using Cobalt XR2 pads. They say that they don't need any special rotor prep and they are supposed to be compatible with other brake compounds.

Your ZL1 has six piston calipers with 370/365mm rotors. The C7 Grand Sport also used the same 370/365 setup. The C8 Z06 uses the same 6 piston caliper with a 370mm two piece rotors. The C8 Z51 has four piston calipers with 340/350mm rotors.

There are a couple upgrade paths I could take:

1. OEM 6 piston calipers and OEM 2 piece rotors for around $2400.

2. OEM 6 piston calipers and Girodisc two piece rotors for around $3000.

2. AP racing 9660/372mm kit retails for $5300. I might be able to get this at a discount.

From what I've been told the rears are fine just swapping to two piece rotors.

Two piece rotors arent going to fix anything IMO. All I am saying, is try swapping in a new set of rotors (as cheap as you can source) and run a track event with them and your XR2 pads. Not familiar with Cobalt, but all I can say is my experience has led to COUNTLESS issues with swapping pad compounds. I am no KNS Brakes by any means, but maybe someone else can chime in. 

Edit: Appears rockauto has rotors as cheap as 40 bucks a piece for fronts and 63 bucks for rear. 200 bucks to try it out if you feel froggy.....

In reply to ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) :

I think they make elctric power steering for Radicals........if that doesn't work a C8 or a Porsche is a pretty good fall back.

SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) said:

However, lap time aside, I'm still going PDK.  Fast or slow, it's just more enjoyable on the track.  I'll keep my manuals for street use.  

I get it but for me I like the extra work.......perhaps it's the ADD.

2 piece rotors look cool, but for amateur DE use, all they really do is empty your wallet compared to a good 1 piece rotor.  On my 911 I buy Stebro 1 piece rotors from FCP Euro.  If I need to replace them, FCP Euro sends me a new set for free.