You Need This: Before the C5 Corvette Z06, there was the FRC

Colin
By Colin Wood
Oct 27, 2024 | Chevrolet, Chevrolet Corvette, You Need This, Fixed Roof Coupe

Photography Courtesy Michael Arias

The hottest C5 Corvette before the debut of the Z06? The Fixed Roof Coupe (FRC), produced for just two years: 1999 to 2000.

This example, showing some 85,000 miles, has, per the listing, been fitted with a Summit Racing harmonic balancer, long tube headers and an X-pipe. Likewise, the muffler has been removed.

The oil has reportedly been replaced every 3000 miles, and the radiator, coolant reservoir, tires, spark plugs and spark plug wires have recently been replaced.

Find this 1999 Chevrolet Corvette FRC listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace for $16,000.

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Comments
Puddy46
Puddy46 HalfDork
10/27/24 4:16 p.m.

I really like this, rarity aside.  It's good for a starting point for a track day car.  Body stiffness of a Z06, with the buy in price of a regular C5 Corvette.  

DavyZ
DavyZ Reader
10/27/24 5:53 p.m.

A fixed roof!  Now that's what I'm talking about!!  I'm bald, you see, so I don't care for sun on my noggin lol

I do like this car a lot, especially for the price of this Z06--just like Puddy46 stated.  A very good deal IMO.

Appleseed
Appleseed MegaDork
10/27/24 6:02 p.m.

No mufflers? Dafuq?

theruleslawyer
theruleslawyer Reader
10/27/24 8:25 p.m.

 FRC are great, but you can get a lot better deals on coupes since they are more common.

calteg
calteg UltraDork
10/28/24 8:49 a.m.

The FRC guys are kings of "I know what I have." 

With 20+ years to look back, it's amazing how relevant the C5 Z06 still is. A good driver with modern tires and brakes could still be very competitve on track in one 

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
10/28/24 9:16 a.m.

JG had an FRC before it was cool. :) 

theruleslawyer
theruleslawyer Reader
10/28/24 10:07 a.m.
calteg said:

The FRC guys are kings of "I know what I have." 

With 20+ years to look back, it's amazing how relevant the C5 Z06 still is. A good driver with modern tires and brakes could still be very competitve on track in one 

LOL truth. I found one FRC that had been done up with all the z06 cosmetics, badges, wheels, vents, etc. It had some light body damage and the ABS unit was acting up. I thought it was an okay price for a z06 with some issues, so I contacted the dude and got the vin. Ran it and it came back as a FRC. The dude was super offended when I told him it wasn't a z06 and worth z06 money. He was probably $5-6k high for a FRC with issues. Especially ABS problems on early ABS.

The c5's can fit an amazing amount of tire. The engine has endless upgrades and can fit most if not all of the newer LS. Its still a great chassis and lighter than more modern cars can be with all the regulations. It just doesn't have modern electronics. The ABS isn't great. The ESC and TC are awful and overly invasive. It doesn't have a fancy electronic adjustable diff. But yah, its still a very competent track car.

ClearWaterMS
ClearWaterMS HalfDork
10/29/24 9:46 a.m.
theruleslawyer said:
calteg said:

The FRC guys are kings of "I know what I have." 

With 20+ years to look back, it's amazing how relevant the C5 Z06 still is. A good driver with modern tires and brakes could still be very competitve on track in one 

LOL truth. I found one FRC that had been done up with all the z06 cosmetics, badges, wheels, vents, etc. It had some light body damage and the ABS unit was acting up. I thought it was an okay price for a z06 with some issues, so I contacted the dude and got the vin. Ran it and it came back as a FRC. The dude was super offended when I told him it wasn't a z06 and worth z06 money. He was probably $5-6k high for a FRC with issues. Especially ABS problems on early ABS.

The c5's can fit an amazing amount of tire. The engine has endless upgrades and can fit most if not all of the newer LS. Its still a great chassis and lighter than more modern cars can be with all the regulations. It just doesn't have modern electronics. The ABS isn't great. The ESC and TC are awful and overly invasive. It doesn't have a fancy electronic adjustable diff. But yah, its still a very competent track car.

have you considered an MK60 ABS unit for yours like Vorschlag did?  

theruleslawyer
theruleslawyer Reader
10/29/24 11:24 a.m.
ClearWaterMS said:

have you considered an MK60 ABS unit for yours like Vorschlag did?  

If the ABS dies I'll probably go that route. As of now its still functional. I am updating to the 2009+ c6 MC setup so I can stop eating seals under abs.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
10/30/24 9:15 a.m.

Found it: JG autocrossing his C5 Corvette FRC. 

I shot these on, according to the meta data, September 30, 2006. It was an NCCC autocross, and I’m 99% sure this is Green Cove Springs, Florida. We used to test there.

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