Sold the Cobra
 

Branched off from ROTW thread.

We're headed out early that morning for our vacation in Mammoth. After the flu this week, selling the Cobra, etc, I can't wait to get away. Looks like a ball though. I'm definitely planning to ride along in September wherever we go.

So then the cobra is officially gone? What did it go for?

Sad times.

I let it go for 22k. I could have probably held out and gotten 23k or maybe even 24k eventually, but it wasn't worth it. Registration is about $300 and was due next month, insurance was also due next month, it was getting close to needing an oil change, and the front brakes could probably use new pads, etc. That's almost a grand right there, and that's not taking into account payments.

Plus, the buyer worked at a dealership, so I didn't have to do anything. I didn't have to smog it, etc. It was totally painless. Combined with all the other factors, it was a relatively easy decision.

Honestly, I'm not sad at all. I know that sounds weird, but I just wasn't using it. It was an awesome car, I didn't have to do anything to it other than oil changes and just fixing the AC.

It held value like a champ too, so I got a lot of cash out of it (enough that with our existing savings, we have a solid down payment on a house in a couple years). It also drops our monthly liabilities about $450 which will be nice.

In the end with the little guy I just didn't envision myself using it that much for at least a couple years. I'd rather have the cash.

For my next fun car I want something that will be a better all around performer, not so much just a straight line car. The Cobra was fun, but it was loud, the shifter position is atrocious, it already had some creaks and rattles, and I guess I'm getting old because I want something more refined next time. I'm hoping C6 Z06's will drop to the 30k range in 2 years or so. I'd love to pick one up if they do.

Finally, the guy who bought is a really nice guy. He had a Cobra before, and someone ran a redlight and totaled it. He was very excited, it was nice to see. I remember when I was that excited 4 years ago when I got it. I just wasn't that excited anymore.

Ive seen c6s go for 20's lately...

C6Zs or "just" standard C6s? Last time I looked C6Zs (that didn't have some serious issue/suspicion) were still solidly in the 40s, but that was probably a year ago. :huh:

In the mean time pick up a miata for 3k. Most fun you can have for such little money. Plus they've pretty much bottomed out on their value and are only going up from here.

They get good mileage too. But stepping down from 450WHP is probably a little rough. OTOH, I love driving my wife's MX-5 and in a lot of places don't really miss the power that much. In canyon's and what not, hard to be for fun.

Yep, but the result of that lack of power is a better driver. You have to follow the racing line to the T to make up for it.

Or if you want more power you can just slap on a turbo that'll get you to 350 HP :sm_laughing:

I didnt say c6z, i said c6 ;)

I know, but Sean isn't interested in a C6 and specifically referred to a C6Z, hence the call for clarification.

Its a close enough comparison, drop a few grand into the engine and you essentially have a z06. Good enough for me to save 20k and not have to pay the extra insurance

Probably more than a few to get real close, the dry sump a lone is a major cost. BADDASSC6 is well beyond a stock C6Z, but he's got the receipts to show what it takes.

Sure, but we're talking in the neighborhood of power, figure a few hundred in head work, cam, and intake and you'd be knocking on ls7 power easily.

Not a chance. Almost no one has access to an engine builder like yours, nor can they do that work themselves. So that's well over $1k right there. Ported heads and bigger (still legal) cam on an LS3 could get you over 500BHP. But you wouldn't have the same torque curve (power under the curve). You wouldn't have the dry sump or other higher end engine goodies.

Chevy takes great care to differentiate the base and the Z. It would be a disaster for them if it just a matter of whacking a base with a hammer to make it equal to the Z. It just isn't. But if you're going to go bat shit crazy to make a track car, switching out bunches of stuff for Gucci versions, starting from the C6 is fine, and because it has the metal insteal of Aluminum frame, is arguably a little better for welding in a cage, etc. That's not what we're talking about here though. So yeah, get a base C6, throw a little money at it and you can have a poor man's Z while saving yourself maybe something like $10k . . . maybe. (Though people aren't disciplined and will typically spend themselves right back up into the same range.)

Sean buys stock and does standard easy stuff. For him, the C6Z is a great choice. Also the stance of the C6Z is pretty awesome.

Anyone on this board has access to my builder ;)

And Sean has access to me :D

BTW, my buddies ls3 vette put down 412rwhp from the factory with a tuner, thats far under rated if you ask me, and his could have been an oddball case. But thats how i would do it. I'm not knocking the Z in any way other than the price. And if i could afford a Z i would get rid of all my POS mustangs, but i cant so i'll do my best to get around it. Dry sump isnt a deal breaker either, cars has been racing for years without them, something tells me that it wont change either

You still won't have the quick rev and higher torque from the larger displacement combined with titanium rods. You may match hp, but you won't match peak torque or overall amount of torque under the torque curve without a large increase in displacement or going with forced induction. You will always have a handicap of more curb weight too.

Bob

All true, just the way i would go about it, 427 is still attainable with a ls3. Im not saying you'll match it 100% but it'll be pretty damn close and for quite a bit less, there is also a HUGE difference in insurance costs

Put a blower on your LS3 and call it a day. You'll have more Go than the LS7, and unless you're actually road racing where temp control is a major issue, it'll be plenty reliable, etc. But there's more to it than even engine performance, the C6Z has a different look/stance. That's why you can pick them out on the road fairly easily from the base. They have more swagger.

Why are we even discussing Sean getting a C6Z? He would drive it no faster than a regular C6. Save the money and buy a C6. He had the Cobra and still drove it slower than a Mach 1. Just saying. :rolling:

Whats the cheapest blower kit, like 4k? Thats not even in the same ballpark

It's going to be heads and shoulders above a cam and head work, and an LS7 for raw power for that matter, and still way less than a C6Z. That's my point.

Exactly why a miata is perfect :sm_laughing:

Well if we're upping the cost to a base model blower a rotating assembly is cheaper and will bring it to a 427ci, well enough to match everything but the dry sump.

Wow Sean... cobra is gone... you got good money for it, nice to see it held its value well. I always had a soft spot for the termis, wanted to have one years ago but just couldn't afford it. If I ever get rid of my rex, my next quick car will probably be a C6 ZO6, and I will probably leave it bone stock except for wheels/tires. I absolutely love those cars. I've been lucky enough to spend some time riding in one and a ZR1 and they are both complete animals and can do it all. Hell, last track day I was riding in one and the driver had the A/C on the whole time lol. Awesome.

Anyway, good luck with your house buying and raising the kid. And I thought cars were money pits :) Hope to see you around sometime.

:popcorn:

I have been looking at maybe getting one instead of the cts-v only because of cost but I really like the idea of having a 500hp sedan.

mmm i recall something else taking a sh*t in a race... haha even though you still won

in all seriousness that was an awesome car but i know that you'll find something that fits your needs but is still plenty bad ass... Your kid would do real nice in a v8 4-door :bigthumbsup:


I like your thinking

There is a lot...LOT more than just engine to set the C6Z apart from the standard C6. Aluminum frame is a big one, and obviously impossible to replicate. Second, to your point about dry sump not being a big deal? Go peruse the road racing forums on vetteforums and see how many people have blown up LS3s in left hand turns on good tires. Go ahead, ill wait.

Crazy right? You wouldnt catch me dead on a track with any vette that didnt have an LS6, or a dry sump LS3/7. Just wouldnt do it, these have not been isolated incidents. They dont all blow up, but lots do. Carlos can probably weigh in here, hes probably aware of this.

C6z is so much more than a C6 with a big engine. IMHO totally worth the extra $, but if its a deal breaker, cant beat a good C6 Z51, just might want to invest in a dry sump setup.

I think a lot of guys go with the Accusump too.

I never said it would match it car for car, but in seans case as its been pointed out, it could easily be put up to par for faaaaaarr less cash. And that extra amount isnt just vehicle cost, its alot more expensive per month for insurance. I'm just saying its how i would go about it.

And my comment about dry sump was all vehicles, not just vettes in general, plenty of fox guys dont run a dry sump, and neither do i.

Your point about saving cost and having something with near as much makes no difference performance for someone who is going to use it like Sean is also valid. Also, a dry sump is fine for most people, but once you start getting really serious, it becomes a real issue as Aaron pointed. Note: BADDASSC6 blew up is LS2, that's why it got rebuilt. I don't recall if it was directly a starvation issue, but I'm sure it didn't help.

My attitude is if you're going to be buying up in this range you should just consider what it is that you want to do, and hell if you have the money, what's the difference, get the baller version not the po boy's.

Like I said this is how i would do it. Maybe its the cheap bastard in me, or the diy gene, but i know when im shopping for a c5 i'll be passing on the z for sure.

A good compromise would be a GS with the 6 speed. At least you keep the dry sump set up, and get the widebody panels, and a removable roof to boot, if thats something that you value.

Though for my money the C6Z (used or new) Is a performance bargain at its current price, and has road presence and capablities that a standard C6 just wont meet, without a massive infusion of time and money. Could you get very, very close to it? sure, but when youre next to one at the stoplight, will you think "I could have had one of those?"
Only Sean could answer that, and if he's going to be slow, he may as well look fast. C6Z for sure :sm_laughing:

As far as passing on the C5Z, as long as youre up for a trans swap, motor work, suspension changes, etc, just start with a hard top. spend the extra 3k you save on heads. (youll still be way short of a Z though, i know, i looked into it - for the difference in purchase price you cant even come close to building a comparable car, it would have been my chosen route, but is really just not an option, sure you can build a better vette out of a hard top, but the z will always be the best starting point, and reach any given point with less $, even considering the inital investment. )

I dont agree, I know going in that I will change everything no matter what, so higher initial cost for the z is not worth it, start with a 99 FRC and get to swappin i've done the math as well, sure maybe I know more people in the industry to make it worth while but I still dont see the need.

I perhaps hadnt planned on swapping as much as you are, for instance, i didnt feel like sourcing and swapping a Z06 trans, or having to pony up for a set of heads, when a port on a set of 243s would get me where i ultimately wanted to be. there are also changes in the actual engine block of an LS6, not huge ones, but they are present nonetheless, though if youre dropping in an LS3/7 it would matter obviously

The reason I would like a Z06 are:

1) I would like to start doing some track racing. When we went K1 racing last time (you know, when I smashed Leedom both seesions) it was so much fun. I know it's not a direct comparison, but 1/4 mile just isn't that appealing anymore. Especially given the fact that the last street legal day I went to yielded 3 runs.
2) The C6 Z06 does seemingly everything well and I wouldn't be very tempted to mod it. Probably an intake and tune only.
3) The LS7 is awesome and I don't think we'll see another 427 anytime soon. Dry sump, titanium valves, revs forever. I think it's the best N/A motor built by an American car company ever.
4) I think a Z06 will hold value substantially better in the long run than a normal C6. I'm not looking to make money off owning a car (I know better), but it was sure nice that after 4 years the Cobra was still worth so much. I guarantee you a Mustang GT would have depreciated A LOT more.

Im not replacing heads either, valves and valve spring changes are the only thing i would touch, so for around $400 i'd have very well ported heads that flow 300cfm and handle all the lift i need. The transmission in the z wouldnt be a comfortable point anyhow, it would come out and be cryo treated, tumbled and deburred. Suspension would likely need to be changed since lets face it, a 99 is an old car and whether its been driven or low miles means its been sitting, which isnt good for seals when you suddenly start to push the car, or its been driven hard, either way its time to go and a good time to upgrade.

Well, everyone is right in this thread as we have different preferences and methods, that's all. Group hug.

Overall, I'd be exactly the same as Sean now. I've done the major . . major mod of a car and it's fun, but takes a crazy amount of time and effort, which I just don't have at all anymore. That is, for a car I intended to drive regularly and use at least some for regular transportation. I'll always have hot and cold spells with project cars probably.