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From 951 to Corvette C5: upgrading or downgrading?

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Old 05-17-2004, 10:18 AM
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Adam Richman
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Yan, I don't know all the costs involved with making a 951 track ready vs. making my 944-S trackable but I do know what my buddy needed to do to get his C5 ready - put on some Z rated PFC brake pads from a retail store and hit the track and play around w/ the traction control on and off and see what he liked better. Sorta made me sick They are extremely competent on track IMO and unmodified, the loud pedal is extremely effective. The one complaint he has had is that the magnesium (think they are) expensive wheels that came on his do NOT like brake heat (they bubbled IIRC) so he's trying to find an extra set of dedicated track rims. As far as streetability, man, what a great car - I love all the doo-dads and bells and whistles (and I am typically not a bells and whistles type of guy - I think he can even monitor tire pressures in the car). Personally, I think these cars in the last 5 or 6 years were really quite sexy looking.
Old 05-17-2004, 10:26 AM
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karlfrevans
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Cannot speak about C5. But I did own a brand new 1989 Corvette and my 1987 951 at the same time. Both cars has low mileage so the comparison between was fair.

Basically, the Corvette left me cold and the 951 made me feel alive. The 951 was so much easier to drive fast. I sold the Corvette 8 months after I bought the 951.

But before I sold it, I raced my brother. My brother drove my Corvette and I drove the 951. We did a 20 mile an hour rolling start. The Corvette immediatley began to pull away. I passed 7,000 rpm and the rev limiter kicked in. But then I shifted to 2nd gear and the gap stablized. When I hit third gear I began gaining rapidly on the Corvette and passed it with ease.


My take away from driving both is that the 951 gets better the faster it is driven while the Corvette becomes harder to handle. I loved to look at that Corvette, but I liked driving near the limit in the 951 better.
Old 05-17-2004, 10:29 AM
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Kurt
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Good post Sam. Am I correct in summarizing it with this - at the end of the day, most of the Vette's advantages boil down to it being a newer car? Don't get me wrong, I like the C5 and this is an interesting thread - especially with base C5 prices dropping like rocks.

Questions that I still have relate to the feel and weight of it - how much heavier is a C5 and how much heavier does it feel compared to a 951?
Old 05-17-2004, 10:45 AM
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Yan
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Wow, thanks for your informative replies guys! Too bad, I'll have considerable amounts of money to put into my 951 (see https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...hreadid=134322 ). I'd start to shop and test drive C5s right now.
Old 05-18-2004, 01:43 PM
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Yan
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I'm also curious about the feeling difference when driving the C5 and the 951 (both in 100% stock form). Does the C5 feel as secure when it comes to handling? Does it feel "this" heavier? Sam?
Old 05-18-2004, 02:58 PM
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Red1
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I don't think it'd be a downgrade. It's a much newer car. The build quality isn't as good, but the C5 is the first modern (post '62) Corvette I'd own. I like the looks of 'em.
Old 05-18-2004, 03:02 PM
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Danno
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Somehow I like the C4's styling better. Expecially the rear-end where the C5 looks like it backed up into a wall at speed or somethin'. Remember that back the '80s, the 951 and C4 were neck & neck in SCCA racing. The C5 and 951S would be a comparable match with a slight-edge going to the C5. But chip a 951S and they'd be pretty close.

One thing I've found is that the C5 is much, much more stable at the limit when you're sliding than the 951... Probably due to the double-wishbone suspension compared to our struts & semi-trailing arms... which are also used on Toyota economy cars..



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