2014 Corvette Spy Photos
2014 Corvette Spy Photos
Jalopnik's Acquired Spy Photos of the 2014 Corvette C7
Back in early December we showed you the mock-ups done by the guys at Jalopnik of what they claimed was the C7 Corvette prototype, and it looks like they were pretty close. The lines along the roof and a-pillar, as well as the flairs around the rear wheels all seem dead on. The front lines--particularly those on and around the hood--look a little different, and thankfully they 2014 Corvette looks to be retaining the classic round tail-lights, unlike the Camaro inspired taillights on their mock-up. All in all, from what I can tell in these photos, the car looks to be a gorgeous one. The long and sleek lines are reminiscent of the European super cars without sacrificing the classic Corvette styling. Of course, we're still two years out so this model may see changes, and the camo disguise blanketing the car definitely make telling exactly how the finished product will look a difficult tak. Either way, Corvette spy photos are the holy grail of automotive spy shots, and these are some great ones:
Chevrolet Announces 2013 Corvette 427
Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible Collector's Edition
Chevrolet is unveiling a special edition 427 Corvette Convertible Collector Edition vehicle to celebrate the vehicle's 60th Anniversary
The C6 Corvette will soon see its hallowed production run come to an end, but not without a little excitement and fanfare first. 2013 will see Chevrolet release two special Collector's Edition Corvette models as a means of celebrating both the 60th year of production for the trademark vehicle, and also the final year of the C6. The first of these special editions will be the 60th Anniversary Corvette, but it's the second that's more exciting: the 427 Convertible, which will be the fastest Convertible Corvette ever produced.
"The 2013 model year will be historic for Corvette, marking its 60th Anniversary and the final year for the current ‘C6’ generation," said Chris Perry, who is the acting vice president of Global Marketing and Strategy for Chevrolet. Perry then continued, "We couldn’t think of a more fitting way to celebrate these milestones than bringing back one of the most-coveted combinations in the brand’s history – the Corvette convertible and a 427 cubic-inch engine."
60 Years of Automotive History - The 2013 427 Corvette Convertible celebrates everything the Corvette has achieved over the last 60 years.
That's right, those math proficient readers out there, 427 means 7.0L. That means that in 2013 we'll see a Corvette Convertible outfitted with the 7.0L LS7 Corvette Z06 engine rated at 505HP and 470 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine, in conjunction with other cues taken from the Z06 and Corvette ZR1 will combine to make the 427 Convertible the quickest and most impressive Corvette convertible ever produced.
The LS7 power plant at the heart of the new 427 Convertible isn't the only thing to set this special edition Corvette apart, either. The 427 Corvette Convertible--which, like the Z06 will only be available in six-speed manual transmission--features a number of other components to help make it a true performance masterpiece. The 427 Convertible utilizes the driveline and rear-axle from the Z06 Corvette for a more optimized driving experience than the base C6 Convertible. In addition to this Z06 driveline, the 427 Convertible will also utilize a rear-mounted battery as the Z06 does for improved weight distribution, as well as Chevrolet's highly respected Magnetic Selective Ride Control Suspension--a system that's rather revolutionary in its construction and function. The 19 and 20 inch front and rear offset wheels will be of the lightweight, machine-face Cup variety seen on the PDE Performance packages of the 2012 Z06 and ZR1, and will wrapped in the much lauded Michelin PS2 Tires of Corvette ZR1 fame.
The 427 Corvette is the fastest Convertible Corvette ever produced, and rivals the world's fastest convertibles in every facet.
To better improve performance, and offset the added weight of the Convertible, the 427 Corvette Convertible will also feature a great deal of carbon fiber. Each piece is dry carbon fiber that's vacuum formed, just as Chevrolet has utilized on the Z06 Carbon special edition and ZR1. Up front, the "CFZ" Carbon Fiber front splitter is optional, and the 2011 Z06 Carbon raised Carbon Fiber hood is standard. The side-skirt/rocker panels, also of the "CFZ" Carbon Fiber variety, are optional down the side, but the special edition Carbon Fiber Z06-Style fenders and Carbon Fiber floor panels are standard on the vehicle. With all optional equipment, this special edition 427 will certainly save a great deal of unnecessary weight, and feature a much improved--and very performance minded--boost to aerodynamics, and drag and downforce numbers.
In fact, fully outfitted, the final curb weight of the 2013 427 Corvette Convertible will be 3,355 pounds. This curb weight, when coupled with the 505 HP LS7 Engine underneath the raised carbon fiber Corvette hood, will result in a power to weight ratio of 6.64. This ratio--which is ultimately the most important stat in considering performance potential, since it utilizes raw HP numbers and also accounts for vehicle weight--puts the 427 Corvette Convertible above such other super cars as the: Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet (6.90 p:w ratio), Audi R8 RSI Spyder (7.58), and Ferrari California Convertible (8.31), among many many other road-shredding convertible monsters.
Once you've seen this vehicle in all of its beauty and understand everything that it's capable of, it's easy to see how this car is truly the product of 60 years of Corvette progress.
The expectations for performance from this vehicle are amazing, too. The official 0-60 numbers are expected to clock in sub 3.9 seconds, with a top speed in excess of 190mph and expected quarter-mile time below 12 seconds. All of this combines to make the 427 among the world's fastest convertibles, in any automotive price class or category.
Like other Corvettes, various amenities will be available for the 427 Corvette based on the trim line selected. The 427 will be available in 2LT, 3LT, and 4LT configurations--and price will be adjusted accordingly, you can rest assured. Each 427 Convertible Corvette will also be marked with a unique VIN number sequence to verify its place as a true collectible automobile, now and in to the future, just as the ZR1 Corvettes are.
And if you want to make your 427 Convertible a truly unique collectible, you can elect to order it in the special edition 60th Anniversary Package trim. This package will actually be available on all Corvettes produced in 2013, and will feature Arctic White exterior with a Blue Diamond leather-wrapped interior with suede accents (the Convertible Corvettes purchased with this package will also be outfitted with matching blue convertible tops).
In addition to the custom paint job and interior, the 60th Anniversary Package will feature a few other goodies. Chief amongst them is the much envied ZR1 style rear spoiler. In addition to this spoiler, the 60th Anniversary package will also feature: special 60th Anniversary Corvette badging, gray-painted brake calipers, and the “60th” Anniversary Corvette logo emblazoned on the wheel center caps, and embroidered on the steering wheel and seat headrests. An optional blue striping package will be available for this who wish to have it, and will be identifiable by the full-length Pearl Silver Blue racing stripes, and (this is the real exciting one, I think), tonally-matching stripes stitched in to the Corvette Convertible top that extend the racing stripe graphic over the top of the Convertible as well. A custom stitched, racing stripe top on a 427 Corvette--how cool does that sound?
Of course, to mark the Anniversary and celebrate the life of the beloved C6, all 2013 Corvettes will feature 60th Anniversary badges on the fascias and the “waterfall” panel on convertible models, as well as 60th logos in the instrument panel gauge cluster and on the door sill plates. If you want one of these special 60th Anniversary Edition 427 Corvette Convertibles, be sure to attend the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction, where Chevrolet will auction off the very first one produced (with much sought-after matching VIN number) and will donate the proceeds of to AARP's Drive to End Hunger. That's right, you can buy yourself the coolest Corvette to hit the road and help out those in need at the same! If this sounds like something you might be interested in, be sure to check out the January 21st auction.
(Click the gallery images below for full, background-sized Corvette images)
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- 60 Years of Automotive History – The 2013 427 Corvette Convertible celebrates everything the Corvette has achieved over the last 60 years.
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- The 427 Corvette is the fastest Convertible Corvette ever produced, and rivals the world’s fastest convertibles in every facet.
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- Once you’ve seen this vehicle in all of its beauty and understand everything that it’s capable of, it’s easy to see how this car is truly the product of 60 years of Corvette progress.
2012 Corvette Has Two New Catalytic Converters
2012 C6 Corvette Sports Four Cats Instead of Two
EPA Requirements force Chevrolet to add a second set of catalytic converters to the mid-pipes of the 2012 Corvette
If you were to look under the new 2012 Corvette you might be a little surprised at the exhaust design. The C6 Corvette has, since its release, featured two large catalytic converters on the down-pipes, but in 2012 that had to change due to the increasing stringency of EPA regulations. This has resulted in the installation of a second set of catalytic converters on the stock exhaust's mid-pipe.
Here you can see the new set of cats installed on the 2012 Corvette.
Thankfully, for us Corvette fanatics, these extra environmental helping catalytic converters will not result in a decrease in engine power output, and no drops in HP or Torque numbers will be seen. The extra weight of the cats will be minimal, also, and there shouldn't be any reason to expect the 2012 Corvette's performance to drop down from 2011 at all. Less thankfully, this does mean that aftermarket exhaust systems that were functional for the 2011 may not be functional on the 2012--at least, not road legally.
However, not thankfully, this exhaust change has resulted in some issues in aftermarket exhaust fitment. Already Akrapovic, who are one of the world's leading and finest exhaust system manufacturers, has stated that their cat-back systems for the C6 will not install on the 2012 Corvette, and that their axle-back systems, known as the slip-on system style, has issues with fitment as well. Thankfully, being the consummate professionals that they are, Akrapovic is producing a solution to this issue. However, this news also means that similar catbacks from other companies may have fitment issues on the 2012 Corvette.
The change in pipe lengths which were necessary to accomodate the new set of catalytic converters on the 2012 Corvette has resulted in fitment issues with aftermarket exhaust systems designed for older C6 Corvette models.
So, be aware of the changes to the Corvette stock exhaust between the 2011 and 2012 models and be sure to check with the manufacturer or your retailer when purchasing an exhaust for your Corvette.
GM Produces 100-Millionth Small Block
GM Produces 100-Millionth Small Block Engine
A ZR1 LS9 Engine just produced by Chevrolet was the 100-Millionth manufactured by the company.
In the past 56 years, since Chevrolet began producing small block engines, the bowtie emblazoned automotive company and the small block engine has been synonymous with one another. In that time, every iconic car produced by Chevrolet has been known and linked to their famous small-block engine design in some manner. Most recently, the fifth generation Camaro has become a small block powered icon on both road and track, much like it's LS small block powered big brother, the Corvette.
The sheer number there--100,000,000 for those who like lots of zeroes--really highlights the durability, reputation, and potential of the small block and speaks to the iconic nature of the GM engine. It is fitting then to also consider that the first small block, introduced in 1955, was built for the first generation Corvette and the 100-millionth produced was a hand-crafted work of art LS9 made specifically for the sixth generation Corvette's special edition ZR1--the fastest Corvette ever produced.
Of course, the transition from the first small block to the modern pinnacle LS9 is a long one, filled with numerous exciting and memorable engines. In 1992 Chevrolet first introduced its second-generation Small Block, known as the LT1, in to its Corvette. This engine became an absolute staple on tracks across the globe, and adorned various vehicles from that Corvette, to the F-Body Camaro and Firebird, and the B-Body Impala SS and Caprice Police car. The LT1, which featured a newly developed reverse cooling, is still being used in races all across the globe today.
Following the second generation, Chevrolet then introduced their first LS Engine in 1997. This third generation small block, which was first placed in the C5 Corvette, was an even greater step forward. The LS engines are all-aluminum small blocks, and the first of them, the LS1, was rated a naturally aspirated 350HP and 365 lb ft of torque--numbers that, today, are still incredibly impressive for a naturally aspirated 5.7L engine. The LS engine was then featured, in some form, in numerous different vehicles and even had a more powerful, LS6 version introduced in the C5 Z06 Corvette in 2001. This LS6 featured the same 5.7L displacement as its LS1 brethren, but put out a stomach churning 405HP and 400 lb ft of torque.
Those numbers were fairly mind-shattering for a naturally aspirated engine of the LS6's size and weight, at least, until 2005 when the first of the fourth generation small block was released. In 2005 the Corvette went from its fifth generation vehicle to the now current sixth generation, and with the change in body also came the biggest change: the introduction of the Chevrolet LS2. The LS2 was almost identical to the LS6 engine in performance and displacement, but also featured a much more even Torque curve through-out the RPM range, and had the potential to be modified for incredible gains. It was from this base LS2 that the LS7--the now revered 505HP and 470 lb ft torque monster--was produced and introduced to the 2006 Corvette. Just one year after the update of the small block, this engine seemed to be where everything was building, and the Z06 became the undeniable greatest performance bang for the buck on the globe. Within the year, there were Z06's running against quarter-million dollar European exotics on racetracks all across the globe, and each one came with the distinctive sound and tone that only a Chevrolet small block V8 can deliver through the exhaust.
Of course, Chevrolet wasn't finished there (thankfully, they're dedicated to the production of envelope-pushing performance machines) and we saw such engines as the 430HP LS3 (now outfitting the base-level C6 Corvette and the Chevrolet Camaro SS), the LSA (a 556HP Supercharged monster that can be found in the world's fastest production sedan, the Cadillac CTS-V and will also hit the streets in the body of the new super-Camaro ZL1 this year), and the engine that would be made as number 100,000,000--the LS9.
The LS9 is an absolute marvel worth talking about as well, especially considering that everything before it brought us to this point. The LS9, which can only be found in the top of the line Corvette ZR1, produces an amazing supercharged 6.2L engine based on the LS3 block and putting out a ferocious 638bhp and 604 lb ft of torque. Those numbers, in combination with the Corvette's lightweight body and wide, aggressive stance, have produced a vehicle that runs track times that best it's $250,000+ competitors. Today, the ZR1 is the undeniable greatest bargain on wheels that exists for the performance minded consumer, and, as such, is the only engine fitting to be given the designation as number 100,000,000 of its kind.
Of course, Chevrolet's not stopping at 100,000,000 and the future of the small block engine holds a great deal of excitement. Already, official reports have come out that Chevrolet is updating their engine for the seventh-generation of their Corvette, and we may see the introduction of such features as direct injection and an upgraded combustion chamber design, as well as the improved performance and efficiency numbers to match. GM enthusiasts should expect to see the next small block engine first hit the streets in the C7 Corvette, scheduled for release some time in 2014.
Corvette Caliper Covers
Just came across a very cool product that I wanted to share.
Made from aircraft grade aluminum (not sure what classifies something as being aircraft grade, but, it sounds fancy) these MGP caliper covers look great and apparently are very functional. When I first saw the product listing, I didn't believe in the claims of functionality. They're caliper covers, and I just always assumed that caliper covers were purely a cosmetic upgrade.
However, the heat reductive properties of Aluminum, as well as the heat channels formed by the placement of the caliper cover, actually result in lower brake surface temperatures (of 20-50 degrees! a huge jump). Lower temperatures means lessened brake fade and increased performance and explains, ultimately, why even the most expensive big brake kits utilize similar covers.
Of course, the actual benefits don't stop there, either. Corvette Caliper covers are great for shielding brake dust and keeping that annoying stuff off of my alloy wheels. That helps to keep the wheels looking great-- a plus considering that caliper covers highlight the wheels even further.
Of course, some people go for the same look by painting their calipers. This is definitely an option, but, one that will cost an equivalent amount to caliper covers, and be less removable if you wanted to return the brakes to stock down the road. Also, painted calipers wont offer the same brake heat dispersion or dust blocking benefits of covers. I used to paint the calipers on my older vehicles, but, with these aluminum covers now being available, I can't ever see myself going that direction again.
Ultimately, these are affordable, effective, and great looking modification pieces. I was really happy to get them and, even though the install took a little longer than advertised, was happy to install them. Coupling them with my DBA rotors, and Hawk HPP+ pads, I'm pretty certain my brakes are performing at a level comparable to a $6000 big brake kit for just a fraction of the price.
C7 to have 7 Speed Manual – The Stick-Shift is not Dead Yet
A few weeks ago, Chevrolet announced that they expected more than half of their new Camaro ZL1's sold to be automatic. This followed the news that over 70% (a truly vast majority) of Camaro SS's sold were automatic. This news caused my friend who writes my brother blog, CamaroNewsBlog to declare the death of the manual as imminent (Click here for the CamaroNewsBlog article). While I do understand his worry, I tend to disagree, and it seems so does Chevrolet. This past week a person familiar with the development of the C7 Corvette stated that not only is the manual still alive and well in the Corvette world, it will also be offered in a 7-Speed version come 2014.
This news follows close on the heels of Porsche moving to a 7-Speed manual in their 911, and with good reason. The tigher CAFE standards require automakers to get extra MPG numbers wherever they can, and a 7-speed manual will allow for that by providing more ideal highway cruising transmission conditions. Of course, while that's the tame excuse for the 7-speed, it's not what gets me excited. If moving to a 7-Speed were a performance inhibitor you can rest assured that neither the Corvette team, nor their brilliant German-peers at Porsche, would go that way. Instead, I believe that a 7-speed can offer even greater performance for a more skilled driver.
While shift times can cause seconds of time loss on an inexperienced driver, for a true experienced race-enthusiast there is no such thing. A talented driver can shift in ways--through throttle and clutch control--that actually beat out the performance of the finest automatic transmissions on Earth. By adding in an extra gear, also, Chevrolet will allow themselves some room in the tuning department to really play with transmission ratios. An extra gear will allow for shorter low-end gears, and, thus, the capability for a much quicker, high-torque, blast-off. In conjunction with this, the use of two overdrive gears (as GM currently uses on their Z06 and ZR1 transmissions) allow for more top-end HP-based speed numbers. What this will amount to will be quicker take-offs for the experienced Corvette driver on a proper course, and much higher speed numbers through the straight-aways.
Of course, there's a downside to the 7-speed also: difficulty. A 7-speed transmission, especially with shorter lower gears, will be tougher on a less experienced driver and will curb the sales of the manual Corvette further. The average commuter will almost certainly continue trend the way of the Automatic transmission when an extra gear is thrown in to the equation, but, the Corvette also seems fairly free from these concerns. The beauty of the 'Vette comes in the appreciation of it as both a driving vehicle and a performance vehicle that all of its consumers (both the imagined 50+ standard, and the elusive mid-30's young professional 'Vette enthusiast like myself who would rather drive an American rocket on wheels than a German luxury sedan), a consumer base that will almost certainly continue to covet the manual for its enjoyment and feel. People who drive Corvettes want to feel their driving experience and for that their is absolutely no substitute from the manual. Give me a 5, 6, or 7 speed over an automatic any day of the week.
C7 Corvette Manual 7-Speed Transmission - Photo courtesy Edmunds Inside Line
Youtube Greatness Unearthed (again)
I'm sure many of you frequent the virtual domiciles that many of us have come to love known as the forums, but I found this video at Corvette Blogger, and decided it put such a smile on my face it was worth a look-see for the masses as well. This video circulated the forums for a while and was appreciated for what it was, and still should be quite a treat for those who have never seen it.
There is a certain unadulterated draw to loud fast cars that some of us possess much in the same way that a 4 year old possesses excitement for Christmas around the month of December. Seeing how we are adults, we don't have to wait 11 months for the excitement to build, we can usually go out and find what we desire with a fair amount of ease, but then—once in a blue moon, the excitement falls into our laps. The lucky duo in this video happens to be behind a ZR1, with the claimed addition of Kooks headers and a Bassani exhaust in the description. The lucky pair seems to spark a bit of showmanship from the driver of the ZR1.
DISCLAIMER: TURN IT UP. Somewhere around the 0:35 second mark, if there are any small children in the room, they might be asked to leave if noise is a concern, also there is some coarse language at the end of the video that basically sums up what you were thinking anyway, but might not be suitable for all audiences. Enjoy.
We know. Utterly ridiculous, but at the same time, isn't there a $&!% eating grin on your face? It's hard not to after not only hearing the ZR1 and its LS9 completely stomp some pavement out, but the amateur director's reaction is pretty priceless too (and he wasn't even in the car!). We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. This is the original posters comments about the video:
I was driving behind this Corvette Zr1, with Bassani and kooks headers, through my city in Michigan. After a couple miles, the driver must have noticed us filming his car because, he then floors the loud peddle and launches, full throttle down a hill, moving at some incredible speeds. This is the most amazing noise I have ever heard, the loudest Corvette I have ever heard, and also one of the most amazing/ beautiful cars I have ever seen. And yes, I scream out of shock when the car accelerates, its kind of funny but its pretty much a fail!
Lingenfelter 2006-2011 Z06 Corvette
For those of us with a heartbeat and even a vague interest in anything Chevy, Lingenfelter has become known as somewhat of an icon in the Corvette world. So, it should come as no surprise that Lingenfelter has come around once again to throw down some serious power down from the Z06, lest anyone forget the powerhouse that emanates from Decatur, Indiana. In their impressive lineup of ridiculously powerful, yet completely street drivable cars, the single staple that we can always count on from Lingenfelter is the Corvette. Coming 
from a company who was founded on the blazing speed and power that came from their original Lingenfelter Corvette, nothing should be discounted on their new endeavors. After all, this is the same company founded by the guy whose 2001 Corvette managed a 1.97 second 0-60mph. Most people on planet earth haven't had the opportunity to accelerate that fast.
The package Lingenfelter Performance Engineering -or simply LPE- put together for the C6 Z06 is a complete teardown and rebuild of the LS7. This means you drop your beauty off (where it will initially be dyno'd for the "before" numbers), to be massaged and reconstructed at the loving hands of the team in Indiana; then pick your beauty back up, with a new snarling beast under the hood. The fellows at LPE first pull your engine, and disassemble it to CNC port and polish your cylinder heads for a better flow, optimized for components soon to be listed. After the porting and polishing, the LS7 gets a multi-angle valve job, and resurfaced for a slight bump up to 11.5:1 compression. Then things begin to get reassembled and prepped to be ready to rock on with some brand new components. Ferrea high performance dual valve springs are chosen, along with titanium retainers and valve locks. A Lingenfelter Z06 GT19 camshaft is implemented, crafted by none other than Competition Cams. To feed the beast, Lingenfelter has designed a high flow induction system coupled with a LPE 4" ID mass air flow sensor. All of this flows into a port-matched LS7 intake manifold controlled by a ported and polished LS7 throttle body. Mating everything together are official GM head gaskets and head bolts. To keep everything running smoothly and coolly- is a 160 degree thermostat. This whole beauty gets assembled by a LPE tech in house, and then tested and tuned. This means, not only is the whole package placed back into your beauty, but then it gets tuned, and tested to perfection by the hands that crafted it, and know it best- inside and out, literally. This team of engineers wrestles- gently but firmly- with your newly tempered beast, to extract somewhere in the neighborhood of 630bhp, and 570 pound feet of American muscle.
This build by the best, comes with a three year/36,000 mile warranty, and a certificate of authenticity. The whole package comes in at $10,146, and overall for the level of work, and the power it outputs is a pretty great deal. The team at Lingenfelter has become 
renowned for maintaining and incredible level of drivability on their builds, while being able to muscle up at the right moment and output tremendous amounts of power. The highway mileage for the Z06 remains the same as it was the day it left Bowling Green, but puts out another 120 hp. Granted, their test car had long tube headers on it by American Racing, which if you're truly looking at putting out this kind of power; it would be silly not to implement the use of long tube headers. The turnaround time for the entire installation is 3-4 weeks with prior notice to LPE.
If you would like more information on the Z06 package by Lingenfelter, give them a ring at 260.724.2552. The crew over at Automobile Magazine also had the chance to drive one of the Z06's LPE has put together and matched it up against a Dodge Viper SRT-10, if you would like to read the article check it out here.
DBA Rotors for the Corvette
Premiere performance for an automobile means that the vehicle needs premiere braking power. There are a few ways of going about this, but none of them are as affordable and guaranteed as replacing the rotors on the vehicle. An entire big brake package, like the ones that companies such as Brembo and Wilwood offer for the Corvette, is the absolute top-notch way to go, but those systems can run $5k and up for front and back. If you want to improve stopping power in an affordable way, replacing your stock brake components with higher performance aftermarket ones can do just that for you, and that's exactly what I did on my C6 Z06.
I recently came to realize that my rotors were worn down pretty well. Changing them would become pertinent in the next 4-5k miles or so, so I decided not to flirt with any trouble and take care of it right away. I did my research and decided upon going with DBA rotors for my Corvette, but had some choices to make from there. I picked DBA because the reviews I'd read on their products were consistently fantastic. The company, in the last few years, has built a great reputation for itself based on the incredible performance of its rotors and their affordability as well. Many Police forces, whose braking needs can often times be more intense than even a track-racer, have begun using DBA rotors for their entire vehicle pools, and with good reason. DBA has been praised for performance, price, and durability, and all of those things are the sorts of features I want on my Z06 Vette.
So, with that decision out of the way it became time to decide upon which series rotors to purchase for my Vette. DBA offers, amongst their higher performance lines, 4000 and 5000 series rotors. These two series of rotors share a lot of fantastic features with one another, among them being: Thermo-Stability Profiling, Thermo-Graphic Paint Markings for heat monitoring, and DBA's own fantastic Kangaroo Paw ventilation systems. Each of these features helps guarantee your DBA rotor's performance, and provides numerous performance benefits.
The Thermo-Stability profiling is one of the most overlooked features of these rotors. This process, which is unique to DBA, allows for greater thermal stability than standard block street rotors. TSP is a process by which, ultimately, the metals used for the rotors are treated on a microstructural level to be more resistant to heat, and more willing to disperse it outwards. By profiling their rotors in this way, DBA rotors offer race-car like heat dispersion performance without the durability loss that is often times associated with high-end rotors. TSP means less fading under extreme conditions, more stability under heavy braking, and increased durability and rotor-life. This feature alone has made DBA rotors a favorite for police forces everywhere, and has proved time and time again to raise them above the competition.
Of course, TSP alone isn't enough for DBA. They've also fitted all of their rotors with Thermo-graphic paint and Kangaroo paw ventilation. The Thermo-Graphic paint markings are both cool looking and incredibly useful. Thermo-Graphic paint is a form of pigmentation that will change color based on temperature. By utilizing this paint on rotors, DBA has created a system that's visual and quick and easy to check on the performance of your rotors. By monitoring your Thermo-Graphic markings, a driver is able to easily tell under what temperature his brakes are running, and tell, as hotter means less performance, just how well they're handling the driving stress said driver is putting them under. Three different markings provide a steady progression of performance monitoring on DBA rotors.
The Kangaroo Paw ventilation system that DBA utilizes is a brilliant means of heat dispersion. Normal rotors provide their heat dispersion through a vane system, which utilizes thin open slits moving outwards from the center of the rotor for hot air to disperse, in much the same way that cooling ducts work in a large building. The problem with a vane system though, while easily made and affordable for the companies, is it minimizes the amount of heat dispersion space available. For structural integrity, vane systems must run smaller open areas than closed to ensure that the rotor remains stable and durable. DBA was able to solve this problem by utilizing smaller portions of closed areas, whose shape is inspired by the shape of kangaroo paws, to allow for more open space for heat ventilation on their brake rotors. This Kangaroo Paw system provides vastly improved ventilation (performance stopping gains of over 20% over vane system rotors) by offering more open space, but doesn't result in decreased stability. In fact, because of the nature of the kangaroo paw shape and the ability to spread it out across the rotor, the structural integrity of these rotors is improved over their standard vane counterparts.
All of these factors resulted in DBA rotors being an easy choice. It then came down to whether the 5000 series, which feature Alumalite materials and a two-piece construction, were worth the extra money over their 4000 counterparts. The "Alumalite" material difference doesn't seem huge to me, quiet honestly. Cast Iron functions just fine for rotors because of its strength, but, it does make sense that by combining the various benefits of the Alumalite aircraft-grade aluminum with the strength and durability of cast-iron that the rotor itself would be more able to expand differently based on different operating heats, and ultimately, have less of a chance of warping. That's where the two-piece construction came in, also. Two-piece construction allows for torque and pressure applied to the rotors in extreme stopping conditions to be spread out more evenly amongst both pieces of the rotors, and ultimately for the rotor to accept this torsion better for greater durability and control. With this in mind, and based on reviews I'd read elsewhere, I ultimately decided on 5000 Series rotors for the front (where high intensity stopping tends to be more demanding on the rotors) and 4000 Series rotors for the rear.
Of course, with purchases like that, there are always more things to decide upon. The last decision that I had to make for my upgraded rotors was whether to go with Slotted or Slotted and Drilled rotors. The slotted and drilled combination set are more expensive, and this is because of their increased stopping power. The combination of a cross-drilling and slotted set-up means much greater heat dispersion, and as result, improved stopping power. When doing research online, however, it became apparent that cross-drilling can result in decreased structural integrity on brake rotors, and many people had complained that their rotors, when used under very extreme conditions, had developed splits and cracks at the drilling points. These complaints were few and far between with DBA brakes, thanks in large part to the two-piece construction of the 5000 Series as well as the increased integrity and ventilation provided by the DBA Kangaroo Paw ventilation system. However, they did exist in some places, and resulted in my decision, ultimately to install slotted rotors on front and back and avoid the potential problems of the cross-drilled rotors resulting in a rotor break down the road. That being said, slotted rotors are nothing to sneeze at.
Standard rotors are block, or solid, rotors in design. What this means is that the rotor face that the pads meet is made of a solid, flat, construction. These brakes, while durable and affordable (and, for these reasons the factory standard on almost all cars that are sold) have a number of downsides. The solid construction equates to increased pad wear, as there's more point of contact for the pads to rub against during stopping. In some ways, you would think that this solid construction would result in greater stopping force, but it's actually the opposite of that, as counter-intuitive as that may seem. The slots in slotted rotors allow for heat to more easily disperse from the rotors during braking, and, ultimately, heat is the name of the game when it comes to brake performance. Thus, the slotted rotors, while slightly less abrasive on pads, are still able to stop much better because of their heat dispersion, and their ability still, because of their well-crafted materials, to grab more efficiently. Ultimately, too, increased heat dispersion means cooler rotors means cooler pads under braking, and thus, even greater pad life. Thus, the benefits of moving from a standard rotor to a slotted one is two-fold, as it increases durability for other major components of the braking system as well as increasing your vehicle's ability to stop quickly and forcefully in intense driving conditions.
Thus, with all of this in mind, I picked up 5000 and 4000 series slotted rotors for my Z06. Knowing too that for optimized performance new pads should be put on with new rotors so that the two may break in with one another, I ordered a set of Hawk HPP+ pads. I considered the ceramics, because of their decreased brake dust, but ultimately the compound materials used in the Hawk HPP+ pads lead me towards purchasing those. I can deal with brake dust (and as often as I clean my Z06, I know it can't be too big of a problem), and the increased performance offered by the stronger grab and greater efficiency of the HPP+ pads were too much for me to pass up. Also, admittedly, the price difference between the HPP+ and the Ceramic pads played a factor in my decision. The Ceramics are over $100 more and don't offer enough of an appreciable performance gain over their Ferro-Carbon compound counterparts.
It only took a couple weeks to receive everything, and my friends over at SouthernCarParts.com (who I'm always happy to give a shout-out to) took care of me to make sure I received exactly what I needed in the most timely manner possible. After the wait, once my products arrived, I took them to a shop to have them installed. Normally I do install my stuff myself, but when it comes to properly bedding-in pads against new rotors, I wanted to leave that up to a professional. The most surprising thing about this trip to the mechanic though wasn't the cost of the install (it wasn't really that high, it just felt high compared to my usual $0 cost of install) was the response that I received from the guys at the shop. The comments concerning the quality and coolness of my DBA rotors was definitely a bit of an ego boost when I arrived. I'm fairly certain they expected me, when pulling up to have brake work done, to be going with stock replacement parts and that they were surprised when presented with quality aftermarket performance parts. The response on the two-piece 5000 Series front rotors was especially positive.
So, after having them installed, I was excited to see what these new brakes of mine could do on the road. It's hard to measure braking performance changes without actually taking it to a track and measuring it, and I didn't have an opportunity to do this, but it seemed pretty obvious on the road that these new brakes offered me a lot more stopping power. I can't wait to get my Z06 out on to a track and see just what I can do with the extra confidence that improved brakes give me, allowing me to go faster with the knowledge that I can slow down more quickly. I'm extremely happy with my DBA rotors and the Hawk pads that I coupled them with and know that if you're looking to do an upgrade yourself, these are exactly what I would recommend, 100%. Great brakes at a great value.
Here's a cool video from DBA (Australian accent and all) explaining their 4000 and 5000 series rotors. Check it out:
Corvette Z06 and ZR1 Billy Boat PRT Exhaust System
Billy Boat Performance Exhausts, who have been making industry-leading, high-quality exhausts for some time now, have put their know-how to work on the C6 Z06 and ZR1 again, and they've created something brilliant and fantastic. The newest exhaust line from their R&D team is their PRT Exhaust--PRT stands for Purge-Resonance Technology. The PRT systems are designed and manufactured to ensure that at normal cruising speeds there is no cabin drone within the vehicle, but that once opened up in to the higher-RPM ranges the vehicle itself has the powerful, throaty, and classic muscle tone that people want and expect from a Chevy small-block V8.
Of course, the success of Billy Boat exhaust systems is nothing new. From their renowned Bullet exhaust systems (known for their loud, powerful, and aggressive tones) to their even more well-respected Fusion systems (which took the best aspects of the bi-modal stock exhaust, made those their own, and improved the tone), Billy Boat has been impressing the Corvette crowd for some time. For this reason, and the prior success of their other PRT systems, I was happy to see B&B produce this PRT exhaust for Z06 and ZR1 Corvettes. It seems like a potentially great match.
Of course, the exhaust isn't without its questions. The first, and most obvious of these, is why buy a non-bi-modal aftermarket exhaust? Chevrolet has done great work designing and producing their Bi-Modal exhaust systems, and they've gained a lot of press and praise for good reasons, so it seems a little counter-intuitive to remove that b-modal functionality when you upgrade. Of course, the bi-modal exhaust doesn't work for everybody, does it? I've heard many times from people who don't like the very abrupt change in tone up the RPM range. Also, by keeping the tips closed, the bi-modal restricts air flow at lower RPMs and ultimately restricts HP at start off. The difference is small, of course, in HP and Torque, but it does exist, so if you're trying to squeeze the most ponies out of your Chevy, it's not necessarily a good thing. The second question would then be: if you're eliminating the bi-modal, how do you keep the vehicle drone-free? This is an area where the PRT system works wonderfully.
Specially designed and acoustically tuned (in much the same way the new, well-reviewed Borla ATAK exhaust systems are), the PRT mufflers are designed to specifically minimize cabin drone by focusing on the tonal range of the Corvette. This then allows for the system to maximize external volume and tone, and to offer a clean, powerful, pure, and throaty exhaust noise that doesn't come coupled with insane interior exhaust drone. This rare combination of exterior sound and interior comfort has become the exhaust system holy grail that most exhaust manufacturers have found themselves looking to achieve, and few have done so as well as Billy Boat has. That combination, too, is what makes their PRT exhaust systems so special.
So, what does a PRT exhaust ultimately mean for your vehicle? For one, it's improved quality. The stock exhausts aren't, necessarily, poorly made. They're just not as well constructed as after-market exhaust systems tend to be. GM uses cheaper stainless steel materials for production to save on their bottom line, and, when you view the stock exhaust next to much any other exhaust system this is incredibly obvious--and especially obvious when viewed next to the quality that Billy Boat provides with their 304 Stainless Steel, Mandrel Bent exhaust system for the C6. The Billy Boat PRT system also results in impressive weight reduction. Various parts associated with a bi-modal exhaust become unnecessary when moving away from it, and the Billy Boat system is designed more efficiently than the stock mufflers, which results in a lighter exhaust system.
The best aspect of the PRT exhaust definitely comes in the tone. I had the luxury of hearing one, because I've got a good friend over at B&B, recently, and I was amazed at the tone. At lower RPM's it was about as quiet as the stock Bi-Modal exhaust, although the tone was undeniably deeper. When my friend accelerated through the RPM range, the tone became incredible. It picked up quickly and assuredly, and had this fantasticly deep rumble. The rumble, not even up in to the 6000rpm range, never became a raspy or whiney note either. It maintained a brilliant middle-ground in tone, keeping it away from the dirtiness of a Magnaflow type exhaust on one end of the spectrum, while also keeping it shy from the high whistle that a lot of the new Formula-1 inspired exhausts are striving for. Instead, it had a powerful, deep, and throaty crescendo through the RPM range that's exactly how American muscle should sound. Inside the vehicle, too, we were able to turn off the radio and hear no drone at all at cruising speeds. The exhaust is still audible, of course, but there's none of that deafening exhaust drone that blocks out your radio, your conversation, or your own train of thought, and that's nice. As we accelerated, too, the exhaust became increasingly more audible, but maintained a fantastic interior tone that still allowed us to speak (or, in my case, laugh with giddy delight at the tone--it's amazing how a car, more specifically THE car, can always make me feel like an excited child. Gotta love the Corvette).
In all, I must say that I'm excited to see Billy Boat release their PRT system for the Z06 and ZR1. Is it for everyone? No, it's not, and the Billy Boat Fusion (my favorite exhaust, personally) exists for those people that wish to maintain their bi-modal exhaust functionality. Is it amazing? Yes, it certainly is. The development and technology that Billy Boat has put in to their PRT exhaust line is obvious in the sound and the build of them. So, if you're looking to move away from the Bi-Modal Exhaust, this is definitely an exhaust to consider.
On a side note, but still related, Billy Boat has started offering all of their exhaust systems with new, ceramic coated, Satin Black Exhaust tips. I love the look of them, especially on a vehicle with Carbon Fiber rear end work (like a diffuser, or something). The satin black finish is classy, and aggressive, and could really give a vehicle a much more custom look. That being said, I've also heard lots of things about Ceramic Coating chipping on Headers and other systems, so I'm not certain about the durability on exhaust tips. I imagine, being Billy Boat, they're probably pretty strong, but I still wonder. With as beautiful as they are, and as great as the exhaust sounds, I'd hate to have them installed only to chip later. I'll probably give it some time and check on them again, on my friend's Corvette, and see how well they've handled the test of time! I can say, for certain right now, they're gorgeous exhaust tips (they give his black Z06, with CF work, a very Batmobile-esque look, and that's just awesome).
