Ok, while my car was having it's flywheel put on, I went to my local Carmax (where my roommate works), and test drove a 2006 Corvette. While there is an obvious power difference, I know a supercharger can fix that. The thing that impressed me most about the car was the suspension and handling. If I even decided to buy every aftermarket suspension part I could find (I think all I really have left are A-arms, K-member, subframe connectors, and some D-specs) , is it even going to come close to the experience I had in the Corvette? I know I'm probably about to get destroyed for even considering going to the dark side of Chevrolet, but I'm all about handling, and would love nothing more than to make my pony handle like that.

 

My setup outhandles an M3, and there's still room for improvement. You can easily get your car to handle better than a stock 'Vette in the twisties, but you will have to sacrifice ride quality to do so. The 'Vette's main advantages are a lower center of gravity and wider/better tires, which will allow it to handle well without having to get extremely stiff with the suspension.

 

As sleeper said, your car could easily outhandle a vette with the right setup.

 

Is the weight difference not a big advantage for the vette? I would think so but I really don't know.

 

Okay here is where my Steeda DOES outperform most cars. (There is still a debate about how much RWHP I have - although I am going to see Lidio to get an independent dyno and custom tune in the next couple of weeks). But Steeda does have their Ch_T together with performance handling!!!

The Q series cars by Steeda are first and foremost modified heavily in the suspension and handling areas. Most of the mod's the Q350 has are all suspension improvement hardware. A magazine did a review of a Q335 (predecessor to my Q350) on a road-course) and did a comparison of the Z06 Vette. This was purely a vehicle handling and road-course style of review. I think it was a professional driver forCar and Driver (I will see if I can find the article).

The Q335 was only 1 second behind the vette. This was attributed to all the suspension and handling mod's by Steeda.

I swapped my Q350 Steeda with a friends Z05 (Not a Z06) and we compared each others cars on a winding road for about 20 miles. I would say and so did my buddy that my Steeda handled better (although the ride was a little stiffer) in the twists and turns than the Vette.

My Steeda has all Steeda aftermarket suspension hardware. It hook's like nothing I have seen before (as well as others who have seen or test drove my car). Keep in mind I have almost 700 Miles on it and most of it is all club related driving. She is a Garage Queen and still very new.

But I would say Yes you can mod the suspension and handling to equal or maybe even surpass a stock Vette of any Model or Year.

 

To Clarify - The only upgrade in the handling area I don't have yet is the brakes. Not reallya handling feature but it is related obviously. I do not yet have those! Everything else has been replaced by Steeda hardware.

 

No such thing as a Z05 so I must assume you mean a Z-51 package. That gives the car better suspension and numerically higher rear end gear.

Honestly I believe you are asking the Stang to do something it was never intended to do. Muscle cars were never supposed to handle like they were on rails. I have driven quite a few classics to include early stangs and chargers and they handle like crap. They float all over the place and bounce like a play house.

With aftermarket suspension parts you can great improve the mustangs handleing, but it wont beat a vette.

A vette is a sports car. It's center of gravity is much lower and the car is significantly lighter than a stang.

Personally I like vette's alot but I would never own one, (With the exception of the New ZR-1, or Z06).

I have driven a regular C6 vette and that thing is so low to the ground it is a pain to get in and out of. I am only 25 years old but you still have to pull yourself out. I dont like that. And Vette's arent as easy to mod. I like to add tons of parts and make it my own.

Personally I dont think it is a problem tradeing a GT for a vette. They are a very different car. Now if you traded the stang on a camaro, well thats different.

I say buy the one you like.

But you are sure to get hosed trading in an 07 GT.

Good luck.

 

will car max take your stang on trade since its modded

 

08 Steeda,
Don't want to start a back and forth but could you compare your Steeda with the Roush?
I am in the market and can not find much on the Steeda compared to the Roush. Is the handling for both the Q and say the Roush Stage 3 the same? I would appreciate any help you can provide.

 

I think what the OP is looking to accomplish is to reincarnate the original Boss 302 and emphasize the road-racing intent of that car. Sort of what "Pro-Touring" in its pure form is all about, just starting from a better scratch point. It's not at all hard to make huge improvements to your basic 1960's-era cars, and the basic arrangement of the S197 already represents a pretty good step in that direction. But there's more to be had, and a good bit of that need not make the car unsatisfactory for general street duty. Careful tuning is your friend.

Yes, the saying probably applies here. But that isn't reason to shy away from the challenge, if you're willing to make some compromises in ride quality and a few more in overall subjective handling "feel". 281 CID Mustangs probably aren't supposed to be running low 12's all-motor either (in classic muscle car terms, that's a little baby motor).

I'm pretty sure that you can match or come very close to the Corvette's numbers at least on decent or better pavement, though you won't duplicate the "feel". Too many physical and geometric differences between the two cars for that.

I'd seriously consider a 'Vette, but the difficulty of getting in and out is a deal-breaker as far as my wife (hint: of 37 years) is concerned.


Norm