Can verts go as fast as coupes?

[Vette Dawg]

This may seem like a very STUPID question, but I always get really good answers from all of you. With all the Hemis on the road it is a known fact that the Corvette is no longer the "King of the Hill" as far as HP goes. That means that many Corvette owners will modd their Corvettes. There is at least one Vette owner here that I know of that has around 700 hp with NOS. . . Here is that question: Could a convertable be made to do that? Would the top be a problem?


Thanks,

- Dawg

 

[I_R_DA_ONE]

If both cars have the same equipment ,,,,,the coup will run faster because of the air drag on the convertible.....

 

[Vette Dawg]

Thought so . . . hmmmmmmm . . . . . .

 

[paras]

If both cars have the same equipment ,,,,,the coup will run faster because of the air drag on the convertible.....

This is correct.

 

[Erik S. Klein]

If you are looking for 1/4 mile times the 'vert might be a bit quicker due to the reduced weight, assuming drag doesn't come into play too much.

All things being equal, though, the 'vert will have a lower top speed from the increased drag.

 

[Vette Dawg]

Thanks!

 

[Tom73]

With all the Hemis on the road it is a known fact that the Corvette is no longer the "King of the Hill" as far as HP goes.

Not sure about all of the Hemi's out there but the new Magmun SRT8 has a 6.1 ltr hemi that is rated at 425 hp. That is only 25 hp more then the current Vette's standard engine. Also the Magmun is having to pull a bunch more weight. So a limited production car with 25 more HP and a whole lot more weight against the standard production Vette with 400 hp. No contest, Vette wins hands down. Unless you are wanting to haul furniture, then the Magmun wins

tom...

 

[Vettefan87]

With the top up how much more drag does a convertible have over a coupe? I know with the top down it is terible, but an awesome feeling.

 

[04 Commemorative]

With the top up how much more drag does a convertible have over a coupe? I know with the top down it is terible, but an awesome feeling.

so right on the feeling...the coupe might be a bit faster but the conv. will look sooooooo much cooler!

 

[66427-450]

If you are looking for 1/4 mile times the 'vert might be a bit quicker due to the reduced weight, assuming drag doesn't come into play too much.......

are you sure?
i thought the C5 vert was just a touch heavier than a C5 coupe??

i know the C2 coupes are significantly lighter than the C2 verts

 

[6 Shooter]

FYI . . .

C5 Coupe - 0.29 coefficient of drag
C5 Roadster - 0.31 coefficient of drag

Later . . . . . .
6 Shooter

 

[vetteboy86]

Lets put it this way. If you have two identical cars, the coupe wouldn't start having the advantage until 130 mph or so. At the higher speeds is when the drag coefficient starts to play in. I love the vert, but I think my next one just might be a coupe.

On a side note, I was always under the impression that the verts were heavier?

Craig

 

[DDLS3]

FYI the difference in weight between a C5 coupe and a vert is 2 pounds. The lightest is the Z06 which is 82 pounds lighter.

 

[6 Shooter]

Top Speeds for 2001 Corvette's

Go to the bottom of the page and look at the info under Performance Review.
Corvette Action Center | Model Center | C5 | 2001 | 2001 Corvette Production and Performance Reviews

174 MPH for the Coupe's Top Speed
162 MPH for the Roadster's Top Speed

 

[Vette Dawg]

Not sure about all of the Hemi's out there but the new Magmun SRT8 has a 6.1 ltr hemi that is rated at 425 hp. That is only 25 hp more then the current Vette's standard engine. Also the Magmun is having to pull a bunch more weight. So a limited production car with 25 more HP and a whole lot more weight against the standard production Vette with 400 hp. No contest, Vette wins hands down. Unless you are wanting to haul furniture, then the Magmun wins

tom...

You are 100% correct! The same is true with the 425 hp Chrysler 300 SRT8 and the non-hemi 400 hp Cadillac CTS-V. However, Motor Trend said that Cadillac has plans for a 515 hp car :W The new 'Vettes don't have to worry about most of the HEMIs and the Cadillacs (except the 515 hp one) but I was thinking of the C4s and C5s! Just wanted to clarify what I meant to say before . . .

- Dawg

 

[Vette Dawg]

174 MPH for the Coupe's Top Speed
162 MPH for the Roadster's Top Speed

Thanks for the numbers. A few mods would fix that, yes?

 

[Erik S. Klein]

are you sure?
i thought the C5 vert was just a touch heavier than a C5 coupe??

i know the C2 coupes are significantly lighter than the C2 verts

That's probably true in the C4 and C5 with all of the stiffening and the top(s) in place. I hadn't checked.

I'm pretty sure the C2 and C3 verts are lighter. You've always got the option of pulling the top out, too, although I suppose removing the T-tops (on a C3) is probably a similar weight savings.

 

[ROADAPPLE]

Fast as the wind!

 

[6 Shooter]

Well . . .

Posted by 6 Shooter
174 MPH for the Coupe's Top Speed
162 MPH for the Roadster's Top Speed

Thanks for the numbers. A few mods would fix that, yes?

I've never seen 162 MPH as a real problem.

Later . . . . . .
6 Shooter

 

[OLDCHEV]

I've never seen 162 MPH as a real problem.

Later . . . . . .
6 Shooter

Got to 140 MPH with the top down. Could not stand the wind noise. Put the convertible top up and got to 155 , got worried that the top would not hold up.

Put the hardtop option on and got to 160 but, traffic was ahead and had to get out of it for safety reasons. At 160 MPH, I still had 1200 RPM left on the tach and she still wanted to go faster!

Have never left her full out on the throttle ( a 1990 stock Vert)!