GM please make high-end 6th Gen HARDER(ZL1, Z28, etc)for others to clone/copy....
 

GM, just me personally but id take some consideration into making the ZL1, Z/28 models (or whatever high end model you deicde to go with) harder for others to make there LS/LT/SS into them. It may be impossible but owning several models I've never been the type to slap other models parts on it to make it a clone(unless it was produced that way from factory, i.e 1LE). It may be harder to manufacture but making it extremely difficult would deter others to clone.

Some may disagree but owning a ZL1 I've seen alot of cloning/copying going on as of lately, from the 1LE/ZL1 rims, to ZL1 conversion kits. It makes owning an actual ZL1 alittle less pleasing. I understand rims being easy to buy but making exterior changes to the body dramatically will make people think twice about doing major modifications. Simple bolt-on parts are what is making people do it, take that way, and that'll cure that issue. I understand you'll stay have the die hard cloners but giving them some speed bumps could be easy. Just like its hard for others to install the mylink Nav into older models the same could be done for other areas.

Just my thoughts and opinions. Thanks.

Its never going to happen imo. Clones,tribute cars or whatever you want to call them is all part of the hobby. Its never going to stop or go away any time soon. Just be glad you have an original.

I haven't seen any ZL1s in Woodbridge, you should be fine.

Don't think GM will be following your idea. They want $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ anyway they can get it! Only thing i used from a ZL1 is the front. GM should of started with that frontend from the beginning. Thats what a VIN# does.

No one is acting like they are what they're not! If someone was putting the badges on it too, then there could be some complaining... If they're dropping the motor into it too, then they've got too much money and time on their hands, when they could have just bought the ZL1! I have the ZL1 grill on my 2LT because its a better looking grill and I dont like the other aftermarket ones! so does that mean I should have put a different one on or get an overlay style because it hurts your feelings? i think not! Maybe GM should have put this grill in it to start! It's called options for the consumer and GM still makes the money from it, so why would they want too increase the cost of production to make a few people happier?

It's posts like this that cause animosity and should just be deleted!

Thanks GM For giving your customers options that still deals with Camaro and its market!

This is simply not going to happen. General Motors is a company known for producing cars for the masses. As a result, a lot of products will share components, and you've got to expect that 2 cars on the same frame are going to have a lot of interchangeable parts. Even if GM went to the added expense to design a front fascia that doesn't match up to the fenders, meaning new fenders for just another trim level, someone would find a way to make it work. Car bodies are mostly cosmetic, and enough grinding and welding will make a similar bumper that wasn't designed to go there fit.

Let's also consider the manufacturing costs and how that affects your cost as a customer. Are you willing to pay thousands of dollars for futile attempts to limit the transfer of a ZL1 bumper to a LS, or would you be satisfied in a GT500 that suddenly costs less? While some enthusiasts go wild over cloned cars, remember that the average buyer is looking for some combination of price and product. While a product like the Camaro SS is unique from the V6 and a lot of cars on the road, someone in a V6 is going to install that SS bumper. If it's not a direct fit, they'll make it fit anyway, even if GM makes that difficult.

You're asking for GM to make manufacturing these parts as difficult as possible when GM is in the business of streamlining manufacturing of the world's greatest cars. Let them invest in great engineering and design. If someone clones your car, consider it a compliment and move on.

Nice post . The Camaro is made for the workin guy/gal. affordable, with power . been that way since they started . If he wants something nobody else has i would suggest going overseas and spending hundreds of thousands . :bow:

:clap:

:facepalm: Clones have been around since the beginning of the muscle car era. It's not that serious...

I don't do the clone ish....I strive to make mine different from everyone else's and make it as fast as I can afford! At present I would blow the doors off of a ZL-1 on tha straight track....... and as for a road course, it's not all on the car, it mostly depends on the driver. With all that said.....pretty soon a ZL-1 will be like an Anus....everyone will have one...lol! J/K.....it's not that serious homey!

Honestly man, theres always going to be clones, but mostly just front ends. Its the illusion the forum gives. I didnt go with a ZL1 bumper because I thought everyone would have it, but I havnt seen one in my area that has one. But I went with rideskinz and paid through the roof to make my car different.
I understand where your coming from, id be upset if everyone was making a car that looked like mine. But somewhere I think you overlooked is where GM kinda made it more general. I mean look at the 10 spoke wheels. Those have come up on practically every Gm model concept theyve made for shows. Now you can get them on the 1LE and the Vette.
At the end of the day your driving a Camaro, ZL1 or not, the parts will find its way to lower end models. This happens with any car regardless of style or make. Just find ways to make it more yours. Black it out here and there, add after burners, paint the calipers, led halos, I mean theres still a million ways you can make your ZL1 different.

I think that if they did something wide body like the Z Vettes would give it the distinction that would be hard to duplicate and would be nice looking too. Not a lot, like the aftermarket ones I have seen. Just subtle flares.

I don't know what world you live in but the Widebody panels on the Corvette are not hard to install into a base Vette....

People do it to BMWs, Jeeps, Camaros, Mustangs, etc... Not really an issue unless you buy something when you think you are buying something else.

The real core of the issue is the feeling of being elite or in more cases the want of being elite.

If you really want to be elite, go buy a Fisker Karma or a Bugatti... :facepalm:

I appreciate the honest input from a ZL1 owner. I know what you mean. All ZL1 parts should require a VIN, provide proof of ownership, and core exchange if applicable.

:facepalm:

Thanks.

Don't get me wrong, alot of LS/LT/SS owners have gorgeous cars and can very do what they please with it. I wouldn't say, the ZL1 parts should require a VIN, but I just want GM to make them alittle more exclusive, to whatever the most powerful Camaro is for the 6th Gen. As of now, the ZL1 looks to be the most power 5th Gen, so they should make it alittle harder to replicate.

I remember Al being asked before the ZL1 was made into production if the front bumper could be bolted on the other previous models, and he said no. I'm certain they wanted people to stay true to there vehicle and shy away from people cloning.

The only way to not clone/copy something is to not invent it. :thumbdown: Once something is invented and released to the public and another feels it's worth copying, they'll do just that. Especially if a product is selling like hot cakes, they want in on the action too. And as long as it doesn't use any Chevy logo's or copywritten names, like ZL1, it can and will be done. Now, to name something a 1LE/ZL1 is not the same as ZL1 because the "1LE" was added. I'm no expert, just my $.02. But, I agree with you, I hate copycats.

LOL your kidding right....

I wonder if he meant to say, "no... the ZL1 bumper lines will not match with the hood lines." :D

If GM wants people to try away from cloning, they should treat all the ZL1 exterior conversion parts like their hood insert. Other than that, you can't make the 'ZL1' exclusive if you don't restrict sales of its parts.

Well if you don't want people to borrow parts from a ZL1 for their non-ZL1 camaro then how about all ZL1 owners leave their cars completely stock the way GM made them. After all the ZL1 is limited production and is supposed to be unique right? Isn't that why you are wanting GM to make it so people cannot put ZL1 parts on a non-ZL1 camaro?

Let's look at the flip side of this. It can also really irritate the non-ZL1 owners to see the real ZL1's being modified by their owners and putting aftermarket wheels on them (when the Black ZL1 wheels are one of the most sought after wheel for the 5th gen right now), different hoods, ground effects etc... Afterall a lot of us non-ZL1 owners would kill to have a lot of the ZL1 parts that the ZL1 owners don't fully appreciate and then end up taking off their cars because they want their already unique car to be "their own".

So in the end who cares what parts people put on their cars. Just let people make their cars look how they want. As another person already said the only time it really matters is if you are buying something you think is a ZL1 but it's not.

I feel like the ZL1 owers that are complaining about the ZL1 part modding being done to SS's and LT's is because they feel like their "status" is being pulled down since "lower status" camaros can easily borrow parts to look like the "higher status" car. It's just silly.
This "status" attitude is the same attitude that the Vette guys have with Camaro. They get upset when the Camaro get's too many vette parts or when their beloved C7 corvette has tail lights that somewhat resemble Camaro tail lights. Just silly. Mass production is that. The higher the volumes the cheaper the part prices which equals larger profit margins.

Bingo... Well said!

:sm0:

You wouldn't have the ZL1 at all if all of us from 2009-2012 hadn't bought a TON of LS, LT, and SS models ;)

You're not going to get exclusivity out of a mass-produced car, plain and simple.

If you're looking for an exclusive car, you're buying the wrong brand.

I don't think it has anything to do with wanting to be elite. The ZL1 stuff looks good and is functional. False badging is an issue. I don't think anyone is trying to make an exact ZL1 replica of their Camaro.

:iono: I don't have a ZL1 myself-just some conversion parts. I'm just saying, if GM wants to make the ZL1 appearance exclusive, that's what they should do.

This guy :rolleyes:

Dont you dare try to pulley down so your HP/TQ levels will be up there with mine. Dont you dare try to clone Ashley....




I Love Lamp...

What would be embarrasing is if a 1LT cloned into a ZL1 appearance goes against a GT Mustang and gets stomped. All the Mustang forums will be telling how a stock GT killed a ZL1.

Maybe GM should should make them ugly then no one would want to clone them and you can have all the exclusivity you want.;)

OP you know I have a lot of respect for you! And I thanks God that you are one of the lucky ones that can afford a ZL1 or any car that you after... But you forgetting one point here... If GM do this what's going to happen when you want to sell parts of your car that you don't need or don't want? Like your wheels right now... If was only made for ZL1 how you going to sell them? Me personally don't need the power but love the look! Can't afford the real one, a least can enjoy the way my car looks now... It's no different than any other body kit..

Who cares? I don't ever go to mustang forums. What is really screwed up is all the fourth gen Z28 owners that take their badges off and pretend to be a V-6 Camaro like mine. :D

I'm sorry but, a $55k car simply isn't exclusive. Hell my wifes Chevy Traverse cost 40k. I can probably quickly find 10 suburban soccer mom SUV's in my neighborhood alone that cost as much or more than that ZL1 does lol.

Deal with it.

I love you too, :) (no homo) But the rims I wasn't really referring to, or minimal things like the grille or rockers. It was more so the major exterior body components. Me personally, I don't want to sell anything exterior wise. If it was made for my car, im keeping it as it was made for a reason. For $59k, I'd be nuts to do that, in my opinion. If GM made the front fenders, front bumper and possibly did the rear end(wider body)different then the other trims I'd be fine with that. It would just separate the high end model from the others slightly, that's all. I know there would be people that will go to hell and high water to replicate it, but it would deter the majority to want to spend $5k(let's say) to do so.

I'm not knocking anyone's Camaro claiming there's is better or worse(or less elite, :facepalm:, I've never been one to say things just so I gain popularity or friends, etc. This is just how I feel. To each his own. The LT, LS, 1LE look good as they rolled off production in their own right.

if the ss came with the front end downforce i wouldn't have any zl1 parts. never thought I was cloning anything by getting downforce and brake cooling on my car.

if gm made none of the parts easily interchangeable then each model would cost more and more. not smart.

You had to have known nobody will side with you on this..

Lets see you have a ZL1? You do realize someone has a car that looks just like yours, and it is a ZL1 right?

I wish I could have one and your bitching that someone else is making theirs look like a ZL1..

Move on!!

This. My car is completely debadged...I pity the badge whore ZL1 owner that runs into me talking mess. :bellyroll:

Who needs ZL1 front bumper and hood and rear facia and quad exhaust. I turned my SS into a ZL1 for $185 with stripe and hood/trunk badges. :sm0:

Just messing with you all! :confused0068: I'm pictured with a real ZL1 at C5Fest3. I wouldn't deface my SS as it's paid off. What could be better? Time for mods! None will be to make a ZL1 clone.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/...5FestIII47.jpg

Due to a good ole hit and run my car is in the shop rite now getting a V-6 conversion bumper :bellyroll:

Say.....:word:

Do I care if nobody agreed with me? No. Was I searching to win a popularity contest? No. I'm not a follower, never have, never will be. The topic wasn't addressed to you. I don't come home to you every night last time I checked, in other words I could care less about your emotional state of being. I had an opinion, so I said it.

Sounds like you need to do the moving on because I'm not going anywhere.