[TrackClub]

Originally Posted by Provoste

Agreed, I was shocked it was sub 3800 lbs. This is a shop that does tons of setup for NASA competition cars, so their scales are 100% accurate and tested annually. This was with the OE SS 1LE wheels mounted with RE71R, which in total are 20lbs heavier (I weighed them before mountinig on same scale) than the ZL1 1LE wheels. so 3777lbs technically speaking. I dig how the SS 1LE wheels look on the ZL1 1LE... aside from the sunk in fronts with -3.2 camber.

Incredible as i dont recall GM mentioning any weight savings over std ZL1...does it have rear seats?

[Badgerbimmer]

Originally Posted by Rich J

Getting back to the original focus of this thread, Johnny Lieberman of Motor Trend on the SS 1LE vs ZL1 handling:

“There’s a strong temptation to think of the ZL1 as merely a 1LE with an extra 195 horsepower. However, all that auxiliary cooling and the addition of nearly 200 pounds from the engine saps the ZL1 of the 1LE’s grace and fluidity. As a result, the ZL1 does not dance like a ballerina. Instead, it hits like a heavyweight boxer’s fist with a horseshoe hidden inside the glove. There might not be a whole lot of feel, connection, subtlety, or whatever other sparkly words scribes such as me use to wax poetic about the ineffable. You’re not dancing with the road; you’re beating it to death.“

And

“That big lump of a supercharged V-8—while potent—puts way too much weight in exactly the wrong spot. For reference, the SS 1LE weighs in at 3,735 pounds. I will also go on record stating that I preferred the way the SS 1LE handled compared to the ZL1—and also to the GT350R.”

The weight difference is 150 pounds per GM specs. The LT4 is 529 pounds, the LT4 is 469. 60 pounds more in the front and 90 in the rest of the car. This is not going to impact the handling in a 3,800 pound car in an amount noticeable by anyone, maybe Alonso.... . Typical journalist writing fake news to get a rise out of people.

[Provoste]

Originally Posted by TrackClub

Incredible as i dont recall GM mentioning any weight savings over std ZL1...does it have rear seats?

Oh yeah, rear seats and all. Plus- 6 pack of beer, overnight bag, radar detector, floor mats, long acre tire gauge in aluminum case.

[RXtacy]

Originally Posted by Provoste

Oh yeah, rear seats and all. Plus- 6 pack of beer, overnight bag, radar detector, floor mats, long acre tire gauge in aluminum case.

Have you weighed your SS 1LE? If so what did it weigh in at?

[Provoste]

Originally Posted by RXtacy

Have you weighed your SS 1LE? If so what did it weigh in at?

Not yet, next week hopefully

[aa406079]

Originally Posted by Rich J View Post
Getting back to the original focus of this thread, Johnny Lieberman of Motor Trend on the SS 1LE vs ZL1 handling:

“There’s a strong temptation to think of the ZL1 as merely a 1LE with an extra 195 horsepower. However, all that auxiliary cooling and the addition of nearly 200 pounds from the engine saps the ZL1 of the 1LE’s grace and fluidity. As a result, the ZL1 does not dance like a ballerina. Instead, it hits like a heavyweight boxer’s fist with a horseshoe hidden inside the glove. There might not be a whole lot of feel, connection, subtlety, or whatever other sparkly words scribes such as me use to wax poetic about the ineffable. You’re not dancing with the road; you’re beating it to death.“

And

“That big lump of a supercharged V-8—while potent—puts way too much weight in exactly the wrong spot. For reference, the SS 1LE weighs in at 3,735 pounds. I will also go on record stating that I preferred the way the SS 1LE handled compared to the ZL1—and also to the GT350R.”

Originally Posted by Badgerbimmer

The weight difference is 150 pounds per GM specs. The LT4 is 529 pounds, the LT4 is 469. 60 pounds more in the front and 90 in the rest of the car. This is not going to impact the handling in a 3,800 pound car in an amount noticeable by anyone, maybe Alonso.... . Typical journalist writing fake news to get a rise out of people.

your bias is hilarious....

You car doesnt weigh 3800 lbs , you have a slushbox, and you don't have a ZL1 1LE (much lighter wheels/tires, thinner rear glass, lighter rear seatback, lighter front fascia, M6 only)

standard ZL1 weights...

Road and Track 3933 lbs

Motor Trend 3926 lbs

Automobile 3944 lbs

GM OFFICIAL #'s
3883 lbs (coupe w/manual)
3944 lbs (coupe w/automatic)


GM official numbers for SS 1LE

3744 lbs

That means FULL TANK OF GAS gentlemen...


Thats 200 lbs of weight, much of that being front weight from the supercharger and extra cooling, bigger brakes ect.... the only things that weigh more in the back is slightly thicker half shafts and the spoiler.

The cars use the exact same tire/wheel and suspension setup while having differing PTMS and eLSD calibrations.

So, somehow both cars will handle the same hey?

I test drove both... how bout you?

Nevermind... this is obviously fake news... lol

[TrackClub]

Originally Posted by aa406079

your bias is hilarious....

You car doesnt weigh 3800 lbs , you have a slushbox

Road and Track 3933 lbs

Motor Trend 3926 lbs

Automobile 3944 lbs

GM OFFICIAL #'s
3883 lbs (coupe w/manual)
3944 lbs (coupe w/automatic)


GM official numbers for SS 1LE

3744 lbs

That means FULL TANK OF GAS gentlemen...


Thats 200 lbs of weight, much of that being front weight from the supercharger and extra cooling, bigger brakes ect.... the only things that weigh more in the back is slightly thicker half shafts and the spoiler.

The cars use the exact same tire/wheel and suspension setup while having differing PTMS and eLSD calibrations.

So, somehow both cars will handle the same hey?

I test drove both... how bout you?

Nevermind... this is obviously fake news... lol

Not sure where 200lb comes from because my math based on official GM specs brings the difference to 139lb which is not really that substantial all things considered.

As far as the same suspension set up: not quite, as the ZL1 has a different wheel track spec likely to counter the heavier front end. If it didnt handle well then its figure 8 time would show it as well. But the car does brilliantly there. I am not saying it wont feel different, but to state that it doesnt HANDLE well is a crock. And to use Randy's quote "this car makes me a better driver"...or something to this effect speaks volumes of what he thinks of its handling. At least imo.

[TrackClub]

15:22 mark in the MT head to head vid tells the whole story as far as what they actually think of ZL1 handling and more importantly what Randy thinks of its handling.
And when Johnny L starts with his "nose heavy" rant, Randy shuts him up almost instantly, in a sort of "leave such opinions to me cause i actually know what i am talking about" fashion.

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by TrackClub

Not sure where 200lb comes from because my math based on official GM specs brings the difference to 139lb which is not really that substantial all things considered.

As far as the same suspension set up: not quite, as the ZL1 has a different wheel track spec likely to counter the heavier front end. If it didnt handle well then its figure 8 time would show it as well. But the car does brilliantly there. I am not saying it wont feel different, but to state that it doesnt HANDLE well is a crock. And to use Randy's quote "this car makes me a better driver"...or something to this effect speaks volumes of what he thinks of its handling. At least imo.

He was replying directly to someone with a ZL1 Auto, which is 200lbs heavier per GMs official numbers.

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by Provoste

The only problem is when your backup track car is faster than your track car.

I have that problem...

But then my track cars run $25-$40 rotors vs $377 or whatever

[TrackClub]

Originally Posted by Dave-ROR

He was replying directly to someone with a ZL1 Auto, which is 200lbs heavier per GMs official numbers.

And the other person was replying to somebody else who made a blanket statement that ZL1 has 200lb extra on the nose. Which is incorrect.

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by TrackClub

And the other person was replying to somebody else who made a blanket statement that ZL1 has 200lb extra on the nose. Which is incorrect.

Definitely that is incorrect.. but you did reply to the guy saying 200lbs for the other users car vs the 1LE. That user did NOT say all ZL1s were 200lbs heavier on the nose of the car, he even put the manual trans weight showing 139lbs difference. At most he misspoke with "Much of that comes from the front" as he leaves out the transmission weight closer to the middle of the car as that was still in reply to the guy with the Auto ZL1.

[TrackClub]

Originally Posted by Dave-ROR

Definitely that is incorrect.. but you did reply to the guy saying 200lbs for the other users car vs the 1LE. That user did NOT say all ZL1s were 200lbs heavier on the nose of the car, he even put the manual trans weight showing 139lbs difference. At most he misspoke with "Much of that comes from the front" as he leaves out the transmission weight closer to the middle of the car as that was still in reply to the guy with the Auto ZL1.

Not to cause any more confusion: my comparo is manual to manual as tested by Randy. Albeit he actually did improve his laptime eventually with an auto
Bottom line media folks lamenting that zl1 is nose heavy while testing a manual is a crock and even Randy immediately disputes this notion. A blower doesnt weigh 200lb yet some folks use it "liberally" as the weight difference and further speculate all of it is in the front. If we gonna use specific numbers then lets be factual including just how much of it sits on the nose (to your comment about the auto tranny sitting more midship, etc). Cheers!

[TrackClub]

Another info tid bit: both ss 1le and zl1 seem to have identical f to r weight distribution factors of 54/46.
At least based on what i could find info wise incl MT posted specs. Perhaps somebody can confirm if they have better sources...