[Captain Obvious]

Didn't drive a coupe, knew we wanted a convertible. Wife likes the wind in her hair - happy wife, happy life!

Of course, I have no plans to track it, so the negligible handling difference makes no difference to me. I'd run it down a drag strip if there was one nearby that would let a 'vert trip the lights. Stupid safety rules!

[MattDinOC]

Originally Posted by toro1966

I'm still trying to find out what this "extra stuff" people are talking about being on the coupe....

I drove both. Fell in love with the vert and knew I wanted another one. One deal breaker to me was the crappy headliner and sunroof that almost all 2SS coupes had.

There is nothing special about the coupe when compared to the vert in my opinion. Brakes, suspension, everything is the same.

The SS coupe does come with additional cooling systems standard that the SS vert does not get. They are included on the ZL1 vert, but not the SS. My guess is that GM anticipates few SS vert owners will be tracking their cars, and the ones who do can add these systems after purchase if they want to.

V18 Cooler, engine coolant, auxiliary
KNR Cooler, rear differential
KD1 Cooler, transmission oil

The extra bracing that the vert gets (underbody, strut tower brace, and maybe also between the rear seat and trunk?) is purely for structural rigidity / stiffness. Once you remove the top from a shoebox, it loses most of its rigidity. A well-designed convertible isn't close to being that compromised, but the effect is unavoidable to some degree. And once you open the doors on the vert, the box also doesn't have any sides! Pretty amazing that they are able to design our cars to be as stiff as they are.

Anyway, the info on the cooling systems mentioned above is available in the Fleet Ordering Guide.

[MattDinOC]

To answer the original question, I knew 100% that I wanted a V8 convertible. The only question was, would it be a Mustang or a Camaro? After test driving a 1SS Camaro vert, I didn't need to look any further.

[toro1966]

Originally Posted by MattDinOC

The SS coupe does come with additional cooling systems standard that the SS vert does not get. They are included on the ZL1 vert, but not the SS. My guess is that GM anticipates few SS vert owners will be tracking their cars, and the ones who do can add these systems after purchase if they want to.

V18 Cooler, engine coolant, auxiliary
KNR Cooler, rear differential
KD1 Cooler, transmission oil

The extra bracing that the vert gets (underbody, strut tower brace, and maybe also between the rear seat and trunk?) is purely for structural rigidity / stiffness. Once you remove the top from a shoebox, it loses most of its rigidity. A well-designed convertible isn't close to being that compromised, but the effect is unavoidable to some degree. And once you open the doors on the vert, the box also doesn't have any sides! Pretty amazing that they are able to design our cars to be as stiff as they are.

Anyway, the info on the cooling systems mentioned above is available in the Fleet Ordering Guide.

Thanks for the info and the link! Only correction to your post is that the convertibles do get the transmission cooler if they are the A8. Thanks again.

[MattDinOC]

Originally Posted by toro1966

Thanks for the info and the link! Only correction to your post is that the convertibles do get the transmission cooler if they are the A8. Thanks again.

[Chickenshift]

I drove the mustang Gt and 2SS coupes. Ordered the 2SS convertible and love it. Mine is stiff enough.

[Driski]

I was sure I wanted a vert. I test drove both a Mustang and Camaro Coupe before ordering the Camaro (Camaro superior over the Mustang in all categories). I really have not noticed any handling difference since I have owned the vert. I don't intend to track it but have beautiful winding mountain roads in my area and the car feels like it is on rails. Come on Spring!!!!

[hawk02]

I owned three different 5th gen convertibles prior to my 6th gen ZL1 coupe. I had never driven a Camaro coupe before last November.

I known what I'm about to say will not be popular in this forum, but I want to voice my experience after more than 5 years of convertible ownership.

While I truly enjoyed driving on a warm summer evening with the top down and my favorite tunes blaring away on the radio, I started to become increasingly frustrated with the convertible for the following reasons:

1. The top would flap in the breeze above 40 mph if you didn't put on the soft tonneau cover. And putting the cover on and off was a major pita -- especially if you were caught in the rain. This has been rectified on the 6th gen with the hard cover so you can ignore this complaint.

2. With the top up and the windows down, air entering the inside of the car created pressure that would vibrate the bejesus out of the back window. There were times I thought the back window was going to pop right out. If I drove with the top up on a day that didn't require the heater or AC, I would only open the windows a crack to minimize the window vibration.

3. Absence of all the performance goodies. Not having the belly pan or the PTM modes on my 5th gen ZL1 vert really got to be frustrating. The 6th gen ZL1 vert doesn't get the electronic slip differential because it's too big to fit around the added bracing. As a result, the performance data record is not an available option. I understand why these options are missing but it's still frustrating not to have them none the less.

4. Many aftermarket parts, especially exhausts, were incompatible on convertible because of the extra bracing. I always had to make sure to check compability with the convertible before purchasing an aftermarket part.

5. Weight. I never realized how much extra weight the bracing and top mechanism added. For a performance car, my convertibles at times felt slow. I'm sure the extra weight had a lot to do with this.

6. Track use. A lot of local tracks don't allow convertibles without some form of approved role protection thus I could never participate in any track days. This was a real bummer.

After owning my ZL1 coupe for 3 months now, I doubt I will ever own a convertible again. Just too many limitations despite the enjoyment I got driving with the top down. The sunroof option on the coupe gives me all the open air space I need.

[GroundhogSS]

I drove a 1SS coupe when the dealer got one in but I knew I was going to get the convertible. Went ahead and ordered one last spring without having driven one, only sat in one at a car show and felt I could live with the visibility. I've had several convertibles in the past starting with a '63 Impala SS and felt it was time for another one. Plus my wife likes it.

[c4racer]

I was only looking at convertibles to replace our E93 BMW 328i.
considered - Mustang GT and GT500, Jag XKR and BMW 335is / M3
But once I drove the Gen 6 in 1SS manual trim it was game, set and match and that car is in my garage! Love it!

I've had coupes, and generally I prefer them. But there is something about a convertible when you live where they come in handy like me - Northern CA is a pretty ideal climate for one. Except the last few months but that's what garages are for!

[MattDinOC]

Originally Posted by hawk02

I owned three different 5th gen convertibles prior to my 6th gen ZL1 coupe. I had never driven a Camaro coupe before last November.

I known what I'm about to say will not be popular in this forum, but I want to voice my experience after more than 5 years of convertible ownership.

While I truly enjoyed driving on a warm summer evening with the top down and my favorite tunes blaring away on the radio, I started to become increasingly frustrated with the convertible for the following reasons:
...

This is good honest feedback, thanks for sharing. You're right, #1 is no longer an issue. I'll drop the top for a 5-10 minute drive because it's only slightly more effort than opening the windows. No fuss, and no flapping.

For #2, the back window buffeting with side windows down, I haven't observed this in my 2017. I've definitely driven it over 50 mph with just the windows down, and I haven't noticed any buffeting. I don't do that very often though, as it's nearly as easy to just drop the top whenever I feel like it.

The rest are related to performance / modding / track use. Having a vert definitely imposes some limits in those areas. I think that is the core tradeoff between the coupe and the vert. You want open top motoring or max performance? You can't have both, not on the Camaro anyway. (The extra cost & maintenance of the vert factor in too.)

[Donner]

Hello,

Yes, I drove the hard top (v6) for a couple of weeks before I was able to get my vert (dealer loaner). I had also rented a 5th gen drop top from Enterprise. I know that the lighter cars (hardtops) are better on the track and such but I drive on the streets. The verts do this very well, and if I may, in the proper way for a sports car. Top down of course.

[Martinjlm]

I drove a Hyper Blue with White Rally Stripes Coupe for two weeks. That's when I decided I was getting a Camaro. I had driven a Gen 5 vert for about a week the year before. So in addition to deciding I was gonna get a Camaro, I also realized I had never owned a convertible. Corvettes with targa, yes, convertible, no.

The Hyper Blue coupe was awesome. With the rally stripes it turned not just heads, but entire bodies. The handling was awesome. So I was looking for a Hyper Blue vert with white rally stripes. Then I saw the Fifty coupe and convertible. I must have changed my mind about 17 times, and settled on the Fifty vert. Handling is awesome. If there is a difference in the handling between the Hyper Blue coupe and the Fifty vert, I'm not a good enough driver to tease it out.

[01pewterz28]

I have always wanted a vert I passed on a GMMG 2002 Tom Henry Racing SS convertible in white car #25. I purchased my 2010 coupe, I was ready to purchase 2012 45th SS vert but our 2nd child prevented that.

My 16 Traverse was in the shop I went to look at a HBM 2SS coupe took if for a test drive and I was hooked. I was selling my 2010 the next day and the wife gave me the go ahead to purchase another Camaro but she said get the one you want, you know you really want a convertible.

Becky D over at Rodgers Chevrolet had one I wanted and to cut to the chase I am picking it up Thursday.