First Drive: 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 - Brian Makse

[brt3]

Originally Posted by mkorgan

Why all the hate for the Camaro brand?? I just don't get the elitest and their "if was just not a Camaro" mentality. I think it is foolish and transparent that they begrudging give this car its due. Imagine if it had no badges and or relationship to the Camaro line. They would not be able to control themselves. Pathetic and senseless gibberish to criticize something just because of the name on the paperwork...

I understand where you're coming from, but I think it may be something different from elitism. The fact is, the Camaro starts life as a sub-$30K car. You can do everything you want to get the car to Z/28 status, but the core vehicle still has the compromises necessitated by that fundamental fact.

What Team Z/28 has accomplished despite that limitation is nothing short of miraculous. I love my car, even with the above-mentioned "issue"...

[McRat]

I would put "It's A Camaro" in the + column.

If it were a Ferrari or Porsche, the performance level would be expected.

[Zfatuated]

Originally Posted by brianmakse

I just discovered this thread, so I'll add a few comments, but first, here's a direct link to a short video that we produced on the Z/28:




I'm also an active racing driver, not a deluded Mario Andretti reincarnate as you often find in the automotive journalist crowd, so I'd like to think that if I can rock heel-and-toe downshifts, so can you.

Auto writers heel-and-toe-ing? That's not so likely...

Thanks again for reading and watching!

Thanks for popping in and sharing the video link and some additional bit of color. Yours was certainly one of the best reviews out there in terms of quality and I thank you for that. It was obvious you had actual track driving experience. So tiring to read the same regurgitation of the spec sheet by 90% of the writers, truly dreadful "reviews"

Keep up the good work!

[brianmakse]

Originally Posted by Mikebrinda

Thank you for the video! I finally understand how the spool valve works.

My pleasure. I was curious how they actually accomplished it. Multimatic is wickedly underrated in the automotive world.

[brianmakse]

Originally Posted by Zfatuated

Thanks for popping in and sharing the video link and some additional bit of color. Yours was certainly one of the best reviews out there in terms of quality and I thank you for that. It was obvious you had actual track driving experience. So tiring to read the same regurgitation of the spec sheet by 90% of the writers, truly dreadful "reviews"

Keep up the good work!

Thanks!

It's so easy to regurgitate a press release's specs and interesting anecdotes (ooh! look at that! it's a FLOW-tie!), but I think my job is to convey how a car drives, particularly something as wickedly focused as the Z/28. If I can't do it, then I should be fired.

Glad you liked it, I really appreciate it.

[McRat]

I think the whole Flow-Tie thingy is very significant.

Stripping the wiring harness, thin glass (AKA C5 Z06 Mod), AC optional (in 2014???), gutted trunk, dry sump LS7 (could have saved $$$/lbs going wet sump), etc, all show they wanted to build a hotrod roadracer, like the Original DZ302 Z/28.

The Flow-Tie shows they left no stone unturned, and tweaked the crap out of it.

Now, if only mine would show up... :(

[brianmakse]

Originally Posted by McRat

I think the whole Flow-Tie thingy is very significant.

Stripping the wiring harness, thin glass (AKA C5 Z06 Mod), AC optional (in 2014???), gutted trunk, dry sump LS7 (could have saved $$$/lbs going wet sump), etc, all show they wanted to build a hotrod roadracer, like the Original DZ302 Z/28.

The Flow-Tie shows they left no stone unturned, and tweaked the crap out of it.

Now, if only mine would show up... :(

Agreed.

I could have written 3,000 words on this car, but I have a 650 word limit for the newspaper, so some things had to go. I'd rather write about how it drives, rather than getting into the granular detail of the tricks they used to lighten the car.

Point is, people that are interested in the car are going to know all about this stuff, so there's no need for me to regurgitate it. If I fancy myself a racing driver, to whatever degree, I had better be able to convey how this car drives, or I had better quit reviewing cars.

Wicked car. It's in my top three of all the cars I've tested this year.

[McRat]

Originally Posted by brianmakse

Agreed.

I could have written 3,000 words on this car, but I have a 650 word limit for the newspaper, so some things had to go. I'd rather write about how it drives, rather than getting into the granular detail of the tricks they used to lighten the car.

Point is, people that are interested in the car are going to know all about this stuff, so there's no need for me to regurgitate it. If I fancy myself a racing driver, to whatever degree, I had better be able to convey how this car drives, or I had better quit reviewing cars.

Wicked car. It's in my top three of all the cars I've tested this year.

Yes, you focused on what is important for the serious buyers.

Well, at least the buyers who are going to beat the snot out of them. Collectors be damned.

Now, it will be up to the hotrod buyers to tweak them even further.

The Race Is On!

[KaBoom1701]

I almost feel asleep listening to this guy speak. lol

Great to see the Z/28 in action though!

[backtotintops]

Very cool you added in here Mr. Makse…

I’m coming from formula style race pedals in a Stohr that were very close together and required thin driving shoes and I blipped with the outer edge…maybe 70% of the UPPER part of my foot…this is also how I did it in a Viper but needed a custom pedal plate on the accelerator. Size 12 shoes. My method is the same as this in terms of the way my right foot rolls across but way better execution by a pro.

So far in the Z, I can’t even get close as I also have an issue with the height of the brake pedal. I’m heavily in to the braking capability instantly at the top of the pedal (this is what some complain about with cc brakes) before my brake pedal is even close to the same plane as the accelerator so far…BUT…I have not had it on the track…soon…so this may change a bit. If you can swing just your heel over up and blip down deep all at the same time then maybe it’s a breeze for you pros…not so much for me so far.

The MOST fascinating thing in this video to me is they ran part of the North course BACKWARDS 6:14-6:37!!! I’m there a lot and I have inquired about this and have never seen it. Most of the other videos from that media event were South course only. KUDOS for whoever set up that test.

…she’s a ZEEEEEEEE TWENTY EIGHT!

[brianmakse]

Originally Posted by backtotintops

Very cool you added in here Mr. Makse…

I’m coming from formula style race pedals in a Stohr that were very close together and required thin driving shoes and I blipped with the outer edge…maybe 70% of the UPPER part of my foot…this is also how I did it in a Viper but needed a custom pedal plate on the accelerator. Size 12 shoes. My method is the same as this in terms of the way my right foot rolls across but way better execution by a pro.

So far in the Z, I can’t even get close as I also have an issue with the height of the brake pedal. I’m heavily in to the braking capability instantly at the top of the pedal (this is what some complain about with cc brakes) before my brake pedal is even close to the same plane as the accelerator so far…BUT…I have not had it on the track…soon…so this may change a bit. If you can swing just your heel over up and blip down deep all at the same time then maybe it’s a breeze for you pros…not so much for me so far.

The MOST fascinating thing in this video to me is they ran part of the North course BACKWARDS 6:14-6:37!!! I’m there a lot and I have inquired about this and have never seen it. Most of the other videos from that media event were South course only. KUDOS for whoever set up that test.

…she’s a ZEEEEEEEE TWENTY EIGHT!

Thanks!

Since I drive a seriously wide variety of cars, heel-and-toe means "somehow figure out how to blip the throttle with your right foot while braking heavily with your right foot when a downshift is required", so whether it's a Z/28, a RHD 911, a Viper Cup car, or a formula car, you just figure out how to do it. That can sometimes mean a physical modification to the car.

For the Z/28, I had zero issues with the standard pedal set up when I was hustling the car. If I'm wearing my professional instructor hat, then I'll have to say that more often than not, heel-and-toe execution issues are a result of seating position and/or the fundamental physiology of the driver. Nonetheless, all can be overcome.