ZL1 to a 1LE?

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by Shark72

Thanks for the response!! What are the things you miss?

The power was nice, obviously...but I never used it all. Not enough road or on-ramp to do it...and on the road course - frankly, it scared me. I feel like I can wring out the 1LE without achieving light speed, and that was more fun.

I miss Performance Traction Management. Competition mode on the 1LE is very good - but PTM was fantastic. Especially in wet conditions.

Finally, I miss the Magnetic Ride control. Amazing balance of comfort and sport-stiffness. But I left in in sport mode most of the time anyways, so I can't say I noticed a difference between that and the 1LE's ride.

That's it. I like the style of the 14 better, the dash/nav better, Recaro seats better, square wheel/tire setup better, balance and agility of the 1LE better, etc.

[nvydvr]

Well, here's my .02 cents... I could have had either the ZL1 or the 1LE. I viewed the 1LE as more of a track car as well as being very unique. The ZL1, I saw as a brawler and I love that. It was a really tough call, but I am very happy with my choice. With MOD's she can push over 600 naturally aspirated if that's what I want. But for now I'm enjoying my warranty I consider the 1LE and ZL1 to sort of be in their own class and I love how these two bruisers turn heads wherever you go... especially the heads of Mustang drivers... So, I'd recoomend test driving and see which one feels better to you... they're both BAD Camaro's!!! My wife won't go with me when I wear my shirt that says, "Drive it like you stole it" hahaha...

[KaBoom1701]

The simple fact is that both ZL1 and 1LE are great cars period.

Here's my simple summary.

I had a 1LE inspired 13' V6 (1LE suspension, SS Brembo's...ect). Tracked 4 times and it was a blast. I could out drive anyone in the corners. Just couldn't catch the V8's on the straight always.

The 1LE's are great track cars and easy to drive well for anyone around the track.

ZL1's are a hand full. The additional weight and power forces you to be a dam good driver to get good track times around any track. That said once you master the driving techniques needed you should be able to smoke and stock SS or 1LE around the track.

But who here keeps their cars stock for very long? Meh


And I'll take any ZL1 being tracked multiple times due to the heavier drivetrain over the SS or 1LE any day. Most SS or 1LE don't admit their true repairs......clutch, wheel bearings, toe links...ect...ect...after being tracked heavily.


I head to Fontana Speedway coming up in May. I've driven this track a few times in my V6 1LE car but this will only be my second event behind the wheel in the ZL1. I'll post some videos afterwards.

[Shark72]

Originally Posted by Mr. Wyndham

The power was nice, obviously...but I never used it all. Not enough road or on-ramp to do it...and on the road course - frankly, it scared me. I feel like I can wring out the 1LE without achieving light speed, and that was more fun.

I miss Performance Traction Management. Competition mode on the 1LE is very good - but PTM was fantastic. Especially in wet conditions.

Finally, I miss the Magnetic Ride control. Amazing balance of comfort and sport-stiffness. But I left in in sport mode most of the time anyways, so I can't say I noticed a difference between that and the 1LE's ride.

That's it. I like the style of the 14 better, the dash/nav better, Recaro seats better, square wheel/tire setup better, balance and agility of the 1LE better, etc.

Good honest review, thanks.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by Shark72

Good honest review, thanks.

Anytime!

[shinzon]

I owned a SS , a 1LE, and now a ZL1.

The 1LE is a great ride my only knock on it is that it is down on power through 1st , 2nd, lil on 3rd but finally the gears wake up top of 3,4,5

The 1LE needs like 50-60 more HP and it would have been the best buy of the century.

I think this thread should be more like:

Anyone trade their Z28 for a 1LE, these are the big and little brother setup here. Zl1 is vastly different here.

Let's say the GM had come out with a performance engine pack for the 1LE .. Different cam and intake, add some stupid z28 tires on that and that would be interesting vs the z28 wouldn't it. Best buy of the century........

But they did not, and the 1LE is down on power

[PlatinumIce]

Originally Posted by White_SS/RS

He just wants to prove the ZL is faster... It is! The Milford lap times are most likely hero laps too. While we can speculate this mod or that mod to favor the 1LE it doesn't mean much when you do the same thing to the ZL. What we can say though, is the 1LE does a hell of a lot more with less. So that right there is the perception of being better. Give two guys 60k, one buys a ZL the other a 1LE with the remainder spent on mods... That's when the 1LE will smoke a ZL! And that's why its a better track car.

That's why I didn't buy the ZL1. Even tho they are great cars.

[jumpshot233]

Just buy the best car for your wallet. If I could afford a z28 I would get it or even a Zl1.

[Lotsafn]

All I got to say is...drive what you got and enjoy every minute. We're all from the same Camaro family.

[Billy10mm]

Originally Posted by jumpshot233

Just buy the best car for your wallet. If I could afford a z28 I would get it or even a Zl1.

I consider myself a fairly hard core handling lover. The stiffer the car, the better. But even for me, the Z/28 is a terrible street car. 6K pampered miles out of a set of $2500 (installed) tires. Very little sound deadening on the inside. And to make the Z/28 true to its purpose, I'd likely order one without audio or air-con. Which would render it "track-only" for me and my wife.

[X25]

Originally Posted by Billy10mm

I consider myself a fairly hard core handling lover. The stiffer the car, the better. But even for me, the Z/28 is a terrible street car. 6K pampered miles out of a set of $2500 (installed) tires. Very little sound deadening on the inside. And to make the Z/28 true to its purpose, I'd likely order one without audio or air-con. Which would render it "track-only" for me and my wife.

All true. With all those lightening efforts, I suppose 1LE could easily hit 3700; makes you wonder how that would handle when combined with Z/28 suspension and wheels.

Ultimately, in my opinion, 1LE is the clear bang for the buck champion if you attend road-course track days. If you don't, or do it only very occasionally, then ZL1 suddenly becomes very attractive. I honestly never even considered Z/28 (until they started offering it for $59K during that end of year sale).

[Drumminxx]

Originally Posted by Dropspeed

If we look at numbers only, stock for stock the ZL1 is faster with a professional driver than a 1LE. The Z/28 with less power is faster than a ZL1 stock for stock. So what does that tell us........we should all just but C7 ZO6 Corvettes! < racers Math.

Yay! I want one too

[nvydvr]

Originally Posted by Lotsafn

All I got to say is...drive what you got and enjoy every minute. We're all from the same Camaro family.

AMEN!!!

[69ZLover]

Evolution has to start somewhere. Had the ZL1 not been made do you think a 1LE package would even exist? Thinking Chevy would have just made a light nimble SS like usual. Every year and generation things get better and better. If they make a ZL1 (Thinking not) in gen6 do you honestly believe it will be a M1 battle tank? I'm thinking not. Based on evolution a stock SS in Gen6 will probably have every bit of the ZL1's R&D "Stock" and be cheap as heck. The Z28 has newer R&D which makes it a track monster but then again that's what the Z28 was built for and why it costs the price of Vette. Us ZL1 guys paid up the nose as well for what we got so things can progress in the Chevy world of lets make a Camaro the best we can (1LE package for peanuts anyone).

We are all Camaro guys first and foremost. Different strokes for different folks in design color, rims, hood design, widgets and gadgets, $$$ etc etc. Better is a subjective thing. If everyone would take a step back from the Camaro your nose is firmly planted on and see the forest of Camaro's as whole that is Gen5 you should be happy Chevy has finally pulled its head out! This thread would be mute if your big brother ZL1 had not come back after 45 years and gave you life so you're welcome. I still don't regret what I paid since I'm a true fan boy of Camaro and have been since Gen1. Gen6 Z28 50th is the next precious on my hit list

The driver with the most nerve will usually win in a road race.
Properly driven the car with the most HP will usually win a 1/4.

Good thread by the way. +1