My Time with the ZL1 at VIR

[Wvallediego]

I wan this......The rims says camaro.....SWEET.

[Dr Jkel]

Joe,

Your write up was outstanding....It reminded me of the day I took delivery of my SS almost 3 years ago and the feeling it brought out when I heard it roar to life....I knew then I would always own this "Car".

I am glad you were given this opportunity and it seems that the honor was well justified.

I look forward to meeting you at C5FIII.

John

[dcplus14]

Great write up. Well worth the read and makes me wish I had the funds for a ZL1. I am looking forward to the day I get to see one on the roads driving by!

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by Mjolnir

I don't think that is possible!

Originally Posted by Wvallediego

I wan this......The rims says camaro.....SWEET.

They look even sweet-er (Is that a word?) in person!

Originally Posted by Dr Jkel

Joe,

Your write up was outstanding....It reminded me of the day I took delivery of my SS almost 3 years ago and the feeling it brought out when I heard it roar to life....I knew then I would always own this "Car".

I am glad you were given this opportunity and it seems that the honor was well justified.

I look forward to meeting you at C5FIII.

John

Definitely!!



See you at the Fest!

Originally Posted by dcplus14

Great write up. Well worth the read and makes me wish I had the funds for a ZL1. I am looking forward to the day I get to see one on the roads driving by!

Thank you! They're quite a sight...the black wheels and low splitter/hood...well, heck - I guess the whole combination of exterior changes - they give the car such a racey look...I think it's *almost* exotic-looking...almost...

[OVRKLL]

Very nice write up Dragoneye!
Thank you for sharing the DETAILS of your experience, you even included a height restriction when it comes to having a sunroof!

I'm new to this forum as I'm in the market to replace our Lexus isF, and I have been lurking on forums trying to decide which car will be next.
I've checked out the Dodge Challenger/Charger/ Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, and tonight I thought I'd check out Chevy's Camaro...am I glad I did!

I like the fact you included how the car behaves on the streets and rough surfaces where I plan on driving this car, since it will be a daily driver...I no longer believe in NOT driving a car to keep the mileage down...I'm at the age where I'd be pissed should I kick the bucket and put miles on an awesome car sitting in my garage!

I have a question regarding the auto trans...
How are the down shifts?
Does the trans blip when down shifting?
Will it allow you to down shift if road speed is too high? (I'd think not, but thought I'd ask anyway)
When up shifting, how crisp is it?
How bad is the delay...I believe you mentioned it being like a second, seems kind of long. I say this only because I'm comparing it to the isF 8spd auto trans, there is no stall/lag when up shifting, and it will blip when down shifting.

I'm stuck between getting a Manual or an Automatic. Traffic here in Hawaii is horrendous and driving a manual can get tiresome.
Which brings me to another question about the manual trans.
How hard is the clutch to depress? (the wife will have to drive this too)
How low/high does the clutch grab?
How long is the clutch throw from engagement to disengagement?

One last minor question and I hope I don't get ragged for it, but does the ZL1 have homelink for your garage door?

Thank you once again for such an awesome write up, you have swayed me big time towards obtaining a ZL1....in fact my sign on will be my vanity plate...at least I ordered that already. I wasn't even sure what the name of this forum was when I registered, all I knew is there's at least 1 Mod that knows how to do a write up.
It affords the members to soak in accurate information and aid in making a very well educated decision with whatever you may write about...be it a new model or a new mod for the new model.
I know there are other members that are knowledgeable as well, and I feel fortunate to be a member of this forum...believe me, this is not my first car forum, and some of the Euro marque car forums are not as informative...too many silly boys on them...
Good Job!

[steel insane]

Nice write up & great pics, especially on the details.

What did Camaro guys say about the Carbon Edition? Is it a go for 2013?

[Speedy1975]

Very nice write up. I sure wish Dodge would do something like that for it's customers and enthusiasts.

Instead they encrypt their PCMs so 2011 and up Challenger and Chargers can't be modded LOL

[DUGG]

After 6 Camaro's / 72 SS, 73 RS, 85 Iroc-Z28, 87 Iroc-Z28, 98 Z28, and 2010 2LT -- maybe it's time to get the ultimate.....wow, great write-up on a great car......!!

[69 Rebel]

Great write up Joe. You have a way with words.

2 questions: 1) The front spoiler and rear diffuser extend about 1/2 inch or so past the fenders. Giving it almost like a small mud guard look, if i can describe it like that.
What is the purpose of that? It was the only thing that looked off to me.

Is it possibly to transfer the air to the brakes for cooling?

2) In the close up picture of the rim i see a yellow line on the rim and a matching line on the tire. I am just curious as to why they did that.

We usually do that on our slicks at the drag strip to make sure the tire didn't spin on the rim during launch.

Can't wait for my ZL1 to get here. Hopefully they start up production SOON, the weather is getting warmer.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by OVRKLL

Very nice write up Dragoneye!
Thank you for sharing the DETAILS of your experience, you even included a height restriction when it comes to having a sunroof!
Thank you!

I'm new to this forum as I'm in the market to replace our Lexus isF, and I have been lurking on forums trying to decide which car will be next.
I've checked out the Dodge Challenger/Charger/ Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, and tonight I thought I'd check out Chevy's Camaro...am I glad I did!

I like the fact you included how the car behaves on the streets and rough surfaces where I plan on driving this car, since it will be a daily driver...I no longer believe in NOT driving a car to keep the mileage down...I'm at the age where I'd be pissed should I kick the bucket and put miles on an awesome car sitting in my garage!
Amen, man!! I couldn't imagine not driving a car as often as possible...I suppose being up north provides extra incentive, though! One of the more impressive features of the ZL1, in my opinion is its road-manners. In many respects....it "knows" whether you're racing or not, and treats you accordingly.

I have a question regarding the auto trans...
How are the down shifts?
They are crisp, not quite as quick when using the paddles as upshifts - but very close.
Does the trans blip when down shifting?
A little bit. It's best to provide your own blip, though - to prevent upsetting the back end.
Will it allow you to down shift if road speed is too high? (I'd think not, but thought I'd ask anyway)
Not at all! In fact, I tried to down shift where I though it was appropriate, but it turns out the first gear is taller than I thought - so the DIC gave me a cute little "Shift Denied" message until I slowed down a bit more.
When up shifting, how crisp is it?
Very! I daresay that the time from pressing the paddle to the actual gear shift is similar to rowing a stick. The only difference is that in the auto you're waiting that half-second for the shift, versus in the manual where you're doing things to make it happen.
How bad is the delay...I believe you mentioned it being like a second, seems kind of long. I say this only because I'm comparing it to the isF 8spd auto trans, there is no stall/lag when up shifting, and it will blip when down shifting.
I haven't driven the lexus, so I can't compare for you. I felt much more involved with this auto than earlier Camaro automatics. It's faster, sharper, and almost as much fun to drive (imo) as the manual.

I'm stuck between getting a Manual or an Automatic. Traffic here in Hawaii is horrendous and driving a manual can get tiresome.
Which brings me to another question about the manual trans.
How hard is the clutch to depress? (the wife will have to drive this too)I thought it was about as firm as the Camaro SS, however it felt MUCH smoother, and engagement was soft and smooth. It was truly a pleasure to drive.
How low/high does the clutch grab?
You can roll from a stop from about the middle...but it doesn't feel as though it fully engages until you let it up a little higher than that. I believe that's due to the twin-disc clutch.
How long is the clutch throw from engagement to disengagement?I didn't measure. I don't drive a manual every day. In fact, I think my experience in a manual-transmission car can still be measured in some total HOURS. With that said - in about 5 miles on the street, I was comfortable with it, and I was banging out shifts around the track like I'd been doing it for years. That largely why I say it was a pleasure. Short throws, with a firm pedal and smooth engagement all come together to make the car feel like an extension of yourself. You never have to fight it to do what you want.

One last minor question and I hope I don't get ragged for it, but does the ZL1 have homelink for your garage door?
Yessir! It has ALL the standard equipment found on a 2LT or 2SS...with a few extra buttons and toys.

Thank you once again for such an awesome write up, you have swayed me big time towards obtaining a ZL1....in fact my sign on will be my vanity plate...at least I ordered that already. I wasn't even sure what the name of this forum was when I registered, all I knew is there's at least 1 Mod that knows how to do a write up.

It affords the members to soak in accurate information and aid in making a very well educated decision with whatever you may write about...be it a new model or a new mod for the new model.

I know there are other members that are knowledgeable as well, and I feel fortunate to be a member of this forum...believe me, this is not my first car forum, and some of the Euro marque car forums are not as informative...too many silly boys on them...
Good Job!

Thanks so much for your kind words, OVRKLL! If you choose to buy a ZL1, I promise you WON'T be disappointed! In fact...you may never want to get out of it!

Originally Posted by steel insane

Nice write up & great pics, especially on the details.

What did Camaro guys say about the Carbon Edition? Is it a go for 2013?

They didn't say anything about the 2013...I heard that there will be ZL1-specific accessories available...but what those were, and when they'll be available remains a mystery.

Originally Posted by Speedy1975

Very nice write up. I sure wish Dodge would do something like that for it's customers and enthusiasts.

Instead they encrypt their PCMs so 2011 and up Challenger and Chargers can't be modded LOL

Sorry! I won't laugh...

It was a wonderful experience. I'm sure other makes love their work, too - but it's just astounding at how much pride team Camaro has in this car. You can tell they put everything they had and more into it.

Originally Posted by DUGG

After 6 Camaro's / 72 SS, 73 RS, 85 Iroc-Z28, 87 Iroc-Z28, 98 Z28, and 2010 2LT -- maybe it's time to get the ultimate.....wow, great write-up on a great car......!!

You have an impressive Camaro resume!!

Now is as good a time as any!

Originally Posted by 69 Rebel

Great write up Joe. You have a way with words.

2 questions: 1) The front spoiler and rear diffuser extend about 1/2 inch or so past the fenders. Giving it almost like a small mud guard look, if i can describe it like that.
What is the purpose of that? It was the only thing that looked off to me.If you're referring to the way the front and rear pieces "extend" past the sides of the front fascias (it's hard to tell what you mean without pictures)...that's because they meet with the front and rear deflectors in the wheel wells. Together these pieces direct air around the wheels/tires to improve airflow.

Is it possibly to transfer the air to the brakes for cooling?
The brakes, as seen in the undercarriage picture, have two sources of cooling, the directed intakes housed within the lower grille, and the "ramps" (best way I can describe them, since I forgot what they called them) on the underside of the front splitter.

2) In the close up picture of the rim i see a yellow line on the rim and a matching line on the tire. I am just curious as to why they did that.

We usually do that on our slicks at the drag strip to make sure the tire didn't spin on the rim during launch.
Some of the cars were not saleable Camaros...it's possible some of them saw testing duty earlier in their lives. This would make sense, unless they were marks from Goodyear....or something to do with mounting & balancing.

Can't wait for my ZL1 to get here. Hopefully they start up production SOON, the weather is getting warmer.

I have a tentative date set up to go pick mine up since I bought it out of state. It's in the "comfort zone", so as long as things go well, I could be driving around in my ZL1 exactly 5 weeks from today!

[CAM....ZL1]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

Thanks so much for your kind words, OVRKLL! If you choose to buy a ZL1, I promise you WON'T be disappointed! In fact...you may never want to get out of it!


They didn't say anything about the 2013...I heard that there will be ZL1-specific accessories available...but what those were, and when they'll be available remains a mystery.

Sorry! I won't laugh...

It was a wonderful experience. I'm sure other makes love their work, too - but it's just astounding at how much pride team Camaro has in this car. You can tell they put everything they had and more into it.


You have an impressive Camaro resume!!

Now is as good a time as any!


I have a tentative date set up to go pick mine up since I bought it out of state. It's in the "comfort zone", so as long as things go well, I could be driving around in my ZL1 exactly 5 weeks from today!

[69 Rebel]

Maybe i am making to much out of it and they really are just mudguards

But here's a pic.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by 69 Rebel

Maybe i am making to much out of it and they really are just mudguards

But here's a pic.

Ah! Nope - those are no mud guards!

They are what I described earlier - while subtle, they play a big role in redirecting air around the wheel wells to help improve stability at high speeds.

[mlee]

I haven't said it yet Joe, but that was absolutely a First Class write-up. You have some skills there... I have not been stirred up like that since the Ring Video... I'll probably go back and ready it every couple of weeks to keep my permagrin going until the car gets here. Thanks for taking the time to document everything.

...and talk about jealous... you LUCKY DOG... I am sooooooo jealous, but glad you were chosen for this one. Now you're going to have to spot me a few seconds at the fest since you got expert training and track practice...