Shno's House of Z

[laborsmith]

Originally Posted by 90503

...If...(BIG IF)...the number of warehoused LS7s is a given...IF they make useable ones through Oct of this year (?)...and the max number they can build in a day through October is known.....A little detective work should tell how many Z/28s could be built....lol...

Per my memory and I have no idea where I read or heard this, each Wixom engine builder can assemble two engines a day. I believe Wixom used to have 29 employees and I recently noticed it has 28. I do not know how many actually do the builds, but if the 18 hourly workers do, than 36 per day seems feasible, minus vacation time, holiday time etc. More realistically, say 25 to 30 perday.

Now if all production is LS7 that would equal? Say 3000 units? Max? Likely 2/3 of that.


Laborsmith

[ShnOmac]

Originally Posted by Zfatuated

Right in line with my thinking as well. No free lunch. Speed costs, how fast do you want to go...



The ceramic rotors will last the life of the car if not tracked. A couple track events per year by a novice driver won't change that. Pads last same as steels but will cost more.

Track use wear of the rotors will be wholly dependent on drivers braking style, track configurations run, ambient temps and critically- warm up, cool down laps. Thermal shock is a strong determinant of wear rate with ceramics.

I've got approx 125 track days, all on either carbon-ceramic or carbon-silicon-carbide rotors. Personally would not want to ever track a car with steels for a variety of good reasons (rotating/unsprung weight reduction, no black dust, no warping. no fade, etc etc.).

Bit of pron attached from one of my builds.

Thanks for the info!

And holy crap that rotor looks huge...

[Zfatuated]

Originally Posted by ShnOmac

Thanks for the info!

And holy crap that rotor looks huge...

Too much is never enough. There is nothing better than having brakes that you don't have to worry about on track.

Here's another one I did. This set-up, even if 100% track use, the rotors will never wear out. Ever. Billet calipers. Aluminum hats. Front is 396mm, rears on this car were 380mm. Rays' forged G12's, Trofeo's. Cool stuff eh?:

[JusticePete]

What brand of calipers and rotors?

[Zfatuated]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

I have been speaking with Brembo for about 18 months about killer brakes for the 5th Gen. The calipers need to be a step below a full racing brake so they can be used on the street. (Full racing brake calipers are high maintenance.) The GT-R Caliper is spot on. It has no exterior dust seals to over heat and disintegrate. Is machined from a block of billet aluminum. SS Inserts to insulate the piston from the heat of the backing plate.


The calipers will work with iron or composite rotors. They have a new composite rotor that does not need to be replaced when scratched like the OE CF rotors.

The Brembo GT-R system is awesome. Very expensive and worth every penny. It would be a killer brake setup for a non Z-28 Camaro. Most folks can't wrap their head around the value proposition, but for those who can, it is a very, very good set-up.

[Zfatuated]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

What brand of calipers and rotors?

MovIt (German) calipers/hats/mounting. Surface Transforms carbon-silicon-carbide rotors.

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by Zfatuated

MovIt (German) calipers/hats/mounting. Surface Transforms carbon-silicon-carbide rotors.

Did they just start doing business in the USA last year?

[Zfatuated]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Did they just start doing business in the USA last year?

Been around in Europe for many years (15? 18?), distributed in US for 5 years I think? Not popular (mega$), but about the best brakes money can buy.

I'm a huge fan of the Brembo GT-R brake kits as well.

[OldScoolCamaro]

...boy, when Pete posts, he overloads us......and thankfully so. Great info and insight Pete...thanks for the food for thought!

[LOWDOWN]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

One rumor out there is the LS7 Z/28 may be only a one model year run because the special conditions that allow the sale of the LS7 expire in 2014. I expect the LS7 to continue to be built on the new facility as a crate motors for years to come.

...therefore, take Z/28 development costs, multiply by TWO +, or divide by HALF - "possible 16 month production", adjust for a solar storm, and mid-$70s becomes a sad fact, quickly (no pun)...

Originally Posted by laborsmith

Per my memory and I have no idea where I read or heard this, each Wixom engine builder can assemble two engines a day. I believe Wixom used to have 29 employees and I recently noticed it has 28. I do not know how many actually do the builds, but if the 18 hourly workers do, than 36 per day seems feasible, minus vacation time, holiday time etc. More realistically, say 25 to 30 perday.

Now if all production is LS7 that would equal? Say 3000 units? Max? Likely 2/3 of that.


Laborsmith

Wixom was set up on 10-hour shifts that quota'd about 3 per assembler per shift (including 100% testing - see video 7-0h posted a week or so back). Flex-line capability with the Customer-build line as a kinda-sorta wildcard (as/if required). More engine orders, more line(s) up-n-running. Predicting what has been built and what will be built is nigh impossible. They'll build what they "need" to...

BTW, how y'all are?! Glad to resurface after intensive melon massaging...

[Col. Brain]

IF the Z/28 is selling better than GM expected and needs to extend into 2015 they could do like VW did when the ULSD law came into existance

Just continue to sell as a 2006 model into the 2007 model year to meet the demand then shut it down.

Reading a lot of rumors on the Corvette site saying the LT1 could be 475-490hp.

The 2015 Z/28 might have a LT1 engine in it as I would expect making 500hp would not be too hard to achieve if the new Corvette has 475+

[LOWDOWN]

Originally Posted by Col. Brain

Reading a lot of rumors on the Corvette site saying the LT1 could be 475-490hp.

The 2015 Z/28 might have a LT1 engine in it as I would expect making 500hp would not be too hard to achieve if the new Corvette has 475+

Speaking of rumors...LT1s in Gen-5 Camaros of any description is NOT a likely happenstance.

[Col. Brain]

All speculation right now.

Pete is saying the LS7 can only be built through 2014 kind of kills a chance at a 2015 Z/28.

But plenty of other rumors say it is a 2 year car


All in fun. A 500hp LT1 would be pretty sweet but I think the Corvette guys would have a hissy fit over at GM. That is unless 2015 brings the Z06 back. But GM can't show those cards just yet

[Number 3]

So assume a hybrid solution. Is it that they can only build the LS7 or they can only build cars with the LS67 through 2014? Keep going with stockpiled engines beyond that?

Also keep in mind you CAN legally sell a 2014 Model right up to December 31 2014 so although some are thinking a short run, it could be a long 2014 also.