[Barbell_Cat_717]

So a couple of weeks ago my local track has permanently closed and it’s been a bother to me as well as many others who were racing there often. It kinda hit me in a way thinking if I should keep the Hellcat or not as I was mostly drag racing it quite often every week over there. Now that the local track is closed I figure I could look at another fun car with a manual to keep me entertained if it’s mostly going to be street driven.

I’ve had an interest in the ZL1 Camaro for a while as well. I found a local one near me that was an M6 like I would prefer and gave it a test drive. I honestly enjoyed the heck out of it. Just simply having a different experience of fun rowing through gears in that car and feeling more nimble to easily toss it in the corners was such a thrill.

Later that day I went back home to take my Hellcat out for a drive just to get a fresh back to back comparison and honestly I can’t really say one is better than the other because there just both different cars and both deliver a fun factor in their own ways. Now both cars have advantages over each other that maybe better like the ZL1’s better handling, feeling more planted, and more stable was nice. The Hellcat has that pure straight line raw violent muscle and excitement that delivers it’s fun in its own way and it is simply the better car for drag racing. I can go into a lot more detail about the two cars but I don’t want to make this a long post than it already is lol and I know there’s been good detailed reviews about both cars shared on this forum before.

A good way I can describe both cars is that the Hellcat is like the Clubber Lang while the ZL1 is like the Rocky Balboa, the Hellcat is like a Powerlifter while the ZL1 is like the Bodybuilder. Two different animals and in a way it honestly would be nice to have both but it wouldn’t quite work out for me that way especially with other things going on. I also want to mention that I’ve driven a few A10 ZL1s before and while that transmission is great, I’d honestly prefer the M6 for having a more fun pure driving experience and especially if not drag racing the car with no local dragstrip near me.

It’s not like I can’t ever go to the drag strip as there is one much further away from me (at least 2 hours) so the inconvenience of the long distance kinda sucks and obviously won’t be hitting it as often. Here’s the thing I’m trying to decide… and I know it’s solely my decision but sometimes it’s nice to be open and hear some other opinions. I still enjoy the Hellcat and have kept it stock for the past two years that I’ve owned it as I’m a firm believer in extracting as much performance out of the car as I can in stock form before if I were to ever throw money at it to increase performance, so I’ve paid my dues and deserve to go the modded route if I wanted to lol.

The Hellcat is paid off and that’s definitely a nice thing, I could keep the car and look into start modding it and take it to the next nearest drag strip that’s further away from me from time to time so I can still enjoy the car OR... I could see what offers I get for it if I were to sell and possibly look into ordering a new ZL1 Camaro.

I’ve never modded the Hellcat before or any car that I've owned for that matter and figure maybe if I did, it could be a new experience and have some new level of entertainment. Maybe if I modified the car it could be worth the experience as I know many of you on here are pretty well modded. We all know the Hellcat really shines with it’s big blower and definitely something to take advantage of if wanting to get big power and not being so limited as compared to the LT4 engine. I could only imagine how much more of a freight train the Cat can be with more enhanced performance. I could possibly make more memories with the car modding it or maybe it may not be worth doing so and I shouldn’t, I duno....

I also think it obviously wouldn’t work in my favor to mod it as it will possibly hurt resale value down the road and not many buyers are going to want to look into a modded vehicle which I can understand and maybe simply enjoying a new platform maybe the way to go... who knows. With all that being said I’m open to hear what you all have to say, some of you may say keep the Cat and mod it and enjoy it even more, which I can understand and maybe some of you may say don’t mod it and still enjoy it OR make the switch. Like I mentioned I know it’s my decision at the end of the day and only I can decide but I'm a little on the fence here and I know some of you have or had a ZL1 and a Hellcat that you modded, so what would you suggest? Keep the Hellcat for a while longer and mod it and take it to the drag strip 2 hours or so away from me from time to time or move on to a new platform like the ZL1? I’m open to hear some opinions......

 

[NoCoHC]

You can always get another Hellcat. ZL1 is a cool car and if the numbers work would be fun to own for awhile.

 

[2ndAmend]

I have had Vettes, but now that I have a wife and dog, and want to bring them both along….

The wife drove the RE for the first time today and we had a nice drive on the backroads (with the dog, of course). Then stopped at the brewery for a beer on the way home. We could not have done that in a Vette...

 

[saagz87]

If you don’t need to use your back seat often the ZL1 is pretty hard to beat for an all around drivers car. Especially if you want to row your own gears

 

[RB185AFM]

The ZL1 is amazing. The Alpha chassis is brilliant! Great cars! Not a bad choice if you need a new toy.

 

[WVHEMIS]

I always thought before the party was going to be over that Dodge would bring out a version of the Challenger that could truly carve the corners. We all now know that is not going to happen. We get the JB and get to pay stupid high prices for options that were available just two years prior. (Please new JB owners no offense!). I guess we will need to see if the new Challenger will be built with the twin-turbo I6 we may get a Challenger that could go around corners.

 

[HemiMetal]

The Camaro never felt comfortable to me and it's not like I'm oversized. I stand only 6 feet and weigh 215, but I remember my test drive in the Camaro felt like I was peering through a WWII pillbox bunker. Maybe the visibility has improved since. When I bought my original Challenger R/T in 2013, my instant regret was not buying an M6. When I traded it in last year for a 2015 cat, the big selling point for me was the Tremec. It's a fun car to drive but I know better than to track it against A8's. A better driver with quick reflexes and a nimble left ankle can undoubtedly even the playing field, but I know my limitations.

 

[HughJass]

Barbell, if you choose the ZL1, then naturally you will join the Camaro forums. They are the softest Liberal and touchiest owners on the internet. Also, you will be banned to the Prius owners forums permanently. Can you live with that shame?

I am a recovering Camaro forum member and have a obligation to warn you. You will proudly wear white new balance sneakers and capris. Your fridge will be full of tropical flavored white claws and wine coolers. That's just a start. You'll long for the days of locker room talks at the car shows with your Hellcat and Dodge Viper buddies.

 

[Xylander]

I've only had my 'Vette a couple weeks. Like the ZL1, it is a different car than the Hellcat. Regardless what auto journalists say, the Camaro and Challenger are in a different class of car. The Challenger is a muscle car, or if you prefer, a GT car. The Camaro and Mustang are both still technically GT cars, but GT cars are classed as such because they're comfortable over long distances and sporty. The Challenger is comfortable over long distances like no other, but it is not sporty. At all, especially when compared to the other 2-door pony and sports cars in this segment. The Mustang and Camaro are far more sporty than they are comfortable. The 'Vette is performance/sport first, and it does it with some comfort, but it's no comparison to the practicality offered by pretty much anything else aside from motorcycles.

I've driven Mopars exclusively since 2018. The C8 was a plan B car when my JB didn't pan out. I got a very nice deal on a semi-rare car (Red Mist paint, they only made 360 or so for 2021). At first, I had issues with even driving onto a Chevy dealership lot. Prior to being a Mopar guy, I built and drove only Fords for close to 15 years. After getting the 'Vette though, I'm getting over my 2020 Hellcat. As I've mentioned it before, almost everything the Hellcat could do, the 'Vette does better. The only things it doesn't do better is cargo space and there's no supercharger whine. It doesn't hurt that the C8 averages 34mpg @ 74mph and does 0-60 1 second faster than a Redeye, not to mention being able to actually turn. Ah the glory of a light car...

Anyhoo, in the end, buy and drive the car that's right for you. Had I gotten my JB as planned, I'd have never experienced a C8 and would have missed out on an absolutely fantastic car. As for me, I don't see it as missing out on a Hellcat so much anymore. It's more that I discovered a neat car that I had originally passed over due to non-availability, cost, and I didn't think I'd like it due to the fact that I haven't liked any of the C4-C7 Corvettes in terms of ride and build quality. I've since discovered that the C8 is quicker than pretty much any Hellcat, turns better, rides smoother, gets better mpg (by almost 3-fold in town), is half the cost on insurance, and is actually a really nice all around car... and not just a plastic track rat like the generations before it.

 

[lws]

keep your hellcat. If you want to carve corners in a real fun raw feeling car add a c6 z06 to your garage. Ive drove many challengers camaros and vettes and had a c6 z and it may lack a bit in hp compared to the z or hellcat its darned nears as fast and it lacks in all the grandma traction control ect and is a real driving car. You can get a nice one for around 30k. Cant even find a prius for that today. Add to that there at the end of the depreciation curve and you can buy one today have fun with it and probably sell it for more then you paid for it in 5 years. Go and test drive one. There hard not to like.

 

[Boris632]

The ZL1 with a stick is a hoot to drive.

You said the HC is paid off, keep it and buy the ZL1! Best of both worlds

 

[FreddyG]

I have a Buddy with a 2018 ZL1 with the 10 speed automatic and it ROLLS! It is heavily modded to the tune of a little over 950 to the wheels. He changed the blower to a Big Whipple and forged the motor, which helps but the 10 speed is one Bad Azz transmissions and shifts quicker than our 8 speeds do. That car pulls like a Freight Train but it was no slouch when it was stock either.

No Disrespect for the Hellcat meant but when stock, his would run with a stock Hellcat from a roll and would out 60' one from a dig (both on stock tires) and now it will Annihilate a modded Hellcat from a dig or roll.

They are Definitely not as comfortable as a Challenger and have a bunch of blind spots when driving in them, but if you want to go fast, they are a Great platform to start with.

 

[NeverEnough]

Opposite for me. Passed on ZL1 & went Hellcat. It's my daily so your choice may vary based on use of the car.
I'd probably sell the Hellcat for a new GT500 if they were not $100k
I would definitely sell the Hellcat for a new Blackwing if they were not $100k

 

[NeverEnough]

I have a Buddy with a 2018 ZL1 with the 10 speed automatic and it ROLLS! It is heavily modded to the tune of a little over 950 to the wheels. He changed the blower to a Big Whipple and forged the motor, which helps but the 10 speed is one Bad Azz transmissions and shifts quicker than our 8 speeds do. That car pulls like a Freight Train but it was no slouch when it was stock either.

No Disrespect for the Hellcat meant but when stock, his would run with a stock Hellcat from a roll and would out 60' one from a dig (both on stock tires) and now it will Annihilate a modded Hellcat from a dig or roll.

They are Definitely not as comfortable as a Challenger and have a bunch of blind spots when driving in them, but if you want to go fast, they are a Great platform to start with.

You can mod anything to be fast. Hellcats get fast with mods also LOL
I ran a stock ZL1 at the track when I first got my Hellcat. I beat him handily. Trapped 125 to his 121.

 

[Hpmaniac]

I bought a 2017

zl1 new and it was one hell of a car no doubt, that was the beginning of the new muscle car buying frenzy!!
2017 zl1
2019 redeye
2020 gt500 carbon track pack
2021 superstock.
I could make this a very long post explaining everything but In short the zl1 is the closest to the perfect do everything car on this list. By far the best bang for the buck of any modern muscle car out there and the chassis is amazing. Reason I sold it, the visibility sucked but I got used to it but the real reason was someone backed into it and I had to have the front repaired and painted. The repair was very very good but in my mind the car was never the same so I sold it. I wanted to just try something different and I had always been a Chevrolet man but I fell in love with the hellcat on the first drive in the redeye. Gt500 was absolutely beautiful and the engine is a top end powerhouse. I didn't enjoy the gt500, no torque, would get loose with no warning, terrible fit n finish. I've thought about getting another zl1, mine had a lower balancer and pulley, headers, tune, cold airbox cat delete. the car hauled ass for a car that only had 650 wheel. I'm just addicted to that big bad ass hemi now.

 

[FreddyG]

You can mod anything to be fast. Hellcats get fast with mods also LOL
I ran a stock ZL1 at the track when I first got my Hellcat. I beat him handily. Trapped 125 to his 121.

That's true but he was handily wasting MODDED Hellcat's both from a roll and a dig. The wider tires in back help him considerably and in my opinion, that 10 speed automatic is a game changer!

I'm not putting down Hellcat's by any means and I'm just telling what happened (I was in the car on some of the visits to Mexico, so it's not hearsay and I have no reason to lie). Modded Hellcat's are no joke but neither is my Buddy's ZL1.

In closing, there is always something quicker/faster/whatever but his ZL1 hasn't found it yet!

I bought a 2017 View attachment 594211 View attachment 594212 View attachment 594213 View attachment 594214 View attachment 594215 View attachment 594216 zl1 new and it was one hell of a car no doubt, that was the beginning of the new muscle car buying frenzy!!
2017 zl1
2019 redeye
2020 gt500 carbon track pack
2021 superstock.
I could make this a very long post explaining everything but In short the zl1 is the closest to the perfect do everything car on this list. By far the best bang for the buck of any modern muscle car out there and the chassis is amazing. Reason I sold it, the visibility sucked but I got used to it but the real reason was someone backed into it and I had to have the front repaired and painted. The repair was very very good but in my mind the car was never the same so I sold it. I wanted to just try something different and I had always been a Chevrolet man but I fell in love with the hellcat on the first drive in the redeye. Gt500 was absolutely beautiful and the engine is a top end powerhouse. I didn't enjoy the gt500, no torque, would get loose with no warning, terrible fit n finish. I've thought about getting another zl1, mine had a lower balancer and pulley, headers, tune, cold airbox cat delete. the car hauled ass for a car that only had 650 wheel. I'm just addicted to that big bad ass hemi now.

That's a Very Nice stable of Muscle! You've had some Absolutely Beautiful Modern Muscle cars!

 

[Barbell_Cat_717]

I've only had my 'Vette a couple weeks. Like the ZL1, it is a different car than the Hellcat. Regardless what auto journalists say, the Camaro and Challenger are in a different class of car. The Challenger is a muscle car, or if you prefer, a GT car. The Camaro and Mustang are both still technically GT cars, but GT cars are classed as such because they're comfortable over long distances and sporty. The Challenger is comfortable over long distances like no other, but it is not sporty. At all, especially when compared to the other 2-door pony and sports cars in this segment. The Mustang and Camaro are far more sporty than they are comfortable. The 'Vette is performance/sport first, and it does it with some comfort, but it's no comparison to the practicality offered by pretty much anything else aside from motorcycles.

I've driven Mopars exclusively since 2018. The C8 was a plan B car when my JB didn't pan out. I got a very nice deal on a semi-rare car (Red Mist paint, they only made 360 or so for 2021). At first, I had issues with even driving onto a Chevy dealership lot. Prior to being a Mopar guy, I built and drove only Fords for close to 15 years. After getting the 'Vette though, I'm getting over my 2020 Hellcat. As I've mentioned it before, almost everything the Hellcat could do, the 'Vette does better. The only things it doesn't do better is cargo space and there's no supercharger whine. It doesn't hurt that the C8 averages 34mpg @ 74mph and does 0-60 1 second faster than a Redeye, not to mention being able to actually turn. Ah the glory of a light car...

Anyhoo, in the end, buy and drive the car that's right for you. Had I gotten my JB as planned, I'd have never experienced a C8 and would have missed out on an absolutely fantastic car. As for me, I don't see it as missing out on a Hellcat so much anymore. It's more that I discovered a neat car that I had originally passed over due to non-availability, cost, and I didn't think I'd like it due to the fact that I haven't liked any of the C4-C7 Corvettes in terms of ride and build quality. I've since discovered that the C8 is quicker than pretty much any Hellcat, turns better, rides smoother, gets better mpg (by almost 3-fold in town), is half the cost on insurance, and is actually a really nice all around car... and not just a plastic track rat like the generations before it.

I have a relative who had a C8 and quite a few previous vettes. The C8 is definitely a different vehicle than the Hellcat and a great one in it’s own way. He and I did a few races with each other. His stock C8 vs my stock Hellcat and during a roll I’d always start to pull on it and win and we’d usually start around 50 or 60 mph and have at it while the Cat starts pulling away.


From a dig it was a completely different story, that C8 would just literally dead hook stabbing the throttle and leaving me in the dust while the Cat was trying to keep up and I was losing a wee bit too much traction but I was on near 2/32” tread life on my Nitto drag radials. I kinda wish I could redo the race from a dig again with new tires but he got rid of the C8 and I’m sure the C8 would have still won from a dig regardless.


I drove that C8 a bit to get the feel for it and was surprised at how capable the car is performance wise, I had a C6 Corvette and the C8 just felt much improved in handling, refinement, stability, etc. I was impressed you can floor the car from a dig and with no hesitation it will go on command. It would be nice if the Hellcat can do that as well on the street but only on a well preped track you can stab the throttle from a dig and hook lol.


Congratulations on your new C8 Corvette though, sometimes a new platform is quite fun and a different experience to enjoy. You were looking towards getting another Hellcat and you just so happen to have something different for a reason which worked out good for you.

 

[Barbell_Cat_717]

keep your hellcat. If you want to carve corners in a real fun raw feeling car add a c6 z06 to your garage. Ive drove many challengers camaros and vettes and had a c6 z and it may lack a bit in hp compared to the z or hellcat its darned nears as fast and it lacks in all the grandma traction control ect and is a real driving car. You can get a nice one for around 30k. Cant even find a prius for that today. Add to that there at the end of the depreciation curve and you can buy one today have fun with it and probably sell it for more then you paid for it in 5 years. Go and test drive one. There hard not to like.

I agree with you and yes a C6 Z06 is definitely a raw driver’s car, it’s no joke. I had a regular LS3 C6 but have driven the C6 Z06 before. The Z06 is definitely just about as fast as our Hellcats stock for stock due to their power to weight ratio but coming from a C6 platform I don’ t think I’d go back as I usually move on to something different.

As great as the C6 Z06 is, my only concern with it is the LS7 heads issue and yes it can always be changed out and stuff but I’m not sure if I’d still want to deal with that plus again coming from a C6 platform. Although an M7 C7 Z06 has my attention. The C6 Z06 is probably one of the most amazing bang for buck raw drivers performance car though.

 

[Barbell_Cat_717]

The ZL1 with a stick is a hoot to drive.

You said the HC is paid off, keep it and buy the ZL1! Best of both worlds

If I was able to have the ZL1 as well, I would, but unfortunately I can’t. It would either be one or the other and I’ve had the Cat for almost two years now so it’s something to decide whether I should keep it longer or not. I’m at the point where if I decide to keep the Cat longer, I’ll have my fun and start modifying it. If not, then trade for the new platform but a little undecided right now.

 

[Xylander]

I have a relative who had a C8 and quite a few previous vettes. The C8 is definitely a different vehicle than the Hellcat and a great one in it’s own way. He and I did a few races with each other. His stock C8 vs my stock Hellcat and during a roll I’d always start to pull on it and win and we’d usually start around 50 or 60 mph and have at it while the Cat starts pulling away.


From a dig it was a completely different story, that C8 would just literally dead hook stabbing the throttle and leaving me in the dust while the Cat was trying to keep up and I was losing a wee bit too much traction but I was on near 2/32” tread life on my Nitto drag radials. I kinda wish I could redo the race from a dig again with new tires but he got rid of the C8 and I’m sure the C8 would have still won from a dig regardless.


I drove that C8 a bit to get the feel for it and was surprised at how capable the car is performance wise, I had a C6 Corvette and the C8 just felt much improved in handling, refinement, stability, etc. I was impressed you can floor the car from a dig and with no hesitation it will go on command. It would be nice if the Hellcat can do that as well on the street but only on a well preped track you can stab the throttle from a dig and hook lol.


Congratulations on your new C8 Corvette though, sometimes a new platform is quite fun and a different experience to enjoy. You were looking towards getting another Hellcat and you just so happen to have something different for a reason which worked out good for you.

FWIW, I have a set of new Michelin PS 4 All seasons on the C8 and it hits 60 from a dig in 2.6 seconds. The best I ever got out of my Hellcat was a 3.6.