Z15 Or CETA?

**Musclecargt71** · 11-07-2009, 01:09 PM

Hello fellow LS1 brethren,

As some of you know I am currently rebuilding a CETA (http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121156) I have recently came across information on the Z15 pilot trans am and have fell in love. For those who don't know, the Z15 (rpo code of the CETA package) was built by Drekar ASV from a factory CE trans am. They had plans to build 35 of these "suped-up" CETA's but only one pilot vehicle was ever produced. Some mods included a Vortech supercharger, millennium yellow paint, and z15 interior appointments. I was already planning to paint my CETA the brighter corvette yellow, but was planning on putting my CETA to stock looks (stripes and all) with the exception of the brighter yellow paint. Some day in the far future I also want to supercharge my LS1 which fits with the Z15. I'm not looking to sell the car since it may be "collectible" in the future, but was wondering what you guys (and girls) think. The yellow paint change is a must (non-negotiable) for me since I don't like the pale CE paint, but I already have the CETA stripe package and was going to put the car back to original.

*Note: The pilot vehicle was painted several times. You will see some pics with a gunmetal gray stripe (pic #2) while others (pics 1&3) have the black stripe. I will be doing the millenium yellow (black mirrors & halo) with the black stripe outlined with a 0.25 inch silver pinstripe with matching TTII rims as seen in pics 1&3.

**MrKid** · 11-07-2009, 01:20 PM

Z-15 ftw! I was going to do plain stipes on my car when I respray it, but I may have to steal that idea if you don't mind

**ls1camino** · 11-07-2009, 01:20 PM

Nah...keep the CETA setup (minus the paint).

**Musclecargt71** · 11-07-2009, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by MrKid

I may have to steal that idea if you don't mind

lol naw thats fine, that T/A looks so good how could I blame you

**justinmc978** · 11-07-2009, 03:57 PM

ill just state my opinions,

i say do millenium yellow without doubt, paint the top bar black like a ceta though. keep in mind, if the color is different at all, its not original(obviously), so whether you do the z15 scheme or make it look like a ceta, the color is not original so one wont really hurt the value more than the other would,

because the car is being rebuilt, its not all original either, but as long as it IS documented as a ceta it will ALWAYS have value regardless of how its painted, i would think in 30years when these are collectable, it wouldnt make too much of a difference whether you rebuilt it just like the factory or made it a little custom, it wont be 100% original nomatter what you do (also your custom yellow interior=saweet.), so i wouldn't focus on that aspect of your build too much. 'sides, why not pass it on to the kids instead of selling it?

i love the wheels on the ceta cars but the ttII's on the z15 are cool looking too. tie.

i like the subtle touches to the ceta like the hood stripes but i'm not CRAZY about the big feathers on the side, i would put up with it though, yours would definatly be one of very few ceta cars redone in mill. yellow and i would stop at a car show to drool on it for a while,

the pontiac-esq arrow on the hood on the z15 is too much for me, aswell for the top of the spoiler to be painted, not a fan of the whole scheme it has, but i would do anything to get my hands on the original, which i doubt highly you could copy exactly.

DO SUPERCHARGE IT FTW regardless of how its painted,

one more thing, if I had a ceta i was rebuilding, i'd might do it in white/lucern blue black/gold or red/black, but with all the ceta stripes in place, always wondered where the heck yellow came from when they decided to commemorate 35 years of firebirds, considering yellow was rarly an availible as a color on them thorughout thier history

**Musclecargt71** · 11-07-2009, 04:16 PM

Thanks for the input Justin, I appreciate it.....keep em coming

**cammed goat** · 11-07-2009, 04:24 PM

Z15. That looks hot. I DEFINATELY like it.

**richard head** · 11-07-2009, 05:33 PM

I have a black non CETA that I want to do a reverse version of the Z15. I think it's a really cool concept - I'm thinking forged internals and a nitrous cam eventually, minor rebuild at 200k just to keep the damned thing running. KEEP US UPDATED!!!!!

**Musclecargt71** · 11-07-2009, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by richard head

I have a black non CETA that I want to do a reverse version of the Z15. I think it's a really cool concept - I'm thinking forged internals and a nitrous cam eventually, minor rebuild at 200k just to keep the damned thing running. KEEP US UPDATED!!!!!

An inverse Z15 would look awesome too....anybody got some photoshop skillz?

**gateman** · 11-08-2009, 07:03 AM

I hate to say it.... BUT, I doubt that a wrecked/rebuilt CETA with non original paint will EVER be a collectable car.. Sure the stock non-rebuilt CETA's are going to be a collectable in about 20 years, but I doubt non-original, rebuilt car will fit into that catagory.. Sorry, I am not trying to be mean, just honest.. I would just build it as you wish and not worry about being a CETA..
I love the Z15 scheme, go that route and turn many, many heads!!!!

**Musclecargt71** · 11-08-2009, 08:38 AM

^^You do make a good point, I guess the only upside is that the CETA has a clean title with no accident record. Currently it was the only way I could afford a WS6 (46,xxx) so I picked it up. With that said, I guess it does make more sense to do it the way I want it...

**gateman** · 11-08-2009, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by Musclecargt71

^^You do make a good point, I guess the only upside is that the CETA has a clean title with no accident record. Currently it was the only way I could afford a WS6 (46,xxx) so I picked it up. With that said, I guess it does make more sense to do it the way I want it...

Absolutely!!! Build that badass Z-15 the way YOU want... I love the paint scheme you have in mind

**justinmc978** · 11-08-2009, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by Musclecargt71

An inverse Z15 would look awesome too....anybody got some photoshop skillz?

squint your eyes and it looks real-er

**Musclecargt71** · 11-08-2009, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by justinmc978

squint your eyes and it looks real-er

you get an A for effort lol.....too bad my architect roomates are too busy, they are badass on photoshop.

**tatertot91** · 11-08-2009, 05:53 PM

Clean title, you can pull it off
May be some value in there
I say stick to the CETA scheme, TTIIs make it stand out more IMO
What front bumper cover do you prefer?

**Musclecargt71** · 11-08-2009, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by tatertot91

Clean title, you can pull it off
May be some value in there
I say stick to the CETA scheme, TTIIs make it stand out more IMO
What front bumper cover do you prefer?

I like the T/A bumper cover over the formy if thats what your getting at. Right now I'm leaning toward the Z15 scheme but I feel like the smart thing would be to go back to the CETA look...

**justinmc978** · 11-08-2009, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by tatertot91

Clean title, you can pull it off
May be some value in there
I say stick to the CETA scheme, TTIIs make it stand out more IMO
What front bumper cover do you prefer?

a trans am bumper cover? i think i know this guy well enough hes not going to slap a formy one on there to make it an incest freak'

**cammed goat** · 11-08-2009, 06:07 PM

Z-15 T/A looks more unique and less cookie-cutter-ish.

**tatertot91** · 11-08-2009, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by justinmc978

a trans am bumper cover? i think i know this guy well enough hes not going to slap a formy one on there to make it an incest freak'

Not all have TA bumpers on em
Look at the pic the OP posted
Nothing wrong with a formy bumper

**tatertot91** · 11-08-2009, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by Musclecargt71

I like the T/A bumper cover over the formy if thats what your getting at. Right now I'm leaning toward the Z15 scheme but I feel like the smart thing would be to go back to the CETA look...

Just curious
If it were me i would do the CETA look and play around with decals, wheels, etc, but keep it so you could bring it back to original if you plan on it later on. Kinda like how selling a stock car is easier than selling a modded one. Just my personal opinion.