Pontiac Firebird 1967-2002 - differences between trans am and ws6

so im thinkin about gettin a trans am to save some money cause around where i live the ws6 is 5 grand more, but what differences are there between a trans am and a ws6 besides the ram air? what would i have to do to gain the horsepower of a ws6?

theres no difference. its basically the hood that you get. the shocks are slightly better, but not enough to really notice. slightly wider tires, etc. nothing worth $5k. you may gain a very small amount of power at high speeds, but the poor aerodynamics of the hood should actually hurt it more than help.

all of our cars have about 350 crank horsepower, no matter what the model.

Agreed LS1 is an LS1
Save the $5K for mods to put you well beyond a WS6.

Anybody that tells you A WS6/SS/Firehawk is faster is a fool and hasn't been around these cars long enough to know anything.

Real differences are as followed

Ram Air hood with larger lower Air Box
Power steering cooler
1LE Springs (`96-early `00 only)
32mm front swaybar
low restriction exhaust (different muffler and tips only/`98's had a 3.5" Single on the Left)
17x9" wheels w/275/40/17 Eagle F1's
GU5 3.23 gearset mandatory on Automatic equipped WS6's but at extra cost (not part of the Pkg)

Yepp to be honest I regret paying so much more for my WS6, I payed 12K for and could of got a regular T/A in just as good codition for about 8K.

For a plethora of information regarding this subject, you might wanna try doing a search.

Would you say a cornucopia?

For a plethora of information regarding this subject, you might wanna try doing a search.

:werd: ......... There's a sticky in the noob section covering this.

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/1740883-post5.html

Yepp to be honest I regret paying so much more for my WS6, I payed 12K for and could of got a regular T/A in just as good codition for about 8K.

Well, when you sell that extra cost should still be there, both cars, WS6 and non-WS6 will go down, but that gap will still exist.

^ not really. as a percentage maybe. but if the t/a is worth $2500-3000 no ones paying 5 grand more for a ws6. maybe like 500 or so more.

WS6s just Rock!!!

there IS a difference.. and yes 5 g will put u past the diff between a ta and a ws6 but part of what ur buying is the name.. and yes an ls1 is an ls1.. but thats from the heads down.. the intake and exhaust are your differences when it comes to mechanical.. suspension is also a big difference.. why your saying the diff is the hood i duno? ram air package is an option for the ta as well.. that DOESNT make it a ws6.. all this you can find with just a lil research.. the comment about how the ta/ws6/and firehawk are all the same is bogus... if u guys forgot already the same motor the vette uses was run in our fbodys..

dont mean to step on anyones toes but i have ben around these cars since i could crawl.. just stating the obvious. sorry if i offended anyone

there IS a difference.. and yes 5 g will put u past the diff between a ta and a ws6 but part of what ur buying is the name.. and yes an ls1 is an ls1.. but thats from the heads down.. the intake and exhaust are your differences when it comes to mechanical.. suspension is also a big difference..
The suspension was a minor difference at best. A 2mm thicker front swaybar and still shitty valved Decarbon shocks left A LOT to be desired. The big difference was from the 275/40/17's the car came with giving it more grip.


why your saying the diff is the hood i duno? ram air package is an option for the ta as well.. that DOESNT make it a ws6..
There was no 4th gen "Ram Air" package.


all this you can find with just a lil research.. the comment about how the ta/ws6/and firehawk are all the same is bogus... if u guys forgot already the same motor the vette uses was run in our fbodys..
This statement makes no sense.

^ haha you beat me to it. bluws6 clearly has no idea about this stuff. dont spread misinformation.

hehehe big difference in suspension. haha

"Ram Air" package for a non Ws6? :eyes:

Bro you need to do some research.

dont mean to step on anyones toes but i have ben around these cars since i could crawl..

No offense but that's not telling us much.
And your previous statements make little sense aswell, (as JD already stated)

I've owned nothing but F-bodies since 1990
I was 29 when I purchased my `98 Formula New and at that time wasn't going to spend an extra $3,150 for an option that gave ZERO horsepower and showed a marginal difference in handling.
(yes some of us already new this back then)

there IS a difference.. and yes 5 g will put u past the diff between a ta and a ws6 but part of what ur buying is the name.. and yes an ls1 is an ls1.. but thats from the heads down.. the intake and exhaust are your differences when it comes to mechanical.. suspension is also a big difference.. why your saying the diff is the hood i duno? ram air package is an option for the ta as well.. that DOESNT make it a ws6.. all this you can find with just a lil research.. the comment about how the ta/ws6/and firehawk are all the same is bogus... if u guys forgot already the same motor the vette uses was run in our fbodys..

The intake is the exact same what is different is the airbox. Next the supposed freer flowing exhaust I cut both a WS6 muffler open and a regular T/A muffle open I couldn't tell the difference. Yes the WS6 got hood,spoiler,wheels, sway bars, but when it comes down to the motor there isn't much difference. ANd the funny thing about the shocks being different is that the part numbers are the same for the WS6 and the reg T/A.

Agreed LS1 is an LS1
Save the $5K for mods to put you well beyond a WS6.

Anybody that tells you A WS6/SS/Firehawk is faster is a fool and hasn't been around these cars long enough to know anything.

Real differences are as followed

Ram Air hood with larger lower Air Box
Power steering cooler
1LE Springs (`96-early `00 only)
32mm front swaybar
low restriction exhaust (different muffler and tips only/`98's had a 3.5" Single on the Left)
17x9" wheels w/275/40/17 Eagle F1's
GU5 3.23 gearset mandatory on Automatic equipped WS6's but at extra cost (not part of the Pkg)

THe power steering cooler was not a WS6 option I think it was on all 01 and 02 LS1's I had a plain old Z-28 with no options that had one, my WS6 had it, so did my SS, and my formula did as well..

THe power steering cooler was not a WS6 option I think it was on all 01 and 02 LS1's I had a plain old Z-28 with no options that had one, my WS6 had it, so did my SS, and my formula did as well..

All my original brochures are packed away but I remember `98-`00 The powersteering cooler was part of the Pkg. (My Base Formula does not have it)
So they may have made it mandatory on all car in the later years.

Well, I know i had my heart set on a WS6, but ended up getting one without the package....and i wouldn't have it any other way now.

All my original brochures are packed away but I remember `98-`00 The powersteering cooler was part of the Pkg. (My Base Formula does not have it)
So they may have made it mandatory on all car in the later years.

hmmm i remember reading in a sticky a long time ago before i bought mine that it was early formulas that came without but all t/as did, i think. i definitely could be wrong about this though.

there IS a difference.. and yes 5 g will put u past the diff between a ta and a ws6 but part of what ur buying is the name.. and yes an ls1 is an ls1.. but thats from the heads down.. the intake and exhaust are your differences when it comes to mechanical.. suspension is also a big difference.. why your saying the diff is the hood i duno? ram air package is an option for the ta as well.. that DOESNT make it a ws6.. all this you can find with just a lil research.. the comment about how the ta/ws6/and firehawk are all the same is bogus... if u guys forgot already the same motor the vette uses was run in our fbodys..



dont mean to step on anyones toes but i have ben around these cars since i could crawl.. just stating the obvious. sorry if i offended anyone

You didn't step on anyone's toes, you made yourself look like a fool. I too have been around these cars since I could crawl and you're flat out WRONG. Obviously the biggest differences will be between a T/A and Firehawk where you will see/feel the suspension differences but overall there aren't many MAJOR differences between the 3 trims. Also, what does the LS1 being in the Corvette have to do with this discussion.

Also, show me a factory "ram air" set up that's NOT a WS6 and no WS6 hood....

Looks (IMO) and RESALE are the difference...

^ dude all our cars have about 350 crank horsepower. also, basically everything with the ws6 is either show or bs. they made things slightly better on paper to make it sound better but in reality the differences are so small they dont matter. the only performance difference between ls1 cars is tire size and weight. the ONLY advantage a ls1 vette has is weight, which is only a slight advantage.

ok. then there is no difference between the two.. i was wrong...

Nice edit. The LS1 in the 'vette and WS6 is damn near the same.

No one is saying the T/A and WS6 is EXACTLY the same...there are some differences but enough to make a big performance difference? No, not at all. A hood, and some better shocks...to some people that isn't worth the $$. But motor for motor it's EXACTLY the same...performance is the same....

the ONLY advantage a ls1 vette has is weight, which is only a slight advantage.

And a far superior suspension and chassis design...

^ in drag racing i meant. our solid axles are better anyways. now road course, yeah different story. but rolling start on the highway weight'll be it.