di0ck

Well fella's, I've been researching here a lot deciding on my next car, and I've only posted a few times... The [SEARCH] button has been my friend, and so have the external engine and wheel/tire sections. I'm happy to state how much I've fallen for the T/A WS6 in the past months!

I come to LS1TECH from the import world, a 5-year owner of a 2000 Eclipse w/ a 3.0L V6... mated to an A4 with sporttronic shifting. It's very comfy, stylish and handles very well with the mods I have.

I looking to get into a 01-02 WS6 M6 with around 40k miles on it this spring some time and I have a good idea of the mods i'll be doing already. -> for performance = LID, LTs, no cats, true duals, springs, shocks, PHB, antiroll bars, staggered 18's. For ICE, i'll build an in-car computer so i can run navigation / dvd / mp3 off a touchscreen, and have a decent sound system going with at least one 12" JLw6v2 sub.

:short list of mods on the eclipse followed by pics:
Injen intake
Magnaflow catback exhaust
Intrax 2" drop
Koni sport shocks / KYB-AGX struts
Suspension techniques rear anti-roll bar
RoadRaceEngineering rear shock tower brace
Shinestreet bodykit
18" team dynamics wheels w/ 235 Nitto555's

gojo83

well I hate to say it but it looks like you caught the displacement bug just like us. If you are looking for a good used LS1 I would say to check ebay and autotrader first. The other sites that I have found are mostly found by doing a google search Trans am classifieds and the like. Hope this helps you in your search I know I have looked at all of these sites and sites like it to find one for me but unfortuantly I will have to wait a couple years till I turn 25 because of the insane cost of insurance on these cars. Feel free to pm and I will be glad to help you how ever I can.
Greg

di0ck

i havent even looked at the insurance costs yet... but i really want a new car for this spring/summer and all the cruising i do during the warm socal summers. I was either getting an LS1 or an Evo8... but the dead sexiness of the WS6 and the simple+powerful modding of the LS1 are too enticing to get the AWD shitbox!

slowtealz28

Welcome aboard, I also came from the import scene.... well sorta. I had a 1990 300zx 2+2, nothing fancy stock car with tinted windows. It felt like an absolute turd after I test drove the Z28 i have now. You'll love the WS6, just be careful going from FWD to RWD, its very easy to get a lil squirrely going around turns.

JerseyLS1TA

iTrader: (2)

Welcome, you made a wise decision

di0ck

i like the 300zx also, but would only imagine myself in the twin turbo model! I researched them a lot previously, but don't want a 10year old twin turbo motor to maintain!! $$$$$$Yea, my brother (who has an 02 silverado and loves domestics) has been warning me that the F-Body's are death traps, especially if the road is wet. The switch from FWD to RWD does involve new risks, especially when I plan to add hp with LID/LTH/catback. What I've said to him is that the danger comes mostly from the driver! I believe that by slowly pushing the cars limits, before I get *****-out crazy, I will learn its characteristics well enough to drive the car the way i like to drive my cars, HARD!

I've learned from these boards, and from watching SCCA T2 division races that the Fbodys can handle really well, so I am happy that won't be such a drawback to switching to this muscle car.

The only other car I am considering now is the Mitsubishi Evolution 8... AWD, turbo 4-door... its got great power potential, superb handling and braking, and many options like HID, recaro racing seats and sunroof that the fbody does not even offer... my brother feels the evo would be a better decision because it wouldn't be as dangerous as the WS6.

What do you all think?

di0ck

oh yea, also... i didn't mention it earlier but I thought I'd mention I've been participating in another online forum for the last few years for the car I have now.

Its a Southern California regional car club just for the 2000-2005 Eclipse and I am the Vice President & Web Designer. [www.socal3g.com] Last year I won many accolades for my car, including; Most Improved Car of the year from Socal3g, and I also earned National recognition for from the national eclipse club www.clug3g.com for Car of the Month in April of 2005.

Thanks to all for the warm welcomes. I look forward to finding some F-body gatherings in the Los Angeles area this coming spring and summer! Hopefully I'll be attending behind the wheel of my own WS6.

98TADRIVER

iTrader: (36)

Id just like to say welcome to the FBODY world and give yall my 2 cents. F bodies arent really death traps i got plenty of room in it, and As long as u dont drive like an *** youll be ok. ive driven my TA in the Rain before, just leave the TCS button on and take extra care just like in any other car. Dont go really fast around corners and push it to its limits, save that for the track so u dont wind up in the woods one day. lol I went from a 89 RS camaro auto with a lil 305 to the 98 Trans AM LS1 M6 back in april and i thought i'd be all over the road, but it feels quite planted to the road it hooks good as hell. Just Respect the Car and youll be aight! hope this helps you all looking to get a LS1 FBODY!!!

di0ck

yea, i think thats the best advice... wether i got a WS6 or an Evo... both cars will demand more respect than my current car. Foolish driving could be the death of me in either car... but I guess the point my brother is making is that the WS6 would have less tolerance for hard cornering and I might be more likely to lose it in a corner than I would in an Evo.

MountainMotor

iTrader: (2)

Well the smaller cars handle well because they're so small, light and some are AWD but I think you'll be surprised at how well the f-body's handle. I've always been a domestic guy but I have a few friends that have sport compacts so I've ridden in quite a few. The domestic cars are more known for their straightline power but still handle very well and you can make them handle even better with some minor suspension upgrades and nice tires. I guess it's just according to what your looking for but I don't think you'll be disappointed with the handling.

ACW

Yep, 'pushing' any car too much for the conditions and the driver's abilities is just asking for trouble.
And when someone does have a wreck in an F-body, the car (and occupant/s) often withstand it amazingly well! Some of the crash photos and stories that have been posted in the Lounge are pretty impressive.

2K2WS6TA

iTrader: (2)

F bodys are no more a death trap than any other car, use your head and get used to the power before you start tearing up the roads with it.
They are pretty sturdy cars, and will stand up to a wreck very well (five star frontal crash rating), as someone said some of the pics of wrecks you'd expect the driver/passenger to be dead, but they're the ones posting the pics
They handle decently stock, and with a few mods can handle even better, and they definately have the straight line power down.
Welcome to the site and to owning an F body

Superman09

iTrader: (65)

Killer Wing dude. Great choice to switch to the good ol american muscle. Since i got my TA ive NEVER regretted it. Am jsut so pissed off right now that i cant drive it due to Michigan weather and cant wait for summer! Good luck, respect the car and have fun. I got this car when i was 16, just 17 now, so that shows with a good head, theres no trouble. Have fun and youll never regret getting an LS1!

white_camaro

iTrader: (13)

im definately a domestic f-body guy but i also really like the evo's, id never take one over my camaro but i wouldnt mind one as an addition to my garage. i say test drive both cars and make your decision, you really cant go wrong either way

di0ck

thanks for the great responses guys!

the suspension/handling/stance of the car would definitley get changed by me, thats my nature, and i think the LS1 will have plenty of power for me to start with!! But, I know it will only be a matter of time before I get full exhaust and LID on there to unleash that muscle car sound I couldn't stand to keep secret!

I'd really like to keep my eclipse when I upgrade to a new car, but at some point it might be sacrificed for mod money! haha

Racehead

Congrats on your decision to move up. And don't worry, you can make an fbody flat out handle with the best of them. My car doesn't give anything up to anybody on a road course. BTW it's for sale now ( baby )

sundaydriver

Here on the back roads of nePa. my TSI AWD "shitbox?" is my car of choice. Compared to my SS it is much more nimble and very importantly, very forgiving in getting it back after losing it.
Front wheel drive with that "torque pull" has spooked me at times, so my last was 10 years ago.. The Camaro handles great even in wet weather as long as you keep your right foot connected to your brain.
Your car looks great!!

slowtealz28

Yea exactly, it's all in the driver. My 300zx was my first car, and I took it easy at first with it and then started doing some more crazy things. I always make sure there is minimal if not 0% of hurting anyone other than myself. When I first got my camaro I was actually scared of it. I took it very easy at first. I then started practicing launching and getting sideways in an empty parking lot. This is the best thing to do when buying a new car, atleast I think. LEARN THE CAR. Every car is different, and you cant adjust in one drive, it does take time. The car that once scared me now seems slow, and soon I'll be upgrading to an LS1. One thing, if you do ever get drag radials, be very carefull if you are ever in the rain. I had the BFG's, and it started to rain on the highway, and I remember having the cruise control on doing 50 and the car just went sideways. Anywho, good luck, and even more so, good luck not wanting to get exhaust the day after you buy the car. It's a horrible feeling when a slow beat up v8 car that you know you could take goes by you and throws you a rev and you have nothing to show for it.