F-Body Styling
04-19-2006, 12:24 AM
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F-Body Styling Why didnt GM completely restyle the body of the f-body in the 4th gen. The 98-02 have the exact same body from the doors to the rear as the 93-97 style. Why did they only change the front? They should've restyled everything as either the 93-97 seem to look "newer", or 98-02 seem to look "older" but the front end. I'm sure you guys get the idea.
04-19-2006, 07:17 AM
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Not sure if you understand, but if you do, ignore this message.
The 93-97 is the 1st half of the 4th gens. 98-02 the 2nd half.
the 82-92 was the 3rd generation of f-bodies.
Duff
The 93-97 is the 1st half of the 4th gens. 98-02 the 2nd half.
the 82-92 was the 3rd generation of f-bodies.
Duff
04-19-2006, 09:42 AM
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Originally Posted by emj2006
Why didnt GM completely restyle the body of the f-body in the 4th gen. The 98-02 have the exact same body from the doors to the rear as the 93-97 style. Why did they only change the front? They should've restyled everything as either the 93-97 seem to look "newer", or 98-02 seem to look "older" but the front end. I'm sure you guys get the idea.
2nd gen = 1970-1981
3rd gen = 1982-1992
4th gen = 1993-2002
There were several styling changes throughout each generation; some minor and some major. What makes a "gen" is the same basic body. That is the only reason they are grouped together. If they had made a drastic complete body change in 1998, it would have been the 5th gen F-body.
04-19-2006, 10:31 AM
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Because GM was doing good just to produce it after 97. They were a pen stroke away from canning it prior to 02. They needed more room for the 5ton soccer-mobiles.
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04-19-2006, 06:26 PM
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The '98-02s didn't get a new rear end. And didn't the front end get re-done because of the motor? I thought I read somewhere that they needed a little more height to get the LS1 in there. Could be wrong.
04-19-2006, 08:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Sgt. Spuds
IDk, but they sure as hell took two steps backwards when they changed the front end on the 1998's...
Everyone that cant afford an LS1 says that
I like how the LT1 f-bodies look
I LOVE how the LS1 f-bodies look
04-19-2006, 08:18 PM
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Supposidly, the F-body was going to be out of production at the end of '97, but someone in GM, supposidly Scott Settelmier (The F-Body Godfather) was able to talk them into restyling the car and putting the LS1 in it.
I could not have asked for more! The 98-02 cars look unbelievable! Im biased to the WS6, but even the camaros look even sleeker than they did with the LT1
I could not have asked for more! The 98-02 cars look unbelievable! Im biased to the WS6, but even the camaros look even sleeker than they did with the LT1
04-19-2006, 09:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Sgt. Spuds
IDk, but they sure as hell took two steps backwards when they changed the front end on the 1998's...
Maybe with the Camaros. Ill agree on that. The LT1 camaro looks alot better than catfish LS1s.
As for the TAs....yea the LT1s are pretty cool lookin, but the LS1 TAs are SEXY.
04-19-2006, 09:40 PM
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Originally Posted by ecko70
Maybe with the Camaros. Ill agree on that. The LT1 camaro looks alot better than catfish LS1s.
As for the TAs....yea the LT1s are pretty cool lookin, but the LS1 TAs are SEXY.
As for the TAs....yea the LT1s are pretty cool lookin, but the LS1 TAs are SEXY.
04-20-2006, 12:04 AM
#20
Actually the mid cycle freshening is very typical of the GM of those days. It was very normal for GM to release a "new" platform (93) let it run for about 4-5 years, and then do what is called a mid-cycle fix, or refreshening to pump life back into the platform for another 4-5 years.
It is very typical of that timeframe and you can see it in most of the GM vehicles of that age... S10's, Cavaliers, most of the "cheap" cars and trucks followed this logic and still do to this day, though now the cycles are more like every 3-4 years.
To understand why they would do this is simple - developing, tooling, and validating a new platform costs an INSANE amount of money. On the same note you can just update a few body and interior pieces and many people think it's an all new vehicle.
Something as simple as the engine mount system can cost over 1 million dollars to tool. So yes it adds up very fast.
We just got lucky with the LS1. If the LT1 wasn't discontinued due to emmissions and manufacturing concerns we'd all have LT1's.
It is very typical of that timeframe and you can see it in most of the GM vehicles of that age... S10's, Cavaliers, most of the "cheap" cars and trucks followed this logic and still do to this day, though now the cycles are more like every 3-4 years.
To understand why they would do this is simple - developing, tooling, and validating a new platform costs an INSANE amount of money. On the same note you can just update a few body and interior pieces and many people think it's an all new vehicle.
Something as simple as the engine mount system can cost over 1 million dollars to tool. So yes it adds up very fast.
We just got lucky with the LS1. If the LT1 wasn't discontinued due to emmissions and manufacturing concerns we'd all have LT1's.
Last edited by todddchi; 04-20-2006 at 12:09 AM.