BMo99TA

I’m looking for opinions on the TA vs WS6. I have three listed locally at some dealerships. Two are WS6’s the other is just a straight TA. I know the mechanical differences and the speed difference is not a big concern of mine. The two options on the WS6 I like are the hood and Hurst shifter. Did any of the TA’s come with the Hurst or just the WS6? The one TA I’m looking at has the bent shifter rod and I thought that was the Hurst? Its on a 2000.

Do you think the WS6 is worth the investment of a couple thow extra? Are they more rare and will hold there value better, or should I save the money and make the TA a clone? Beauty of it is I got nothing but time right now being that its winter. Not sure if I can get a better price off the lot though because of that?

bandit12

You could get a hurst shifter on a TA, Formula or WS6. There isn't much difference in the speed between the three. There is a difference in the handling. Stiffer suspension and beefier tires make a big difference in the WS6.

It won't cost you that much more money to go ahead and get a WS6 and avoid being a poser if you do the hood switch. Plus you may have to paint it if you want a "ram air" hood for a regular TA. That will kill your savings if not cost more.

If rarity is your cup of tea. Try to find LS1 version of a Formula WS6. You don't see many if any and man they are sweet. I believe the last year it was offered as an option was 2000.

_JB_

iTrader: (33)

I would get the Ws6 just because it will be worth a little more than regular T/As when you sell it.

mcG

iTrader: (1)

ws6 but i am biased!

EchoMirage

iTrader: (3)

WS6....biased again....but I'd get it 'just to have' if I was in your position. there probably won't be THAT big a diff. in price between the two nowadays, condition permitting.

AllShowNoGo

Personally i would go with a Formula. They make a much better sleeper car. Now only if someone around here had a nice Formula for sale, you'd be all set. O wait what a coincidence (sp?), theres one in my sig.

Seriously though, make sure you drive them and get a feel for them before you make your decision so you dont end up regretting not buying the one you really wanted.

Alabama Cotton

There is only one to get, this will probably be worth the most in years to come


This baby is in the U.K.

Enough said
But then I also am biased

rdmelton

iTrader: (25)

Here's my input as a person who was recently looking for an LS1 (and debating between a T/A and a WS6) and recently bought one.

I was planning to do modifications including things like exhaust, wheels, suspension, etc which are many of the "extra" things that are included in the WS6 and that theoretically you are paying more for (yes, I know that there are other extra things too), so the performance differences were mostly irrelevant to me. The one item that I wanted on a WS6 and hadn't planned to replace was the hood. Based on what I've seen on the forum, I estimated that it would cost about $1,000-$1,500 for a WS6 hood and getting it painted (the price will vary depending on whether you get a real or knockoff hood, and the quality of the paint job.) The other little extras that the WS6 has and the potential for higher resale didn't mean much to me, so I figured that it would be worth $1k-2k more for a WS6 versus a regular T/A. If you were looking to keep the car stock (haha, who does that!) then it might be worth a little more for the other upgrades on the WS6 when compared to a T/A.

I did some theoretical checks for used car prices on KBB and edmunds, and it seemed that WS6's went for significantly more than $1k-$2k more than T/As. I also checked the classifieds on this forum, and it seemed that WS6's went for significantly more than $1k-$2k more than T/As on average.

When I was looking for a car and trying to compare T/As to WS6's, I used that price difference as my comparison assuming other things like mileage, condition, year, transmission type, mods, etc were equal. Of course, no two cars are alike, so it's pretty much impossible to try to compare them, but that's how I attempted to do it.

Having said all of that, you never know what used cars will be available at any given time, and how good of a deal you might find, so I was leaning towards getting a regular T/A and adding the WS6 hood later, but I also was keeping an eye out for WS6s if any appeared at a good price. Well, I happened to find a 2000 WS6 at what I felt was a really good price, so I ended up getting a WS6, and I am glad that I don't have to get a different hood and get it painted to match the car.

brynnda

iTrader: (5)

deff ws6

'Trust'

iTrader: (24)

I say WS6, you'll spend alot more than a few thow to make it a clone and all your savings are gone and your left with a clone. With that alone I'd get the WS6

SweeTbone

iTrader: (8)

Get what's the better deal, with price and mileage factoring in. I have a plain Trans Am. It wasn't offered with the WS6 option in Maple Red Metallic. I added an ASCD WS6 hood and 2000 rims. Done. It came with a factory Hurst. Mine was loaded with every option except CD changer and WS6. Chrome rims, TCS, Hurst, Lumbar seats, blah blah blah.

Also, what are you planning to do with the car? Buy it and resell it a few years down the road? Do you want it to have a Ram Air hood for yourself or for possible resale? I guess get the WS6 then, just for the fact that people sell them for more than a regular TA. If it's a keeper, either one will be fine IMO.

darcar1

Get the better deal for the mileage and condition of the car, that is what makes the most sense. The WS6 seems to be the more sought after of the two cars seeing as how people are taking there regular birds and cloning the WS6 look. If it is the look that you want then buy the car and don't settle for a copy. As for resale the more something is wanted the higher the price will be hence more money for the WS6's. Down the road when a buyer with any knowledge is looking for a WS6 that is what he will buy, not a clone. Some like the sleek bird and some like the WS6. Get the best deal for either one and if you want the WS6 look just narrow your choice between the 2 WS6's. Performance is pretty much the same between the two but handling is diffrent. Drive them both and you will see.

~JOSHUA

iTrader: (92)

Wait for a Firehawk!

Bird Man

iTrader: (1)

WS6 is a good buy if the mileage and condition is good.

ghardester

Hey, Alabama Cotton, I could have swore that car was in my driveway a minute ago. Let me check, OK still there, except mine is wet from the rain. I have only seen a couple NBM WS6 around here. I agree with your post. Buy the WS6, you will spend too much money trying to clone one and it just won't be the same in value or performance.

SweeTbone

iTrader: (8)

I thought we debunked this myth years ago. There is virtually no performance difference between a stock Trans Am and stock WS6 Trans Am. Minor suspension mods I will give you, but I don't think that is a major jump over a stock TA that is a good deal. I'd even give you the value, because people think just like that, that the WS6 is a "better" performer. A stock TA is actually more RARE than a WS6 TA. And a LS1 is a LS1 is a LS1, whether it is a SS / Z28 / TA / WS6.

bandit12

Okay how do you come up with that?

I couldn't find the 02 #'s but there are a lot more TA's than WS6's from 98-01.

32631 TA's (Coupes and Verts)
23494 TA WS6's (Coupes and Verts)

The disparity is even worse if you throw in the 96 & 97 model years.

So unless they made 9137 more WS6's than TA's in 2002, I am calling

Here is my source: Production #'s

SweeTbone

iTrader: (8)

I really wasn't counting verts in there, but I'll humor it. And I'm assuming that we are talking about LS1s, I am NOT counting LT1s, cause the original poster is looking at a 2000 LS1, which is what my first comment is based on.

2000 Bird Production

https://ls1tech.com/forums/showpost....08&postcount=3

WS6 Trans Am = 8,189
Base Trans Am = 3,225

2001 Bird Production

https://ls1tech.com/forums/showpost....37&postcount=8

WS6 Trans Am = 7,073
Base Trans Am = 2,596

2002 Bird Production

https://ls1tech.com/forums/showpost....30&postcount=1

WS6 Trans Am = 12,212 including CE
Base TA = 3,962

All of these #s were taken from links in ACW's production number thread found here. --> https://ls1tech.com/forums/pontiac-firebird-1967-2002/253178-production-numbers-thread.html#post2150896

Seems to be that LS1 POWERED BASE TRANS AM COUPES were produced LESS than WS6 TRANS AM COUPES. Hence, more "rare". So, I'll call your with

bandit12

I have looked at several different links and they all have different numbers. Here for example 02 TA production #'s says there were only 10888 TA's (TA & WS6) total. and your info says 12212 WS6's. Both can't be right. I think there is a lot of misinformation out there. Gotta love the internet. Thanks Al Gore.

SweeTbone

iTrader: (8)

http://www.f-bodyhideout.com/build_c...2_firebird.htm

This external link says 12,212 also, but that is 2002 WS6 coupes and convertibles combined. But yeah, so much information is out of whack, we can't get a positive number. Especially for the 2000 year. That's the worse breakdown of all for 98-02.