I Go To Costco

iTrader: (1)

Yes, I'm a Honda guy (please don't shoot ) as I've been raised in a household with mainly Hondas, and I like smaller, lighter cars that tend to have better handling. I'm still a newbie at working on cars - don't know how to do much outside of basic tune-ups and brake/suspension jobs. I like to lower cars for the sake of better handling, the added looks are just a bonus to me. I would rather brag that I lapped x.xx.xx on a road course than brag that I ran a 11 on the drag strip because its nice to have 900 ft/lbs. of torque (exaggerating of course) but its nothing if you can't even use it.

My first car was a 1995 5-speed Integra sedan. It had surprisingly decent handling for a cheap, FWD Honda. I was looking to buy 240sx's and MR2s but most have either been beat up, drifted, riced out, modded to hell or just overpriced.

I have always liked 4th gen Camaros though, so now I'm on the search for one.. I'm on the fence on whether I want the 93-97 or 98-02 models. I prefer the looks of the 93s, but I heard that the headlights have poor visibility. Plus the most important thing... 98+ have LS1s. I looked up the curb weight and Camaros are pretty heavy (3200+ lbs), but I already know that LSx are all-aluminum and don't weigh much more/less than a aluminum DOHC I4. However, how do they handle? Anyone have coilovers on theirs? I'd want a Camaro that handles like its on rails if its not asking for too much. Also, its definitely going to be a manual, which years/models have the 6-speed tranny? Is the clutch really stiff on Camaros? It will be my DD, but it can't be too bad, I'll live. How reliable are these cars, and is there any common problems I should look out for?

Help me join the dark side guys.... all my import/Euro friends are gonna make fun of me, but thats fine. I'm excited because now I'll actually get more than 2 lb/ft of torque out of a set of header(s). I'm also interested in T/As too, is there a big difference from Camaros besides aesthetics? Thanks a lot.

chavez885

iTrader: (12)

So you want to buy an fbody for handling corners...? Did i miss something.

slingshot928

In a fbody you can do both with all of the aftermarket suspension upgrades, and bolt ons for the motor. I personally like my 93z over a 98+, but I sometimes wish i had the ls motor instead of the lt1 with optispark. I had a 1991 integra before this car, put a hole in the transmission from dumping the clutch, decided to move on to a better all around car. That car was a very reliable commuter car, but not a great car to do modifications to. I had coilovers on it. My camaro has bilstein shocks with eibach springs, it is a very nice set up.

BigDaddyBry

iTrader: (15)

Might wanna check out travie319, he has the only V-TEC LT1 in the world!!!!!!!

Best of both worlds for you.

Zcleanest28

LS1>LT1 but thats just me. I assume your going six speed, because no honda guy goes auto camaro except me and slingshot I guess. Anti roll bars and strut towers with some nice 275 tires will greatly improve the handling.

The Black Mamba

Dude. Swap the Honda!

LilJayV10

iTrader: (39)

Yes 4th gen cars can be made to handle well. How well compared to a Honda I don't know. Check out Sam Strano. He's one of the suspension guru's on this board.

I thought about buying an LT1 car too. But after working on them and the Opti Spark I said no way. The LS1 is so smooth and pulls so much harder than an LT1, not modded of course.
I ended up with a 2000 Firehawk.

Good luck on your hunt.

Jason

JCKIRSTINE

iTrader: (3)

I've owned every body style of Integra and a couple civics. Before that I owned a 70 SS Chevelle and a 71 Satellite. I am well aware of the advantages to both sides of the fence. After buying my 99 Camaro I wouldn't buy another front wheel drive again for any performance application. The weight transfer of a rear wheel drive is a whole lot better for autocross and it is also much easier to build sufficiant power with an lt1 or ls1 than any B or H series Honda motor I've built. The weight is a small issue but you have to remember these motors actually make TORQUE! LOL Come over to this side of the fence with the rest of us. I PROMISE you wont regret it.

Vertigo

iTrader: (1)

I think you will be VERY suprised at just how well an Fbody can handle.

Add Springs, Shocks, Subframes, 275 tires, Panhard, and LCA's and you will be VERY Very surprised.

lov2xlr8

iTrader: (7)

I've got a 1990 CRX-Si (with a b16 now), and a 1994 Camaro. Both have been take to various auto crosses at the same time, I let my friend drive my CRX when i'm taking the Camaro out. Camaro's suspension sucks from the factory, but with a little work they can be real corner cutters. The Lt1's achilles heel is it's opti spark it does not like real high rpms, and the motor doesn't respond to bolt ons as well as an LS1. However, MSD makes a great optispark to replace the gm one, and once you do stuff like heads, cams, the difference in motors start to decrease vs a similar modded ls1. That's my own personal opinion, I own an LT1 worked on more, and i've modded many LS1 and LS6 motors. The LS1 will put out with just cheap flowers, and to get an LT1 to put out you need to do a little bit more romancing. It's all personal choice, it's not like the gen 4's have 305's in the (sorry gen 3 guys) both are very solid platforms to start out with.

slingshot928

The only two reasons that I went with the automatic: great deal on the car, and its easier for the nitrous!

buddha845

iTrader: (3)

with a fbody, if your friends out corner you it wont be by too too much and youll have plenty of power to run em down

Sharpe

iTrader: (7)

There are no differences worth mentioning between the 4th gen Chevy and Pontiac F-Bodies other than looks. Aslo, all LS1 F-Bodies put out the same power, with the slight execption of the 01 and 02's, which had only a small amount more. In other words, SS and WS6 are running the same times as their less expensive brothers, such as the Camaro Z28 and the Firebird Formula.

The LS1 F-Body is quite superior in power to the LT1 F-Body. I've had and raced the hell out of and against both. The difference is not slight.

Sam Strano is the big F-Body suspention guy on here. He's in the mags (even on the covers! ) and everything else. Look for his posts in the Suspension forum.

Good luck.

Lightning round:
However, how do they handle? Don't ask me, but i guess guys like Sam can get them to do well enough.
which years/models have the 6-speed tranny? All.
Is the clutch really stiff on Camaros? ******* cowboy up. I don't know. I daily drive mine. Drove through Chicago and Miami and many other metros.
How reliable are these cars, and is there any common problems I should look out for? Very and no. Mine has 112 with no issues. 200,000 and you need to start looking for things to replace.

The LT1-years, however, had the OptiSpark. Gah, was that thing a pain. Had two go out on me. It's a very well known problem.

JD_AMG

Stock they are not bad, their biggest downfall is the stock shocks are not up to the task for well...anything. Coilovers seem to be over kill, as already stated call up Sam Strano at Stranoparts.com if your interested in handling. It honestly doesnt take much to get these cars to corner, proper shocks springs and swaybars and you've got yourself a monster (and Im not just saying that).
93-2002.
No, its actually too light for my liking, lighter than most performance cars.
Power window motors are a common problem but easy fix, do a search.
HA! Once your friends get a ride they will shut up pretty quickly. Ive "converted" many many japanese/european car fanboys by giving them a quick ride "omg there is no way this car is stock!"
BTW, heres a quick look at how a stock one will do on a road course:
http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....article_id=155

Zcleanest28

Coil Packs for sure are better than opti spark. LT1s do have great bottem end torque, but ls1 top end power is amazing. Unless your friends all have gutted crx drag machines I doubt they will give you a hard time about getting a stock mid thirteens rwd beast.

delsold

iTrader: (7)

I went from turbo b16 del sol to my 98 ws6! haven't regretted it yet. The ws6 handles awesome IMO for a plump solid axle car with bone stock suspension.

Sunset'01Z

iTrader: (10)

1000 dollars in suspension mods with koni's and sam strano's springs will do amazing things in the handling dept. spend a few hundred more on sway bars, and you will be hard to beat in the corners, with any car. if handling is what you're into, these cars can do it but they need money. stock sucks!

brianfromhawaii

iTrader: (3)

GO WITH THE LS1!! I have converted many honda guys cuz my car CAN outhandle their hondas, outpower them, and girls stare at the camaro, not the fart machine.

If you get a fbody, the camaro and the trans am are basicly the same, boy, let me tell you, when you first get in one, and rev the engine, then punch it, it will change your life... i can still remember my first time

dailydriver

Actually, with the exception of extemely tight, low speed autocrosses, they can be made to outhandle even heavily modded (for handling) 'duhs. One cannot beat the laws of physics on autocross corners that are less radius than our wheelbases!! But on anything even remotely open (and ALL road courses) LOOKOUT imports.

Yes, once you do own an f body, you CANNOT go wrong by speaking to Sam at www.stranoparts.com (a sponsor on here BTW). He is a multiple national champion in various f bodies in F/Stock and E/Street Prepared classes.
Also, there is a whole site dedicated to those who REFUSE to believe that these cars are ONLY (as many on this site, and most import owners do) for going in a straight line. It is; www.frrax.com, read up on there.

Yes, there ARE coilover setups available for these cars. I have a Ground Control coilover conversion on my Koni adjustable shocks. Besides being overkill, you can actually go backwards with them IF you do not have corner scales, along with someone who has the skill (and knowledge) of how to use them/set up these cars (cross-weighting, etc.).

brianfromhawaii

iTrader: (3)