JayErnie

Hey guys,

Just found out these numbers on the net and I was wondering if they were right, and if so, why?

1998 Pontiac Firebird Formula 5.3 13.9 (C&D Jun '98)
1998 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 5.1 13.4

According that they would've been done with a non ram-air Formula and a ram-air T/A, maybe, but still, theres a big difference in the numbers.

These numbers are out from this site:

http://www.albeedigital.com/supercou...0-60times.html

I do beleive that the 98 Formula and 98 T/A Share the exact same engine setup, do they?

LS1W66

Even I can get a better time than C&D or MT.

jp74

iTrader: (3)

Yeah they are all the same except the 2001 and 2002 have the ls6 cam which gives it about 5hp or a liitle more. It all depends on the driver, track conditions, temperature etc.

2000badbird

iTrader: (5)

um i could have sworn that the 01 and 02's have the 6.0 truck cam and its smaller that the 98-2000 cam i may be wrong but i believe thats what i read

~JOSHUA

iTrader: (92)

Your post is so f#cking wrong.... if you dont know.. don't spread..crap.

The '01+ cars all got the LS6 intake manifold and all got the smaller 4.8/5.3/6.0 truck cam.... that's why they only gained 5 hp...

BA98TA

iTrader: (24)

I thought the 98(and 99 maybe??) had a bigger cam than the rest of the years?

~JOSHUA

iTrader: (92)

'00 had the biggest cam. (bigger lift)

Bigger than '98-99, however GM juggled the duration and LSA on them so each of the three versions had their strengths/weaknesses. (vacuum/midrange/top, one big juggle)

Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

ugghhh.... I hate misinformation stated as fact.

First of all, please step away from the magazines. Magazines like C&D are not the reference standard for comparing performance. The T/A and Formula have identical power and drivetrains, but the Formula is lighter. That makes the Formula slightly quicker, can't argue with simple physics.

01-02 LS1 F-bodies have an LS6 intake manifold, NOT a cam. All of the 98-02 LS1 engines offer the same potential though. I'd shop for a low mileage clean car more than worry about the actual year of the car in this case.

JayErnie

That's what I thought so,

Well then i'm glad to own the cheaper of the fastests and the biggest :chuckles: Since the car has no T-tops and now have a Superhawk hood which is made of fiberglass instead of the factory metal chucky one, it's prolly the lightest version of the F-bodies LS1 I could own. No T-Tops rocks! Gives an awesome and different look, especially on my car since it's silver on black tinted windows and accessories.

I'll try to have pics soon, when the snows melts all :umm: if it ever will . . . :shitstorm:

LT14MULAWS-6

iTrader: (2)

obviously a ws6 trans am will be faster than a non ws6 formula, i would guess maybe 2 to 3 thenths in the quarter, but not a half a second, but i guess i can not say from experience becouse i have not had a ws6 and non ws6 run the 1/4 in front of me with the same drivr to acctually say what the difference is. I am sure its pretty good though, WIder tires, alluminum shafts, better flowing exhaust and the infamous ram air, i would deffinetly give WS6 the upperhand

9silverbird8

iTrader: (19)

You do realize your retarded right? Speak with your mouth not ur ***...........

ls1nightrider

iTrader: (4)

Formula_X

I'd like to put out there that I am in the process of changing my Formula into a Trans Am, so far the only thing I have left to change is the front bumper and the sideskirts... and I can tell you already, the car is NOT as quick as it was when it was a Formula, even with only the T/A bumper and the T/A hatch it feels considerably slower. Definitely a noticable SOTP difference, the car has slowed down. So, this being the same exact car with different body parts, I'd have to say Formulas are indeed quicker than Trans Ams. The T/A bumper and hatch were alot heavier than the Formula parts! And I still don't even have all the T/A parts on yet, I will continue to weight it down further. I know where you read that and that website is bogus, if the guy got a quicker time from the T/A it must be because the T/A's engine runs stronger than the Formula's engine in that particular case, every car is different. But, like Nine Ball said, it's simple physics... if you race two identical cars but one is lighter, the lighter car will be quicker. The only reason I'm doing the conversion is because I like the way Trans Ams look better than the Formulas, even though I'm putting extra weight on my car by doing this.

'Trust'

iTrader: (24)

Slow down killer, sound words out. WS6 has no real performance over base cars, DEFINITELY not .2 - .3 secs. Bigger wheels = heavier, aluminum shafts = There is more than one? (all 3.23 geared cars had an aluminum drive shaft), better flowing exhaust = maybe 5 HP, ram air = not functional.

Sneakyws6

You really need to get out of the mental hospital more often...

Wider tires...woa a 275/40/17 versus the 245/50/16. I mean we are talking a whole 1" if that in width.

Alum shafts??? All LS1 cars got a alum driveshaft...

Better flowing exhaust??? Both the non-WS6 and WS6 cars used the same factory exhaust setup except on the early year WS6 cars which used a single in single out rear muffler.

Maybe you should race someone who is actually racing or knows how to drive. My Formula has no issues running with WS6's at the track and or running faster times when against a car with the same or similar mods.

Hell I raced a 2000 WS6 with a Cam, full exhaust with true duals, and a stall. He dynoed at 380rwhp unlocked. I am only at 345rwhp. I stayed even with him to 130 with no issues. Well past what a 1/4 race would require. Even did a 50mph roll on just to check and once again hung fender to fender with him.

People are just amazing sometimes...

blue02formula

iTrader: (1)

When my car was stock, I went to the track and a WS6 was running 13.8 to my 13.4, lots of varibles to consider.

LT14MULAWS-6

iTrader: (2)

ok im wrong, GM made the WS6 no faster then regular trans ams.........what was i thinking.............................and non functional ram air in LS1 trans ams? jesus thats the first i have heard of this............

Rawr256

Anyone actually know the weight differences between a TA and Firebird/Formula body? I can't imagine it is too much. I remember hearing once it is something like 50 lbs at most? Same goes for T-top vs Hardtop.

LS1W66

The differences in weight are between 50-100 lbs depending on options
The lightest car would be a 1LE Formula because it deletes all the power options and monsoon. Manual trans cars are slightly lighter aswell.
As stated previously there are so many variables that can cause a performance difference between two or more seemingly identical cars that the point is nill.
And the non functioning Ram Air hoods on LS1 F-bodies has been known since the cars debut in `98. That's why Ordered a NON WS6 Formula.

thingthatgoes

iTrader: (2)

Now I forget, but is there a difference (in dimensions) at all, in the shape of the wing? I know for a fact my 00 T/A does more than just look nice. I have had a passenger in the car with me notice the rear take a decent dip one day when it was blasting wind in my area. Could that have any drag in any realistic speeds?

edit: not that this should really be a difference in cars. I really am just curious.