The Dragon

iTrader: (6)

Said Firehawk has Billstein's.
Please list any and all components you believe necessary to accomplish this monumental task. Also, please reccomend companies and brand names you consider to be the best.

Thanks!!

Supertrapped

You don't like the way your Firehawk handles? <img src="images/icons/confused.gif" border="0">

The Dragon

iTrader: (6)

[quote]Originally posted by DevilBird:
<strong>You don't like the way your Firehawk handles? <img src="images/icons/confused.gif" border="0"> </strong><hr></blockquote>

Actually, I love the way my Firehawk handles. I'm just curious as to what would be recommended to be on a par with that of a ZO6. Giving the devil it's due, the ZO6 can whup a 911 through the twisties. I just want a few tweaks here and there <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0">

If it's possible, please list in order of importance (disregarding price for the time-being)

1LE

iTrader: (2)

Mod for mod, you'll never keep up with a z06 through the twisties, simply because of tire contact patch. Stock z06 versus lots of stuff done to your car, could be close, probably come down to driver ability. Not saying it is impossible, but one of the most important things in handeling is your tire selection, and, well, the amount of rubber that the z06 has on the road, is, well, huge.

[ December 27, 2001: Message edited by: 1LE ]</p>

bigSS

Yeah, you can probably do it. How much do you wanna spend? Start thinking about coilovers from LG, big friggin sway bars, and 315 width tires.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Vettes have IRS. Live axle cars like an F-body can still be made to handle excellent in the curves, but virtually nothing you can do will duplicate the exceptional control an IRS will give you in the curves under acceleration.

Simply put, it would take a lot of cash <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0">

[ December 27, 2001: Message edited by: RPM WS6 ]</p>

1LE

iTrader: (2)

Anything is possible with enough money and engineering! <img src="gr_images/icons/cool.gif" border="0">

Patrick G

iTrader: (14)

You can actually make an F-Body outhandle a stock Z-06, but it will take some effort. Best source are from the people winning races in modified F-Bodies like LG Motorsports. Most important:

1. Tires. Get the stickiest tire that you can live with on the street. Stock Z-06 tires cannot compete with the sticky Yokos, Kumhos, and G-Force radials that we have available.

2. Free up stiction. That's not a typo. Binding friction in your suspension takes all the compliance out of it. Spherical ends to control arms help a great deal. Front and rear.

3. Shocks. Adjustable.

4. Sway bars. Bigger can be better (up to a point). Go with the companies that run a proven front/rear combo.

5. Brakes. F-body brakes suck compared to Vettes. Upgrading to better brakes is a must if you want to go fast.

6. Practice. With practice, even a Mopar can outhandle a Vette (and I'm not talking Viper either). Learn the limits of your car and become intimate with it. Most people can't drive past 8 tenths of their car's limits. Improve the driver before improving the car.

neophytal

a corvette? <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0">

try
subframe connectors
lca's
panrod
strut tower brace
springs/shocks
swaybars

<img src="gr_stretch.gif" border="0">

Importdestroyer

iTrader: (1)

How about losing 300 lbs! A stock ZO6 weighs 3115, youre firehawk weighs at least 3500lbs. MY TA gutted with LG springs,Bilstein shocks, Mac subframes, Spohn adj. tq. arm-g load brace, Spohn LCAs w/relocation brackets, Spohn adj.panhard rod, and WS6 rims with sticky Firestone Firehawk sz50ep tires only pulled .92 Gs in lateral acceleration. Granted you have a bigger front swaybar and the same tires but your chassis isnt as rigid without the subframes and springs arent as stiff. Stock firehawk pulls .88 Gs on the skidpad. Its not the grip that really matters when negotiating turns, that IRS is far superior than a live axle. I wonder what Ill pull now that I have ZR1 17 by 11s out back, PA racing mild steel k member and a arms, dynabatt battery and sound deadening removed, (-80lbs) and a strange 12 bolt which relocates more weight to the rear for a more 50/50 weight distribution. Want to get swaybars but everybody that autocrosses swears 1LE is the ticket, but people who actually compete on road courses with other cars(not negotiating cones) swear bigger is better wich pushes me towards maybe a set of Hotchkis swaybars though pricey ($500). To bad nobody had that IRS conversion up and running before I bought the Strange. I wonder if it would handle 443.5 rwhp?

HP
98 Vortech TA

Steve Underwood

Look into an IRS, I heard of people installing them but have yet to see one in person. If you find anything on the IRS, send me a line. I'm interested in an upgrade....I'm more of a road racer than drag racer.

monSSter1191

I know a guy who put his ten second Supra into a wall at the drag strip (totalling it) because his IRS wouldn't hold him in place with ET Streets on it. Had it been an F-Body with a solid rear, the car would not have lost control when it hit that fateful slick spot. That is why an F-Body makes a far superior drag car than Corvette.

I'll stick with the 12 bolt solid rear for a car that sees the drag strip with any kind of power.

[ December 28, 2001: Message edited by: monSSter1191 ]</p>

Patrick G

iTrader: (14)

On a smooth racetrack, IRS is no help at all...only when you get some bumps does the IRS help. So if you are road racing or autocrossing, chances are good that you will have a smooth surface, relatively free of bumps. A solid axle is your friend on a race track. On a bumpy street, it's a different matter, haha.

Patrick G

iTrader: (14)

On a smooth racetrack, IRS is no help at all...only when you get some bumps does the IRS help. So if you are road racing or autocrossing, chances are good that you will have a smooth surface, relatively free of bumps. A solid axle is your friend on a race track. On a bumpy street, it's a different matter, haha.

1badls1bird

Lateral acelartaion numbers really do not mean crap. It is skidpad results which are more indicative to the car's handling abilities. Also, I agree with Patrick G, because of the rear live axle, it is going to be difficult and expensive to make an f-body handle like a Vette which is also lighter. Vettes with a lowering kit are also lower than lowered f-bodies.

Importdestroyer

iTrader: (1)

Yeah my buddy has a supra making 640 to the wheels and hes scared to run slicks or et streets for that reason. As for the skidpad, what do you think they test for on a skid pad? Lateral Gs. A ZO6 pulls .99 lateral Gs by the way and yes lateral Gs do matter. Thats why minivans pull .68 to .74 and handle like ***. Its speed through a slalom that isnt always realative to lateral Gs. Look in the last issue of Road and Tracks "Sports Cars" tested. They put up a S2000 up against a NSX. Granted the NSX pulled more lateral grip but was also slower through the slalom. Lateral grip comes into play when the car is sustaining a turn long enough to break adhesion with the surface. Such as a long wide turn where it gradually becomes sharper, not a quick series of turns.

HP
98 Vortech TA

The Dragon

iTrader: (6)

First, I won't reply to the people who irrationally took offense to my query and/or made sarcastic (intentionally only, I do have a sense of humor <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0"> ) remarks about getting a ZO6 <img src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" border="0">

Second, I want to thank everyone who gave me insightful replies! <img src="gr_stretch.gif" border="0">

In regards to sway-bars and panhard rod, aren't the panhard rod and sway-bars on the '01 Hawk Billstein Susp. Pack. pretty tight as it is?

I haven't been on a road-course (yet <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0"> ) with the Firehawk although I do have experience with it taking a sharp <img src="gr_eek2.gif" border="0"> curve on a back road at 125mph <img src="gr_eek2.gif" border="0"> (that's another story).

I haven't driven a ZO6 but I have driven a C5 and, as I am certain everyone here can attest to, I can say that the Firehawk out-handles the C5.

Actually, as a result of some of the comments and input I got from the replies, I'm gonna stick with the stock set-up and see what she can do on a road-course.

After all, in the end, it's the driver that makes the biggest difference <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0">

I want to specifically thank Patrick G for responding to my post <img src="gr_stretch.gif" border="0">

The Dragon

iTrader: (6)

First, I won't reply to the people who irrationally took offense to my query and/or made sarcastic (intentionally only, I do have a sense of humor <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0"> ) remarks about getting a ZO6 <img src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" border="0">

Second, I want to thank everyone who gave me insightful replies! <img src="gr_stretch.gif" border="0">

In regards to sway-bars and panhard rod, aren't the panhard rod and sway-bars on the '01 Hawk Billstein Susp. Pack. pretty tight as it is?

I haven't been on a road-course (yet <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0"> ) with the Firehawk although I do have experience with it taking a sharp <img src="gr_eek2.gif" border="0"> curve on a back road at 125mph <img src="gr_eek2.gif" border="0"> (that's another story).

I haven't driven a ZO6 but I have driven a C5 and, as I am certain everyone here can attest to, I can say that the Firehawk out-handles the C5.

Actually, as a result of some of the comments and input I got from the replies, I'm gonna stick with the stock set-up and see what she can do on a road-course.

After all, in the end, it's the driver that makes the biggest difference <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0">

I want to specifically thank Patrick G for responding to my post <img src="gr_stretch.gif" border="0">

The Dragon

iTrader: (6)

First, I won't reply to the people who irrationally took offense to my query and/or made sarcastic (intentionally only, I do have a sense of humor <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0"> ) remarks about getting a ZO6 <img src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" border="0">

Second, I want to thank everyone who gave me insightful replies! <img src="gr_stretch.gif" border="0">

In regards to sway-bars and panhard rod, aren't the panhard rod and sway-bars on the '01 Hawk Billstein Susp. Pack. pretty tight as it is?

I haven't been on a road-course (yet <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0"> ) with the Firehawk although I do have experience with it taking a sharp <img src="gr_eek2.gif" border="0"> curve on a back road at 125mph <img src="gr_eek2.gif" border="0"> (that's another story).

I haven't driven a ZO6 but I have driven a C5 and, as I am certain everyone here can attest to, I can say that the Firehawk out-handles the C5.

Actually, as a result of some of the comments and input I got from the replies, I'm gonna stick with the stock set-up and see what she can do on a road-course.

After all, in the end, it's the driver that makes the biggest difference <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0">

I want to specifically thank Patrick G for responding to my post <img src="gr_stretch.gif" border="0">

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

[quote]Originally posted by Patrick G:
<strong>

2. Free up stiction. That's not a typo. Binding friction in your suspension takes all the compliance out of it. Spherical ends to control arms help a great deal. Front and rear.

</strong><hr></blockquote>

Amen, brudda!

I replaced JUST the rear LCAs from G2 poly/poly to G2 poly/rod and shaved 6 seconds off the same road course 2 months apart.

It was amazing difference in track out. The pushing pig was quite neutral, with tire pressures all coming up and staying within a pound of each other.

I was so impressed with Lou Gigliotti's stuff, I bought his Torque arm and springs (replaced my Eibachs).