For every thread in this forum in which someone shows off their Camaro or GTO, there’s probably 15 in which somebody asks how much a certain part will boost horsepower or drop strip times. I’ve seen a ton of incredible cars here, but you all never rest on your laurels. You’re always trying to improve the performance of your machines.
98BlackTransAm is no different. He got his slick, black 2002 Firehawk with about 5,000 miles on its SLP-tweaked LS1. In 2011, less than a year after taking ownership, he was already asking all of you which way he should go with an aftermarket cam.
Eventually, he decided on an F13. It sounds as if he made the right choice. He beat a 2007 Shelby GT500 from 25-110 mph. His car’s 377 naturally aspirated rear-wheel horsepower certainly helped him trample that Mustang.
He also he poses questions such as “How much will a tune help performance for my car?” and “Which heads? What kind of gains?” Luckily, he’s in the right place to get them answered. His bitchin’ bird is going to fly even faster.
Best of luck in your quest for more knowledge and speed, 98BlackTransAm!
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
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