How much does knowledge of powerplant affect your view of appearance?
TECH Resident
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 960
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From: Vacaville CA
Wow don't woman and cars kinda go hand and hand lmaooo most guys go for the looks of a car/woman and the smart guys go for whats under the hood lol
looks come first then power, why I have woman problems I guess LOL
looks come first then power, why I have woman problems I guess LOL
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,452
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From: somewhere that doesn't get snow
i think he means because the chassis is derived from the 3rd gen. but along those lines that'd be like saying an 03/04 cobra is nothing more than a souped up ford fairmont.
Last edited by 1995blacktattop; Feb 7, 2011 at 10:42 AM.
I would say that powerplant affects your view of a car up to a point. I think it's an acquired taste also. I remember when I was a kid what I used to like and what I like now, completely different. The one of the first car shows I went to after I first got my car there was a GT there and while everyone else was checking the car out all I could look at was those wide *** tires. But yeah, there can be some fast cars that are butt ugly. I think you have to have both, but as most of us can agree what matters the most is certainly not appearance. In my opinion, everyone has there own acquired taste, that's why some people can drive around riced out slow *** cars and be happy. It just so happens that f bodys are both. God I'm glad I got one. 
TECH Apprentice
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 361
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From: South Florida
The way things are now, with everybody and there mother swapping LSx motors into everything from Miatas to a Nissan 240's to classic cars, it doesn't really matter what what powerplant the car comes with.
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Some cars are just beautiful, despite their lack of power and/or speed. Some cars are fast but not much to look at. I can admire both types of cars, but what I really love is when it all comes together like it does in Terminator Cobras and WS6 Trans Ams.
4th gens came out in 93. If im not mistaken, it takes roughly 5 years to design a car from the ground up. So in a indirect way you can kinda say they are. Plus I think the rear suspension and some other parts were continued from the 3rd gens.
I would say that powerplant affects your view of a car up to a point. I think it's an acquired taste also. I remember when I was a kid what I used to like and what I like now, completely different. The one of the first car shows I went to after I first got my car there was a GT there and while everyone else was checking the car out all I could look at was those wide *** tires. But yeah, there can be some fast cars that are butt ugly. I think you have to have both, but as most of us can agree what matters the most is certainly not appearance. In my opinion, everyone has there own acquired taste, that's why some people can drive around riced out slow *** cars and be happy. It just so happens that f bodys are both. God I'm glad I got one.
When was 8 and looked at a 4th gen (it was a 95) I loved it and said I wanted one when I grew up! Then 98 rolled around, I saw the catfish and went OH DARN CHEVY WHY
But, my first Camaro was a 98. When I got it I still preferred the 93-97 look, but the catfish didn't look as bad to me at that point. Well, it really grew on me, and I like them both, but I think I like the 98+ catfish a little more, actually.
I'm hoping to get another 98+ Camaro again. Not sure if I'll get another 3800 V6 like my old one and follow through with my original plans to turbocharge it, or if I'll get an LS1.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2005
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Look at how many V6 Mustang's/F-bodies/Chargers/Challengers are sold while their performance was junk. Same could be said for the 80's 4 cylinder F-body. People are more focused on what looks good that how fast it is. Body parts on a car can change just as easily as the engine can. I have been looking for another 4th gen TA for a good deal and at the same time want a plain jane bird. Nose looks a little different, wing is not risen up but it still looks good and solely off looks it could pass as something that is "fast".
In a tight circle of people who know about the cars, the engine or options it has can command a little more respect among the individuals of the group. To a Joe Shmoe a Civic SI is no different than a Civic DX or whatever tags they put on it.
My cousin has a 94 MB 400E or something like that. When people would ask him what he drove and replied "a mercedes" they would flip out thinking it was something brand new, and he started saying 94 MB and they would think back to the straight box looking ones from 15 years ago.
In a tight circle of people who know about the cars, the engine or options it has can command a little more respect among the individuals of the group. To a Joe Shmoe a Civic SI is no different than a Civic DX or whatever tags they put on it.
My cousin has a 94 MB 400E or something like that. When people would ask him what he drove and replied "a mercedes" they would flip out thinking it was something brand new, and he started saying 94 MB and they would think back to the straight box looking ones from 15 years ago.
Rockstar
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From: I'm on a boat! in Shreveport, La
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From: Valley Village, CA
From the firewall back the floorplan is 99% the same from 1982-2002 (from everything I have read)...
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From: Valley Village, CA
Maybe then it isn't as much knowledge of powerplant that affects me but the "dating" of the styling...
80's is NOT known for being the muscle car power golden days so maybe just seeing late 80's early 90's styling is a turn off?
I dunno. I know I loved the designs back in the day and that if the 1992 Z28, 1997 SS and 1998 Z28 were all "brand new models" offered right now at the same time I'd probably rank them:
1997 SS
1992 Z28
1998 Z28
in order of desirability...
80's is NOT known for being the muscle car power golden days so maybe just seeing late 80's early 90's styling is a turn off?
I dunno. I know I loved the designs back in the day and that if the 1992 Z28, 1997 SS and 1998 Z28 were all "brand new models" offered right now at the same time I'd probably rank them:
1997 SS
1992 Z28
1998 Z28
in order of desirability...
Yeah i used to like the lt looks better.. also the third gen, guess i would have to agree with the "dating".. however, i dont agree with it for the new camaros. Just dont like them...yet.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2010
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From: Manchester , UK
well I drive a 98 Firebird V6 vert , IMHO id say 4th gen F-bodies (might be biased but Firebirds & TA's a bit more) are the best looking cars for me , yet having a V6 instead of an LS1 does affect the how i see my car , yes it might look the same with a formula , but its a slow piece of junk compared to it.. obviously not everyone who sees my car knows this , but what matters is I see my car as less when i compare to an LS1 car , they look the same , but knowing the difference under the hood kind of affects it .. but hell , Id never trade my car for anything else except for an LS1 car..
I keep the two separate. If a car is clean it is clean, I don't think of its the V6 so it isn't awesome looking or anything like that. Granted if it is fast and looks good then hey best of both worlds!
Funny about how you don't like LS1 cars sporting LT1 tail lights and thinking from the rear it is a LT1 gross it is slow. I did the opposite, put LS1 tails on my LT1, I wonder if from the back people are thinking WHOA LS1!
Funny about how you don't like LS1 cars sporting LT1 tail lights and thinking from the rear it is a LT1 gross it is slow. I did the opposite, put LS1 tails on my LT1, I wonder if from the back people are thinking WHOA LS1!
Launching!
Joined: Sep 2009
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From: Carolina
Actually the late 80 model 350 TPI cars were the beginning of the re-birth of the muscle car era. I have a copy Sept 1988 MOTOR TREND.
Here are the TOP 10 fastest cars SOLD in America:
1) Ferrari Testarossa 175 mph
2) Porsche 928S 165mph
3) Corvette 156 mph
4) Nissan 300ZX 153 mph
5) BMW M6 149 mph
6) Camaro IROC Z 148 mph
7) Toyota Supra 147 mph
8) Mercedes 560SEC 143 mph
9) Mustang GT 142 mph
10) Firebird GTA 141 mph
3 of the top 10 were GM TPI V8's
Here are the TOP 10 fastest cars SOLD in America:
1) Ferrari Testarossa 175 mph
2) Porsche 928S 165mph
3) Corvette 156 mph
4) Nissan 300ZX 153 mph
5) BMW M6 149 mph
6) Camaro IROC Z 148 mph
7) Toyota Supra 147 mph
8) Mercedes 560SEC 143 mph
9) Mustang GT 142 mph
10) Firebird GTA 141 mph
3 of the top 10 were GM TPI V8's