Gen 5 Racing Tech Heads, cam, valvetrain, short block discussion

Only a 13 second car?

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Old 05-07-2009, 11:21 AM
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Default Only a 13 second car?

Don't get me wrong I love the new Camaro, but why are all the tests I can find all coming back at with 13 second quarter mile times? I'm not concerned about 12.9 vs 13.0 that type of thing is all dependant on the driver, the day, the tires etc.

But there are tests for bone stock 98-02 LS1's running 12.7-13 second runs all day as well. Why are these times so close? I know the forth gens are lighter and were underrated at 320hp. But the new camaro should have at least 100 more hp and is not that much heavier.

Do you guys think this is just because the mags haven't really been rung out the new camaro yet? Or does the added weight make that much difference? Is the 425hp figure overrated?

When I got my LS1 I swore I would never go back to a slower car, it just seems strange that the new Camaro isn't faster. I just want to hear some ideas, thanks.
Old 05-07-2009, 01:43 PM
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't anything below 13 sec. on 4th gen. LS1 Fbodies very rare? Isn't the person who hit 12.7 Evan Smith, the man who pulls out the best times ever for any car? In other words, the average 4th gen LS1 driver only hits mid 13's I believe. In comparison, the average magazine test driver is pulling off low 13's, on the verge of 12's, in the new Camaro. If anything, I think the new Camaro might actually be a high 12's car in the hands of a capable driver. Anyway just my opinion and observation.
Old 05-07-2009, 01:49 PM
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Originally Posted by 93Z28rare
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't anything below 13 sec. on 4th gen. LS1 Fbodies very rare? Isn't the person who hit 12.7 Evan Smith, the man who pulls out the best times ever for any car? In other words, the average 4th gen LS1 driver only hits mid 13's I believe. In comparison, the average magazine test driver is pulling off low 13's, on the verge of 12's, in the new Camaro. If anything, I think the new Camaro might actually be a high 12's car in the hands of a capable driver. Anyway just my opinion and observation.
With drag radials, a good driver can hit 12.7, IMO.
Old 05-07-2009, 01:56 PM
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Yeah that's the thing, the video I saw when they did 13 sec showed it on a road, not a track, and spinning the tires off the line. Get it to hook on a track and you should be into the 12s.
Old 05-07-2009, 02:13 PM
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As more owner's and tuners hit the track, the 1/4 mile times will reflect better times.
Old 05-07-2009, 02:31 PM
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One of the big mags gave it a 13 flat. That's on factory street tires and in hot *** weather, on a car with less than 500 miles. So, yeah, some will hit 12's for sure.

Times will come down. Fourth gens that break 13.00 on street tires are extremely rare.

However, the new Camaro aren't much faster stock-for-stock. They have 100 more hp, but 400 more pounds.
Old 05-07-2009, 03:04 PM
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im hoping GMHTP gets a good ET out of this car.
Old 05-07-2009, 03:24 PM
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Why does everyone get so bent out of shape over this? The times the magazines get probably do reflect what the average driver would get out of it under average conditions. With awesome track prep, the best driver in the world, and a retardedly low DA, you'll see some really good times out of them.

I had read all the internet stories about how the 4th gen could run low 13s/upper 12s all day long. I could have sworn I would run something similar in my car when I first went to the track, but was disappointed. I took my car to no better than a 13.4x @ 106.xx, and most of my other runs were in the upper 13s @ 105-ish. I sat there and watched other stock-ish LS1s run similar times to mine, if not worse. It was in the upper 80s that day, and the humidity sucked. So did track prep. You know...kinda like the conditions can be when magazines do these tests, and my times certainly reflected what the magazine articles suggested I'd run.

I still fully believe that a 5th gen will hand a similarly modded 4th gen a loss, even given the extra weight. It has a better powerplant on its side, and the aftermarket will come around soon, I'm sure.
Old 05-07-2009, 03:25 PM
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Only a 13 second car?-01bullittmmff.jpg

I am not very good at posting links or attachments so Hopefully you can see this. This is one of the clips I have from way back when. I belive this is from Mustangs & Super Fast Fords and they got a stock SS to run 12.96 on stock tires on a hot day with a full tank of gas.

Obviously we all know LS1's are fast cars, and I do like the new Camaro. (I even got to see and play with one in a dealershowroom over my lunch hour) It just seems odd that if I did go out and dump 30k on one I still would not have a faster car.

Does 400lbs really have that much of an impact?
Old 05-07-2009, 03:37 PM
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I should also point out that I belive that MeenSS02 is right, I don't think I could get any car to match the times posted in the magazines. I don't really care if a car is 12, 13 or 14 second car.

Do any of the mechanical minded guys out there have any suggestions? I just cant get my head around the idea that adding 105 horsepower can't generate better times.

By way of comparison when I took my bone stock Charger SRT8 out to Rock Falls Raceway this spring I ran 13.1-13.4 all day.

And yes on that video they were spinning like crazy, maybe the problem is just in those massive tires.
Old 05-07-2009, 03:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Strider74
Attachment 179062

I am not very good at posting links or attachments so Hopefully you can see this. This is one of the clips I have from way back when. I belive this is from Mustangs & Super Fast Fords and they got a stock SS to run 12.96 on stock tires on a hot day with a full tank of gas.

Obviously we all know LS1's are fast cars, and I do like the new Camaro. (I even got to see and play with one in a dealershowroom over my lunch hour) It just seems odd that if I did go out and dump 30k on one I still would not have a faster car.

Does 400lbs really have that much of an impact?
in the form of a daily driver no...as a race car yes. thats why im gonna get a 5th gen as my bad *** dd that and turn my 4th gen into a bad *** race car. problem solved.
Old 05-07-2009, 04:23 PM
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That link is too funny
Old 05-07-2009, 05:01 PM
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You just never know what the magazines get to test either...I remember one showdown where a WS6 ran significantly better in the quarter than an SS. Did Pontiac slip in a ringer to make their car look better? The world may never know, but random **** like that happens.

I'd still wait to see some more results pouring in...it is still early in this car's life. There will be some guys out there that can really wring this thing out - at least the trap speed seems to be about what I would expect over a 4th gen.
Old 05-07-2009, 05:13 PM
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I think it's too early to judge. If you want to compare the best possible stock time for a 5th gen to the best times a stock 4th gen ever hit, it's not happened yet.
Old 05-07-2009, 05:28 PM
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Originally Posted by Strider74
[ATTACH]179062[/ATTACH

Does 400lbs really have that much of an impact?
Yes it does. 100lbs is worth approximately 10hp, so adding 400lbs is like losing 40hp.
Old 05-07-2009, 05:30 PM
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i agree is it still way early into this car's life.



i dont recall 12 sec stock ETs from 4th gens right away. it was first accomplished in 99 right?
Old 05-07-2009, 05:37 PM
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By the way, it doesn't have 100 more hp than the LS1. There is a post in here with dyno numbers from a sponsor showing 366 to the wheels on a M6 car. This is a good number but didn't some factory M6 4th gen's dyno 315 or so? I think the LS1 was way underrated and the LS3 appears to be rated pretty close to actual.
Old 05-07-2009, 06:00 PM
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5th Gen's trap is proof it has the pudding to get in the 12s. Give it time. Better weather, driver's track condition and break in miles and I believe 12.9s will be quite common. Ls1 usually had about 345-365hp whereas the LS3 is making about 430. Add the difference in weight and that is close. Don't forget, it also has the crappy IRS to launch off of so that is a hinderance as well so that equals out the numbers. IMO, and I LOVE my '00SS but, 5th Gen > 4th Gen.
Old 05-07-2009, 07:19 PM
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ok, let's see a 2010 camaro pull the same 1.8 60 foot time as the 12.97 that Evan Smith ran. I am willing to bet with that 13.0 at 110.7mph trap speed the magazine got would turn into a 12.6 at 110.7mph. Compare apples to apples. We have only seen maybe 3 dyno numbers so far. Sounds like alot of 05 GTO hype when they first come out. Ours dynoed 327hp with 1000 miles then dynoed 345hp with 5000 miles. It ran 12.8's at 107mph with a 1.8 60 foot time stock(drag radials) then dynoed 364hp(like the stock camaro does) and ran 12.64 at 110mph on the same 1.8 60 foot time.

You got a while to see the actual potential of a "broken in" camaro that hooks. Look for alot of mid 12's out of them. The bolt on ones with just headers, exhuast, CIA, pulley and tune will be fun to watch for sure!
Old 05-07-2009, 08:43 PM
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guys the new ss are rolling on 20 inch rims and tires


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