conquestmachine

I'm sure there have been lots of iron block LS motors put into 4th Gen Camaros. What I'm wondering is if the extra 100 lbs or so on the front end is really noticeable to the average driver in "normal" (define normal as you will) street driving.

Or, would it take an experienced road racer to feel the difference?

01CamaroSSTx

iTrader: (3)

My 01 SS which is a full weight car with all the creature comforts has an LSX 427, BMR tubular k-member, upper and lower arms, KOOKS 2" long tubes, KOOKS 3" true dual offroad exhaust, BMR driveshaft loop, BMR transmission mount, BMR tourque arm,panhard rod backed by a Strange S60 with Viking coil overs and weighs in at 3600. Can you feel that extra weight over the nose? For driving on the street and cornering I cannot feel a difference but for a drag car you'd want to get the weight off the nose and you can help that out by removing the A/C, PS, ABS and relocating the battery to the back of the car.

Both of my cars have iron blocks and iron is stronger so there's my .02

440_Stroker

When I added a TVS2300 on top of my LS3 C6 I felt the extra weight. That was a stock car in the weight department so swapping the composite intake for the super charger, adding the reservoir, plumbing, cooler, and fluid, it was easy to tell. With your case sound like you probably offset some of that nose weight with some reduction from the other components. The S60 you have, same route I went, is definitely heavier than the 10 bolt. Haha Helps the front/rear distribution.

SAPPER

iTrader: (10)

If you're basing it off a stock car. then you change to a tubular k-member and tubular arms. You just made up for the extra weight of the iron block. Deleting things and relocating things just better enhances reduction and transfer.
Coilovers up front (all 4 even better) is a huge advantage too. A coilover is 1/3 the weight of a strut, twice the rear shock.

99 Black Bird T/A

iTrader: (4)

100 pounds?

Normal driving around town or spirited 7/10 on the backroads NO difference.

In my 72 Corvette (~40 years of driving it), I could feel taking ~100 pounds out of the car when pushing the car 9/10 near the limits tires howling just before that high pitched howl that's the limit of traction. Front lost ~50 w/aluminum heads, aluminum intake, aluminum water pump etc and rear lost 50 pounds removing spare tire and jack. The 72 vette (39 years) and 91RS (32 years) are probably the only two cars, I could notice a ~100 pound change in.

My 91 RS lost ~250 pounds off the nose, aluminum LS1 replaced iron SBC, deleted AC, new fiberglass hood, chrome moly K member & a-arms, etc. I can feel that driving on the street making a quick lane change. The car is more responsive.

In my opinion ~250 is about where most drives will notice the difference in normal driving in something like a 3rd or 4th Gen Camaro or Firebird with good suspension & tires.

Basically the difference in weight of a typical v6 to v8 car becomes noticeable. v6 cars tend to feel a bit lighter and bit more agile/responsive all other things being equal. I noticed immediately going from a v6 3rd Gen to v8 3rd Gen Camaro.