Hey everyone whats up?

Currently I'm an import guy but im look for a little (lot) more power... and I love TAs. my only question is hows the handling with fbodys, seeing as how they do weigh a ton. is the steering response as quick as a small car? thx

 

In stock form, no, it doesn't handle like the imports do. I've never personally ridden in an import, but I prefer the way my Camaro handles to any car I have ever ridden in. I have upgraded my springs, shocks, control arms, torque arm, panhard rod, and wheels/tires. Typically the TAs weigh around 3600 lbs or so, which is what my car weighs.
Steering response is pretty quick IMO, but again I don't really now how the imports drive. F-bodies can be made to handle very well...all it takes is $$$. Some of the best handling f-bodies have G2 suspension components from www.lgmotorsports.com . His parts are more expenzive than others, but I challenge you to find another vendor that produces results like his parts do.

 

I think for what they are they handle pretty good. They can be made to handle very good with the right mods. Plus they are faster than almost all of the imports stock.

 

F-Bods certainly don't suffer from torque steer ...

 

I think the handling characteristics are superior to most imports. Not only do you avoid the dreaded torque steer (as mentioned) but the front/rear weight distribution is less nose heavy because the entire drivetrain isn't crammed sideways underneath the hood. As for the curb weight issue, if you got checking the numbers on some of the newer imports, you might find they're not as svelte as you think.

 

Oiiyy, not another one of these. FBodies can not only accelerate like bats outta hell, they also have GREAT handling. So what if they weigh nearly 3500 lbs (don't consider that a "ton" when it's only a couple-few hundred pounds more than most imports: Civics weigh over 3K lbs), or that they don't have IRS. The LS1 T/A WS6 pulls atleast .87 G's on the skidpad, slaloms at 64.5 m.p.h., stops from 60 m.p.h. in less than 125 feet, and has a weight distribution of 53/47. Now if that's not damn impressive, let's further explore.

Back in '01, Steve Millen (race car driver, think Mario Andretti-like driving capabilities), took about 8 cars with Road and Track to Willow Springs Raceway (I believe) to road test them. The FBody included in this road-course test was a '00 or '01 Camaro SS. After multiple lap times in each car (to get the best possible times), the Camaro SS ended up lapping faster times than the Mercedes-Benz SLK (no big deal), the Honda S2000 (nice, but not too surprising), the BMW M Roadster (great accomplishment) and the Porsche Boxster S (whoa...). Now if that's not **** to be proud of with a "poor handling" muscle car, I dunno what is. I mean, let's see some stock "sport/compact" 4bangers pull that off... exactly. And yet the import scene says we can't handle. Millen even commented on the great handling characteristics and feel of the Camaro SS that day.

The WS6 and SS have very quick steering ratios and only 2.5 turns lock-to-lock I believe. People underestimate FBodies simply because they're domestic, they don't have IRS, are fairly cheap, and they have awesome straight-line acceleration (so that doesn't give them the right to handle well too?).

FBodies are incredible performers, whether it's on the drag strip or a twisty road course. Great power, acceleration, grip, left-right agility, stopping power, and weight distribution. And yet... import fanboys/owners (not saying you are, sr20wop) seem to think FBodies are just straight line performers, always throwing out such stupid comments like "So you're quicker. If there were corners in this race, the outcome would be totally different", and stuff like that.

What they don't seem to realize is that FBodies can outhandle nearly all of their cars (the sport/compact kids), and hang with just about any Japanese/many European cars on a road course. If import owners would stop being so ignorant just because of some fake movie/s making their cars popular and open their eyes to accept the fact that FBodies aren't just "redneck" dragstrip cars, then maybe the world would be a better place. sr20wop, I'm not trying to bash you with this post, I'm just trying my hardest to stress my point across to the "import crowd".

Yes, FBodies are awesome handlers on top of their brute straight-line acceleration. And another thing to add about FBodies: they're just as reliable as any other car out there, foreign and domestic. Don't believe me? Buy one. There are domestic cars that last well over 250K miles, and there are Hondas out there that take a **** at 100K miles or even less. I'm just saying, there isn't anything about an FBody to bash about that can't be bashed about one's own import.

Hell, we even get better gas mileage than most 6 cylinders, and many imported 4bangers. 29 m.p.g rated with the 6-speed on the highway isn't too shabby.

 

thanks guys... its not that i thought fbodys handled like ****, its just i had no clue, im like you guys, ive always been on one side...i dont even think ive been in a muscle car... but that last post was very convincing i cant wait to get my TA

p.s. american cars sound bad ***

 

Well, the fact that you're getting a T/A is pretty bad ***. But don't think that we don't respect imports, because we do. Faster ones, slower ones, just any import that isn't riced out to the max. I'm glad you didn't take anything I posted earlier as a bash, because that was the last thing I was trying to do. Again, I just wanted to get my point across and it seems like you understood all of it, which is great. Hopefully you'll hang around here more. We're all pretty nice guys, and a lot of us know a lot about imports, just like there are import guys out there know their muscle car stuff (which is what we'll turn you into ).

 

Count me in on that sentiment; I don't consider myself an 'import hater' and have respect for well made cars no matter where they came from. I don't care for cars, either foreign or domestic, with big wings / neon light kits / coffee can exhaust tips or lots of stickers, but otherwise I believe in tolerance and a "live and let live" philosophy. Everybody has their own personal tastes when it comes to cars. I wish everybody felt the same way, but it seems like the Fast & the Furious crowd all come with an arrogant attitude as soon as they get their cut springs and 19" spinners installed.

Anyway, my little rant is somewhat off topic - I hope you enjoy your TA, happy motoring, and welcome to the club!

 

3500lbs == 1 3/4 tons

 

ive got a 2002 z28, with TT2's 275front 315back. My car weighed in at 3360 (thats before the new headers and y-pipe)with full tank of gas, minus spare tire and me. and i've got 384 to the wheels. I think thats pretty light, considering a 2003 porsche 911 TT weighs 3500(because of all wheel drive)and has around412hp at the engine. the new lambo Murci weighs 4000(big a#s V12)but it has over 500hp at the engine!!

 

^ The major reason why Diablo Vt's, 6.0's, and the Murcielagos weigh so damn much is their damn viscous AWD systems (and yes, their engines are hefty too). The 2WD Diablos weighed considerably less than the AWD models. They accelerated nearly the same through 60 as the AWD's did due to traction, but made up for the lack of traction with less weight to pull at highway+ speeds.

Anyways, yeah, our cars aren't really "so damn heavy" considering there are other fast cars that weigh just as much or more than we do, but most humurous, is that "super light, yo" cars such as Civics, weigh over 3000 lbs...

 

I have to say, I also have to respect the japanese cars. Although I wouldnt want to drive most, except for supras and sti's and stuff. I acctually, sorry to say, but got into cars because of the first fast and the furious movie. I saw some brand name lables in the movie and looked em up on the internet, and also looked about how engine transmissions and all that good old stuff works. I started out wanting to get a riced out car (take in mind that i was only 15 or so) and i was always looking at civics and eclipse's and stuff, but was never really serious about it cuz i had no money. Soon after i met a friend of a friend with a Blue 95 trans am ws6 with full exhaust and an lt4 cam...lets just say after I heard that i was hooked on american cars. And now a few years later, im installing an ls1 engine, trans, driveshaft, rearend and suspension parts in my 92 Camaro. So to make a long story short, If it wasnt for those ricers I probably wouldnt be where I am today.

 

It all depends on the size of the track. On small, tight track like you have in autox, many of the smaller lighter imports handle much better than fbodies do. On bigger tracks where the speeds are higher, like 100 mph, fbodies do much better than small imports. Z06's seem to excel at both.

As far as steering response, fbodies are very good since they only have 2.25 turns of the steering wheel from lock to lock. And you can make them about as responsive as you want with a performance wheel alignment.

 

lets put it this way it dont handle liek a vette would lol or any car designed for maximum high performance HANDLING....couple quick and fairl cheap modifications would do it....like lowering and stiffening up the body...SFC's Sway bars STB, LCA's are like a must tho lol then i dont kno if its skinnier or just taller wheels i foget...and wwell the handling Knowhow....

my moms got a sunfire g/f's gotta cavalier...frens gotta skyline ....neighbor wiht a 350 Z and a few guy with big time hondas....my car wiht stock suspension will outhandle just bout all of them...when my tires were new haha...i lost a bit of treat so i spin a bit...cornering abilities are great if you kno what your doing....even with an automatic...any F-Bod guy thos with a manual will wail on me tho lol i think theyd handle much more nicely it jsut amtters how much is done to the car that makes it so great.....get a C5 vette with what was it package....some competition package or something that had better suspension...and some f-bods with the 1LE suspension....WS6 will outhandle a T/A same *** SS over Z28...unless there are things done...simple as that

oh yeah and front wheel drive cars...are gonna respond quite nicely cuz thats where the movement is directed...4WD even moreso.....but a good driver could make the difference with the righ hardware

 

quick steering yes...but ive managed to whip my car around alot more nicely then they can with there rice....and stock suspension on FWD makes it just like any other car no better no worse....modifications will do the trick....i trhink RWD would do a bit better on Autocross and such then most rice if not all...with the right supsension, wheels, tires and skills

 

I've never driven a FWD car that didn't understeer when it was pushed hard. That right there puts the majority of RWD pony or sports cars ahead of any FWD car in my book.

That being said, I'm one of those who thought that the stock suspension on my Z28 was sub-par. Within 5000 miles I had new springs, shocks, front sway bar, rear lower control arms and panhard bar on the car. I recently got the subframe connectors put on after they hung on my garage wall for almost a year. I'm at the point where I think the tires are the limiting factor.