Mountain/Momentum Driving and F-bodies
08-03-2017, 11:34 AM
#81
It sounds to me like you're trying to convince yourself you need or want a different car.
If that's the case then just go do that then.
But, if you actually want to keep this car and make it capable, then do what has been suggested several times. Put the good shocks/springs on it now, then save up and later do the next pieces. You do not have to do everything all at once.
Basically, you need to make up your mind, then stick with it
If that's the case then just go do that then.
But, if you actually want to keep this car and make it capable, then do what has been suggested several times. Put the good shocks/springs on it now, then save up and later do the next pieces. You do not have to do everything all at once.
Basically, you need to make up your mind, then stick with it
08-03-2017, 12:15 PM
#82
Launching!
Thread Starter
I'm just being upfront about my situation. I can afford the KONI STR.T and that's it, Sports aren't going to happen any time soon. Everyone says the STR.T I was about to buy won't be to my liking, well damn then I'm stuck. Or I can sell it and get into something cheaper and that will cost less to get to my liking, which would be better for what little money I do have to spare. It's just further frustrating since I was happier with my Celica that cost half as much and had a third of the power. I thought power mattered to me but it doesn't, I don't ever use what the Firebird has and deep down all I care about is handling. The Firebird is good for what it is and I know they're capable if you put the money into them, but I don't have the money at the moment and I want instant gratification given my situation. Things are only getting worse for me so it's only a matter of time before I can't even drive a manual or bear riding in anything that isn't a cloud, so I want to enjoy the one thing I can still do while I can.
Last edited by Boxxx; 08-03-2017 at 12:27 PM.
08-03-2017, 12:26 PM
#83
It's not a matter of want so much is it a matter of what I can afford. Honestly knowing what I know now I should've never bought it because I can't afford the suspension needed to get it where I want it, at least not at this time. Though in my defense I'm used to cars where $1,200 will get you fully adjustable coil-overs and sway bars and then you're done for the most part. So I should probably just sell it and get something more congruent to my economy car budget.
Nobody is saying you need coil-overs fwiw. And if you want STR.T's ok, but you said yourself you are picky and I think the only thing that would make you more upset with things is if you paid for something you didn't feel was up to snuff, right?
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
18 SCCA National Championships in house, many more for our customers prove we know our stuff.Talk is cheap, results matter.
Check out our KONI prices, our Master Cylinder Brace, and new Xtracker Hub/wheel bearing upgrade kits!
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
18 SCCA National Championships in house, many more for our customers prove we know our stuff.Talk is cheap, results matter.
Check out our KONI prices, our Master Cylinder Brace, and new Xtracker Hub/wheel bearing upgrade kits!
08-03-2017, 12:50 PM
#84
Launching!
Thread Starter
uh I get the feeling that no matter what we say it isn't going to be workable. Some good points have been made here. And the shocks matter most, don't get cheap there even if it means skipping some other stuff. If you want springs, well then do Sports and springs and leave the bars be.
Nobody is saying you need coil-overs fwiw. And if you want STR.T's ok, but you said yourself you are picky and I think the only thing that would make you more upset with things is if you paid for something you didn't feel was up to snuff, right?
Nobody is saying you need coil-overs fwiw. And if you want STR.T's ok, but you said yourself you are picky and I think the only thing that would make you more upset with things is if you paid for something you didn't feel was up to snuff, right?
08-03-2017, 01:49 PM
#87
On The Tree
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Posts: 181
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
08-03-2017, 02:44 PM
#89
Launching!
Thread Starter
I was fine with keeping it thinking the STR.T and stock springs would hold me over, but everyone says I won't be happy. Which is fine, I rather people be honest and save me money than to lie and be like "Oh yeah after that it'll totally do what you want." So thank you.
08-03-2017, 03:07 PM
#90
Then I can deliver tofu.
I was fine with keeping it thinking the STR.T and stock springs would hold me over, but everyone says I won't be happy. Which is fine, I rather people be honest and save me money than to lie and be like "Oh yeah after that it'll totally do what you want." So thank you.
I was fine with keeping it thinking the STR.T and stock springs would hold me over, but everyone says I won't be happy. Which is fine, I rather people be honest and save me money than to lie and be like "Oh yeah after that it'll totally do what you want." So thank you.
08-03-2017, 06:01 PM
#91
It took me a while to save up to get the Strano springs and Koni single adjustables. I changed from KYB's with Eibach's and it was a night and day difference. I don't like skimping and doing things twice. I got my Strano bars about a year later. Even before the bars I was keeping up with somewhat poorly driven supercars in the local mountains here. I'd catch them in the turns and they would pull away in the straights. Now I know my bushings pretty much don't exist, so once I fix that it will be a ton better. And fwiw, I try and tell people to do one part at a time so they can learn what each part does. Take the time to do it right. If you aren't patient, just sell it and find out it will cost the same to have fun with some of the other cars.
Japanese aftermarket stuff is a LOT more expensive in my humble opinion than Camaro aftermarket stuff.
08-03-2017, 06:44 PM
#92
Launching!
Thread Starter
I've owned nothing but imports prior and they were cheaper on parts and needed less done to them. $1,150 gets you the Flyin' Miata adjustable coil-overs with mounts and sway bar set. For a more direct comparison $1,039 gets you KONI Sports, FM sway bars, and FM springs whereas for the F-body you're looking at $1,525 for KONI Sports, Strano sway bars, and Strano springs plus you still need an adjustable panhard bar. Just looking at parts for parts though that's almost $500 difference. Same deal on MR2, 300ZX, SC300, etc... though the sways are closer in price the KONI Sports are still around $300 less a set.
08-03-2017, 06:49 PM
#93
TECH Senior Member
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...D=92&ModelID=8
$199 35mm front swaybar, you have a 21mm rear already right? Then keep it and save your money since you are on budget.
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...=129&ModelID=8
Or you can either find a used 35mm front bar for cheaper, or buy a used stock 19mm rear bar for practically free so your car will be balanced with stock bars.
You may not need an adjustable PHB, the rear end shouldn't shift enough cause any issues. If you want one you can get one for $100 new, or find a used one for super cheap.
Want to save more? Then skip the springs, and or even the swaybar and just buy the Koni sports, Im willing to bet you will be satisfied with just those as at least the car would then feel fantastic and be much easier to drive hard.
Thing is I know I don't want a panhard bar so throw in the $695 Fays2 Watt's link instead and you're over $2,200. Then again when I bought the Firebird I wasn't expecting to be disabled for life and unemployed either, but that's just how it goes I guess. So yes a Miata I can be $1,000-1,500 less into from the start and only have to spend $1,200 on suspension versus $2,200+, it all adds up very quickly. Trust me I'd love to have the $3,000 to spend on the UMI coil-overs, the Fays2 Watt's link, and the Strano sways, but I don't and probably won't anytime soon. So that's why all of this indecision, more so than usual.
08-03-2017, 07:55 PM
#94
Launching!
Thread Starter
$1079 with 3rd gen rears
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...D=92&ModelID=8
$199 35mm front swaybar, you have a 21mm rear already right? Then keep it and save your money since you are on budget.
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...=129&ModelID=8
Or you can either find a used 35mm front bar for cheaper, or buy a used stock 19mm rear bar for practically free so your car will be balanced with stock bars.
You may not need an adjustable PHB, the rear end shouldn't shift enough cause any issues. If you want one you can get one for $100 new, or find a used one for super cheap.
Want to save more? Then skip the springs, and or even the swaybar and just buy the Koni sports, Im willing to bet you will be satisfied with just those as at least the car would then feel fantastic and be much easier to drive hard.
Understandable, however you could argue that you could buy a cheaper Fbody and do the same, on and on. Hell you could argue that you could buy an already modded Fbody for cheap or a salvage title C5 for super cheap and get what you want performance wise.
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...D=92&ModelID=8
$199 35mm front swaybar, you have a 21mm rear already right? Then keep it and save your money since you are on budget.
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...=129&ModelID=8
Or you can either find a used 35mm front bar for cheaper, or buy a used stock 19mm rear bar for practically free so your car will be balanced with stock bars.
You may not need an adjustable PHB, the rear end shouldn't shift enough cause any issues. If you want one you can get one for $100 new, or find a used one for super cheap.
Want to save more? Then skip the springs, and or even the swaybar and just buy the Koni sports, Im willing to bet you will be satisfied with just those as at least the car would then feel fantastic and be much easier to drive hard.
Understandable, however you could argue that you could buy a cheaper Fbody and do the same, on and on. Hell you could argue that you could buy an already modded Fbody for cheap or a salvage title C5 for super cheap and get what you want performance wise.
Yes but the Miata would be of equal condition for less and cost less to mod, or a Celica would be dirt cheap and still cost less to mod. I think that's my biggest problem right now is the Celica and Miata I had half as much money into I was a lot happier with. I bought the Firebird because I wanted a V8 with a manual and it was a lot better than the SN95 Mustangs I tested, and I wanted to try something new since I'd only owned Japanese cars prior. I like the Firebird, but I'm not sure if even doing the KONI Sports would be enough to make me happy.
Last edited by Boxxx; 08-03-2017 at 08:01 PM.
08-03-2017, 08:50 PM
#96
I've owned nothing but imports prior and they were cheaper on parts and needed less done to them. $1,150 gets you the Flyin' Miata adjustable coil-overs with mounts and sway bar set. For a more direct comparison $1,039 gets you KONI Sports, FM sway bars, and FM springs whereas for the F-body you're looking at $1,525 for KONI Sports, Strano sway bars, and Strano springs plus you still need an adjustable panhard bar. Just looking at parts for parts though that's almost $500 difference. Same deal on MR2, 300ZX, SC300, etc... though the sways are closer in price the KONI Sports are still around $300 less a set.
That's all well and fine if you're so inclined, so just do it then. Not sure why you're agonizing over it so much, it seems you have your mind made up a long time ago
08-03-2017, 09:02 PM
#97
TECH Senior Member
Also I had my brother measure the sways since he was underneath looking at bushings anyway this last weekend and it's the stock sway bars on it, I guess when I measured it my seamstress tape slipped since I was to the side or I measured a thicker portion on the side.
Yes but the Miata would be of equal condition for less and cost less to mod, or a Celica would be dirt cheap and still cost less to mod. I think that's my biggest problem right now is the Celica and Miata I had half as much money into I was a lot happier with. I bought the Firebird because I wanted a V8 with a manual and it was a lot better than the SN95 Mustangs I tested, and I wanted to try something new since I'd only owned Japanese cars prior. I like the Firebird, but I'm not sure if even doing the KONI Sports would be enough to make me happy.
08-03-2017, 09:50 PM
#99
Launching!
Thread Starter
I keep seeing you say 1) fbody has more power, but power doesn't matter and 2) the imports are cheaper and better for this.
That's all well and fine if you're so inclined, so just do it then. Not sure why you're agonizing over it so much, it seems you have your mind made up a long time ago
That's all well and fine if you're so inclined, so just do it then. Not sure why you're agonizing over it so much, it seems you have your mind made up a long time ago
No, I'm really this indecisive. Obtaining new information changes things as well, as I legitimately had decided on keeping it until the thread was revived and more discussion on shocks took place. Even now I'm uncertain, my heart says keep it and my mind says sell it. Don't get me wrong the Firebird handles well for what it is, it does better than I expected it to and it's certainly a lot better than those SN95 Mustangs(one being a Cobra though SRA) I tested before buying it. I think it's more a matter of not liking bigger and heavier cars. I didn't care for my 3000GT even though it handled ok enough, but it was even heavier than the Firebird despite being somewhat smaller.
