I have a 4'th gen WS-6 but I am thinking about selling it or trading it for a nice 68-72 Chevelle. I want to know your guys opinions on driveability. Can it be a daily driver if it's restored well. I know the cars are 30+ years old but I wonder if they feel solid when driving them. Is overheating or anything else like that a common problem? I need overall impressions and opinions. How will it do on a road trip? I've always wanted an old school car, so much easier to work on, parts are so much cheaper, big and spacious. Big torque. Is the ride quality good though? I don't want to feel every bump in the road. I know I'm being kind of vague but any advice will be helpful. Thanks.

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96 Trans-Am WS-6
LT1 M6, 57k

14.131@100.603,2.286 60 Foot (stock w/ cutout)

Bolt-ons, Free mods, Star Stage III Ceramic, BMR SFC's and STB, LS1 Brakes/Hawk Pads, Intake Leak Fix, 1LE DS, Tints 20/5, Clifford Alarm/Remote Start and Stereo (Orion/Audiobahn/ADS/Treo/DEI).

*In my garage waiting to go in is a turbo tech. single turbo LT1 kit, and more bolt-ons. Watch out for this bad ***.

 

I drove a '70 El Camino daily for several years. It had an L-48/TH350/12 bolt drivetrain with air conditioning. I had no complaints and regret selling it. I didn't have overheating problems, even in my warm climate, and it was comfortable to drive.

The A-bodies of the years you mention were purposely designed with a soft suspension, therefore the ride is almost mushy, especially compared to a 4th gen F-body. You will probably not like the cornering and general handling; it's certainly nothing like your WS-6 (but it can be made to handle with Hotchkis components ).

Parts availability is good, and working on them is a breeze!

 

Over heating is less likely than a 3rd or 4th gen fbod because they have grills and spacious engine compartments.

 

Trust me. Stick with the Trans Am.
If I want to travel anywhere with my "muscle cars" I tow them with my suburban. It's cheaper and I'll get there without having to hike part way there. Plus I can listen to the radio along the way and put the A/C on if it's hot.

If you simply want a cool chevelle, you can turn that into a cruising vehicle, but only if you're willing to modify it to be that way.

If you get a 1970 chevelle with a 307 or a 350 & 2.73 gears, with A/C and a radio, it'll be nice to cruise. But it'll be a tart.

If you get a "real" muscle car with a 396, 4.10 rear end this barge will sound like a tank going down the road, it'll suck gas as fast as you can buy it. It's uneconomical and inefficient. But it sure is a hoot to drive. Occasionally. Back in 1970 it wasn't a big deal to stop and put 20 cent/gallon 100 octane gas into your car every couple hours. Try doing that tomorrow.
The fun will wear off really quickly.

Get a chevelle, but keep the T/A, or get a cavalier.

 

I think I agree with Mad Mike --- old cars are great, and sure they can be built reliable enough, but the reliable ones aren't as fast, and the fast ones aren't as reliable.

angel71rs - I'm not sure if I agree that old cars overheat less than new ones - my '81 Z28 hated sitting in stop and go traffic - especially on hot days, but even on cooler days. It would want to overheat a lot if I didn't keep moving to keep some air flowing through the rad. HOWEVER, my NEW car is great - the needle never moves from 98 - 100 degrees celcius, and I can even sit in stop and go and it still doesn't move (and it's been f'n HOT lately!) I think that the new cooling systems are designed and built better, and they're running at higher pressures to keep the boiling point down, so overheating is not as big of an issue, IMO.

96 WS6: if you want a nice car for long trips, average day to day driving, relatively good gas mileage and fewer headaches - keep the '96. While old cars are great and I still love them, they're a lot more work. Sure they're easier to work on, but you're gonna have to work on them a lot more, so eventually it gets annoying & frustrating - trust me, I know! I had my '81 for a year and a half, and the hood was open with reason a lot!!

If you really want an old Chevelle though, get one, but get a little gas miser car for daily driving. JMO.

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2002 Z28 - A4, 2.73's, Blk/blk, leather, T-tops, sport appearance package - just bought on June 26, 2002! - Pics

1981 Z28 - 383, TH350 trans., 3.42 posi - sold August, 2000 - Pics

1973 Camaro - Dad's & my project in the works - to be built: 355 Chevy, 11.5:1 pop-ups, "camel hump" heads (w/2.02 valves), solid cam, 4-speed.....it should be quick! - No Pics yet.

[This message has been edited by Capn Pete (edited July 15, 2002).]

 

Capn: you must of had a sludged radiator or something in your 81, cause my 71 has run typically at 160 - 170 even in traffic out here in the high desert of west Texas. That's with the original 350 and the 400 high compression sbc that replaced it. With a 3 row radiator. I did make sure to use correct shroud and that fan was 1/2" deep into it.

My nephew had a 454 Chevelle that ran just as cool with a 4 row. It had only 8:1 compression, small hydraulic flat cam and ran 13.5's out at local 4000 foot track. That's high 12's at sea level. Torque of a big block is sweet!