With your F-body I mean.

I bought my '96 Z28 in 2000. I was always under the impression that If I had a low 13 second car, I'd be happy. My best run years ago was 13.67. Not exactly low, but I felt like I was faster than 80-90% of the cars on the road, and I was satisfied. My car is completely stock, minus the free mods, so I know there is room for improvement.

A buddy from work just bought an '05 GTO. 400hp................all of a sudden, I'm a little fish. I want to mod my car, but do I need 400hp?? A 12s car needs a roll cage at the track right??, I don't want to go that far.

But no matter what I do, it'll always be possible that someone else will get a faster car. So, my goal can't be to have the fastest.

I'm hoping after this new GTO has been around for a while, I'll go back to being satisfied with a car that's faster than most.

 

Well, face it, there will always be someone who is faster, and has a bigger wallet. If you're happy with your car, they who cares. If you start to feel the speed bug bite, the LT1 is a great motor to start with.

 

Thats what my dad always said when I was younger. You will never win the money game, some one will always have a faster car.

 

The question is what's your goal??

 

For right now, its to have some moderately quick cars that I can drive, and that don't spend more time on jack stands waiting for parts than on the road.

Plus I learnt very well when selling my old 93 Z28 that the money I spent modding a car doesn't mean jack when it comes to resale value, so modding isn't something I plan to do to the Z28 past what I have, Waiting for GM to announce a 5th gen Camaro so I can trade it in on that , and the GTO is the wifes' so that will remain stock.

 

A "cage" is not required until you run 9.99 or quicker. You probably meant "roll bar"..... still not a problem.

This year NHRA has revised their rules so that a 5-point roll bar (not a cage) is required for convertibles running quicker than 13.5 and coupes (incl T-tops) running quicker than 11.5-seconds. If you are running 12's in a coupe, you do not need a roll bar.

 

MODDing is an addiction! Once you have a little then you keep wanting more, and more. I have burned about $3500 in the past 8 months in mods. It took me a week and a half to install them all by my self. (one part at a time)..... I am now looking at more. It's like, "I wonder what'll happen if I do THIS?"

Get used to it. And there will allways be someone who is faster....

 

There's nothing wrong with having a reliable, fun to drive, "stock" car too. Mine is pretty much stock (!CAGS, TB Bypass, short stick, cut-out) and will stay that way for the rest of this summer and possibly next too. I know it's not the fastest thing on the road but it's not the slowest either!

 

Very good news. 12 seconds it is. But I'm getting way ahead of myself. I need another car if I'm going to start modding this one. You know a back-up.


So, anyone want to answer why they do it?? Why do you modify your car. To have the fastest?? The fastest on your block?? are you looking for your cars maximum potential??

 

I want my summer car for those nice sunny days to drive out in teh boonies and whip around turns and if i get the urge to pass, i want to be able to. I dont need the fastest as long as it looks clean and feels fast!

 

I just have an unresistable urge to collect a 9.999-second time slip - then retire and park my car in the driveway at the old age home.

I don't think its wise to want to be "the fastest".... only one person can claim that title, and it costs a huge amount of $$$$$. I just get personal satisfaction from doing the work and seeing the results.... only person I compete with is myself. Get off more on the technical side than making 1/4-mile passes.

You need to know how far to take it.... and when to stop. I think I went too far. In NJ, emissions are such a hassle that I no longer drive my car on the street, because although it will pass dyno emissions with cats in place, they have mobile inspections that they set up on the side of the highway, and pull over cars for FULL visual and rolling emissions. No way I can pass "visual".

 

You sound like a perfect canidate for a new Chevrolet Corvette Z06. I one swell foop you will be instantly faster then 99% of the cars on the road, including the GTO. You can drive it for nearly 100,000m without touching it and be really cool looking at the same time!

 

Thanks guys, but I already said I know that wanting to be the fastest is unreasonable, and not a worthy goal. I don't want to be the fastest, or work in that direction, because it will be a never ending story, and quite frankly, I can't afford it.
Instead, I think I will work on making my car a 12 second daily driver. I'm sure I'll be happy with that.
Now, I'm asking why do you do what you do?

For those that answered, thanks.......

 

If you're close to stock and run 13.67..you've got a good headstart. I was thinking something similar..if you look at the car ads nowadays...I think high 200s to 300hp is common even in non-sporty sedans. Makes our 285hp with the 96Z28 seem low nowadays. 400hp seems to be the magic number for new "sports" cars.

But don't get tied up in just the horsepower number...there's lots of non-power things that go into making your car fast...gearing, suspension, traction, weight.

As for the F-bodies, 12s are within your reach. I remember seeing madwolf (Ion) do a nice write-up for what it takes to make a 12s F-body. It ain't cheap, but it was mostly bolt-on and some tuning. He didn't even mention superchargers, turbos, or NOS. Get wild like that and don't worry about street competitors.

Wanna be the fastest on the road...there's always someone faster...but you wanna be fast, you got the right car to start with. Also, the aftermarket business supporting F-bodies is very strong...though leaning more towards LS1 from what I see

As for the GTO (here comes the GTO fan's flaming PMs), I don't like the look. Now look at the F-bodies...that's just down right sexy. So, get your mods going and you'll be like most of us...love to drive our Camaros day in and day out.

 

I don't care if my car is slower then others out there. It is still fun to drive and has plenty of *****.