odddoylerules

If merely +-250 HP is all you want and ur in it more for economy and handling, as well as an overall good driving experience, would there be enough good reasons handling wise to go V6?

I've done the 305 auto, tasted the 355 built tranny route....

Just tryna decide if handling and braking are more important than torque in my next thirdgen....thoughts?

Gumby

Use to be a V6 members who beat up the the V8 guys at board member meets.

And yea its allot different without a heavy V8 up front.
Ive had it both way, a V6 does drive like on rails...

SlickTrackGod

That would be me.

That V6 turned circles on anything. I am a performance driving instructor for an exotic car company (Lambo's and Ferrari's) Not a boast- just info on reference what I have driven in life aggresively- that V6 of mine was deadly fast on corner turn-in and transitions. I pulled a staggering 1.07 g's on a skidpad years ago when the car was not even fished to where I eventually took it. That was on 16x8 factory IROC wheels and 220 TW 245-50-16 street rubber on all four corners. Yes it was the next coming of christ thoise have critisized me for when they never witnessed it in person. Those that did will boast more than I about the car. It was probably the best handling 3rd gen in the world at full creature comfort weight and street tires. I would build another in a heatbeat if I had not already done that in life. I now mostly enjoy the hobby with helping and riving cars on other peoples dime. I use my dime for other hobbies outside the car world. So no, another 3rd gen is not in the works anytime soon from me-- but yes maybe someday if the right situation comes along. I love the cars. Mine was a light and agile as a F360 spyder Ferrari. It felt like a big gokart for 1/4th the price. The only thing that sucked for me was livingin the **** state of Calif and not being able to mod the motor as I would have liked. I puit down only 140 rwhp, but once it got ging it did not have to slow down as much as other did- and that was proven many many times.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/518752...vrolet-camaro/

SlickTrackGod

I was also braking 60-0 in 102 ft. The IROC facotry testing were doing 147 ft. For reference, the new 2015 1LE Camaro does it in 97 ft, but on much wider tires.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/memb...=gnr-img-album

paul_huryk

The mass reduction and improved weight distribution of using a V6 over a V8 SBC is advantageous as STG mentions.

But you can get a good portion of that advantage by swapping in an all aluminum LS motor into the cars too - they are not hp limited by any means, CA ***** aside. Something like 140lbs of the front end compared to an iron SBC.

I would like to point out that braking is a weird metric and how hard it is to improve once you hit the point of inflection (diminishing returns) of around 105ft (60mph to 0). A 13" 2 piston front brake system (LS1, C5, C4 HD) with 245-50-16 summer tires on a thirdgen with no ABS should be in the 105ft range, which is essentially world class even today.

The 2014 Z28's stopping of 97ft is impressive in itself - a 3800lb street car. But with 15" carbon rotors, 305 width race tires, mega calipers, ABS, and a few other crazy items, it better stop great.

Alice89

iTrader: (6)

As others have said the weight distribution is much better. Plus the v6 sits further back behind the wheels center-line. (the v8 is a little longer and sits slightly past the wheel center-line.)

About 5 years ago I had two built 4th gens before I came to the 3rd gen crowd. One was a 97 Formula and the other was a 94 v6 firebird. I can tell you right now from personal experience that the v6 firebird always had a better lighter steering feel.

I can also tell you the 3.4 I had was SLOW. And that thing was not stock. Naturally aspirated your not going to be fast. But I'm fairly sure I was pushing close to 200hp at the flywheel before it was t-boned by a drunk. Modifications: CAI, pacesetter headers, high-flow cat, Hand Ported heads by me; and a cat back & under-drive pullies. It was also tuned by a professional. I had a cam from compcams but I never had a chance to install it.

If I find my old thread from one of these v6 f-body forums I will share it with you. It was a fun car that handled great while still getting good gas mileage.

My point of telling you about my 3.4 v6 was this: If you do go with a v6 3rd gen then more then likely it will have a 2.8 v6 in it. From all the builds I've read about them, I highly suggest just swapping out the 2.8 for a 3.4.

These old pictures are not anything to get excited about; but here is the 94 firebird I built. From the first pick you can kind of get an idea of how low the ride height was in the front.

Alice89

iTrader: (6)

On a side note: I ended up having to go with a custom cat back.

Flowmaster cat-backs sound awesome on v8's. But holy crap did my v6 sound like crap with a flowmaster muffler lol! It sounded like a glorified fart can!

I cant remember exactly but I think I ended up using a walker muffler and it sounded ok. I remember it sounded great at idle but still sounded funky when you really got down on it.

Gumby

Secret is put a cherrybomb where the cat would be and run a full length tail pipe, totally hides that its a V6, everyone assumes V8. PLus loosing all the bends and over axle loop really help the exhaust flow...

Drkhrse89

iTrader: (1)

Hopefully by the end of the summer I will be able to tell you which is the best route. I had the 305/T5 in my car with a lot of suspension mods and upgraded brakes and I loved it. It handled really well.

I am now going to a turbo 3800 series II. I will be doing more suspension modifications to the car at the same time so it will not be a complete apples to apples comparison, but I am really looking forward to having quite a bit of weight off the nose and I am also pushing the motor back an inch or so.

odddoylerules

The fwd engine swap is a lot of work though, I'd be endurance building a 3.4 to be beat on

odddoylerules

Seems like a v6 would be easier to work on too.

odddoylerules

A friend is telling me to go w a cavalier but that seems like that'd be less about handling

Reid Fleming

iTrader: (2)

A lot more money, but the Cobalt SS are pretty potent handling cars.

Nürburgring times:
8:20....2010 Camaro SS
8:22....2007 Chevrolet Cobalt SS (turbo)
8:40....1997 Chevrolet Corvette C5 (auto)

Turbo versions were 0.92 g stock, 1/4 mile in high 13's, and a top speed of 160 mph.

odddoylerules

He's talking 60 degree v6 early 90's stuff like the Berettas that were built for homologation

Scorpner

iTrader: (4)

I put one in place of the standard muffler and ended up getting complimented on the sound.

nosajwols

iTrader: (1)

There was a guy on here putting an eccotech in a thirdgen, lots of grief from some people in the thread but if you want things even lighter up front...

slow305

iTrader: (2)

Ha! There's a guy doing one (or had been) in a Corvette for autocross, too.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...build-log.html

No updates since early last year, though.

Pat

odddoylerules

Lol