mach1 or lt1 trans am?

[DVS LT1]

Well, I can kind of see why a link to this thread over in the GM forum was deleted (supposedly anyways)... but it seems nice and civil now.

I'd agree with DKShadow that getting 19 HP at the wheels from the K&N CAI seems like a lot. I know my Moroso/Callaway CAI has been verified to add 16 HP at the fly on a stock LT1 F-Body. Then again you have to think the CAI will yield more HP as other mods & tuning are incorporated.

It seems to me that the overall consensus is that it would be a drivers race, and I definitely agree. Mach1's are wicked cars - we're basically talking about pre-2003 Cobra's that could run with LS1's.

I think the biggest variable (in case I missed it) would be the gearing on the TA. If its a 2.73 - shiftkit or not - I really see the advantage going to the Mach1 (even though the auto Firebirds from that era were generally faster than their M6 bros.). Still, thats a brutally tough gear to compete with.

Originally Posted by FormulaLT1

Most find almost a half a second from gears alone after all 273's to 3.73's is a jump

Thats what I'm expecting when I FINALLY dump my 2.93's this summer. No more hitting 150 MPH in 3rd anymore!!!

[FormulaLT1]

Originally Posted by DVS LT1

Thats what I'm expecting when I FINALLY dump my 2.93's this summer. No more hitting 150 MPH in 3rd anymore!!!

I Think you meant 2.73's as the only gears I ever heard the Auto LT1's comming with are 2.73's or optional 3.23's unless they make some weird ratio's aftermarket that I don't know about.

[DVS LT1]

I get that a lot. I don't know why my Z came with oddball 2.93's but it did. She's definitely got the GU3 axle code in the glovebox.

[FormulaLT1]

Thats weird I never even heard of that ratio and its factory , I was just looking at my RPO sheet and I see it jumps from GU2 2.73's to GU4 3.08's but I never knew there was such a thing you should keep those gears in a safe place because that has to be one of the rarest options to come on the camaro

[daveshapellSVT]

i bought my car with 4:10 richmond gears already in it.. the guy that owned it before my has a receipt for them and everything.. only problem is i notice that my rear end leeks fluid.. does that mean my rear end is blown or do i need to replace a gasket?

[FormulaLT1]

Where is it leaking from out the bottom or out the axle ends?

[daveshapellSVT]

out the bottom of the gear housing.. what do you think is up?

[FormulaLT1]

It just sounds like a old gasket or just bad seal, Your best bet is to just unbolt it sand the seating surfaces and re-install with new gasket ,posi additive and redline fluid. If it where leaking from the end or out of the axle housing it could have been a axle seal leak but its not so doesn't sound like a big deal

[daveshapellSVT]

so how bad is it to drive like that? will i hurt something?

[FormulaLT1]

Is the rear end making noise when you makes turns or have been driving for 20 - 30 Minutes and yes I would take care of it as soon as possible because most likely your rear end will over heat causing bearing failure and seizing of differential

[daveshapellSVT]

i'll jack up the car tomorrow and take some pics.. Tomorrow is gonna be awesome!! Theres a new dyno just put together here in my town and a bunch of us are going there.. the guy charges 90 bucks a pull, which is a rip off, but i'm gonna go to watch the following cars dyno..

Z06
M3
Turbo GSR
Couple DSMs

I want to dyno my car, but i don't have 90 bucks to spend on one pull... anyhow heres some pics i took of my car today..

[FormulaLT1]

I'm sure it would be more worth your while to spend the 90.00 on your rear ,gas & shipping on your next performance part anyway. After all who's cares how much horse you have now when your not done with your mods.

[daveshapellSVT]

yea, true that.. plus it wouldn't be anything impressive with the mods i have.. if anything its only 300 rwhp, but it would cool to see if i got my monies worth from the cat back and pullies.

[daveshapellSVT]

hey, your a trans am guy.. What should an 02 Firehawk run stock? my cousin has one with long tube headers, Y pipe, and SLP loud mouth cat back.. Him and i raced last night and we are pretty close.. neither can pull on eachother.. i figure we are both low 13's right now.. i'd say he is almost 12's if not 12's already... His car is sweet looking.. very sexy.. i'll see if i can get some pics of it..

[Robs71Nova]

Hi guys. I read this entire thread(working 12 hour shifts wil make you that bored), and I think its funny how it went. Its the definition of what it means to be a car guy, argueing, but in the end helping one another out. Now on the race. I owned a 97 lt1 trans am and stock they have decent speed, but like Formula said the stock Lt1s were made very restrictive as to not out-do the Corvettes. WHen you start freeing air up, as with any car but moreso in my experience with the Trans Ams, they tend to take to it better. While I have not raced a Mach 1 with my current T/A, I have raced one with my 71 nova (i dunno the exact year of the Mach 1 as i am not very familiar with them) and just comparing how it ran to how my 97ta use to run Id have to give the nod to the Mach 1 depending on the driver. Even with the mods to the TA the Mach 1s are pretty fast cars. I know from my race that my Nova got a HUGE jump off the line (4.56 gears) but after that jump the Mach 1 was runing pretty close to the same distance behind me. Racing stoplights in town i figure from one to the other(maybe 1/8 a mile) I had it beat by around 3-4 car lenghts, and about 3 car lengths is what i beat my 00 TA ws6 bye. I realize this is a long story, but im sayin that my car beats the Ws6 and the mach 1 by about the same distance, which is sayin the Mach 1 runs with the Ls1, which means i think the Mach 1 will beat the Lt1 TA.

Wow that was alot of pretty useless typin

Rob