First Generation Firebird-L Mailing List .........................................................................
Steve, car looks mean ,sounds good, but those pics have really not much to do with spoilers or downforce....I wouldn't mind a ride in it! and as I say that I realize I never got to ride in the one you took down to Bretts! But I take your word for it when you say you drive it hard....you`d fit right in here in our HALF group then...half of HALF drives about that hard...several of them race their cars...I elect not to, I really don't care about going fast for 1/4 mi then stop....I prefer going on a road coarse, but nowadays just drive roads....but on the road I drive mine pretty hard..(most often "getting there" before the "fast cars"...lol....an old habit from my rallye days.... and as I have not driven that many firtst gens, since my 68 I owned in 1969...I`ll take your word for the "floating" on some cars, maybe mine is one of them? who knows...all I can tell you is that after I added the front spoiler on mine front wheels are more stable at speeds over 85 or so...not that I needed it, but I could feel the better handling after it was installed... In my days rallye days I drove a 63 Mini Cooper which was airborne most of the time , or my buddy`s 56 VW w a 62 Porsche engine ,so I was used to some floating front end! we had 2 sand bags in the trunk to help the steering... LOL Bjorn 69 vert./HALF member/ Houston ,Tx ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Subject: to spoil or not to spoil.. From: "Steve Leary" <[email protected]> Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:55:28 -0700 (PDT) I have driven at least a dozen 1st gens that I have owned and I can tell you some floated around bigtime while others hold the ground like a gocart. Two of the 3 first gens I have now handle incredible, like a gocart on rails while the other is sort of soppy and mostly stock. The car I race , I could let go of the wheel and hammer on the 4 wheel disc brakes and it stops and handles like no tomorrow, even with the 90/10 race shocks up front. Best of both worlds and I dont think the spoiler on the two cars added any feel. And Bjorn I drive my cars probably harder than anyone you know. Here's a link where I feel my cars every beat!! LOL Yee Haw!!!!! Stock heads, non ported and stock shortblock reving at 6200+ rpms all day long!! Turn up the sound and listen to the Pontiac power. I wish this car had no spoiler but oh well. I do have an extra trunk lid without one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dTfMAH9UL8 Here's the set up and how she purrs. Dont bother with all the extra costs of a performance build. This engine is still running strong with a $999 rebuild in 1991 and a pair of stock #16 heads with new springs and a valve grind for $300. I have had this car up to about 120 at the track and no front spoiler to hold it down and it still felt nice and heavy on the front wheels. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xuq-3a0AHEU&feature=related If I didn't have so many other projects going, I'd make this car look stock but still be in the 11s. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Submissions to Firebird-L: <[email protected]> Unsubscribe from Firebird-L: <[email protected]> Help: <http://FirstGenFirebird.org/firebird/Firebird-L.html> Classifieds: <http://FirstGenFirebird.org/ubb/> Owner Pictures: <http://FirstGenFirebird.org/show/>
