WRX owners don't like us

[TomsSVX]

well add F-body owners to list of people who don't like us

Tom

[Chiketkd]

Originally Posted by Shadow248

Chike...you'd have to be more specific about the Firehawk with the "handling package"

In the Road and Track Sports & GT cars edition for 2001, on page 116 they review a 2001 Pontiac Firebird Firehawk with 6-speed Borg-Warner gearbox. List price: $32,784; Price as tested: $37,256.

The options the car had installed are:
1) Chrome wheels $595
2) Traction control $450
3) Standard SLP package $3,999 (335bhp LS1, composite hood, perf exhaust, cold air intake, upgraded suspension, 275/40 tires on 17x9 wheels)
4) Firehawk cosmetic package $1,899
5) Ultra performance suspension (1LE) $1,099
6) Limited-slip diff $899

Temps were 78*, humidity 29% and altitude 1010ft during their tests. they got:

0-60mph 5.4s
0-100mph 13.1s
1/4 mile 13.9@103.3mph
60-0 braking 128ft
skidpad 0.88g's
700ft slalom 61.8mph

-Chike

[Chiketkd]

In the Sept '91 test of a '92 LS-L (courtesy JamSVX):







...they saw:

0-60mph of 7.7s
1/4 mile 15.7@90.8mph
Skidpad 0.92g's
Slalom 67.8mph
60-0 braking 112ft

Those handling figures are from a '92 car, manufactured in '91 using technology Subaru developed in the late 80's...

-Chike

[Shadow248]

Originally Posted by Chiketkd

In the Road and Track Sports & GT cars edition for 2001, on page 116 they review a 2001 Pontiac Firebird Firehawk with 6-speed Borg-Warner gearbox. List price: $32,784; Price as tested: $37,256.

The options the car had installed are:
1) Chrome wheels $595
2) Traction control $450
3) Standard SLP package $3,999 (335bhp LS1, composite hood, perf exhaust, cold air intake, upgraded suspension, 275/40 tires on 17x9 wheels)
4) Firehawk cosmetic package $1,899
5) Ultra performance suspension (1LE) $1,099
6) Limited-slip diff $899

Temps were 78*, humidity 29% and altitude 1010ft during their tests. they got:

0-60mph 5.4s
0-100mph 13.1s
1/4 mile 13.9@103.3mph
60-0 braking 128ft
skidpad 0.88g's
700ft slalom 61.8mph

-Chike

Well you certainly did what I asked. That's specific enough. Only one problem - the 1LE suspension ceased production early in 2000. How they magically got a 2001 Hawk equipped with it is beyond me.

Geez I wonder what happened to R&T's REAL driver that day? 13.9 @ 103 in the 1/4 mile? The LT1 f-body could do that!

Anyway, as you can probably see by the prices listed, the Firehawk package was a ripoff. Imagine adding another $2000 to THAT price for the REAL 1LE suspension. That's a $40,000 car.

[Shadow248]

Originally Posted by TomsSVX

well add F-body owners to list of people who don't like us

Tom

There are three f-body owners that are established members of this site, so i wouldn't go that far.

[Chiketkd]

Originally Posted by Shadow248

Anyway, as you can probably see by the prices listed, the Firehawk package was a ripoff. Imagine adding another $2000 to THAT price for the 1LE suspension. That's a $40,000 car.

Item #5 of the options installed on the R&T Firehawk was for the 1LE suspension upgrade. The car they tested had the upgraded sway bars, etc.

-Chike

P.S. I don't doubt you that a Firebird with the 1LE suspension upgrade could pull 1.0g's on the skidpad, but not on any kind of street tire with a tread wear rating above 50.

[Shadow248]

Originally Posted by Chiketkd

Item #5 of the options installed on the R&T Firehawk was for the 1LE suspension upgrade. The car they tested had the upgraded sway bars, etc.

-Chike

Note my changes in my original post. They lied.

The 1LE suspension ceased production early in 2000.

Originally Posted by Chiketkd

P.S. I don't doubt you that a Firebird with the 1LE suspension upgrade could pull 1.0g's on the skidpad, but not on any kind of street tire with a tread wear rating above 50.

Agreed, but I don't remember off hand what the 1LE cars came with for footwear, however I would imagine it was the predecessor to the GS-D3.

[Chiketkd]

Originally Posted by Shadow248

Note my changes in my original post. They lied.

The 1LE suspension ceased production early in 2000.

Correct but incorrect. The 1LE suspension wasn't offered after early 2000, but if you check with your F-body friends they will tell you that the 10th Anniversary Firebird Firehawk was offered with the 1LE as an option. I know b/c I owned a '95 Z28 Camaro at the time and was thinking about buying a new Camaro/Bird at the time. Ended up getting a '00 SVT Lightning instead.

-Chike

P.S. The Firebird R&T tested was a fully optioned 10th Anniversary Firebird Firehawk.

[Shadow248]

Originally Posted by Chiketkd

Correct but incorrect. The 1LE suspension wasn't offered after early 2000, but if you check with your F-body friends they will tell you that the 10th Anniversary Firebird Firehawk was offered with the 1LE as an option. I know b/c I owned a '95 Z28 Camaro at the time and was thinking about buying a new Camaro/Bird at the time. Ended up getting a '00 SVT Lightning instead.

-Chike

1 - you're crazy (for buying the lightning)

2 - Back when I sold the cars, I never ordered an anniversary Hawk, so I can't argue that statement. However it doesn't really matter, the fact remains that R&T's test car couldn't possibly have the 1LE package.

Originally Posted by Chiketkd

P.S. The Firebird R&T tested was a fully optioned 10th Anniversary Firebird Firehawk.

Quit adding while i'm replying dammit!!!

How did you come to this conclusion?

Want to know why you're wrong?

Originally Posted by Chiketkd

In the Road and Track Sports & GT cars edition for 2001, on page 116 they review a 2001 Pontiac Firebird Firehawk with 6-speed Borg-Warner gearbox. List price: $32,784; Price as tested: $37,256.

The options the car had installed are:
1) Chrome wheels $595
2) Traction control $450
3) Standard SLP package $3,999 (335bhp LS1, composite hood, perf exhaust, cold air intake, upgraded suspension, 275/40 tires on 17x9 wheels)
4) Firehawk cosmetic package $1,899
5) Ultra performance suspension (1LE) $1,099
6) Limited-slip diff $899

Temps were 78*, humidity 29% and altitude 1010ft during their tests. they got:

0-60mph 5.4s
0-100mph 13.1s
1/4 mile 13.9@103.3mph
60-0 braking 128ft
skidpad 0.88g's
700ft slalom 61.8mph

Item #1 and the "price as tested".

The 10th Anniversary package was defined cosmetically by black paint, gold racing stripes, gold interior and GOLD WHEELS. Chrome was not available, however it was an option on the standard hawk.

Also the "fully optioned" 10th anniversary hawk stickered for $41,329. The standard hawk's price range was right at the price that R&T published for their test car.

But I will say this, you know your f-body history (4th gen at least) pretty darn well

[Chiketkd]

Originally Posted by Shadow248

Agreed, but I don't remember off hand what the 1LE cars came with for footwear, however I would imagine it was the predecessor to the GS-D3.

The 10th Anniversary Firehawk with the 1LE suspension that R&T tested came with Firestone Firehawk 275/40ZR-17 SZ50 EP tires.

According to the Tirerack: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....e1=yes&place=0

Those tires had a UTQG of 340. Needless to say they weren't the stickiest rubber available.

-Chike

[Red SVX 92]

Sorry Shadow, there's some !LE enthusiasts who seem to disagree:

http://www.1le.net/docs/fourthgen_1le_story.html
http://www.1le.net/1le_production.html

That said, I know there's at least one factual error on that page, so I will say nothing about its true accuracy.

Unfortunately, this is a little more damning.

http://www.firehawkowners.com/rpo/1151.html

[Chiketkd]

Originally Posted by Shadow248

Quit adding while i'm replying dammit!!!

How did you come to this conclusion?

Want to know why you're wrong?

How did I come to what conclusion? That the R&T test car was a 10th Anniversary model? Well the article clearly lists the car as the 10th anniversary model. On page 120, they show pics of various 10th Anniversary features on the car and state: "The 10th Anniversary car has numerous gold accents, on everything from the exhaust tips to the wheels and decals."

Why am I wrong? B/c I bought a s/c Ford truck over a Camaro/Bird?

-Chike

[Shadow248]

Originally Posted by Chiketkd

In the Road and Track Sports & GT cars edition for 2001, on page 116 they review a 2001 Pontiac Firebird Firehawk with 6-speed Borg-Warner gearbox. List price: $32,784; Price as tested: $37,256.

The options the car had installed are:
1) Chrome wheels $595
2) Traction control $450
3) Standard SLP package $3,999 (335bhp LS1, composite hood, perf exhaust, cold air intake, upgraded suspension, 275/40 tires on 17x9 wheels)
4) Firehawk cosmetic package $1,899
5) Ultra performance suspension (1LE) $1,099
6) Limited-slip diff $899

Temps were 78*, humidity 29% and altitude 1010ft during their tests. they got:

0-60mph 5.4s
0-100mph 13.1s
1/4 mile 13.9@103.3mph
60-0 braking 128ft
skidpad 0.88g's
700ft slalom 61.8mph

Item #1 and the "price as tested".

The 10th Anniversary package was defined cosmetically by black paint, gold racing stripes, gold interior and GOLD WHEELS. Chrome was not available, however it was an option on the standard hawk.

Also the "fully optioned" 10th anniversary hawk stickered for $41,329. The standard hawk's price range was right at the price that R&T published for their test car.

But I will say this, you know your f-body history (4th gen at least) pretty darn well

Originally Posted by Chiketkd

In the Road and Track Sports & GT cars edition for 2001, on page 116 they review a 2001 Pontiac Firebird Firehawk with 6-speed Borg-Warner gearbox.

Another thing that I just noticed that R&T messed up. The Borg-Warner 6-speed was ditched with the 1998 redesign. 1998-2002 LS1's used the Tremec T-56.

[Chiketkd]

Originally Posted by Red SVX 92

Unfortunately, this is a little more damning.

http://www.firehawkowners.com/rpo/1151.html

Nice find. I know when I spoke to the dealer about the Anniversary Firehawk he showed me an option list that included the 1LE suspension.

-Chike

[Red SVX 92]

Bottom lne, F-Bodies are not the most graceful cars in turns. Stock. For an idea of what a modded F-Body is capable of, see frrax.com. Most of those guys have mods that make the 1LE look like the joke it is.

Anyways, how did this become a thread about 50's technology rather than Rexes?