In which Episode is the Pontiac Firebird TRANS AM WS6?

[RapedApe]

The bottom line is that Americans dont buy Camaros for the quality of their interior. There other choices out there for that.

Now look at this baby!!

 

[MasterEvilAce]

But you're right that there is a certain level of anutomotive anti Americanism here and I'm done busting your chops about your car. BTW What kind of Camaro is yours it looks like a 2001 was that the final year of production? Do those have a vette engine?

I'm not really worried about any specific model, I know Camaros have some downfalls, as all cars do.. It just seems like a general hate for American cars just because it's the thing to do. Sort of like how Chevrolet owners usually bash Fords, and Ford owners usually bash Chevrolet owners, when in reality, they both do their jobs quite nicely.

The Camaro ended in 2002. The engine was the same engine (the 350 (5.7 Liter) As far back as 87 I think..) as the Corvette, except a little bit restricted, and a year older. IE: In 1997 the Corvette got the LS1 engine, and in 1998 the Camaro got the LS1. Before that, they both used the LT1 engine.

 

[RapedApe]

I find it hard to hate a 1,000rwhp GNX's running 9 sec 1/4 miles, don't you? :shock:

 

[janstett]

Maybe they were driving the Formula V6 one.

A Firehawk WS6 is another beast on it's own.

All due respect, you guys don't know what you're talking about. I still drive a 4th gen Firebird Trans Am.

The Formula is the V8 in the V6's body with no power accessories and cloth seats (= light weight no BS). Very fast cars.

Despite popular misconception (and the real drawback of a live rear axle) the Trans Am (and its sister the Camaro) handle well and win their SCCA classes frequently at a national level.

What's a Firebird? V6.
What's a Formula? Body of the Firebird with a V8.
What's a Trans Am? Firebird + V8 + body kit.
What's a WS6? Trans Am + hood + exhaust + shocks
What's a Firehawk? A Trans Am that get shipped to aftermarket quasi-tuner SLP and gets most of the same treatment as the WS6 but from SLP instead of GM, and gets custom mats, decals, etc. SLP springs/shocks, SLP catback, SLP wheels.

All of them minus the V6 are roughly in the same performance range.

Which is to say 300-330hp at the wheels stock.

I do know a girl who drives a Firebird Formula. And she runs 11's in the quarter mile.

Camaros are the same car, just slightly different styling, seats, console. They are the same car, the f-body.

 

[gregsterguy]

Can you import one? Or register it just across the border?

You can but the Canadian government will make you pay for modifications to the car to make it street legal. Plus you have to check whether or not it is on their approved list of cars that can be imported. Too much paperwork and hassle.

To clarify, the Canadian government will require you to modify it to Canadian spec (which is most often adding Daytime Running Lights), if and only if it meets one or both of the 2 following conditions:

1) It is on the "approved list" for importing from the States, which can be found here:
http://www.riv.ca/english/US_vehicle_admissibility.pdf

2) It is 15 years old or older, to the month of manufacture.

Since the GTO is not 15 years old (obviously), we need to check the Admissable List.

Since the Admissable List does not state the GTO cannot be imported, you can import one provided you install DRL's. There's a good thread on the subject, if anyone's interested:

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.php?s=&threadid=107279

Thats because it didnt pass our crash test , the same reason why we dont have the Lancer EVO in canada

 

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Can you import one? Or register it just across the border?

You can but the Canadian government will make you pay for modifications to the car to make it street legal. Plus you have to check whether or not it is on their approved list of cars that can be imported. Too much paperwork and hassle.

To clarify, the Canadian government will require you to modify it to Canadian spec (which is most often adding Daytime Running Lights), if and only if it meets one or both of the 2 following conditions:

1) It is on the "approved list" for importing from the States, which can be found here:
http://www.riv.ca/english/US_vehicle_admissibility.pdf

2) It is 15 years old or older, to the month of manufacture.

Since the GTO is not 15 years old (obviously), we need to check the Admissable List.

Since the Admissable List does not state the GTO cannot be imported, you can import one provided you install DRL's. There's a good thread on the subject, if anyone's interested:

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.php?s=&threadid=107279

Thats because it didnt pass our crash test , the same reason why we dont have the Lancer EVO in canada

... what didn't pass the crash test? The GTO must have, if it's on the admissable list.

 

[RapedApe]

As an FYI, GTOs do have day time running lamps.

 

[gregsterguy]

Can you import one? Or register it just across the border?

You can but the Canadian government will make you pay for modifications to the car to make it street legal. Plus you have to check whether or not it is on their approved list of cars that can be imported. Too much paperwork and hassle.

To clarify, the Canadian government will require you to modify it to Canadian spec (which is most often adding Daytime Running Lights), if and only if it meets one or both of the 2 following conditions:

1) It is on the "approved list" for importing from the States, which can be found here:
http://www.riv.ca/english/US_vehicle_admissibility.pdf

2) It is 15 years old or older, to the month of manufacture.

Since the GTO is not 15 years old (obviously), we need to check the Admissable List.

Since the Admissable List does not state the GTO cannot be imported, you can import one provided you install DRL's. There's a good thread on the subject, if anyone's interested:

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.php?s=&threadid=107279

Thats because it didnt pass our crash test , the same reason why we dont have the Lancer EVO in canada

... what didn't pass the crash test? The GTO must have, if it's on the admissable list.

The Lancer EVO and the GTO didnt pass the 5-7 KMH bumper crash test thats why we dont have them here. It has nothing to do with DRLs.

The GTO is on the inadmissable list so is the EVO meaning the car cannont be plated. You can have it as a race car or exhibition car or if you have a dealer plate you can drive for promotion purposes.

but there are ways around this law. If you are a new immigrant to canada you can be granted special status to bring over inadmissable cars. Thats why here in montreal there are a few r34 skylines and 98+ JDM type Rs with QC plates.

Fortunatly the next evo and next GTO will have the 5-7 KHm bumpers

 

[janstett]

BTW the Firebird was never made for European export, although the Camaro was (side markers plus reworked tail lights, etc.).

The Firebird has slightly better seats with detached headrests and a little better interior. But it's still the same cheap plastic and the leather looks like it's vinyl even though it is real leather. And it has the awful 4-spoke wheel from the Pontiac parts bin.

 

[zenkidori]

The main beef I had with F-body interior was how everything felt disconnected. It just didn't feel solid. Stuff squeaked and rattled, and it felt like there was play in everything. I'm not an interior snob by any means, in fact I take most of mine out anyway, but for a brand new car it just felt shoddy.

 

[janstett]

Well, I have lived with one for five years and I largely agree -- cheap plastic, gaps are too big, etc. I haven't had too many rattles -- subframe connectors helped, but age and the roll cage have added some. There's a little wear in the seat leather, the part on under my left leg is slightly deformed, and the driver's control pod (visible in the above picture) has separated from the seat, but that's about it.

But I didn't buy the car for the interior. Still, I wish they did a better job. Really starting to think "good enough" is as offensive as "bad".