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Full Version: Im the new guy w/ a stock 98 camaro.... need help!
F-Body Road Racing and Autocross Forums > Community > General Discussion
importhunter
I got a v-6 auto ( I know its not all that fast.) I want to make it a little quicker. I am not looking for 9's or anything but 14's or 13's would be nice. I love to road race too. In fact I road race my s-10. I have a glass pack on it and a k&n drop in filter. I also did the air box mod. What else?! :drive:
KeithO
I would suggest that you upgrade the suspension first. Lower the car a little, put some biggers bars and springs in it.

After that, easy hp mods would be CAI, cat-back, high-flow cat and a good tune with the computer.

I am familiar with the S10's and the ZQ8 suspension. Where does one road race one of these?
trackbird
Road race or street race?
mitchntx
What's a 14 or 13?

unsure.gif

My family used to own a John Deere 4020 tractor that had a glass pack on it. It was bad-ass!
:drive:
Pilot
They do it right in TX, don't they mitch?
importhunter
QUOTE (KeithO @ Jul 17 2005, 19:03)
I would suggest that you upgrade the suspension first. Lower the car a little, put some biggers bars and springs in it.

After that, easy hp mods would be CAI, cat-back, high-flow cat and a good tune with the computer.

I am familiar with the S10's and the ZQ8 suspension. Where does one road race one of these?

I plan on getting 17in rims next week. I want the best street/ race tire I can buy. What offset should I get? What would I need to get to tune the computer? A power programer, jet chip? We have alot of steep driveways/parking lots here for some reason. I already scrape the pavement alot w/ the plastic airdam under the car. So I think lowering it might be a problem. Where would I get a CAI? I just saw the SLP ram air intake.

I just got here (in Springfield,MO) in December. I havent got to look for a track yet. I raced all the time in Wasington @ my friends dads track.

I am also over @ www.gmtruckforum.org for my s-10.

I know alot about cars and performance, I just cant find too much for this little V-6. Is there a turbo kit for around or under $2000?
Absolut Speed
Not to offend, but the whole point of this board is for roadracing and autocrossing f-bodies, not turning fast quarter miles. Go to http://www.camarov6.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php to learn about making your car a quarter miler and come back here when you're aiming to mod the car specifically for road racing or autocrossing. Good luck.
importhunter
Sorry. I don't take it to the quarter that much. I do love auto cross and road racing. I already know how to beef up the suspension. What tires should I get then? Does anyone road race a V-6 here? I was refered here by a guy over @ gmtruckforum.org he said you guys know your stuff.
Is there a way to get good handling w/out lowering it much more? It mainly just sees the street. I guess what I am asking for is a little faster. and be able to handle better on street corners w/out drifting much. Although I do love the drifting.
robz71lm7
Here's my advice. Browse chassis and suspension tech and do some searches and come up to speed on these cars-then ask some questions. There's plenty of tech here you just have to search for it. wink.gif
severous01
if you want power, get the SC off ebay for the 3800 motor, retune the ecm, port the heads, full exhaust, bigger injectors (they should come with the charger as a pull-off, or at least get one from ebay that has it all). you shouldnt spend more than about 1k on that. not a bad deal for about 75hp on a V6. plus, you can get the goodies for the GTP SC and maybe get more power.

but, this is more of an AX or RR forrum. camaross.com is awesome for all kinds of questions, or check ls1tech, ls2.com, or thirdgen.org. they all have more of a drag/street base, as well as others just wanting more bang for the buck.
John_D.
I raced my v6 some. It's decent as an autocross car. It's underpowered for the weight, for road racing. I saw mid 13's with a blower (that setup would have been adequate for road racing with a bigger radiator), and low 13's with nitrous (but you can't use that for ax or rr).

The sway bars on the v6 cars are puny. Sway bars and shocks and tires would help.

3.42 gears and limited slip would be a big plus if you don't have them already.

The fwd blower isn't a bolt-on. The intake opening, tb, etc. would be in ("inside") the firewall. There is a Powerdyne s/c available for the v6 from RKsport and sometimes a used kit pops up on ebay or on www.firebirdv6.com. Also some short runs of one-off turbo's can be found on the forced induction section of www.firebirdv6.com. Mach Performance in Michigan also makes a custom blower kit for the v6 using an ATI head unit.

Vcmsuite by Hptuners is really the only game in town for tuning a v6 car.

ZZperformance and IntenseRacing make heads and cams for the v6.

www.firebirdv6.com and www.camarov6.com are the same place.

Lowering the car will help get more camber, but just maxing out the camber with the ride height you have will be a big help.
importhunter
Awesome, thats what I am lookin for!
rpoz-29
I don't know what size bars came on the V-6's, but SLP has the original Z-28 sway bars for about sevsn bucks plus shipping. http://www.slponline.com/. As for tires, the sky is the limit. I'm not sure the Falken Azenis is available in a size that will work on your car, but they're a great handling tire. If you're watching your cash, Fuzion tires seem to have gotten good responses at the Tirerack. And there was a guy road racing a V-6 powered F-bod in Showroom Stock some time back.
Absolut Speed
QUOTE (importhunter @ Jul 17 2005, 18:53)
I got a v-6 auto

Isn't the transmission going to be a weak point if any prolonged high speed road course running is done?
importhunter
If it is (I would love to have the 6-speed) is there a way to make it stronger?

also these will help right? I mean they arnt the same size as my stock ones right?

http://www.slponline.com/view_product.asp?P=96302
http://www.slponline.com/view_product.asp?P=70401
http://www.slponline.com/view_product.asp?P=96301
02midevil
The front sway bar is 28 mm on a V6 so the take off will be a little bigger (30 or 32mm don't remember off hand).

Take a look at:

http://tech.firebirdv6.com/suspension.html

Also SLP once offered take off V8 springs that would be an upgrade (rears are the same). You could purchase that panhard bar and weld it up to stiffen it (or just weld up your stock one). But get TBirds bar if you plan on lowering for adjustments.
John_D.
QUOTE (Absolut Speed @ Jul 18 2005, 19:51)
QUOTE (importhunter @ Jul 17 2005, 18:53)
I got a v-6 auto

Isn't the transmission going to be a weak point if any prolonged high speed road course running is done?

With a stock converter, heat shouldn't be a problem. Shifting is probably the hardest thing on them. Well, and holding power in 4th gear. If you have much power being applied up there anway, which probably isn't an issue unless you have a power adder. The v6 is speed limited to 118mph also, so tuning is needed to take that off if you plan to go beyond 118. If not, you could possibly keep the tranny in third, depending on your maximum speed. To hold 4th an upgraded servo would be a good idea.
CMC #37
Easier yet- sell the V6 car and buy a V8 manual tranny car! Run stock to start, save $ and have a blast!
Absolut Speed
QUOTE (CMC #37 @ Jul 19 2005, 10:12)
Easier yet- sell the V6 car and buy a V8 manual tranny car! Run stock to start, save $ and have a blast!

Oh sure, make it simple. tongue.gif
CMC #37
QUOTE
QUOTE (CMC #37 @ Jul 19 2005, 10:12)
Easier yet- sell the V6 car and buy a V8 manual tranny car! Run stock to start, save $ and have a blast!

Oh sure, make it simple.


rotf.gif
importhunter
Nah, the V-6 is a challenge biggrin.gif . What kind of an upgraded servo is there? We used Vette servos on the auto s-10s. Should I do that? What do you guys recomend?
firehawkclone
Forget the servo Import, just do the cooler. These car's need $$ eleswere, but if you want to put money into your auto, put your money in a jar so you have some when this one goes out :leaving:

Julie is right Import, sell this one and you can get a 93/97 for about the same price biggrin.gif with a v8 6sp.
importhunter
Yeah I agree, however, I don't think this car is gonna see a track much being in Springfield. I looked today and there isn't one around for a few hundred miles. I drive it as much as my S-10 and I kinda like the fact its an auto. I mean I would have got the stick if I had a choice but it looks like I am just going to have to tune for the street. sad.gif
John_D.
QUOTE (importhunter @ Jul 19 2005, 15:03)
What kind of an upgraded servo is there? We used Vette servos on the auto s-10s. Should I do that? What do you guys recomend?

The vette intermediate servo is a good upgrade and a lot of people use it.
But it doesn't do anything for 4th gear apply.

I got the two servo's shown at the top of this page:
http://www.transmissioncenter.net/high_per...4_transmiss.htm

The first one is the intermediate, and it's a step up from the vette servo.
The second one is the 4th apply servo.
importhunter
Ok, I am gonna get the first one on that page then the second later, how easy are they to install?
Can you do a TPS (throttle position sensor) on Camaros?
Here is the link for s-10s:
http://www.gmtruckforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=65

It works too!
Are there any little cheap/free mods for Camaros?
John_D.
I haven't heard of anyone doing that on the Camaro's.
I believe the v6 went to an electronic throttle body in 99, so unless you have a 98, it wouldn't apply anyway.

Prowl around on www.firebirdv6.com for the cheap mods. Basically the easiest way to get more out of the 3.8 is CAI and exhaust, without resorting to heads/cam or power adders. Weight reduction (jack, spare, a/c, etc.) A lot of people do the K&N filter, but it doesn't do much. Some do the free ram air mod, but I'm not sure that did anything for me except get the filter dirtier faster. With tuning you can bump the timing and the rev limiter, the 3.8 is pretty stout. The outlet of the stock cat is only 2 1/4", so a high flow cat will help.

Some people lower the rear by removing the spring isolators. The Eibach prokit is a popular spring you may be able to pick up used - I like the fronts but not the rears. Better brake pads would be a plus, stock rotors should be fine.

I broke my rear tranny mount after I started running power adders, so at some point a poly rear mount might be needed.

1LE rear lca's tamed the wheel hop, those are pretty reasonably priced.
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