Green Firebird, loud as hell, square exhaust pipes. Lower fascia with foglights, but I don't know much about these models. He pulled up on me, BRAAAATed up and into the left lane, and waited. I pulled into the empty right lane without hitting it, and as soon as I did he punched it with me WOT about 1 sec behind. I wound out 4th gear, and hit about 130 in 5th before he shut it down. What I found interesting was that I stayed exactly 1.5 carlenths behind him the entire way once my car hit full steam, and he did not simply walk me like a comparable joke (like I expected).

I kick myself for not hammering it when he slowed to see if I'd go - instead of just pulling into the right lane I should have taken it WOT the entire time and I would not have lost as much ground - that 1 second reaction time utterly destroyed me. :(

OK, so it wasn't really a win or loss, somewhat of a loss, but don't kick yourself. To hang right there means you were actually faster (very slightly). Since your speeds are increasing, the distance between should increase if you're both accelerating at the same rate. If the distance does not change, you are actually accelerating a hair faster.

When you say it had square pipes, did it have 2 long rectangles or 4 square or 4 rounded square pipes? Borla makes a LOUD exhaust, 4 rounded/square pipes. I saw a Firebird with the WS-6 package and Borlas. Mean looking sunuvabitch, sounded awesome, too.

I'd still take any M3 over any Camaro/Firebird.

JamesM

Yep, my previous car was a LT1 Z28, very fast, w/ just boltons I kicked M3's bad, but still, I'd rather have an M3--speed isn't everything, and even then an M3 can be just as fast without to much money spent!

I looked at some of the Firebird line, and while it may have been a Trans Am (it had the T/A front facia, I think, although I suspect just the regular LT1 Firebird), it was definitely no WS6. The pipes were two long, squared-off ovals and they were loud and in my face - I never got a chance to repay him with the Triflo because I never got in front of him:rolleyes:

I don't really feel utterly stomped, just a little miffed that I didn't take it right to him and instead waited for him to get the drop on me. I think I figured, much like I figure when I get bullied by C5 'Vettes, that it was time to get clowned regardless of effort so I may as well enjoy watching a much faster car take off. However, three seconds into the race when he's not going anywhere and I'm parked 1.5 carlengths off his bumper, well, that's when I felt like I hadn't properly handled my business.

[shrug]....they can't all be wins, right?

Keep in mind it takes a significant amount of Horse Power to make up lost ground. So if you had both hit it at the same time things could have been different.

Greg

We were already pulling 85-90 down 101 and he saw me keeping up with him. He then punched and i just kept it in 5th and floored and I stayed 2 car lengths behind him to whole time to 130.

My bet is that he had some mods going on...I ate LT1's for lunch at the strip in my last car (Still got my arse kicked by LS1's), but couldn't manage to take my roommates '95 M3 (intake, chip, and TB)....

The car was brand new - it was an LS1.

Whoops! Forgot the numerology/badging....

You raced an LS1? That's pretty damn impressive results for an LS1...Those things are horribly under rated at 310 HP...Good Run...

Do they still make the LT1 alongside the LS1 Firbird? I honestly have no clue, this one was the green of this smiley: :p and as stated the pipes were two long, squared-off ovals and it was definitely louder than stock. It also had what looked like the newest front fascia.

I am really really hesitant here because I don't want to be claiming something that didn't happen. My M3 only has the JC CAI, Tri-Flo, and ERT double UDP (along with the 18lb. HREs that may or may not make a difference, depending on who I've talked to) so it's not like I'm making any more than <i>maybe</i> an extra peak 25/30 HP. I guess I'd have to go with LT1 because I think a 300 hp 'bird would have clowned me, but the one I raced looked...like the Blue Green Chameleon Firebird Formula that I just specc'd on pontiac.com.

:D

They don't make LT1's anymore...If you managed to spec one out on Pontiac.com that looked exactly like the one you raced, then its an LS1 no doubt, unless the guy transplanted fascias n stuff. The last year for LT1's was '97 I think. Anything after that is LS1. It doesn't have to be a WS6 to have the LS1. WS6 is a handling/Ram Air package that bumps the HP up to 325.

How very interesting... keep in mind that the Firebirds haven't gone through any radical appearance changes in some time (unlike the Mustang which gets a makeover every other year...).

That's true....I don't have a problem telling them apart..One looks kinda like the batmobile...The other REALLY looks like the batmobile....But thats just me....YMMV...:)