History / RestorationGot a question about Third Gen (1982-1992) Camaro or Firebird history? Where can I find these original parts? What is this option or RPO code? Those questions, answers, and more!
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Ok I have a few questions about the firehawks. GM in the 4th gen years never let them do anything that radical after that so why did the firehawks of the third gen years get treated so different? where they done out of house and not thru GM like the other years? Also besides the wheels,6 speed, T ram intake, what else was changed in them? What's the story? They had a price of over 50,000 and the firehawks after only were in the 20,000. what happened?
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There are 4th gen Firehawks and I think they had LT4s in 97 but even the earlier ones were known to out perform 'vettes.
I really don't know anything else 100% but I am fairly certain they were done by SLP.
correct. SOME not all got the LT4 most got the LT1 and even the LT4 ones are about the same as a third gen hawk as performance IMO. I am just curious as to why GM let them get so radical in the third gens and barely let them to anything to the 4th gens for performance. What was the deal? etc.
GM is careful not to release any performance cars that could stomp their precious Vettes.
true but why did the third gens get all of that? Why didn't GM step in like with the fourth gens? Did they have a contract with SLP then or did that come later and SLP did it without a contract to GM or what?
The problem with the 3rd Gen Firehawk was it was too darned expensive, Ed Hamburger darned near went bankrupt destroying 3 cars to prove that the car was safe after he modified the rear axle. Backwards barrier crashes. In the end the problem had nothing to do with GM it had to do with SLP.
The 4th Gen Formulas and Trans Am's were good performers on their own, they were not up to snuff to the 3rd gen but they were really good out of the box, so not as much modification was needed on the LT1 and LS1.
It had NOTHING to do with out performing the Corvette, it had to do with money money money, must be funny in a rich mans world...
John
__________________ 87 FORMULA - 5.1 LB9/A4 T-tops 3.73 Modified (Yellow/Black)
87 FORMULA - 5.0 LB9/M5 T-tops 3.45 (Yellow/Gray)
89 FORMULA 350 - CONVERTIBLE 3.27 All original (Red/Gray) www.3rdgenformula.com
Sorry Scott, I was thinking of ABBA... I grew up in the 80's & 90's that is true, but my father had most of the ABBA LP's so I was indoctrinated young...
umm... who are the Bullet Boys?
Sorry I do not get out much, and I view the world through Glenn Beck Glasses...
Sorry Scott, I was thinking of ABBA... I grew up in the 80's & 90's that is true, but my father had most of the ABBA LP's so I was indoctrinated young...
umm... who are the Bullet Boys?
Sorry I do not get out much, and I view the world through Glenn Beck Glasses...
John
They were an 80's hair band with a song called 'For The Love of Money'. They are on itunes so check it out......you just might remember the song....lol.
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Tony Z
1970 SS396 Chevelle with a 580 BBC
1974 Corvette Convertible
1992 Camaro B4C (SOLD)
1993 Firehawk
1998 Kawasaki ZX-9R
1997 Mazda Millenia
I too would like to know why the thirdgen Firehawk is just as good if not better that the 4th gen ones. I figured each newer year should be able to out perform the previous years.
Money was the reason GM canceled the program. Of the 1000 Firehawk to be made in 91'-92, only around 25 sold. For the same money a 91'-92' Firehawk cost, GM had the Corvette in the same price range.
The 93'-02' Firehawks just had a ram-air hood, 17" wheels, custom exhaust, and stickers. The exceptions were the Comp T/A and a few Firehawks with the LT-4 engine.
In 96' GM introduced the WS-6 package on the Formula and T/A that was almost the same package as the Firehawks!
Money was the reason GM canceled the program. Of the 1000 Firehawk to be made in 91'-92, only around 25 sold. For the same money a 91'-92' Firehawk cost, GM had the Corvette in the same price range.
The 93'-02' Firehawks just had a ram-air hood, 17" wheels, custom exhaust, and stickers. The exceptions were the Comp T/A and a few Firehawks with the LT-4 engine.
In 96' GM introduced the WS-6 package on the Formula and T/A that was almost the same package as the Firehawks!
Where did you get 1000 from? It was limited to 250. The corvette was still more expensive than the Firehawk(except for base model coupes) at that time yet the Firehawk had better performance. As stated already, 93+ didn't need much work done because they were already good performance cars from the factory.
Last edited by CharcoalBird; 06-20-2009 at 04:51 PM.
The problem with the 3rd Gen Firehawk was it was too darned expensive, Ed Hamburger darned near went bankrupt destroying 3 cars to prove that the car was safe after he modified the rear axle. Backwards barrier crashes. In the end the problem had nothing to do with GM it had to do with SLP.
The 4th Gen Formulas and Trans Am's were good performers on their own, they were not up to snuff to the 3rd gen but they were really good out of the box, so not as much modification was needed on the LT1 and LS1.
It had NOTHING to do with out performing the Corvette, it had to do with money money money, must be funny in a rich mans world...
John
Well said John! Why pay $50k for a "special" firebird that looks just like a formula with some kool wheels? ....why not just buy a ZR-1 for an extra 10k-ish?
FWIW, I pulled the IMSA Firehawk out tonight for a lap around the neighborhood. What a fun and fast car!
Actually...they don't mind one bit. It's in a quasi-industrial section of town and there are always guys beating on cars. Couple weeks ago there was a kid in a supercharged Z06 driving around the area and bouncing off the rev limiter. It was quite funny....but the car was FAST! The guys around are always there to help and enjoy the show....it's funny that most think these cars are just a bunch of joe dirt third gens with some stickers and a lound exhaust.
FWIW, I pulled the IMSA Firehawk out tonight for a lap around the neighborhood. What a fun and fast car!
Showoff!
__________________ 1992 Trans Am "RARE 92" ----- Jamaica Yellow, L98, 147K, All Original CA car 1991 Trans Am GTA ------------*2,800 miles*--1st Place Stock, TA Nats 2009 1992 Trans Am "PMD 92" ------47K, Best of Show, ThirdGen Fest 2008 1989 Formula 350 "PMD 89" ....Sold.... Redline Performance Machines
The thing that makes the 3rd gen Firehawks different than a " tuner car" was that anyone could waltz into a Pontiac dealer and order one. The mods listed by the OP only scratch the surface of what SLP actually did to those cars. They did not just " bolt in" a ZR-1 6 speed, they made the bell housing, the hood looked like a steel Formula hood, but was aluminum, the intake design and tooling were made by this guy - http://www.falconerengines.com/
The cars were expensive at the time, combine that with a minny recession and also a new 4th gen F body with a new SBC engine = a still born factory super car. GM did enlist SLP to develop and produce the SS and FireHawks during the 4th gen production years, but the modifications where no wear near what they did on the 3rd gens.
now THAT V12 would be cool motor to get... Open my hood to a V12??? I am think making it look like an elongated TPI, just with an extra 4 cyl in the front would be super trick...
I bet that would turn some heads at a car show...
John
__________________ 87 FORMULA - 5.1 LB9/A4 T-tops 3.73 Modified (Yellow/Black)
87 FORMULA - 5.0 LB9/M5 T-tops 3.45 (Yellow/Gray)
89 FORMULA 350 - CONVERTIBLE 3.27 All original (Red/Gray) www.3rdgenformula.com
88 Firebird Formula 350- 85,XXX miles *G92* *Ws6*
