how good are thirdgens for long travels?
01-07-2006, 08:06 AM
#1
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Car: 1991 pontiac firebird
Engine: 305 V8 flo-pro exhaust
Transmission: automatic 700r4 4speed
Axle/Gears: stock 2.73's :(
how good are thirdgens for long travels?
yeah i got a 91 305 firebird and im goin to be moving back up to nj from florida and im going to drive it up there the 305 is running great n from wat i was told it was rebuilt now id like to kno how good they are for long travels ?
01-07-2006, 08:49 AM
#3
Depends, I guess. After I finished my IROC, my wife and I took it on a 3,200 mile road trip--mostly on 'scenic' roads, roads which I call second and third gear roads because of the canyon carving. With the firm suspension and continuous shifting, this old man was beat at day's end. Heck of a lot of fun, but in the future, the Chrysler LHS will probably be the ride.
JamesC
JamesC
01-07-2006, 08:53 AM
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Car: 1987 GTA 350
Engine: L98
Transmission: 700R4/2400 stall
Axle/Gears: B/W 3:27 posi disc
I can think of alot of other cars I'd rather take on a long road trip, but the bird isn't all that bad. Lucky your not taking kids.
Conrad
Conrad
01-07-2006, 11:32 AM
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Car: 89 iroc-z
Engine: 305tpi
Transmission: wc-t5
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt 3.08 posi (4 now)
if they are nice roads i love to take my maro. I plan to drive it to florida from ohio over summer!
Real nice ride on a nice highway cruising around 80mph in od.
Real nice ride on a nice highway cruising around 80mph in od.
01-07-2006, 05:30 PM
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Car: 89 jaguar xjs convertable
Engine: 89 L98 5.7 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.23 dana 44
I bought my jaguar xjs convertible with an L98/700R4 conversion in San Jose and drove it home 2550 miles to Windsor Ontario Canada in 2 1/2 days!! Motor had about 75000 miles on it. Ran like a champ and @ 75-80 MPH all the way it only used about $150.00 in gas! Thank g-d for the od and a 2:88 gear! Great drive!
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01-07-2006, 06:08 PM
#9
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Car: 89 jaguar xjs convertable
Engine: 89 L98 5.7 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.23 dana 44
Motor and trans complete with factory wiring harness with all emissions,ac,power accessories from an 89 iroc. Other than that connection..........none. I would think his biggest worry would be driveline issues. Every car has tires,u joints,brakes,radiators etc that can fail on a long trip but this is basically the motor/trans in his camaro. See the corralation?
01-07-2006, 06:26 PM
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Car: 1988 Monte SS
Engine: ZZ4-cammed TPI 355
Transmission: World-Class T5
Back in '87 or so, we took my dad's nearly new '85 Camaro (2.8/5-speed) from Jersey to Florida and back. My younger brother and I were stuffed in the back, but the car ran great and was comfortable enough. Hell, it was just cool that my dad had a Camaro when I was 13! If you're travelling by yourself or with one passenger, you'll be fine. I95 is a great road to ride on.
01-07-2006, 06:36 PM
#11
As my first post probably indicates, I'm unsure if the topic has to do with reliability or comfort--if the latter, hey, you've got a Jag, not a thirdgen. That said, regardless of make, comfort takes a back seat to reliability. Done grouching now 
.
TPI, I thought I was one of the few dumb enough to teach. Thirty years in myself, how about you?
JamesC
.TPI, I thought I was one of the few dumb enough to teach. Thirty years in myself, how about you?
JamesC
Last edited by JamesC; 01-07-2006 at 06:39 PM.
01-07-2006, 07:45 PM
#13
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Car: 1991 camaro RS
Engine: 350,vortech heads,zz4 cam,3:73 posi trac,edelbrock carb,wiend stealth intake,raven mufflers,hooker supercomp shorty headers and y-pipe.
Transmission: th700r4
Sounds like you'll be fine. Just make sure you do your normal tune up (oil change, replace spark plugs,coolant,tire pressure, jumper cables) things of that matter. Good luck
01-07-2006, 09:00 PM
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Car: 1987 Firebird Formula
Engine: 305 LG4
Transmission: 700R4
Two years ago when I moved back to NJ from Colorado I drove my Firebird and it was fine on the highway. Having overdrive and 2.73 gears I even got about 23 mpg along the way which isn't bad. The only thing that killed me was my flowmaster makes a good amount of interior drone at 2,000 rpm so after listening to that noise for 32 hrs I was ready to take a sledge hammer to my muffler
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01-09-2006, 01:48 AM
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Distance drives in 3rd gens
Well if i have a choice, i'll ALWAYS take the IROC over anything else i have. WAY more fun! Put it in cruise on the interstate, 75 is NOTHING to these cars. Take a twisty mountain road? What fun! Sightseeing? Take the t-tops off and you got the best view around. Now, depending on your suspension, some back roads may not be all that comfortable. But if she's tuned and ready, iv'e literally been EVERYWHERE in the US in mine. I had an 86 with a 305 TBI in it that got 30 mpg on the highway and you couldn't break those engines with an axe. 
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