its hard to go to auto from a 5 speed.

 

I didn't even vote yet and I know the answer to this one!

Wife had a 85 T/A 5.0 HO 5 Speed, T-Top......really fun to drive..... Fun factor was a 9
I had at the time my new 88 GTA 5.7 auto Hardtop....really fun to drive....Fun factor is a 9

So, I don't know..
OK, I GOT IT!!!!! Nothing beats rowing through the gears!!!!

You win

 

winning

 

IMO personal preference. I have owned both and prefer the auto, but maybe its because I am lazy. Over the course of Fbody(all generations) ownership, the stats are 5 auto's and 4 manuals. Hubby likes the manual better, I like the auto.

 

Ahh. good to know. Most guys do like manuals. My wife has never driven mine but grew up in asia so she is used to manuals but now prefers to not have to shift especially in traffic. I can understand that for a daily driver but for a fun weekend car? nah.

 

I voted in 1987 & went for the LB9/MM5 - it was cheaper too!

 

For sure the 305 5-speed. T-tops were a must for me plus just the fun of going through the gears. The 10 hp difference between the 305 5-speed and the 350 automatic wasn't enough to sway me.

 

Yes this thread is stock only. if you could buy one again back then what would you chose is the question so it sounds like back then you would want a 350/auto due to the daily commute? thanks!

 

I have driven both, and much prefer the 305tpi 5 speed. Which I currently own. You can keep the car in the power band, chirp the tires at will between gears, and really let the exhaust note sing, especially if you have the N10.


I have killed several 700r4 transmissions. Even spit the torque convertor once, wiped out the front pump seal and puked all my trans fluid out of the car. Not a pretty sight.

 

I voted awhile back but will put my two cents in. If i had to choose i would go for the 5 speed and 305. My current car started out as a modded 305/auto when i got it and i since built it up to the 355/tko 5 speed it is now. I would not go back. These cars are too much fun to drive with a third pedal.

 

Very much in agreement here

 

I've never driven or even been a passenger in a third gen with an auto trans. But for sure, ANY car that is used as a street toy needs a manual transmission. No exceptions.

 

5-speed 5.0 for me. Had a L98 GTA before and the top dawg engine and an auto suits the tourer type scheme of the GTA. But for sheer driving pleasure, which is why I have a 3rdgen, its the LB9 and the MK6

Even like the shift light the manuals have...

 

I fully intend to squeeze this video for all it's worth.

My stock, G92, LB9, 5 speed

 

that tyre chirp in second gear; bellissimo!

 

I've owned both and it's 5 speed all the way!

 

My 5.7 autos do that.

 

sweet ... my 5 speed GTA would move very slowly as it peeled out then take off like a shot

 

with all the posts about the 5 speeds made of chocolate I'm too anxious to pull off like that.

Am taking it to the track in a month though; sure I'll have more fun than I would do with an auto...

 

We expect a full report!

 

5.7.. Because on August 19, 1988 I had the choice at Shaheen Chevrolet in Lansing, MI to buy a Black '88 IROC with 5.0 and 5 speed and a Red '88 IROC 5.7 Auto...


I Bought the Red one for $17,128.... And still have it today with 53k miles


No substitute for displacement!!!!! Can and currently are swapping in a T56

 

Can we vote for both? 7 years ago I couldn't decide so I bought both. But back in the day... I'd have probably went with the 5.7 car. Not for the fun factor, but for the hotrod potential. After all, did any of us buy our first car with the intention of keeping it stock?

 

Another vintage thread that is my first read

I had quite a few third gens in the early 90's when they where the car to have. Even though I was into performance, I never really wanted a stick at that time. I think because of the daily commute to work & its was just more work to get around. I did have two 5.0's with the performance package gears & those spun the tires almost as well as the 5.7's, just didn't have the grunt to keep pulling after 2nd gear like the 5.7's did. loved them both though.
The higher revving 5.0 HO was a cool combo with a stick. had a friend with one of those.
the quick 3k-near 6k rpm's was a great stick combo. (I know the HO was not supposed to be part of the discussion, could;t help myself)

Today, I only drive my older cars for pleasure & I would be happy if all of them had manual transmissions. For me its just a change in preference given the times & purpose of the cars.

 

Same here.

Lets face facts, even the fastest of our cars can barely keep up with a modern minivan. Enjoy them for what they are and have fun with them.

 

I did?

 

I am a huge manual transmission guy. I have converted two of my previous cars to sticks in the past.

That said, while I have owned a number of faster cars than my thirdgens, still to this day I LOVE the L98, I think it's a great motor.

I have owned over 20 vehicles with LB9s, L69s, and other 305s and can say that they have all disappointed me. Every one. I'm just not a 305 fan.

I get it... the performance numbers for G92 N10 5.0L and G92 N10 5.7L cars are close... I have driven plenty of both over the years... I just feel like in real world driving the L98 just has much more torque that can be felt in the seat. Enough so that I happily deal with the automatics in my current fleet.

I'm not saying I wouldn't buy one with Speed density/G92/N10/stick options, but I would not buy a 5L stick car without those performance codes for sure. To me, they just seem to run out of steam at like 3500 RPM and I have to shift prior to when I think I should. My 90 Vette with the L98, performance rear, and the ZF6 is a great combo and it's a shame they didn't offer it in a standard production thirdgen.

 

When I went looking, my only criteria was hardtop V8 with a manual. I considered L98 auto cars, but assessed them as potential T56 swaps. The only way I'd get into an L98 auto is if the price was smoking good, I had the will to T56 swap it, or I somehow could no longer drive manual. Nothing against autos, but I don't associate them with sports cars.

Now, modern cars with the automated manuals like Porsche PDK or Ferrari F1 Gearboxes are a different story (though I'd still rather have a clutch pedal!).

 

Stock vs stock, the LB9/T5 hands down. They're much more rare and since both in stock form are slow, the T5 makes stock TPI third gens SO much more fun to drive IMO...

 

ttt

 

You have to get a pretty exotic manual to handle the power levels that can be used with a turbo 400.... But since the question was 5L 5sp or 5.7 auto, I prefer both the 5.7 and the auto....

 

Why choose, get one of both

 

Having two nearly identical Z28 1LEs outside of motor / trans and both have nearly identical miles, the 5.7L car just feels substantially faster to me. No need to reply to this to link any stats, I could care less lol... That said, i'm a huge manual transmission guy. My DD is a stick, have two work trucks that are sticks, and a new challenger that is as well. But in the thirdgen cars, the 5.0L G92 cars feel a bit under powered and the 5.7L G92 cars just feel like they pull harder and are more fun to me.

 

I just voted with my wallet yesterday.

1988 Trans Am GTA with LB9/5-speed. Also has the digital Dash.

 

ready to sell it? LOL .
nah.. but I may be serious in a few years.

 

Nice!