I'm kind of at a crossroads. I don't know what to do next with the Firebird. Winter is coming and I have no projects planned. That's not good!

I've been tinkering on the car for 7 or 8 years and a lot of things are done. Engine is awesome. The body and interior need nothing. I already have most mechanical goodies a person could want.

Right now the car is a fun fair-weather driver. Lots of power, manual trans, decent handling suspension. Just a fun car, not built for any specific purpose. One of the downsides though is the car has been relegated to drag radials because the engine is too powerful for street tires. That is a huge blow to the "handling" department.

I've got a couple ideas for new hobby:

1) Weight reduction. I've never paid any attention to this in the past. Not interested to hack up the car though.

2) Work on handling. I've never spent any kind of dedicated time with this. But I don't think any street tire or autocross tire can hold the power of this engine under 100 mph. It might just prove to be very frustrating.

3) Swap to auto and drag it. VERY expensive! And I swore I'd never turn this into a wretched to drive drag car. I prefer a wretched to drive street car.

Any other ideas out there???

 

if you have never done the autocross stuff before, you should try it. there are some tires that could work for you. you do make monster power and torque, but with proper pedal control, its possible. usually you will be in 2nd or 3rd gear during the whole autox course. if you go into the CAM-T class, (classic american muscle-traditional) you can only run 200 treadwear tires in that class. however, thats IF you care about being competitive in a class. if you want to just get out there and flog on the car and push its limits, I "think" you can run whatever tires you want and just rip through the course like a boss.

Like you, I will also be in this "predicament" come springtime. Ill have finished the install of the upcoming 525hp N/A engine with a 200 wet shot on it. I want to: run 10s easily, still be able to hit a few autocross events per year, and most importantly, dominate everything on the street without issue while being able to take it to shows, work, and on long cruises. I am HOPING to just have a second set of wheels/drag radials or slicks to bolt on, but otherwise run a 200 treadwear tire on the street. OR vice versa...have drag radials on the street and have some better handling tires on a second set of wheels.

I highly doubt I'll ever be fortunate enough to be actually competitive in a points class in either autoX or Drag racing events, especially over the course of a whole year...so I just want to have the car be CAPABLE of doing double/triple duty if I feel like it. look into the autocross thing. you can also do some of your weight reduction mods to help as well. Like you, I never ever want to gut the car out or show up and unload it off a trailer.. so street duty is its primary duty.

 

1 and 2. I bet with suspension tuning and a different tire, traction can be found. Don’t even consider number 3. Save the manuals!!!

 

Ugghh - I expect better from you. I expect that you will get there, eventually.
Application, application, application. I bet your motor will fit a Formula boat and you'll pull skier's out of the water!!

Seriously, our platform excels at handling. Dive in, so to speak. The fun quotient is there!

 

Weight reduction probably doesn’t make much sense in your case. Weight reduction is the purview of someone who competes in motorsports trying to save a couple tenths of a second.

It also tends to make your car much less enjoyable on the street.

I like where you’re going with handling though. But probably not in the way you think. If you’ve never run in autocross I suggest that you sign up for one. Although, it can be the ultimate gateway drug to motorsports. But at least you can tell your wife at least it’s not drinking, gambling, and aren’t many women around.

The following statement I try to tell to anybody just getting into motorsports. Most don’t listen. And if someone had told me when I was just starting I wouldn’t listen either.

Don’t bother with any modifications to your car. Randomly bolting on suspension components Will probably be a waste of money it might actually make your car slower. Just sign up and start getting some seat time. I know you say your car has way too much power put your right foot ultimately controls that . A powerful car can be harder to drive but no car can have “too much power“.

Why no modifications to your car? Because at your first autocross it won’t matter if you are in $100,000 race prepared car or in your wife’s civic it won’t have any effect on your times ( actually, I take that back. You’ll be faster in the civic).

There is way too much going on in your mind is trying to process everything quickly. Hell, just learning how to memorize a course and process cone placement at speed text time. But the rush of actually competing, even if painfully slowly, is amazing.

Just remember to check your ego at the door. Don’t get too upset at the 15-year-old kid in the Miata running 15 seconds faster than you on a 40 Second course. You’ll find out fast that there’s really nothing you learn on the street that translates to any type of competition driving.

Then as you gain experience you will know what modifications you actually need. I suspect the addressing your brakes will be one of your initial priorities (and I am absolutely not talking about swapping in some multi piston trophy set up). I would pick a car with racing brake fluid and racing pads on stock calipers over a six piston design with stock fluid and no name pads any day.

 

I would either get into autocross or road racing, since it seems like you need something to do an burn the money in your pocket.

OR get two or three more projects and work on them. I would personally recommend getting into a 4wd vehicle with a diesel engine. all this gasoline stuff is peanuts in price comparison to diesel

 

Already did the diesel thing.

 

Here's the problem.... When I look at autocross I see something that sounds more fun than it really is. Wait all day to get combined 3 minutes of seat time. Whoopee.

Then that brings me to road track. Lots of seat time and fast.... and it would probably kill my car. I have a few friends that road track. They've had MAJOR repairs through the years, except the guy with the Porsche. Between 3 people there have been 3 engine failures, 1 clutch explosion, 2 transmissions, and a tire blowout that totaled a new car. The 4th guy has a Porsche and nothing ever breaks. So you know what I learned from that? Built cars blow up.

I've got no reason to think my destiny wouldn't be the same. I look at that ultra-reliable little Cayman and think to myself, that's the way to go if you want to track a car. Why risk destroying the Firebird? That's what I'm wrestling with in my mind.

 

Oh no, quite the opposite. Having a trailer is equal to being self-sufficient. My car is trailered and doesn't leave my sight. It always comes home with me no matter what, and gets safely tucked into the garage. Also, freeway miles are pointless miles on 100 tread wear tires.

You know, there are a lot of people like me that have to drive 200 miles or more round trip to do any kind of racing.

 

I agree with your thoughts on Autocross. After my first track day I never went back, All day in the sun for maybe two minutes of driving.

And yes there is a risk with doing track days and third gen Firebirds are not what anyone would call a good platform for a track car.

 

You didn’t mention #4, sell it lol

Autocross has always sounded fun but I kinda share your views there as well. Then again I’ve never done it but have thought about it. Maybe I’d be hooked after trying it!

I’d say whatever you, just enjoy it. When you’ve had a car that long and put much work into, its kinda hard not to

 

Ha! I almost did last spring!

 

Pro Touring. Have a do it all ride.