Living in the UK, American cars always get a bad press for **** handling,and even a huge American car fan like me has got to admit that some of them are like an elephant on rollerskates.Now don't get me wrong I wouldn't swap my Camaro for any eurocrap,but realistically how does a sorted camaro(cage,all the suspension mods etc) stack up to a european or rice motor.I would like to shut all those who don't believe once and for all.Anybody got any race,comparison stories?(I've read something about this in an old carcraft but I can't find it).Thanks

 

Mildly sorted out...
bushings, springs, shocks, reasonable rolling stock
better than 1g on a decent surface...

 

I have no problem eating M3's, z3's, Vw GTI's, and the like out at SCCA solo 2. On the street, I had one really good challenge. It was a mid 90's NSX we were going between 95-100 on this twisty road here, I had to push him through the turns.
I have shocks, springs, bushings, sfc's and strut tower brace.

 

This is great news guys,thanks for your input.Keep those stories coming.

 

Third Gen's=Incredible handling cars, the best handling F-Bodies ever made. IROC-Z's are great for this especially, hitting G's in the 9's. Around .92 G's. Other Z28's are also good too. They were named the best handling car in the U.S. sometime in the 80's and are still better than most today and can be made even better than todays best easily. They are also some of the most aerodynamic cars ever made with Lamborghini level coefficiant drag. Usually around .32-.34 Cd.

 

89 iroc with -

BMR: "xtreme" control arms, A - arms, adjustable panhard rod, "xtreme" torque arm, spohn subframe connectors, koni double adjustable shocks, hotchkis sway bars, three point strut tower brace. soon to come - rear shock brace.

17 inch rims, comp t/a tires. can't remember size...

this car is on RAILS! have not been able to slide out yet. should be pulling somewhere around 1.1x g's

 

Back in '83/ '84 Car and Driver did a 3 issue comparison. They took what were then the best handling cars available in the US (import and domestic) and ran them thru a series of handling tests. For the "made in USA "side the Camaro Z28 (either 83 or 84) came out the winner for the imports the Porsche 944 (turbo?) was the winner. The 3rd and final test was Z28 vs 944, and the Z came out the winner in all but 2 categories (braking and the timed lap segment) the braking as most of us know is not the Z's strongest point, especially doing hot laps around Lime Rock, and the Z was further handicapped by an LG4 auto combination, so the 944 came out on top in those two categories. You also have to remember that this was in 83,84 time frame before the 16" wheels, 50 (and lower series tires) and the IROC package, and the Z was a factory stock vehicle with 15" 60 series tires , no sfc,poly bushings, etc, etc. so if a stock Z can keep up with, and in several instances beat a 944, then a properly sorted Z with engine, chassis, and suspension upgrades, is capable of handing many of the high perfomance euro/rice cars their a$$ in a handling contest.