Today at a stoplight a guy in what looked like the newer 4th gen firebirds(maybe
trans-am, I barely got a good look, definitely 96+) pulls up next to me and we
start talking. He mentioned something about one of the most powerful GMs available
and said some numbers in the 400s for HP(which rang absolutely no bells with me). I
would have been able to pay a little better attention had my girlfriend not been
complaining so much about how she was so embarrassed that we were revving our
engines. The light turned green and I had to turn and we both shot of so I did not
get a good look again. My question is what kinda car was this, I was sure I followed
the F-body market good enough to know if a car like that existed. It was not a
firehawk, i know that much, perhaps I just misheard him and this mystery 400+ HP car does not exist.

[This message has been edited by UVA3rdGen (edited February 11, 2001).]

 

He didn't have 400 hp stock even if he had a firehawk. He was either just "talking" or he has modded his engine.

 

Well, Lets see depending on how much he invested there were a few companies that sold modified Trans Am and Z28's. I forget where I have the magazine at but there were like 5 or 6 different ones in there and they were available to the public by either order or you ship your f-body to them. GM never made a 400HP F-body in the 2nd 3rd or 4th Gens, first gens had that wonderful 427 in a few of them.
Anyways to answer your questio without a better description would be impossible, but it wasn't stock.

 

Well, SLP did make those 100 LT4 powered SS, and I believe less LT4 powered pontiacs.....they were only rated at 330 HP, but were really putting out closer to 380 or so because of the balancing and blueprinting of the engines.....and they were all dynoed to prove it to!!! Believe me, they are definitely faster than the LT4 powered Grand Sports....I have driven the GS and LT4 SS many times....Total works of Art!!!!

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1992 25th Heritage Z28 Red/Black - L98 350
- Flowmaster 3" cat-back, Random Tech cats, SLP runners/headers etc, Bosch 36lb inj/4+ plugs, MSD 6A/billet dist/8.5 wires/Blaster coil, TPIS 52mm TB, Stewart polished pump, ported intake.
- Stereo: Panasonic/Audio Control/ADS/Alpine

Currently In the Works:
Hotchkis LCA/panhard rod, Baer 13"/12" upgrade, SLP 17" chrome SS rims w/GY F1's, 4th Gen 3:73 HD Zexel/Torsen, Moser Rear End, Spohn Torque Arm/LCA RLC brackets, all MOOG front pieces, Hellwig solid fr/r bars. etc.........
'99 Corvette front seats, Autometer Gauge pod....

 

Meecham produced some special editon Trans-Ams making around 400 hp.

 

Maybe im nuts, but wasnt the LT4 only in the ZR-1, not the Grand Sport?

 

LT5 was in the ZR-1, it was a DOHC 32 valve engine. LT4 (traditional pushrod engine, hopped up LT1) was available in the Gran Sports and some of the Silver Special edition cars in '96. The LT5 was rated at 385hp and later at 405 (in 93 I believe) and the LT4 was rated at 330hp. Hope this helps

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Black 89 IROC...Mods: 355, 10.5:1 comp, Big Solid Crower Cam, TFS heads, Victor Jr, Holley, and a 5 spd...

 

He would have known it was a Mecham T/A
It has that big *** bird on it, and its saye MACHO T/A on the side as big as anything. Those things were sweet. Also there were not LT4s in Pontiacs. Only the limited Run of 100 30th Aniv. SS.

 

Kyle F....Besides the 100 LT4 powered SS's there were also 29 LT4 powered PONTIAC Firehawks produced and one prototype in existence.

 

You need to look for "NOS" on the rpo codes

 

Sounds like the guy was a BS'er, more than anything. Kinda like the guy who swears his 94 Trans Am has an LS1 in it from the factory, in 94.

------------------
West Coast GM Shootout 2001!
1991 Camaro Z28
5.7L 5-Speed (originally 305)
13.25 @ 107.18 MPH
Southern California
Member: SoCal 3rd Gen F-Bodies
Webmaster: SoCal F-Bodies
-=ICON Motorsports=-

 

there was a company which made fiebirds with 400+ hp i believe the company was called Berger SS.

 

someone made a handful of 30th anniversary models that were around 450hp.. .as someone said before. it wasnt gm as far as i know though, could have been one of those

 

I think he was just being ****y. To my knowlege like the others have stated. No 400+ engines out of factory have been released. There is the exception of the Berger Camaro SS and the Mecham but both of those are rather identifiable. Then again he coulda been rich and had a 422 Super Stroker LS1 or a all-bore 382 LS1, or maybe just power adders...either way i think he was just BS'ing ya.

------------------
89 IROC-Z 350 TPI

-Flowmaster Catback
-Performance Resource Chip
-700R4 (Rebuilt) Too much done to actually list
-K&N Airfilters
-Ported Plenum
-2.77 Gears (not much to brag about but eh, its there)
-MSD 8.5 mm plug wires
-Problems every other day with the car (probably not a mod, but to me it sure makes a difference)

[This message has been edited by branz28 (edited February 12, 2001).]

 

Hmm, Kinda sounds like my friends 2.8l 89 Firehawk, and he has convinced a lot of people that thats what it is, Sounds like a load of ****.

------------------
1985 Firebird (Kelly)
Stock 2.8L(I think), 240k
K&N Filter
Eclipse CD Deck, Amp and 12's
More to come later

 

Hmm, Kinda sounds like my friends 2.8l 89 Firehawk, and he has convinced a lot of people that thats what it is, Sounds like a load of ****.

------------------
1985 Firebird (Kelly)
Stock 2.8L(I think), 240k
K&N Filter
Eclipse CD Deck, Amp and 12's
More to come later

 

Berger sells an SS Camaro with 375 horses but not a Firebird. There are a few companies building Camaros with this kind of power but I don't know of anyone doing it with a Firebird.

 

Mecham will build you a 400+ Trans Am or Formula and sell it to you (and you can finance it) as a new car. LPE, SLP and MTI among others all have turnkey 450+ hp packages for these cars also, but you take delivery of the car first then deliver it to them for alterations.

 

Berger is a Chevy dealer in Michigan. They are like Yenko, Baldwin-Motion, Dana, and Nicky chevrolet. They take factory cars and soup them up and sell the cars brand new. Berger does only camaro SS's, no birds.

 

You all are talking about "tuner" cars, that still isn't a factory car. SLP does the SS,firehawk, RS, WS6 TA, but the cars are modified in the GM factory and sent to the dealership's like that, I think the cars used to be sent to SLP then to the dealers, but now it's done in the GM factory.

EDIT: I'm not calling SLP cars SS,firehawk, RS, WS6 TA tuner cars.

Didn't I see somewhere that the SS's are now done by GM?

[This message has been edited by Keith5 (edited February 15, 2001).]

 

Could it have been a Comp T/A?

------------------
It's all fun and games 'till someone looses an eye....then it's fun you can't see!!
-------------------------
1987 Pontiac Trans Am
-305 cid motor
-700-R4 Transmission
-2.73 Posi Rear End
-K&N Air Filter
-Flowmaster 40 series
Muffler
-Yokohama Tires
-GTA Wheels
-3" Exhaust Tips
-180 degree Thermostat
-JVC Head Unit w/ Kicker subs!
-And a COOL LOOKING Flowmaster sticker on the dash!
WOO-HOO!!
*Long live the F-Body!*
Checkout my website and my car at: http://www.transampwr.homestead.com/transampwr.html

 

Betcha it was a comp/ta

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82 z28 350cid, vortec heads, comp 262h cam, Holley 600cfm carb, 2in twice pipes, MSD ignition, turbo 350 trans, 3.73 posi, manly b&m megashifter