I saw this article and it REALLY PISSES me off.... any comments ?

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/33...s_reign+.shtml

 

I just send the writer a long email explaining how his article is a joke. I enjoyed that. It would be great if I got a response.

 

Its actually a woman We over at NE3G already filled her mailbox up with responses. I've never in my 21 yrs of exsistence seen such a poorly written article

------------------
*89 Trans Am GTA
*Moderator at www.transamgta.com

To hell with the GM vs Ford war. We must unite, as brothers to fight the plague that is overtaking the world...RICE

Tony

 

Probably half of camaroz28.com's 24000 members have written Mister/Missus Ford (coincidence on the name? I Think Not!) and told it of its incredibly foolish attitude. WTF kind of name is Royal anyway?

 

I just gave her my .02 worth. Or should a say a $10 bill worth. I really went off on her. <hehehe> She REALLY needs to do her research before she writes articles like that. She should go back to doing the laundry..at least she can't screw that up unless she puts bleach in with the colors.

Sorry all, still pumped up from that article.

------------------
89 T-Top Firebird 305 TBI Project Car (with approval from my wife!)

 

I sent a reply to every email address listed on the contact page.
Stupid people shouldn't breed.
http://www.boston.com/help/contact_manager.shtml

------------------
350 with stealth intake, holley carb, 470 lift cam. 700r4 with .5 boost valve, vette servo, tci lock-up kit, B&M megashifter. Richmond 3.73 gears, powertrax locker, timkin bearings, synthetic lube. Custom 3 inch single into 2 2.5 pipes. 1 1/2 drop springs, 1 5/16 solid front sway bar, 1 inch rear bar, custom subframe connectors, custom LCA relocation brackets. Kobel ground FX, currant red metallic paint. Lots of other stuff...
82camaro


[This message has been edited by 82camaro (edited December 07, 2001).]

 

That was the most moronic artical I have every read....tuner car huh....hummmm can you say TPI....that was computer controlled and designed in 1981(??). I wish people would reseach both sides of the story before deciding where they stand. As for mods she said that you can add 50 hp with a chip?!....and thats all you need but then goes on to talk about turbos and exhausts....you can't tell me swapping out an exhaust is a clean job....what about cam changes..... I ppl can suck. What is this about a soft suspention?! IROCs and T.A. can outhandel any rice burner...then upgrade teh suspention and my *** ....I think insead of yelling at her we should educate her....have her come to this site and show her around with out yelling.....(I have lots of mix emotions here....lol), maybe then she coudl see how great these cars are....hell if she wants to talk about cars from Y2k and up send her to a 4th gen board.....see what I am saying...people need to understand about our cars....they see them as old POSes....but alot of us take great car of them and they could beat out the new import craze easy....to make Civic run 13s you need money...now take that money and use it to hop up a L98....or LT1 or LS1...can you 10s?!

 

Wow, what crap. I do agree somewhat with the fact that a lot of kids are turning to the import scene. But, her facts about imports are backwards. They start with appearance and some of it slows them down. And their first mod is a muffler that gives them what 5hp and a lawnmower sound. And a chip that adds 50 hp wow. Even if that were true, for $500 the hp of the ***** would be just over half now of an SS or TA.

------------------
2 Tickets to game= $250
Gas= $20
Sitting 20ft. from MJ= Priceless
'86 IROC T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK HEADERS Hooker CatBack
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat, just switched to 180* b/c of winter coming and going to college in the mts.
3:73 Posi Rebuilt 700R4
B&M Megashifter, 5" Autometer Tach w/shift lite

 

That $hit ruined my day!



------------------
1985 Iroc-z, 14 second 305, new engine in the works.

[This message has been edited by tpi_roc (edited December 07, 2001).]

 

I wrote to her this morning. I'll be luckey if I don't get sued! I agree that she should be invited to this board to talk NEW cars, since apparently her last experience with an f-body was a first-gen. She is comparing cars that are over 30 years apart! I know I better not write to her again, but I did forget to mention something to her and was hoping that one of you guys could(if you hadn't already told her off). Can someone tell her it would be an EXCELLENT idea for her to write another article apologizing for her lack of knowledge of the subject, as a way to redeem her integrity? Maybe she could even do some research on the 2002 f-bodies that she was so wrongfully judging by the original ones and then she could inform her readers about what the new ones have to offer. People like her are the reason GM is ceasing production. Just my advice. -Randy

 

Personally, I don't agree with a single thing written in that article.

------------------
1989 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
L98 - 350c.i. TPI, rebuilt 700R4 auto w/shift kit, Dual catalyst Monza PaceSetter Cat-Back, SLP 1 5/8 Coated Headers, 3.23 Posi rear, Hypertech Thermomaster chip with 160stat, MSD 6A, March Under-Drive pulleys, AFPR, K&N's, !Air Box w/ Ram Air, moddified MAF, !TB Coolant, Spohn Dual Cat SubFrame Connectors, Alarm, Keyless entry, remote starter, 92 Z28 AeroWing, Brand New Paint (6/21/01)

Future: ZZ4 TPI w/EGR, T56, 3.42 or 3.73, Spohn strut tower brace and LCA's, Accell Universal 24# injectors

More info and pics on my webpage:http://go.to/iroc-z

AOL IMer: GPA 0point0

 

Me neither. That's one more e-mail in her box. Think F-body enthusiasts have crashed her e-mail server yet? I know a few years ago the paper towel company with the quilted paper towels made a huge error in their commercial that made thousands of quilters upset and they sent e-mails, called on the phone, and sent faxees until the main ad exec's e-mail server crashed, his phone ran non-stop for a week, and his fax machine burned up. (I know this because my Mom's business is quilts, and she told me the story). Think we can match the e-mail part at least?

 

To late

------------------
1985 Iroc-z, 14 second 305, new engine in the works.

 

It makes my day feel better reading this. Knowing there is people out there that have a lower IQ then I. Oh yeah I sent this ***** a little article of my own. Well I just get the satisfaction that she probably over loaded her email server by getting so many responses on this article on how much of an idiot she is.

>Some people sicken me but in this case it’s so stupid I can laugh.

------------------


89 Formula Firebird
Red with T-tops
5.0 305 FI
Soon to be a 400small block

 

guess I should have read the rest of this string before I e-mailed this person (OOPS)... this is what I sent... No offense to the ladies here...

To: ford@globe.com




Sir,

I am not sure about your sources for the information
that you gave on the Camaro and Firebird or where you
learned to operate a motor vehicle... Were you taught
to drive by grandma??? The way you describe the ride
and handling sounds like the description from a woman
who has driven nothing but tin can econoboxes...

The f-body has one of the largest (if not the
largest) aftermarket performance parts availability...
To include computer chips, superchargers, nitros
systems, suspension parts, exhuasts and intake systems
just to scratch the surface... Adding 50hp for $500???
Piece of cake...

In the future I would suggest doing a lot more
homework before writing an article like this one...
The information you gave was very missleading...

Thankyou for your time, Matt P.


zroc

 

Sir? Lol.. I used the term "econo-box honda-cart" =)

 

COPIED
__________________________

AUTOMOBILIA

Computer chip ends Detroit Muscle's reign


By Royal Ford, 12/1/2001

o the Camaro and the Firebird are going to the big junkyard in the sky.


The General Motors response to the '60s Pony Car craze - so named because the Mustang started it all in 1964 - were these Chevrolet and Pontiac muscle cars. But with the 2002 model year, they are gone. No more Z28s, no more Firebird Trans Ams.

Now some have postulated that the SUV made the twin killing of these two automotive icons. They say enthusiast eyes drifted from muscle, sportiness, and performance to bulk, muscle, and utility.

I say they are wrong.

The computer chip killed the Camaro and the Firebird: the computer chip as it is used by young folks looking for sport and individuality (the same niche that 30 years ago bought Pony Cars for those very essences).

Detroit Muscle met ''The Fast and the Furious,'' and the latter won. The computer chips, you see, are at the heart of the tuner craze.

A $500 chip can add as much as 50 horsepower to a stock engine such as those found in Audis, Hondas, Volkswagens, Mitsubishis, the Ford Focus, and other cars favored by the tuner set.

That's 50 horsepower on top of already feisty engines that in stock form produce 180 to 225 horsepower.

If the Camaro and Firebird were about sporty individuality, the same can be said in bolder terms of today's tuner cars.

Sure, the Camaro Z28 had that wonderful, insouciant flip to its tail, and the Trans Am had what looked like a road kill chicken flattened on its hood.

But to add 50 horsepower to one of these rigs meant boring out the cylinders, tinkering with valves, changing pistons ... a greasy, lengthy job.

And sure, the Camaro and Firebird were popular cars, selling around 430,000 cars at their peak in 1978. But time passed them by. The last time I tested a Firebird, I felt I should have been wearing bell-bottoms and a big-point-collared shirt open to the navel, displaying gold chains and a whopping medallion.

Last year, combined sales of the Camaro and Firebird were around 70,000. Enough said.

No, their sales were not lost to SUVs. These cars weren't bought to haul families around in the first place, so the SUV was simply not an alternative to the prospective Camaro/Firebird customer.

But hot tuner cars were.

Tricked out, chipped up, turbocharged, and customized, a Honda Civic, an Audi A4, a Toyota MR2, a VW Jetta all meet the needs of those looking for what the Camaro and Firebird offered their generations.

The whole point of the tuner craze is to tinker, to customize, to individualize.

Audi enthusiasts, for instance, have a three-stage program for souping up their cars.

Stage one is the chip upgrade. New software, written by an aftermarket company, is loaded into the existing system, replacing those stock, electronic engine controls.

Stage two is upgrading the exhaust to boost horsepower.

Stage three, well, Katy-bar-the-door, because here you get all of the above - often in stronger doses - along with a turbocharger. Other options here include intercoolers, nitrous systems, and other performance gear.

Of course, you'll need to upgrade suspension, maybe shorten the shifter throw, add high-performance tires.

Then you make it sound good with a multispeaker, high-powered sound system.

You'll make it feel good with tight racing seats and five-point seat belts.

And you make it look good with special wheels and body kits to make it look more muscular.

Voila: tuner car as muscle car.

And thus the death of the Camaro and the Firebird.

I don't mourn their passing. They were good cars for their time.

Unfortunately, the best of those times, in my view, were the late 1960s. That Trans Am I drove months ago was a boaty, rolling beast of a car. It did not have the tight suspension, the fine steering, the quick power of a modern tuner car.

I think one of the most frightening sights on American highways today is a 17-year-old neophyte driver at the wheel of a worn out old Camaro or Firebird, its soft suspension gone softer, its tires barely legal, but its engine still pounding out the ponies as it hurtles and rumbles down the passing lane.

General Motors is looking to tap into the tuner craze (Ford is doing it already with the Focus) and in doing so acknowledges that the Camaro and Firebird have been passed by. They'll go out with a couple of special 2002 editions - a 35th Anniversary Camaro SS coupe and a Firebird Collector's Edition.

If you still love these cars, you'd probably do well to grab one. Or, better yet, find yourself a perfectly restored model, circa 1968.

But if you're ready to accept their demise and move on, think tuner car. You surely won't be thinking SUV.

Royal Ford can be reached by e-mail at ford@globe.com.

This story ran on page D1 of the Boston Globe on 12/1/2001.
© Copyright 2001 Globe Newspaper Company.

 

This was the email i sent in response to the article that was written. Im not happy about it, and I just wanted to let THEM know that.


"Royal Ford,
You obviously have no real automotive knowledge... What amazes me is that this piece of trash of an article got through your editors. The Camaro and Firebirds were the heart of American Muscle. Ask anyone. I would suggest that you dont write articles about something that you have absolutley no knowledge of. Im sure this isnt the first email of this type that you have recieved, and as long as this article ramains, it wont be the last.
Sincerely,
-Rob"

------------------

92' White Trans Am Convertible, 305 TPI, 5 spd. 2:73's, Edelbrock TES, Accell 8.8's, Hypertech Stage II, TPIS Air Foil, Ported Plenum, K&N TB Cone Filter, AFPR, & A Little Bit Of Attitude!
-Best ET: 14.944 @ 93.11

88 Gunmetal GTA Hardtop... Project In The Works!

"GUYS, WE NEED TO FIND A MUSTANG TO RACE... THERES ONE! HOLY SH*T SHES HOT! SHES NOT GONNA GO... NAH... HOLY SH*T SHES GOIN!"

 

Just sent mine off.
bsa

 

What a load of Crap!!!!!!

 

I told her off.am also sending a copy to G.M.
I told the friggin globe i hope they get sued for false and misleading information
Im gonna flood them guys later

------------------
85-iroc
1 of 85,ooo or so
superunleaded gas
best time est.
6.8@210 m.p.h

 

You'll need a boatload of computer chips to get a honda civic engine to put out the power of a 454 chevy engine!

 

What the hell is she talking about? You can't plug in 50 HP, and the people on this board know a hell of a lot more about burning PROM's anyway. Those rich college preppies should grow some ****s and get a real car instead of sponging rice rockets and ****-wagens off mommy and daddy. OK, rant over.

P.S.
225HP<325HP

Just my .02

------------------
'87 Red Formula Firebird
-mostly stock LG4 w/cowl induction setup borrowed from '83 TA and T5 tranny

'85 Corvette
-stock L98/4+3 manual tranny
-z51 package

 

Thats good that this post was left open. This kind of thing Should Not go uncorrected.

 

I thought you guys already saw this one or I would've posted a while ago when I read it. That is the dumbest freaking article I've ever read, hope that ***** enjoys the thousands of emails she has gotten from LS1.com, I'm sure cZ28.com, and now thirdgen and a coupla others. I really flamed her good, but she prolly doesn't even read the emails anymore seeing as how thousands of F-body owners have already flamed her. (yeah!!!!) KEEP ON FLAMING THE STUPIDITY ON THE NET AND ON THE STREET!

 

I wrote him/her too, but the problem is that the readers of this newspaper will never see our responses. Most newspapers have an editorial page where readers can submit responses to stories and (maybe) have them published. Someone aughta get a copy of this paper and find out how to do that. Is anyone here from the Boston area, and interested in looking into this?

 

Quote: "I think one of the most frightening sights on American highways today is a 17-year-old neophyte driver at the wheel of a worn out old Camaro or Firebird, its soft suspension gone softer, its tires barely legal, but its engine still pounding out the ponies as it hurtles and rumbles down the passing lane."

Fvck dis b;tch. I guess I must be the most frightening sights on todays on highways eh? I'm 17, and I'm no neophyte, I have driven a long time, even since I was 15. I am a d@mn good driver. My Camaro aint worn, and its never gonna, cause I'm not gonna let it. My suspension is perfect. And I have brand new tires. D@mn stereotyping b;tch. I love my car, and I'm always gonna take care of it. Me driving is frightening? How bout a chipped up car, with a kid who doesn't know **** about a cars, and bought it with his daddy's paycheck, crashes into you on the highway goin 120mph, while hearing the rumble of my car cautiously going by you, as I watch you eat your words of what you thought was frightening.


------------------
6 months and counting... the search for a Camaro goes on...
... and now finally I got one, hell yeah!!!

Would you like it if the next generation of kids, start sayin daddy, daddy buy me a fast and powerful car, like a Honda Insight?! NO!
Muscle is muscle, stop this fighting between american cars, we must join and defeat the world!

1989 IROC-Z Camaro
5.7 Ltr
Ram Air
Cat-back Flowmasters
K&N Filters
-my first car, my dream now reality



[This message has been edited by ChevyLuva3 (edited December 09, 2001).]

 

I think she's wrong; It's not Imports -v- Domestics. It's smipler than that, it's Old School -v- New School. The 'Tuner' style is a trickle-down from the early '90s high tech Japanese supercar movement exemplified by screamers like the Peter Farrell RX-7, the Stillen SMZ (300ZX), and of course, the SKyline GT-R. In the mid '90s when $50K two-seaters fell out of favor, the already rare cars dissapeared from American streets. In Japan, they were still as popular as ever, and continued to evolve. In california, young import enthusiasts, who could not hope to get thier hands on the now unobtainable GT's were souping up lesser models of the same makes to try to capture the image of the departed sports cars. This started as a West Coast trend, and spread east, where we are not a quick to adopt the latest fad.
The F-Body was killed for the same reason full-size station wagons went extinct; Image. Young people don't want old stuff, they want the latest thing. The F-body really hadn't changed much in 30 years, except for styling, and that wasn't such a bad thing. Even the latest Automobile Magazine 'Top 10 under $25K' had the Z28, and everyone complained about how it didn't have the greatest quality, but it could kick the snot out of every other car in the test in sheer bang for buck. An old-school muscle car.
The problem is that the F-Body is stuck between demographics. The young people who do want one often can't afford the $30K for a new SS or WS6, and so they, like myself turn to the more affordable V6 or 3rdGen cars. The people who can afford them are often of the age where they need something with room for a baby seat in the back.
One thing an F-body can do that no other car can is to intimidate people while standing still. When you turn it on, especially on a Hooker or Borla car, everyone within earshot will come to the conclusion that it is the biggest baddest dog in the yard, whether it is true or not.
That low, wide shape coming up in the mirror will make people get out of the way, but no one is buying the new ones, so General Motors, like they do every great idea they develop, is stopping production. (so they can sell more Aztek's)

------------------
1986 Pontiac TransAm WS6
305 TPI, Accel SuperCoil, TPIS Airfoil, Cold Air Intake, A/C Delete.
Custom Built 700R4, Vette converter, servo, Kevlar bands, TCI shift kit, B&M Mega Shifter.
Hooker 3" Cat-back, Edelbrock 3-point STB.

On the way:
Full Spohn rear suspension, Baer Front brakes, Hooker Headers

 

Continuing my rant:
Other factors to consider;
Insurance rates are higher for 8 cylinder cars than 4 cylinder cars. Higher for rear drive than front drive. Higher simply because it says 'TransAm' on the bumper.
Parents are more likely to help Junior (or Missy) buy a nice, sensible Civic or Jetta than a honking Detroit ground-pounder.
American Cars Always Break
(And Japaneese cars are cheap to fix)

Our knowledgeable automotive scribe uses an Audi as a comparison. Do you know how much an A4 1.8T costs?!? (it's in SS territory) Draw your own upgrade plans from there.

The author is not correct, she is just simply someone who does not like those big, noisy, gas guzzling dinosaurs that are only driven by Beavis and Butthead because they are trying to make up for the fact that they have small d**ks.

Well, I, for one am proud of my 3500 pound, fifteen foot-long, 305 cubic inch, Ram-Injected pe&is, Thank You Very Much.

(It's painted Red, by the way)

[This message has been edited by SpeedCat86 (edited December 10, 2001).]

 

I'm from Massachusetts originally, this article reminded me why we moved. (snow was a factor too.) I'm terribly sorry, but anyone that buy's a Non-american car is a traitor to me. I know some F-bodies were built in Canada, but the money from the cars mostly goes to GM in the good old U. S. of A. I don't care if some imports are built here, guess where the bulk of the money goes? Uh huh.

But, on to more important things.....anyone who doesn't like F-bodies and speaks so badly of them is my mortal enemy. Our cars paved the way to the cars that they are buiding now, w/o our 3rd Gens....where would they be now? Where would our cars have been w/o out the previous generations? I don't care how many power adders they put on their cars, a front wheel drive car will NEVER leave like a RWD car. FWD is wrong wheel drive. Someone made a good point earlier about how reckless a lot of these "ricers" are. They hit the nail on the head. I am in my twenties now, but at 16-17 I never drove like some of these kids do. The younger guys I know w/ V8 RWD cars drive their cars fast, but not in traffic or in neighborhoods. They respect the power of their car, and know it could easily get them killed - therefore they drive with that in the back of their mind as I myself do. V8 RWD cars are a "thinking mans car." You have to be smarter than the machine you are driving. Ok, enough ranting. Just wanted to add my .02 about how wrong and biased that article is. *** bless the F-body!

------------------
1986 IROC, fully loaded, Mini Ram'd 383, Art Carr 700R4, Accel DFI, 12 bolt rear, etc, etc......

 

I could post soemthign long, but most of you already speak for me in your posts, so all i need to say is, frick that mother fricker

 

Typical of todays media. Short on the facts and super long on sensationalized, opinionated, fictional bullcrap. The sad thing is, a lot of people are stupid enough to believe their BS.

 

WOW!!! She replied to me!! then i replied back.. and she thinks f-body nuts are jerks.

Check it out:
----- Original Message -----
From: Joey
To: ford@globe.com
Sent: Monday, December 10, 2001 8:52 PM
Subject: The computer chip killed the Camaro ?

Looks like SOMEBODY saw "The Fa(g)st and the Furious" one to many times!
Yuppies are funny.


----- Original Message -----
From: royalford
To: Joey
Sent: Monday, December 10, 2001 8:02 PM
Subject: Re: The computer chip killed the Camaro ?


bub, the car being sold with the most u.s. content today is the honda civic. but that's beside the point. ***st and the furious. that tells me so much about you jerks - and proves i was wrong. chips didn't kill the camaro and firebird. ignorance did.

"the car being sold with the most u.s. content today is the honda civic"

Yeah, and MC Hammer sold alot of records in the early nineties.. so what? Its QUALITY NOT QUANTITY!
end of rant



------------------
1983 Camaro Z28 - 350 smallblock .030 over
milled GM X-rods - Keith Black Hypereutetic pistons
Comp Cams roller rockers and stud gurdles
Wolverine Camshaft - Edelbrock Torker II
Edelbrock 600 CFM Performer
Centerforce Dual Friction clutch - Hurst shifter
Dynomax catback system, hedman headers and y-pipe

1997 Oldsmobile Aurora

 

ok, i just spent the last 2 hours typing up an email to her..
dumb bitch.. knows **** **** about **** ****.. probably drives a civic.. biased bitch.. i get enough from cops looking me down for just having a loud fat tired beast with a bald patch down the center thread.. (got nailed for that.. still pissed off cuz of it.. i was comming back from videotaping some burnouts!)
i hope her ****in' server crashes.. i hope she feels really bad and dosn't even go near this subject ever again..
ignorance is bliss.. well.. beat the bliss out of her then. make her suck on my exhaust as i open her up.. dumb know nothing **** up.
who the **** is in charge of articals at the Boston Globe anyways? probably right in the middle of boston, nowhere NEAR any drag strips or open road where the only racing is from one car lenght to another..
i'm going to go write her another ****in' email.


------------------
87 formula
LB9, Automatic
K&N
3" mandrel bent exhaust,
v-force muffler
Hypertech preformance

 

If ignorance kills, how in *** 's name is she still breathing?

[This message has been edited by mcconahay37 (edited December 11, 2001).]

 

She remind me of the reporters that went to my local speed shop trying to make a story about "Bad street racers" and were severely tonguelashed and educated about racing by the owner of the shop. Can you believe that they were HONESTLY unaware of organized racing organizations and venues such as the SCCA and the local dragstrips? As far as they were concerned only proffesional racing is legal, and there is no other legal racing. What friggen morons.

 

Royal Ford is a "HE". After around 20 years of writing opinionated drivel on politics, back page filler stories, and a very occassional blurb of automotive crap, The Boston Globe decided to give him the automotive column that the retiring columnist had. He has been writing it for about 2 years now and has been pushing imports, SUV's, and minivans. So, in other words, he is still writing BS about BS. His ignorance is only surpassed by his arrogance.

 

Here is my email to Mr. Ford:

"You know so little about the world of automotive performance I won't waste my time illustrating the many, many incorrect "facts" in your article (I'm sure F-Body enthusiasts have done a fine job of that).

What I will ponder is how someone with such little talent could obtain a job in journalism. Probably a low paying career at this stage and in your case I'd say the dollars make sense. Or maybe you exemplify the average journalist? A scary thought indeed.

Chris

 

all nonsense...that was one of the most degrading things i have ever written...not only to my f body baby outside in the driveway but to journalism in general!!! horrible! WHAAAAAAAT!

------------------

• If you can't smoke the back, get off the track!
• RS does not mean "real slow" thank you very much!
• Its not the size of the dog in the fight, its the size of the fight in the dog!

 

Hmm Interesting. "The General Motors response to the '60s Pony Car craze - so named because the Mustang started it all in 1964 - were these Chevrolet and Pontiac muscle cars. "

Lets see 64 and 1/2 mustang or 64 GTO lets see which one is more of a muscle car? Ahh that would be the goat!
Do you know what I would like to do? When im driving down the interstate in my "old worn out camaro with soft suspension and bald tires" I would like to run that b10tch of the road and use that worn out 12 sec N/A non computerised car to run her @ss over, then slap the wizz out of her with my disco pimp wear. Oh BTW I've never seen a $500 computer chip give a ***** 50 more hp have you? I would love to email here but im sure you guys did a good job.
SSC


Chevy Power!

[This message has been edited by SSC (edited December 11, 2001).]

 

I am glad you all have filled her mailbox. Here is my .02 I have shared with her.

Dear Sir,

I would like to start out by saying that I am the very proud owner of a 1991 Pontiac Firebird. I have owned the car for about eighteen months, and would not trade it in on any other. I have read your article praising the high-tech Import tuning craze that currently is sweeping America, and I must say in certain aspects you are correct, but in many others you are misinformed.
- "The computer chip killed the Camaro and the Firebird"
Camaro and Firebird have been computer controlled for almost 20 years. They have been utilizing Fuel Injection for almost as long, starting out with simple programming and a basic wet-manifold fuel injection called "cross-fire" all the way to today's DFI (stand alone fuel management systems) allowing the user to tune fuel and spark tables at 50 rpm intervals, and sequential multiport injection.
-"A $500 chip can add as much as 50 horsepower to a stock engine such as those found in Audis, Hondas, Volkswagens, Mitsubishis, the Ford Focus."
The same goes for the F-body (Camaro/Firebird)
-"That's 50 horsepower on top of already feisty engines that in stock form produce 180 to 225 horsepower."
If I am not mistaken, the single overhead cam VTEC in most Hondas produces 135 horsepower (DOHC motors imported from Japan produce 170), the Audi TT produces 225, Volkswagen Beetle -180, Mitsubishi Eclipse - 200, and the Ford Focus around 130 (SVT Focus produces 170).
The Base Camaro or Firebird produces 205 hp, while in Z28 trim 310 (heavily underrated), and in SS trim 325 (again heavily underrated).
- "But to add 50 horsepower to one of these rigs meant boring out the cylinders, tinkering with valves, changing pistons ... a greasy, lengthy job."
These are not rigs, The LS1 has been rated one of the worlds 10 best engines. and to add 50 horsepower, you do not even have to lift a valve cover (that means touching anything inside the engine).
- "The whole point of the tuner craze is to tinker, to customize, to individualize", "And you make it look good with special wheels and body kits to make it look more muscular"
We tinker, customize, and individualize as well. Have you seen our aftermarket? Anything you could want for the car, it is out there. We do not add body kits to our cars because we do not need to get the "Muscle Car Look". We ARE the muscle car look. Tinkering, customizing and individualizing does not stop at the hood for muscle car owners, or import owners looking for serious power. If you are afraid of getting a little bit of grease on your hands, then you are not a "hot tuner".
- "Audi enthusiasts, for instance, have a three-stage program for souping up their cars."
If Audi only has three stages for tuning/customizing their cars, I extend my pity. You can set our cars up for full-drag racing, road racing, towing, or autocrossing in a variety of ways, with a large multitude of parts.
- "General Motors is looking to tap into the tuner craze (Ford is doing it already with the Focus) and in doing so acknowledges that the Camaro and Firebird have been passed by"
General Motors is in business to make money. They have expanded their aftermarket to all cars which hold interest with their buyers. This is by no means an acknowledgement of the loss of the Camaro. If this were the case, Ford would be packing Mustang's bags in favor of Focus.
- "Last year, combined sales of the Camaro and Firebird were around 70,000. Enough said."
Mustangs sales were about 150 - 200k units if I am not mistaken. Low sales are due to an uncompromising performance oriented car. Mustang rides softer, taller, and it not as fast. It is a compromise that has allowed it to appeal more to the general car-buying market
- "I think one of the most frightening sights on American highways today is a 17-year-old neophyte driver at the wheel of a worn out old Camaro or Firebird, its soft suspension gone softer, its tires barely legal, but its engine still pounding out the ponies as it hurtles and rumbles down the passing lane."
This comment speaks to any older car that has not been maintained. I have an 11 year old car which runs, and handles better than it did 140k miles ago when it rolled out of the showroom.
- "But if you're ready to accept their demise and move on, think tuner car. You surely won't be thinking SUV."
I do not believe I will be dumping lots of money into an economy car anytime soon. Thank you anyhow.
Thank you for your time in reading this. If you do not believe the information I have provided you, do some research, and you will find it all to be true.
Clinton Stallard IV
United States Air Force Software Developer

------------------
1991 Firebird Bandit II Edition
305 LO3 A4 with mods:
True Dual 2 1/2" Exhaust;
Dynomax Shorty Headers
Hedman X-Pipe
2 Dynomax Free-Flowing Cats
2 Dynomax Glass Packed Mufflers
160* thermostat
Jet Stage II Powerchip
no smog pump/pulley/AIR tubes
A/C delete (need delete pulley)
K&N Open Element cleaner
Ultimate TBI Mods (port/polish, AFPR)
1" TBI Spacer .25" Injector Spacer
Homemade Subframe Connectors
GM Wonderbar
36mm front, 24mm rear sway bars with Poly bushings/endlinks
Waiting to install;
95 Z28 LT1 Camshaft
1.6:1 RR
Bryco double roller timing set
LT4 valve springs
+ one large lead pedal foot . See my project rocket turtle @
http://oursportscars.homestead.com/firebird.html
Member of Tidewater Trans Am Club
www.ttac.net

 

talk about ignorance....
comparing a civic w/ an f-body. the civic out sells the f-body because its an afordable reliable car, not because it is better liked as a performance car. HAHA i said performance and civic in the same sentence. comparing the civic and trans- AM is like comparing a cavalier and a camaro. plane retarded.

 

Well it is obvious that when comparing apples to oranges if you wanted to sing the praises of an orange the apple wouldn't stand a chance......

If you're going to compare import sport cars to ours, then at least compare the sports cars, not the grocery getters!

Very true indeed.

 

Yea guys (and girls), she/he obviously had no clue as to what they were talkin about. Way to go 91Firecrow305TBI..that email was well written.i hope she sees it as i'm sure her mailbox is flooded beyond belief. Someone mentioned there's a way for readers to get a response in..if neone lives in the Boston area i'd like to know how.

I emailed them myself..here's what i had to say:

Dear Sir/Miss Royal Ford, as well as His/Her editors.

As I'm sure you are aware, your article has irritated many Camaro enthusiasts. Well, I'm one as well. Last May I bought my 3rd gen (82-92) Camaro. I love it. Let me help you with your writing in showing you some points where you are terrible wrong.

1)You say the computer chip killed the Camaro and Firebird.You say its used by young people looking for sport and individuality. Individuality? Just about everyone out there that owns a Jap car as well as a lot of 3rd gen owners have upped the chip. Its common sense, not individuality. Cute movie quote, but if u've actually taken the time to see The Fast and the Furious, if IM not mistaken the car in the movie that is the fastest is good old Detroit Muscle putting out 900 horse...I'd pay to see someone do that to a Jap car. That "golden chip" of yours can up all the rice and fords, but it can up GM cars too

2)But to add 50 horsepower to one of these rigs meant boring out the cylinders, tinkering with valves, changing pistons ... a greasy, lengthy job. Two problems a)you can do it w/out doing anything you said. You can mess with the exhaust, air filters, chips, as well as many other things, which are not greasy lengthy jobs. b)We LOVE our cars, and enjoy working on them. Us, unlike some yuppie kids take pride in upgrading our cars, and not being a part of the crowd asking mommy and daddy for money to go out and buy an import like everyone else

3)If 1978 was the last time you drove a Camaro or Firebird you have no business making half the comments you do. Try doing some research. Judging from your email addy your a ford fan? Thats nice, I worked at ford this summer, they have a few decent cars. But I dont go bashing the rest of their product in public, why dont u try the same w/GM?

4)You keep saying that imports are "hot tuner cars". HELLO!!! What do you think we do to our cars? TUNE THEM. Cams, headers, intake, exhaust, suspension, you name it we up it. And since our cars already are built solid, this just ups the ante one more on our side.

5)You say Audi have a three stage system for tuning their cars? Please send them my sincerest apologies that thats all they can do to their cars, because they'll probably never put out as much horsepower as ours.

6)You mention a multi-speaker high performance sound system. It slows the car down adding weight. The exact opposite as to what you are claiming they are trying to do. As for soundsystems, my winter car and my Camaro are both high performance. All ecilpse (if u ever heard of that, top of the line) and are high fidelity (good sounding..not just loud).

6) You talk about aftermarket products. Do some research please next time. You can get anything you want for our cars. Some rice u cant.

7)Special body kits and wheels to make it more muscular. That statement says a lot. Since you say it should be added, that means its not already there, implying the car doesnt look muscular. When was the last time you looked at a Camaro or Firebird? We dont do that type of stuff that much to our cars because the ALLREADY do look muscular. And do you know why? BECAUSE THEY"RE MUSCLE CARS. Not some affordable economy sized import built for the daily commuter. Any jap car will never be a muscle car.

8)"I think one of the most frightening sights on American highways today is a 17-year-old neophyte driver at the wheel of a worn out old Camaro or Firebird, its soft suspension gone softer, its tires barely legal, but its engine still pounding out the ponies as it hurtles and rumbles down the passing lane." I dont know where to begin on this one. Im 19, i drive better than a lot of people on the road. As for suspension, my car is a 91, and its suspension is still stiff as the day it came off the line, if not stiffer due to upgrades. Tires barely legal, what were you thinking? Our cars dont roll around on the crappy tires they came with, as do a lotta ricers. We keep our tires new, with a lot of tread, seeing as how we care about our cars. I challenge you to find a Camaro or Firebird enthusiast w/****y tires on his car. Hurtles and rumbles down the passing lane. Well yea, our cars are fast, we drive them. As for that rumbling feeling, thats 100% pure Detroit Muscle. We have a real exhaust system, not some 20$ tip on the end of a crappy exhaust. A real exhaust does rumble, as does a car puttin out 300 horse.

Finally, if IM not mistaken most imports come between 100-140 horsepower, stock. If you've taken the time to do some research (obviously you havent) you would have known most Camaros and Firebirds came w/around 205-215 standard. A lot more than any import. Thank you for your time, as I'm sure you have learned a lot. Just so you are aware, your editorial is on Camaro and Firebird Organizations websites, and I'm sure you'll be hearing a lot more from us

Thomas Penksa, proud owner of a 91 Camaro RS

[This message has been edited by KCobain147 (edited December 11, 2001).]

 

Thanks for the compliment. I believe the best way to deal with ignorance/bias is to not let it get under your skin, but at the same time not to sit back and let it unfold without standing up and saying something about it.

 

For those of you that want the editor to hear what you have to say, look at the home page of th Boston Globe, and there is a link for letters to the editor. It's not too hard to find. I sent my letter both to Royal Ford and the editor.

 

"Tuners"?

Most of the morons who throw fart pipes and spoilers on these little hondas and audis (that their parents bought them for their 16th b-day) don't know **** about tuning, or cars for that matter. And anyone who is afraid of getting their hands a little dirty modding their car doesn't deserve a fast ride...not that a civic would be fast anyway.

------------------
'87 Red Formula Firebird
-mostly stock LG4 w/cowl induction setup borrowed from '83 TA and T5 tranny

'85 Corvette
-stock L98/4+3 manual tranny
-z51 package

 

What's the real reason this he/she wrote this article?

SHE was with the 17 year old driver, going to the prom. SHE was giving him a BJ and had to swallow it. Then later on, he popped her cherry and she got pregnant and had to marry this guy. She finally left him with the 4 kids and had to get a job working for the Boston Globe.

HE was the 17 year old going to the prom getting a BJ and then later on she got pregnant and also gave him the CLAP. HE spent the last 15 years in jail for rape, then got out and had to get a job at the Boston Globe.

COULD THIS BE TRUE??????????????

Pete

 

Lets face it there are dumb people in the world. I'm sure she drives a rice burner and it's caused brain failure. I feel sorry for young guys and girls who are stuck in the junks. They will never know the feeling of V-8 thunder. F bodies live forever in each and everyone of us.