88ViperKiller

Dangitt...not a good day for me....

Was going home from work and this Celica was speeding around strutting his stuff. I'm in my 3000GT, so I decide to go rough him up. We end up at an onramp that's a big turnabout, and of course he has a weight advantage so he's able to pull away.

Now, I just put new 225 tires on my front end...the rear are still these crappy old 215s...

I'm pushing a little too hard for this heavy monster and her rear end starts to get away from me.
As I hit the brake it only gets worse...I let off and see I'm heading into the wall...so I brake again and it only makes my rear end skid hard to the left, right toward that wall.
As a last resort I let off the brake, rev her up, turn the wheel halfway to the right and dump the clutch. The torque at the front end yanks those rear tires back in line and the car straightens out on to the freeway...

I never caught the damned Celica...

devianb

How often do you look for street races?

88ViperKiller

I'm trying to keep the 3000GT in decent condition...so I've been avoiding races recently. But when I put the new tires on this weekend I started pushing around again.

So I'd say I go LOOKING for 'em maybe twice a week...usually when I'm stressed out and need the rush.

devianb

I don't have a fast enough car to race anyone. Street racing can be dangerous - you never know when something unexpected might happen and you won't have much time to react.

88ViperKiller

You're absolutely right... I only do it when I'm ready for the consequences.


Got pulled over once and my friend was in the car. I was calm with the cop and told the truth about what I realized I did wrong. The cop went and checked my plates for 20 minutes, then came back to give me a lecture, and after 20 more minutes, he let me go.
My friend was surprised as hell at how calm I was. I told him it was going to happen sooner or later with the **** I pull. I was glad the guy only pulled me over for rolling through a stop sign (which both my friend and I thought I had stopped at completely) and exhibition of speed (I spun the tires pretty hard).


As for the actual danger in it...that's the whole thrill. And if I weren't willing to lose this car and pay hella high insurance rates on a Geo Metro for the next 3 years, I wouldn't instigate races at all. 'course I'd rather not lose the car,...so I take it easy most of the time...lol


I know people will be asking this, so here's the answer up front. I've been driving about a year now. Been pulled over once only because I'm the best damned cop spotter I know. I've pointed out NARC cop cars literally a half mile away before...

From that manuever I pulled last night, you guys should I agree I can recover my car,...and I've never lost control that far before last night so I can drive better than half the CA crowd. Unless of course it was divine intervention that kept me on the road last night, in which case I can't drive worth ****...


I've talked too much...I'm trying to avoid going to work...lol
Sorry for the longass msg guys

MdFormula350

close call about the wall!!

maroon91rs

well since no one else asked yet... is it TT?or just N/A.and if its N/A,do you have anything done to it that would let you beat that celica?those things are mid-high 15 second cars,and i thought that the N/A 3000gts were 16's.please elaborate if im wrong .

88ViperKiller

She's an MT N/A .. I run high 15s.
Only mods I have are air filter, performance front tires, resonator bottle removal, and 3.5 degrees advanced cam timing (don't know why, but that did give me more pull somehow).

The Celica was an older one...I thought they ran **** times?


The 3000GT is my daily driver...not the fastest b*tch on the block, but she's a sexy ride and very comfy. I love her to death.

CrazyHawaiian

Sounds like you want to go drifting

Braking hard when you're in a slide will usually make the car go where the momentum is going, not where the wheels are facing. If you have a proportioning valve then you can change everything .... The key to control is to maintain grip of the front tires and not let the wight of the car shift to the front.

vortechLT1

why did you put 225's on it? a 245 50 will fit them quite nicely, I just put new tires on my 3kgt 2 days ago and was a little worried about the strut to tire clearance but it did fit and looks alot better than the 225's did

88ViperKiller

so my instinct to drop the brakes and torque up the front was pretty well devised, eh?

Must be divine intervention...I don't think I'm that smart...

88ViperKiller

whoa...245 50s will fit?

These 225s look like a tight fit man...you got an SL or VR-4...mebbe there's a differance there?

Crazed-79-Z28

ive always like the 3000GT's are they really nice cars, never got close enough to one to check them out good but they look sharp, got any pics u could show?

jimmbo

sounds like you should've bought a v-r4

or learn how to drive that thing


jimbo

maroon91rs

oh ok i was thinkin it was a newer one,which arent as bad as the older garbage.if you had better tires,you def shoulda whooped on him.oh well,next time!

NastyEssCee

How did you end up sliding in a front wheel drive vehicle....i might be mistaken..but im damn sure theyre front wheel...

88ViperKiller

They're front wheel...doesn't mean you can't slide.

225s in front...215s in back...'helps'




Uhh...if I don't know how to drive THIS...why would I need a VR-4? I don't like spending time in the bush unless it's the type that will get this string banned by a moderator for mentioning it...


But yah...I CAN drive this thing. I overestimated the new tires since I only replaced the front. Still made it out none the less. :-)

vortechLT1

yup the 245's fit! like I said it is very close but it does work
I got an SL but I was still told that there was no way a 245 would fit (shows how much the stealth & 3KGT enthusists know) after putting the 245's on it, it feels much more stable at hi speed,
after I got them I was on I-4 (FL) I was in a hurry I looked at the speedo and I was doing 125mph and felt like 90mph.
the car was glued to the ground (flinch the steering wheel and it responds)

ROC-Z

If no one else is going to say it, I will....

Let's take (1) - (3) into thought:

The whole "thrill of" this danger you talk about is less innocent than you think...Your risking more than just high insurance rates & a ticket- Most important your risking other's L I V E S, not just yours....and that's truly ignorant. I've seen this first hand...but it wasn't because of my negligence. I'm not a negligent driver- because I choose not to be. That's why I get angry when I see this kind of thing...

YOU'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR ONLY A YEAR...

THAT'S ONE YEAR, & YOU THINK YOU HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIANCE UNDER YOUR BELT TO BE DRIVING LIKE YOU DO (LET ALONE BRAG ABOUT IT IN PUBLIC) ON THE SAME ROADS EVERYONE ELSE DRIVES ON??

So to answer your question in (3), I disagree you can "handle" your car- what happened was G o d's grace on your behalf that you recovered your car.

You need to rethink your driving situation- because I can tell you just how devastating a fatal accident is to everyone involved...it's more than a human can mentally deal with.

88ViperKiller

You're right that I can't handle the car like a pro...and I don't claim to... nor do I try to. (Although I will state that I can drive better than half of CA freeway drivers)

The wall incident was a boundary tester with a nearly open onramp chasing that Celica. I'll never cross that line on the street again, and wont come near it with other people around.


I'm not being defensive and I didn't take offense from what you said. You're RIGHT! Driving on the streets should be more safe and careful and considerate than what I pulled. And I do apologize to anyone who thought it was stupid of me to do.


Forgot to add... The thrill I mentioned was mostly the danger imposed by being caught. I always try and drive considerately when others are around.
(unless they're poking along at 25 in a 40mph zone...in that case I usually tend to let my emotions get away and I cut them off...)

ROC-Z

I'm glad you didn't take my post offensively, because I didn't intend it that way. I did want you to see however, that I wasn't just repeating the same thing your parents tell you- I'm speaking from experiance. I was 16, also with a year of driving experiance under my belt....although nothing can stop an unfortunate accident beyond your control- but knowing that it wasn't caused because of poor judgement & negligence goes a long way. An unfortunate accident regardless of cause, will change your life forever and mentally consume you...
Intentionally putting lives at risk is probably the most selfish act a human can commit...

BikertrashDude

I agree with ROC-Z we all like to push cars to their limit, or else we would be on the geo metro board.
all I'll say is becarefull....

NastyEssCee

These were both in the same paragraph and yet they seem to contradict theirselves....people that drive 25 in a 40 are of course a bother to us trying to get somewhere and is dangerous but lets remember flashing your headlights....driving helluva fast and riding their ***...illegally passing...and cutting off are very dangerous...not to mention very inconsiderate....dude drive with more sense....dont try to take an on ramp faster than you feel comfortable...and if your sliding its usually a bad manuever to hit the brakes....the brakes will transfer the weight and momentum exactly the way you dont want them too and...oops theres the wall...if you ever catch your self sliding out try to steer out of it...if you cant and that walls coming closer i think maybe the hand brake would work...just my take...never came close to sliding into a wall...although a parked car was almost side swiped before...later

88ViperKiller

I know what you mean...but I do have a patience deficit. (Which I know I DO need to work on desperately). And people driving 25 in a 40 are more of a cause of accidents, traffic and police funding from tickets than drivers like me are.

I talk to a few cops. All of them tell me the majority of tickets they write is to little old asian ladies (I AM SO SORRY to be stereotypical...but that's what THEY told ME, ok? lol) who just ride right through red lights at 25 in a 40 zone, oblivious to their action. Then when they get pulled over they tell me it usually goes like this:


PoePoe Dan: 'Excuse me Ma'am, but do you know what you just did wrong'

Crazy Aunt ShoeShine: (in a meek little voice) 'Noo'

PoePoe Dan: 'Well you just ran a stop light'

Crazy Aunt ShoeShine: 'I did no such think. You saw wrong'

PoePoe Dan: 'No ma'am, I saw you directly run that red light. It was red before you hit the intersection at all.'

Crazy Aunt ShoeShine: 'NO! You ran stop light to catch me! I didn't run stoplight. You're wrong. Leave me alone!'

PoePoe Dan: 'Ma'am, get out of the car...'

(This story had been revised to protect the people in it. The story is true, but the names have been changed and the quotes altered slightly)


Anyway...they just REALLY **** me off. If you can't handle paying good attention, or you can't drive at least within 5 mph of the limit,... stay the hell away from me... off the road is preferable...

junkyarddog

just a driving tip or two,

first off.....why are your good itres on the front??

the rear tires are more critical than you think!! especially in the situation you got yourself into. notice the front wheels pulled you back to saftey? the wieght of the engine and the torque will pull those wheels with even the worst tires

secondly...accelerating into a turn is asking for trouble...especially going after full throttle.

well, I can't really break it all down in intelligble terms and I'm not trying to throw a lecture at anyone. good driving comes with years of experience. just because you're willing to push the limits doesn't make you an exellent driver. ofcourse as mentioned before, this is where responsibility to the public comes into play. I don't like driving the speed limit, but it keeps me out of trouble and there is no way possible I could ever cause an accident....good driving isn't always about performance, it's simply respecting the limitations of the machine it's all about physics

I got into trouble with my '93 3KGT SL taking a highway interchange at 95mph....it started to skid a little, so I let off the gas and didn't make any sudden movements. worked for me that time...that car was too expensive to experiment with. I had taken some of the highway exits at 110mph with ease and the tires were in absolutly horrible condition.

also, advancing the cam might not be a good idea if it is an interference engine. I know the DOHC 3.0 is anyways.

jocww

poo to that i did a 75 fishtail and thats with a few yrs experience and i think i gained more from that then what i lost i gained more experience and i got a reality check that driving a car isnt a game there is no reset button. but if ur all alone at nite and u hit a wall who cares as long as u dont die. itll give u a big wake up call tell u that much. but in order to get more experienced u do have to push the limits everyonce in awhile just make sure when u do it ur all alone

82-T/A [Work]

No offense man, but unless you've got a VR-4 Turbo 3000GT, you're going to lose to most cars. They're really pretty slow.. I mean, they LOOK cool, but I used to beat them constantly with my pontiac Fiero automatic.

I actually just blew one away this morning on the way to work with my 4 cyl GrandAm.

I'm guessing they probably run high 16s.

88ViperKiller

If you're beating them with a 4 banger they've got a bad driver, an AT, and are in need of a tuneup.

The SL does have 222HP and higher-than-that torque. Mine runs mid-to high 15s with the few mods I have.
I've never lost to any Honda or DSM. (Must not have met many modded DSMs, eh?)


But again, if I cared about making her fast, I'd sell my Firebird and my SL and buy a VR-4...

82-T/A [Work]

Well, the 4 cyl GrandAm is the "TwinCam". It's the most recent (and last) version of the Quad-4.

160hp, 155lbs of torque was the rating in 1997 to 1998.

I have an automatic transmission too.

I own a GTECH, and my average Quarter Mile time is a low to flat 16 second. I've never lost to an Acura Integra, never had hte opportunity to race a VTEC one. The car is actually pretty damn quick for it's size. Don't get me wrong though, I bought it because it gets 34 miles to the gallon on the highway. I love that transmission, at 50 miles an hour, it's only pulling 1,500 rpms.

Todd

88ViperKiller

I'm not dissing the Grand Am...

That's freakin' awesome for a commuter coupe...16 flat with 160HP must be a good tranny and a light car.

82-T/A [Work]

Yeah, I came off a little wrong, don't mis-understand me.. I think the 3000GT is pretty awesome. I just know that it's heavy. And I believe it uses that 3 liter V6 right? The same one that's in the Plymouth Voyager I believe?

Yeah, the GrandAm is pretty funny... I bought it for fuel economy, and I didn't even realize it's as quick as it is.

A good car for comparisson is the newest Mazda 626 V6 with the 5-speed manual. I've raced one of those, my friend owns it, and I casually pull away from him.

The TwinCam is a pretty sweet motor. I can't really say anything for the GrandAm itself... I mean.. it is what it is.. it's just a commuter car, but the engine and transmission are awesome. I'd really like to see this engine / tranny set-up in say.. a 1988 Fiero Coupe.

The GrandAm weighs about 3,000 pounds... at least mine does, and I don't have very many options.. variable steering assist, A/C, cruise, tilt, power door locks, and that's it.

The Fiero fully loaded weighs 2,700 pounds with the 2.8 V6. The 2.8 V6 probably weighs about 80-100 pounds more than the all aluminum TwinCam does.

The TwinCam puts out more HP, (less torque), but imagine what it would do in a car that came out to 2,600 pounds?

Kinda sweet.

My opinion, the 3000GT is a car that's like a TransAm or Camaro... it SHOULD have something like the 3.8 Turbo in it, or a V8.

The base engine just lacks power for it's size, but the VR-4 Turbo is pretty sweet.


Todd

88ViperKiller

yah,...it was definately designed for a 3.0L TURBO...not N/A...

But the VR-4 weighs 4000 thanks to the ECS (Electronic Controlled Suspension) and the driveshaft and stuff for AWD, Turbos, etc...all adds up. My SL weighs a mere 3600 compared to that 4000.


None the less. I must admit, you shouldnt put an engine with that little of a displacement in a big tanker like this thing. Although, If it had a VTEC/VVTi clone in it, I bet she would be great...

Anyway...I would obviously prefer a VR-4...but I'd surely get into more trouble...and spend more in maintenance...so I'm probably better off with this SL


I stand by my idea of using the SL as my 'drive in style' commuter and using the Firebird to get the speed out of my system once in a while :-)

88ViperKiller

You know...this engine is pretty strong...and my stock clutch really is astoundingly strong. I bet I could drop a 75 shot of nitrous in without hurting much... A racing cat and mufflers would then improve that gain... Headers...
Should run into mid to high 14s with 300HP...

nahh... ::smacks self:: 'Daily Driver' 'Daily Driver' 'Daily Driver'

vortechLT1

the 3KGT base model runs high 16's the SL runs mid to high 15's
a VR4 not really sure about but I know a stock VR4 will smoke a vette and the last but not least the MR wich is just a VR4 that doesnt weigh as much

82-T/A [Work]

Smoke a Vette? What kind of Vette? The new Corvettes run flat 13s practically. The Z06 runs high 12s.

Go here..


http://popularmechanics.com/automoti...rs/print.phtml


13 Quickest Cars you could buy in 1999.

With #1 being the quickest to the quarter mile, and 13 being the slowest.

The 3000GT VR-4 was #10,



the Vette was #3




and the Firebird Formula was #5.



All the cars were stock.



Todd

88ViperKiller

Tell me something?

Why the HELL does it look like that 3000GT is doing a wheelie!?

lol...It's AWD...How does it have all that freakin torque to the rear wheels!? The front end is high off the front wheels. (Granted the front wheels never leave the ground...)

And is it just me, or are those rear wheels toed out pretty hard?

88ViperKiller

w000t! Dodge Viper is Number 1 baby!