My friends dad has a 78' or possibly a 79' Trans-Am. Its automatic,bone stock,has a 400 engine,and 150k plus miles on it.He says he would kill an 88' Iroc that is automatic,mostly stock,has a 305 TPI,and has about 130k miles on it.Both cars are in great shape and have just been tuned up. Who would win assuming the drivers are equal?

I would put my money on the Trans Am in a drag race at least, the 400 put out a considerable amount of torque and probably beats you out in Hp too... I don't know the numbers for the 400 so it may be a close race... but I would say he's got the upper hand... In autocross I would say it has no chance since the second gens were so much heavier and handled a lot worse than third Gens...

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1984 Firebird - Daily driver, 305 LG4, T5 - Hurst short shifter, Edelbrock 600 CFM Performer Carb - Edelbrock Pro-Flow air filter, gutted cat, IROC 16x8 Wheels, Goodyear P215/60/R16, AIWA bargain basement (from Sears of course) CD player, Fuzzy dice, Eight-ball shift ****
Check out my ride here $1600!!

First Kill: 2001 Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon (1 person vs me with 2 passengers)

[This message has been edited by ChillPhatCat (edited August 26, 2001).]

Dont mess with those cars. I personally do not like the looks of most of them...but they do have *****. They are quick as hell. There is a kid in my school who has one...and I would be afraid to race him with my 350 4 bolt main. It has some performance parts on it too...such as a holley carb, edelbrock manifold, shift kit, cam...etc. My car is pretty quick, but his automatic would probably beat mine. He had the 400 in it. I probably would have given him a good race and if not barely beaten him...but I didnt drive at the time that he was in my school. Race the car, you have nothing to loose...remember there will always be a faster car than you out there somewhere.

IIRC, those cars equipped with a 400 made 190 or 200 horsepower. If the shaker hood scoop says "TA 6.6" he has 220. Those things weigh a bunch more than a thirdgen. Do you have a 305 TBI or a 305 TPI? Id say with the TBI, he'll beat you. With the TPI, Id say it'll be close. Just race him and find out.

[This message has been edited by Dirtybird355 (edited August 26, 2001).]

My friend is looking at a 78 TA but he doesn't know a lot about cars so I've been researching them for him. The 78's with the 220 hp 400 ran the 1/4 in 15.2. So I'd say it'd be a good race but probably the TA would come out on top due to the torque advantage.

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90 Formula 305 TPI 5 speed
K&N, Dynomax Muffler

guys everyone is comparing car to car

what about driver to driver? Yeah a pontiac 400 is a torque monster...but what if the T/A driver can't drive worth a crap? all that torque will just be roasting the tires...i think this race is gonna depend on the driver...

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Tony

those TAs are sloths, I think 15.2 is fast for one.....but Im sure magazines dont lie . If you lose In your 305 TPI it wont be by much. The old man is using the "Older I am the faster I am principle".

Take his poncho to town!

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91 RS W/carbed 350, Vortec heads, performer rpm, Comp cams Xtreme energy 224/230 duration and .477/.480 lift. BFG Drag radials. 3.42 posi,Corvette servoed 700r4, 3000rpm stall converter. Edelbrock TES, 3inch cat, flowmaster with single 2.5 inch exit.
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13.0 @ 107- N/A
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This is a Pic of my car in race trim www.tbns.net/billyjay/camero.jpg

Yes I know how to spell camaro- so dont ask. I didnt make the link

Ya,I said in my post assuming the drivers were of equal skill but he isn't that good of a driver. He would probably just floor it, smoke his tires,and lose.Thanks for the replys guys.

Someone is smoking crack if they think that car "has *****". It's a heavy pig, fast for 78-79 but nothing more. Against a 305 TPI auto it will probably be pretty close, he may be able to pull it off if he has the 220hp motor... He still has alot more weight to pull around...

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Ray87Z
-Vortec headed 350.
86 IROC w/ a cammed 305 TPI.
Formerly Ray86IROC.
www.inter-scape.com/Ray

[This message has been edited by Ray87Z (edited August 27, 2001).]

went to the track once with a friend that had a 79 400 and it ran a 16.7. It was not in bad shape and ran good. The car felt like a 15 second car. it was pretty funny watching my brothers 93 z beat it by 3 sec. though.

they were heavy but you couldn't take down a 73 TA with a 455sd in it.Now those were spectacular engines

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1987 Trans AM GTA
305 5SPD
Hypertech airfoil
gutted maf
kn filter
High Flow Cat,
3"Walker pipe
Dynomax Super turbo Muffler
TB Coolant bypass
Lubricated by Mobil 1 Tri-Synthetic

[This message has been edited by Stormshadow GTA (edited August 27, 2001).]

the 88 iroc should be able to win. I know a guy with an 78-79 pontian and it has a 400 but is slow as ****. those engines are old and have to carry alot of weight. the 88 iroc is lighter and has a 305 V8 which is not slow and should be able to take it.

My money's on the 88. I raced a 78 T/A when i still had the LG4, and I came off the line later, caught up and passed him (stayed ahead by 1 length) until 90mph, when he slowly crept ahead. The 88 will have it all over the 78, unless the 78 has been modded.

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1984 Trans Am, Goodwrench 350, TES Headers, Performer RPM Intake, Flowmaster 80 Series, Holley 600 cfm & vacuum advance, and T5 with short shift

Heh, this really hot girl that I want to go out with is buying a 78 T/A with a 455/4-speed! It isn't stock, because the guy got a built 455 put in, putting out 462 horsepower! He showed me the dyno slip! Then I drove it, and it had the most ***** out of any car I've ever driven. She is getting it for 3500 bucks. I wish I could have it, it looks nice too. All original except the motor.

-ws6formula-

Guess she really plays hard to get eh? SCREEEEEEEEEEEECCCCHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Just race him and find out who got the faster car!!!

Most of you don't know what you're talking about. That 78 Trans Am would destroy the 88 Camaro. The Camaro probably has more top end, but that won't matter when the TA pulls 2 or 3 car lengths on it in the begining. Yes the TA is older, heavier and probably has more miles on it. However, It probably has over 100 more lbs/ft of torque than the Camaro. I would put my money on the TA!!

yea! someone agreed with me

I drove a T/A with a 455 4-speed, not stock, and it was fast, but the 400 4-speed I drove was slower than crap felt about like my car when it was stock (305 TBI).

The TPI having more top end? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

No, the TPI induction itself can flow air up until 4500 rpm. Then it chokes the motor from air. If you get a LB9 with a better cam, then it could make a LITTLE more power in the top end RPM ranges than the peanut cam has.

Actually, the TPI is famous for it's excellent low end power. The TPI will smoke that 400. Sure the 400 most likely has more power. But it is heavier, and it has a crappier suspension. It will most likely spin the tires like crap while the Camaro just chirps, and takes off.

-ws6formula-

I've driven a 76 TA wid the 400 in it and the intake slot open on the hood. Its an Auto. SLOW AS HECK MAN! Motortrend said 0-60 on those are 13 seconds. I believe them! TBI should definatly win unless there was a brick under the gas pedal.

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85 2.8L Sport Coupe 5-speed.
Mods: Hpertech chip and powerstat, MSD 6A-L, Crane fireball coil, Accel Cap and Rotor, Dynomax hi-flow cat and catback system with a dynomax magnum race bullet muffler on the i-pipe, K&N filterchargers, Gutted Air Boxes, 8mm Wires, Eibach Sportlines and Tokiko springs/shocks setup, Global west sub frames, Suspension techniqs front and rear sway bars, and good ole 88 IROC wheels with Kumo Ecstas on em!
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Wins: 2000 V6 Accord, 69 302 Mustang, 2000 Auto VR6 Jetta, 89 Toyota MR2, 90 Civic Si, 76 350 Camaro, 2000 3.8 5-speed Camaro.