Here is my dilemma, I own a 1986 Camaro, it runs 16.01 and I have yet to toss the headers or double roller on. It is a champ, but it is old, but I love the car as much as a person because it has meaning. My woman made me an offer if I sell my Camaro and new truck I can buy a 1995 Camaro. It is a Z28, Flowmaster exhaust, Borla y-pipe, 1.6 roller rockers, 17 inch rims, electric water pump by mezimer, zano was always used on it. It has Dyno sheets proving 297HP and I have seen it run 13.1, he claims it is in the 12’s now. I have always wanted a bad *** car, but I have always thought I would pass the old v6 down to the kids when I had them. The problem is what do I do.. Being married the opportunity for a Z or a V8 is as good as winning the lottery. It is a once in a lifetime chance.

 

Stay away from 4th gens. No offense to any 4th gen owners, but your typical 93-97 Z28 is bland as hell. The Z's and V6's look virtually identical. Granted in this case you'd be getting more performance, but the package it comes in is ****ty.

What it all comes down to is what you can afford and what you want to do. If keeping your car will make you unhappy then sell it and buy somethign you'd enjoy.

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Drew
predatorman@hotmail.com
83 Camaro 5.0L *1995-98*
87 Iroc 5.7L
91 Formula 5.7L 14.3@98mph
91 RS Convertible 5.0L
91 Firebird 3.1L
92 S10 2.8L For Sale!
98 Grand Am GT 3.1L

 

That's it.. I am not unhappy with the car. I love my old V6, but I have always wanted a bad v8

 

Would selling your six make that big of an impact financially? Sell the truck buy the bad a$$ car and keep your six. You may want a daily driver after you see how much it costs in gas to keep that v-8 on the road. Just my $.02

 

How about this... you find your same exact car in the same year and all. But instead get a GTA or something? or a Formula 350!? Cool v8 with the looks of your current car!

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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!
"It's not the ricers, it's those damn V8's!"

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.

 

as a reply to the gas issue..

suprisingly, these V8s are very efficent, with about 19 in the city and 28 on the freeway. also, a properly tuned v8 will have very good mileage. my friends 85 vette witha L98 still gets 23 miles to the gallon and it has 135,000 miles on the clock. i would be more worried about the insurance cost more than anything. i plan to get a new 98-02 firebird here soon, but i have to get a V6 due to the fact that its about $100 cheaper a month to insure.

just my .02.

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1988 Camaro
2.8 with T5
K&N
Soon to be CAI or Ram Air...
http://www.nothingssafe.com

 

Insurance is not an issue.. No tickets in over 5 years and I am married, have multiple policy discount... I was just asked by a buddy would I regret in a few years selling it, yes I might, but I really would like a car like that...

 

I say keep your camaro!

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1989 Firebird. Modded.
700r4-->t5 w/ram clutch
Cold air, 1.6 rockers, 21lb injectors, 3" y-pipe, random tech cat, 3" ipipe, flowmaster 80 series 3" in 3" out hand made stainless tips, Lakewood LCA's, Msd 6a, Msd coil, Wonder Bar, 180* stat,
Coming Soon: T/a hood, Painted,Spohn Panhard Bar, 4thgen Front Seats, Cam!, Msd 8.5 wires, Posi (ACCEL IS CRAP)
"I'd rather run last in a full out race, than to NOT have run at all"
See my car Here!
In Memory of #3 Dale Earnhardt

 

Brian.
ME?
I'd buy one of the NEW 2002 Camaro's or the LAST Trans Ams.
They MAY NOT BE MAKING ANYMORE FIREBIRDs (dense!).
Camaros, will be returning. BUT......
OR spend your money on a GREAT FIRST GEN like my 1967 RS/SS Camaro 350 4-speed Convertible or even my Wife's 1968 6 cyl & auto/console.
Don't buy a used raced car.
Invest your money wisely.
Soit went fast under his owenrship. Electric waterpumps and the street DO NOT MIX!

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

Looks like I may be able to do both, keep the 6 and get the 8.... I have to sell the truck first, pay a few bills then we wil lsee if I can keep both...

 

The gas price argument is silly. Yes gas is expensive but I'll be honest with you, my L98 gets better gas mileage than my LH0.

 

Yeah, around town, our V6's have to work "twice as hard" as a V8 to keep the car moving; and will use more gas... my gas mileage is total crap in town, but great on the highway.

I never really warmed up to the shape of the 4th gens... plus supposedly our LCA/strut front suspension gives us better handling over the LCA/UCA/shock design of the fourth gens. Plus, you ever see the v8 motor on those things? A spark plug change looks like an absolute nightmare compared to the v8 of a thirdgen... I couldn't even imagine doing headers without yanking the engine! The whole 4th gen motor sits under the cowl... even my girl's '94 Camaro 3.4 looks like it'd be hell to do any work to.

[edit] Now that I re-read this; I mainly argued against the 4th gen body style, and that's it. I know you're like me, Brian, and are running out of mods very quickly for the 2.8... if you think you've gone as far as your '86's engine can go, you might want to go for the V8 f-body. Sure, the car's a blast, but what happens if after the headers, you're running a 15.5, and can't get any better? What if the only way to beat the 15.5 is to swap in a v8- and then, you might as well have bought the 4th gen. The HP thing might not that important to you compared to the fun & memories (how many times have guys told me "I had a car like that, I wish I never sold it!"), but if it is....... Just something else to think about!

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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l)

[This message has been edited by TomP (edited August 30, 2001).]

 

nothing is better than the origional, i dont really like the 4th gens so i say Keep your 3rd gena nd make it a *** on wheels

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87 V6 2.8 MPFI Camaro SC
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Modded dual snorkle intake "bottoms hacked off", K&N air filters, Accel Cap and Rotor, MSD coil.

upcoming mods:
Dynomax CatBack exaust system & possibly crane cams camp shaft