Today I was following 2 of my friends from one school campus to the other. One in a lightning and one in a '99 camaro ss 6spd. The lightning is riding on 22's and still smoked his tires from a roll. I guess that's what 450lb-ft of torque gets you!

So anyways, the SVT guy tries to cut us off using a shortcut and gets stuck behind an old geezer so we pass by him. It was me in my minima behind the SS on a 40mph road. I got on his tail and he shook his fingers in the rearview mirror like "dont even try it". Well we were both going around 30mph when all of a sudden his tires start smoking and he leaves 2 black streeks and takes off. I was in 4th gear I think, and being the newbie I am d/shifting into 3rd. Obviously he burned me, so I got into the right gear and prepared. Second time he does the same thing, except I throw it into 1st! What happened? I got a loud SCREEETCH from my tires and went flying. I mean, It took off like a bat out of hell. I stayed close to his tail, but he was gaining slowly & steadily. I bounced off the revv limiter once or twice. Then the lightning caught up to us at a stoplight and I left some nice treadmarks for him to admire

After I settled down and resumed normal driving, I smelt a burning smell. I am not sure if I overheated my engine or if it was just my tires. Either way I felt bad for my car. I sure do beat on it from time to time.

How bad is it on the clutch/transmission to downshift into 1st @ 30mph? I find it would be the most effective way to silence maxima-haters, becuause it pulled like all hell.

And, I have been thinking of upgrading to black or gunmetal 18's with a polished lip, similer to Hiroshi's. How bad will this kill my chirping/squeeling of the tires? I think I remember Dave B. saying it's easier to spin and chirp with them becuase they don't get as good of traction

Dont downshift into first when you are moving over 10 mph or so. That burning smell was from the clutch that you roasted. As for the rims, you can burn anything if yo uhave the right amount of TORQUE! Since we dont have V8's like the camaros and mustangs we cant do it that well

Will it be ok? What the heak's with first gear, It seems it is different from all others in it's not safe to shift into while moving. I know the SS shifted into first becuase he took off like a bigger bat out of hell.


Yea, your right when comparing to him. A 5.7L V8 is probubly going going to be a little torquier then a 3.0 V6. But that's what I get for going import.. :-) j/k

Not to mention it's not as fun playing around with burnouts in a FWD car...

If you want to downshift into first, you should only do so when you're very good at rev-matching & releasing properly for the situation. I think the difficulty in downshifting to first while moving is due to the synchros, but I never looked into it too deep...hard downshifts near redline, esp into first gear, can potentially put quite a bit of stress on things. I like to brag about my max's usable low-end power and wide torque curve, not show off by downshifting into 6k

first gear is only really good for starting off that is about it. If a situation like that presents itself again just downshift into second.

just sell your car and get a camaro/lightning/firebird. That's all you talk about.

no

Yes

why not?

OWNED.

dont downshift into first unless you are under 5-7mph.

My auto with 18s will chirp the tires for a second if i put it in 1st and let it rev over 3.5k and floor it.

1)Insurence
2)Safety
3)Build Quality
4)$$$
5)Too much power

My parents wouldn't let me get one for those very reasons, and I can understand them. My friends have fishtailed countless times becuase of reckless driving + rwd + loads of power. My friends are paying twice what I pay a year for insurence.

After college i'll probubly get a Cobra, but for now my grocery getter is more then fine. It is comfortable, spacious, much better interior then any american muscle car. (or most USA cars period). And 80% of people don't expect it to be soo fast. What other Jap family sedan can keep pace with the V8 muscle cars.

Insurance? My Insurance only went up $160 every six months when I went to my Formula. $800 every 6 months and I'm 23. Last ticket I had was 2 years ago.

I don't know enough about the crash characteristics of either the Max or the Firebird to argue over this one so I won't.

The only quality issue I've got with my Formula is the overbore on piston 1 which causes piston slap when the motor is cold (sounds like a diesel. Doesn't hurt anything though).

Money?

My Formula was $1000 cheaper than my GTP was. MSRP was 27,400; after my GM discount it was 24,700. GTP was 28,500 MSRP, ~25,500.

Too much power? No such thing my friend! My Formula dyno'd 307hp at, 326ft-lb torque the wheels bone stock 8)
Dyno Sheet

All that matters is you enjoy what you drive. If you're having fun don't let what anyone says steer you any way, but the way you want to go!

Good luck!

I sent you a PM.

nice sig!

im pretty sure the cameros first gear is good until about 50 so downshifting to first at 25 isn't the same as it is in a maxima where first gear tops out around 35,

This is why not:

http://www.mts.net/~tylerh/misc_files/Camaro_Man.mpg *Right click, save-as.

What kinda/ size tires are you running with the auto? My farily hard compound Khumo Ecsta Supra's will spin for a good while if I rev first and then put it to the floor. But they're only 225/40-18s too. I'm looking to go to 235/40-18s (Pirelli P-Zero's) Hopefully that will keep the tire spin down. Oh yeah, I'm in a 5th gen too. how bout you?

I saw that video clip before, it's so true!

By the way, who is that comedian anyways? Do you know him?

On stock Camaro's and Firebirds with an M6 and LS1 V8 1st gear is good until 55mph. 5th gear tops out at ~175mph (the car will easily do this stock and no I haven't tried it ;P) and gearing wise 6th gear is like 210-220mph; never tried this and don't plan on it, but I'm fairly sure it runs out of go or hits a limiter well before that. I actually think it's limited in 6th at something like 135? It's really weird like that.

It all depends on gearing as to what vehicle speed/engine speed in a given gear that you can downshift from. 1st gear downshifts in any car should be avoided unless you're going fairly slow in the first place.

Like if I'm driving normally on the street at 20mph (like 2000rpm) I shift from 1st to 4th to help my gas mileage. If I decided to romp on it right after I get into 4th if I'm still ~20mph I'd go into 1st, but over 35 I probably wouldn't. Sometimes you have to sacrafice a little bit of push to save yourself from shifting so soon.

Every car is different. It's all about finding out what you're comfortable with in your car. Some things should be avoided though unless you like large repair bills.

Heck I drive the kissin' cousin of the Camaro and I find this funny

I'd say this is more like your typical 20 year or younger Camaro driver (although it definately applies to some who are older 8) ).

Forget those rims. Just supercharge your Maxima. I've killed both a Camaro SS AND a Ford F150 Lightening. The Lightening was a pretty close one. We were dead even till 80mph...
You can have your quality, safety, low insurance & "too much power", if there is such a thing

The 03' Cobra is the way to go. By the time you buy one, they will have tons of mods for it. With an Intake/Pulley/Exhaust and a good driver high 11s are possible. By the time your done with college there will be tons of new models out. From what I have read and what my dad has told me, the new 05' Mustang is going to be a real improvement, especially in the way the interior is designed. Plus I hear they are bringing back the 5.0

A cheaper alternative would be the 2004 Pontiac GTO.
5.7 V8. Only a couple thousand dollars away to convert into the Z06 edition V8. It is basically the Holden Commodore GM sells in Australia.

It wont be as fast as a 03 Cobra though. A head/cam package on a LS1 would be more economical and would result in more hp than a stock LS6.

Yup!

that was some kid on another forum.. he got bored and made a video haha

hehehe Actually I made that video, but CoolArmer is the star of it, he was just asking that question to be stupid. We posted it on the f-body forums as well as some others, funny how far it's spread.

oj ur on the other forums too huh??

i wont break rules #1 and 2

Monaro, not Commodore. Commodore is a sedan. Monaro is a coupe.

Ah Yes, thank you.
Can't wait for the real HSV. Although you can easily convert the regular 325HP 5.7 V8 into the 405HP monster. Intake, cams, ECU & exhaust...that is it!