re: <misc>Firebird, King of the Auto-X?

[Ron Katona <ron3b@xxxxxxxx>]

Ron Browne wrote:
> Many comments have been posted about the straight line power of Firebirds,
> Z-28's,  and other American iron, but usually those posts are followed up
> with how bad the handling is, particularly on on auto-x type course.  Kind
> of surprised me to view our Chapter Newsletter to see the results of the big
> autocross held out at the Redskins stadium parking lot.  Dont have the
> results in front of me, but I think the fastest time of the day was run by a
> Firebird....  I didnt actually see the car or it's run, but I can only
> assume it must have been pretty heavily modified version.
> 

I don't know what that car had done to it, but I doubt it was more
highly modified that most of the M3s in attendance. The difference (as
always) was that the driver is a national level competitor. Dean Sapp is
simply one of the fastest guys around and he showed how it's supposed to
be done. He's also an instructor at the McKamey autocross schools.

The newer F-bodies are very good autocrossers. Compared to ten years
ago, the chassis are stiffer and suspensions softer. Less body flex and
more suspension compliance make the suspension do the work instead of
the body (um... isn't that what BMW has known all along?). That helps
keep tires on the pavement. They're quite powerful and have much better
brakes than they used to. Considering their size, weight, and the amount
of overhang on both ends, they are much faster than they should be on an
autocross course. They still suffer from a live rear axle, dead steering
feel, and some cheap feeling interior bits, but they've got bang for the
buck pretty much wrapped up. The older ones feel like total crap at
100,000 miles; it will be interesting to see how much better the latest
versions age.

Having said that, in stock form (according to SCCA rules) they are
placed in a slower class (F) than the E36 M3 (A). A Stock winning times
in last year's national championship were about 1.3 seconds faster than
F Stock - that's a lot at that level. In fact, the 4th and 5th place
finishers in AS were '95 M3s. Both beat the winning Camaro's time in F
Stock. The Camaros did better in class, but it's a slower class.

The F-bodies are much improved, but Dean just flat kicked our butts!
- -- 
Ron Katona

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