5.0 vs. RS Camaro

[ill advised]

After the mid to late 70's, and early 80's, those cars were a breath of fresh air!

Absolutely. For me it was the arrival of the '85GT that officially got me hooked on the Fox bod. Before then i always had my heart set on a classic 60's hot rod. The first time I saw my neighbor peeling out in his brand new 85GT I fell in love. I already thought they looked pretty cool but once I realized how much torque they had that was the icing on the cake.

That article is misleading... They used a TBI Fbody not a 305 TPI 5-speed car (G92) which would run right next to the fox body.

I agree, it can be somewhat misleading although in the article they do concede that the RS isn't the top performer. Back in the late 80's-early 90's I had a lot of good battles with the 3rd Gen z28s, Irocs, etc. They definitely ran better than the RS. I never raced a 5-speed Z28 though, which I'm sure was pretty quick. All autos. At the time I had my 85GT (bought in late '87). Only mods were exhaust and 3.73. Those were the days.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

AND IT'S A FACT!

They alway's handled better then the Mustang!
It did't feel as nimble because it was a bigger, heavier car! DUR!

Oh Mr. Right you never cease to amaze me. How does bigger and heavier equal better handling? Better breaking i could believe but i think the rest is just in your head.

 

[GTOreturns]

Oh Mr. Right you never cease to amaze me. How does bigger and heavier equal better handling? Better breaking i could believe but i think the rest is just in your head.

Well, I grew up in the era, is was the same test results every year.

But being bigger and heavier doesn't mean it won't handle! Do we need to PM each other so I can splain things to you?

 

[fiveohlxhatch]

82-92 Camaros......

Those have got to be the biggest piles now days, heck they were 10 years ago too. I NEVER see nice ones, ANYWHERE!!!!!!

My cousin STILL has his '89 Trans Am GTA with the 350 TPI and auto. T-roof as well. He's owned it since '91 and has repainted it and is on his 2nd engine(Edelbrock "hi-flo" top end and GM ZZ4 shortblock), it still looks great, drives great because he's never abused it. You just don't see them around here anymore at all. You can still catch the odd fox but they've become extremely sparse as well. Regardless of the "whose better" it's a shame that few good examples are still around today.

 

[mavmavv]

In the Camaro's defense, those TBI 5.0 motors were the biggest pieces of crap I have ever witnessed. The 5.7 TPI motors arent too bad.

I had a Carbed 93' TBI Headed 305 in my old 78 Chevy Pickup that was bagged, it had plenty of tq with the RV cam and shift kit, but man do they fall on their face after 4000 RPM.

The tables sure did turn when the LT1's came out and even more with the LS1. Still love my fox though, best bang for the buck!

 

[GTOreturns]

In the Camaro's defense, those TBI 5.0 motors were the biggest pieces of crap I have ever witnessed. The 5.7 TPI motors arent too bad.

I had a Carbed 93' TBI Headed 305 in my old 78 Chevy Pickup that was bagged, it had plenty of tq with the RV cam and shift kit, but man do they fall on their face after 4000 RPM.

The tables sure did turn when the LT1's came out and even more with the LS1. Still love my fox though, best bang for the buck!

+1

Never came across a fast 305 in my life!

 

[mavmavv]

+1

Never came across a fast 305 in my life!

It was produced as a smog motor, simple as that. I really wonder what GM was thinking though, its just so poorly designed.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Do we need to PM each other so I can splain things to you?

No thanks, i can do without all the GM fanatic propaganda

 

[GTOreturns]

It was produced as a smog motor, simple as that. I really wonder what GM was thinking though, its just so poorly designed.

Wanna hear a weird one? I raced my friends 1981 301 Trans Am in my 74 350 Chevelle,,, and I lost! (Both stock)

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

It's too bad the emissions junk killed off the Chevy 302. That was a badass motor.

 

[GTOreturns]

It's too bad the emissions junk killed off the Chevy 302. That was a badass motor.

I don't think it was emissions, but yeah, bad ass!

 

[Nibbie]

yeah the 305 sucked, the tpi 305 was ok but still slow, I have never lost to an old camaro with a 305 or old 350, maybe i never came across a fast one, Now an SS with an LS1 just kills me but Its all in good fun.

 

[Speeds8erM-1]

The 305 TBI is soooooo weak, small bore, long stroke, horrible induction setup, crap heads, low compression, TINY camshaft. I had an 89 Camaro RS as a beater years ago, was my friend's car, he traded it for an 87 Notch, I bought the car from the guy he traded to because I knew it had a new motor, fresh tranny rebuild etc.

That car was an auto with 2.73's, bone stock the best time it ever ran was a 10.44@67 in the 1/8, that was the BEST run that night, Im talking iced intake, good cool down, etc. I dont think it had the front sway bar then, timing might have been bumped as well.

After he blew the motor, put a .030 over 305 in it which is 310 cubic inches, Crane CompuCam 2020 Series .401/.423 Lift 194/204, Gutted Cat, Flowmaster Muffler, 14x3 K&N, removed the smog, took the passenger seat out, some crap MTP stall converter, it ran a whopping 9.72@72 MPH in cold weather. When I got the car it would only run 10.0'[email protected] MPH in the heat of august at full weight.

Another 305 TBI buddy of mine, gutted interior, no cat, 150 shot, slicks, ran mid 8's in the 1/8 lol.

Another friend of mine ran a [email protected] in a 90 LX Hatch, K&N Panel Filter, 14* of timing, otherwise bone stock, with a 303 pound driver, same car ran a [email protected] MPH with an offroad h pipe and flowmasters added to the combo.

 

[MikeROD16]

holy crap, those engines were so crappy and inefficient. i think they redeemed themselves with the ls1. i honestly think thats one of the few good motors chevy has out now.

 

[ill advised]

holy crap, those engines were so crappy and inefficient. i think they redeemed themselves with the ls1. i honestly think thats one of the few good motors chevy has out now.

The LS7 is also a fine specimen.

 

[GTOreturns]

The LS7 is also a fine specimen.

As is the LS-6 and the original LT-1.

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

My cousin STILL has his '89 Trans Am GTA with the 350 TPI and auto. T-roof as well. He's owned it since '91 and has repainted it and is on his 2nd engine(Edelbrock "hi-flo" top end and GM ZZ4 shortblock), it still looks great, drives great because he's never abused it. You just don't see them around here anymore at all. You can still catch the odd fox but they've become extremely sparse as well. Regardless of the "whose better" it's a shame that few good examples are still around today.

I love the GTA Trans Am's. Those are still sweet. Guy around here has a mint one he is asking 12,500 for it!! I just don't like the Camaros very much.

 

[25thmustang]

holy crap, those engines were so crappy and inefficient. i think they redeemed themselves with the ls1. i honestly think thats one of the few good motors chevy has out now.

Actually the GM motors are all really good. The 5.3, 6.0, Duramax, LS1, 6, 7, old school LT1 etc... The small motors I'm not sure about but the old 3.8s were good motors.

 

[GTOreturns]

Actually the GM motors are all really good. The 5.3, 6.0, Duramax, LS1, 6, 7, old school LT1 etc... The small motors I'm not sure about but the old 3.8s were good motors.

Yup!The 3.8 started out in the GN. My parents had a 90 Cutless Calias in 90 w/ the 3.8, that was a spunky little motor. It eventually wound up in the Camaro's & FireBirds.

 

[25thmustang]

Yeah the 3.8 Fbodies which were portly ran well. Low 15s and a few bolt ons well into the 14s. Not bad at all! The SCed versions found in a lot of GMs were good as well.