convertible diet

I don't know the actual #s but those stock buckets were pretty heavy even with half of it rotted away, I bought racing seats that I feel are much more comfortable and could lift them in and out of the car with one hand, Had to have lost some substantial weight there? I tokk out the AC also but the condensor and the pump don't feel like much not as much of a difference as the seats. Back seat doesn't feel like it really weighs anything???
 
thanks for the help guys i think i might try pulling the a/c and some sound deadening stuff and maybe further down the road ill go to a tubular k member. Ill probably work with the suspension more over the winter too (subframes and maybe a few other things). speaking of suspensions i have a question- what does the g trac bar do? what does it mount to? will it help me?
 
i love the 92-93 convertable GTs..If you put enough money into it it would really be a neck snapper looker..I have seen one in the mag with a blown 351 or sumtin with 700HP, it was owned by a cop and i loved it..I already have the coupe so i am thinkin either a vert project or a new cobra 4.6 but that will make me broke.
 
here is my 87 and a pic of its 306
feb27.JPG

123-2386_IMG.JPG

frnts.JPG


It has a black nose right now with new clear lamps.
122-2207_IMG.JPG
 
The people that are rattling off "I'll never buy another vert again" or "they are too heavy and worthless for a fast car" are the people I embarass the hell out of in my vert. Your lazy, is what it comes down to. A vert weighs roughly 150lbs more than a hatch of the same trim level, this is realistic. This is what everyone is complaining about? 150 lbs? 100lbs is a tenth in the quarter, so considering this a vert is .15 seconds slower in the quarter. It's all in peoples heads, just add more horsepower and you can do everything they can without a top on your car. I added subframes, and tossed in a H/C/I blown 302 and I've never had anyone tell me it was a waste of money, and I rather enjoy sending the coupe and hatch owners 5 cars back with my hair blowing in the wind. The realistic things that do suck about convertibles is the extra safety requirements required in drag racing in relation to the times of hardbodied cars, and also 10 year top change.

I own a hatch daily driver, and as far as chassis stiffness, with the subframes on the vert, it feels quite a bit stiffer, and I Enjoy the ride much better.
 
ponycar17 said:
Man, never knew how lazy I was before. I guess the fact that comparable coupes and hatches hook better, encounter less aero resistance as they approach 100 mph, and go quicker is all in my head. Thanks for clearing it up man...

:nice:

Encounter less aero resistance? Foxes are some of the most un-aerodynamic cars on the planet. Everything you have rattled off is solved with a head change or another pulley. You dont seem to understand what I'm saying, your speaking in relative terms. Your comparisons are so miniscule that you probably couldn't even find substantial evidence to back them up, the drag coefficients between a convertible and a coupe would not even be measurable in a quarter mile pass... this is some last ditch argument I would expect to read in an import tuner magazine. Hooking better is solved by subframes, $30 at your local hardware store. This is what I mean by relative, the actual comparsion to say that coupes or hatches are better is a weak argument when you factor in just how little of differences there are in drag racing. Internet talk and magazine articles ridiculously over inflate this.. If you have the experience at the track and have seen what the real differences are, you wouldn't be posting here I assure you. You slice the top off a coupe and it becomes immediantly inferior? nonsense. What you may find interesting if you read up on turbostangs is that the convertible drag cars weight increase over the rear tires do to the top mechanics increase launch ability with a stiffened chassis (subframes, moreso with cage). Road racing is quite another situation for convertibles, they are less nimble and responsive to quick changes in direction. You seem to be bitter about how your saying "lightly" modified coupes are handing it to you.. the facts have been explained, LS1 coupes are heavier than fox verts, so they are inferior, right?
 
JadeFalcon said:
Encounter less aero resistance? Foxes are some of the most un-aerodynamic cars on the planet. Everything you have rattled off is solved with a head change or another pulley. You dont seem to understand what I'm saying, your speaking in relative terms. Your comparisons are so miniscule that you probably couldn't even find substantial evidence to back them up, the drag coefficients between a convertible and a coupe would not even be measurable in a quarter mile pass. Hooking better is solved by subframes, $30 at your local hardware store. This is what I mean by relative, the actual comparsion to say that coupes or hatches are better is a weak argument when you factor in just how little of differences there are in drag racing. Road racing is quite another situation.

I understand your arguments... I have subframes, I have pullies, I have AFR 165 heads... etc... Still, comparable hardtops are quicker, and hook better... And coefficient of drag can only be accurately measured on an immovable object. A rattling top, even an unnoticible movement can mean big aero disturbances. Rattling in the wind, making waves of air that either add constructive or destructive interference is GOING to cause larger resistance to air. I don't want to go into trying to prove that so I'll concede for sanity's sake...

And mods...

Performance:
Crane 2031 Cam
Walbro 255 lph fuel pump
24# Injectors
Pro-M MAF Tuner System
Kirban Adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator
Crane 1.7 RRs
AFR 165 Heads
TFS Street Heat Intake
Pro-M 75
Accufab 70mm Throttle Body
Cold Air Intake
FRPP 1-5/8" Ceramic Coated Shorty Headers
MAC Offroad H-Pipe
Stage 8 SS Locking Header Bolts
2-Chamber Flowmasters
Tommy Glenn Custom Size BIGASS Full Length Subframe Connectors
Tommy Glenn Custom D/S Loop
FMS 4.10 Gears
FMS Aluminum Driveshaft
Steeda Adjustable UCAs
Rebuilt T-lok
timing at 16 deg.
180* thermostat
Griffin 31X19" Aluminum Radiator
Black Magic Electric Fan
3G Alternator
Optima Red Top Battery
ASP Anodized Red Aluminum U/D Pullies
Pro 5.0 Shifter w/ Tri-Ax handle
17X8 '97 Cobra Wheels
Spec Stage II Clutch
245/45 Michelin XGT-Z4s on all Corners
Steeda Quadrant and Firewall Adjuster
Steeda Adjustable Upper Control Arms
MSD Billet Distributor

8.8 @ 82.5 is the best the car's done in the 1/8th. That was on Nitto DRs with 16 psi of air in mid-day october (and with a 3.55 gear; the 4.10 has gotten close but no cigar). A hot track and cool air... Yes, I know lightly modified coupes that can do better. I've never gotten the car to hook well, from slipping the clutch, to dumping the clutch, to every air combination and burnout elapsed time you can imagine...

the facts have been explained, LS1 coupes are heavier than fox verts, so they are inferior, right?

Well, no... If you're referring to hard tops, they yield less chance for torsional flex along the drivetrain axis, and they're weight proportioning is better than a Fox...

Stock, my car's best was a 9.62 @ 76.5 MPH in the 1/8th with Nittos and a 3.55 gear.
 
good lord what altitude are you at? I was able to take down mid 7 second cars with 9psi of boost on gt40 heads and intake.

and btw I updated the post you replied to substantially.


ponycar17 said:
I understand your arguments... I have subframes, I have pullies, I have AFR 165 heads... etc... Still, comparable hardtops are quicker, and hook better... And coefficient of drag can only be accurately measured on an immovable object. A rattling top, even an unnoticible movement can mean big aero disturbances. Rattling in the wind, making waves of air that either add constructive or destructive interference is GOING to cause larger resistance to air. I don't want to go into trying to prove that so I'll concede for sanity's sake...

And mods...

Performance:
Crane 2031 Cam
Walbro 255 lph fuel pump
24# Injectors
Pro-M MAF Tuner System
Kirban Adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator
Crane 1.7 RRs
AFR 165 Heads
TFS Street Heat Intake
Pro-M 75
Accufab 70mm Throttle Body
Cold Air Intake
FRPP 1-5/8" Ceramic Coated Shorty Headers
MAC Offroad H-Pipe
Stage 8 SS Locking Header Bolts
2-Chamber Flowmasters
Tommy Glenn Custom Size BIGASS Full Length Subframe Connectors
Tommy Glenn Custom D/S Loop
FMS 4.10 Gears
FMS Aluminum Driveshaft
Steeda Adjustable UCAs
Rebuilt T-lok
timing at 16 deg.
180* thermostat
Griffin 31X19" Aluminum Radiator
Black Magic Electric Fan
3G Alternator
Optima Red Top Battery
ASP Anodized Red Aluminum U/D Pullies
Pro 5.0 Shifter w/ Tri-Ax handle
17X8 '97 Cobra Wheels
Spec Stage II Clutch
245/45 Michelin XGT-Z4s on all Corners
Steeda Quadrant and Firewall Adjuster
Steeda Adjustable Upper Control Arms
MSD Billet Distributor

8.8 @ 82.5 is the best the car's done in the 1/8th. That was on Nitto DRs with 16 psi of air in mid-day october. A hot track and cool air... Yes, I know lightly modified coupes that can do better. I've never gotten the car to hook well, from slipping the clutch, to dumping the clutch, to every air combination and burnout elapsed time you can imagine...
 
:flag: :bang: I`ve owned an 89 LX vert for 11 years now its a great car I can see the
sense of having a notch as a good daily driver and a better performing
car all around however I`ve out run a couple notchs I know weren`t stock
as well as new lightnings ,add to the list a slew of transams Z-28s as well
as cobras you can make a vert perform just takes a little more effort




twisted wedge heads
cobra intake
65mm throttle body
73mm maf
e-303cam
1.6roller rockers
mac 1/5/8 shortie headers
dr gas xpipe with 3'' cats
flowmaster cat back
373 ring&pinon
svo 5spd trans
motorsport clutch
kb aluminim quadrent
kb firewall adjuster
190lb per hr fuel pump
adjustable fuel pressure regulator
subframe connectors
g load brace
strut tower brace
eibach spings
kyb shocks
cobra front rotors pbr calipers stainless steel brake lines
mark VII rear dics ,cobra master cylinder ,wilwood proportioning vavle
cobra wheels
msd
battery moved to trunk
pro 5.0 shifter
bbk cold air kit with K&N filter
125 shot nitrous
 
Dark Knight said:
sounds like you have some probs, maybe a different cam needed?
I've run an [email protected] with a 2.01 60 ft.. with the stock cam still.. higher elevation and temp... cant get any lower with the 60ft.. bad wheel hop..

I ran ~81.5 or so with the stock cam as well. I guess I gained a little MPH, but the cam really didn't wake the car up at all. On the other hand, it revs more easily to 6K now.