Kool

Not that I am advocating the LT1 but Ian Keith Dave and Don all were at the 24 hour autocross in Charlotte this past weekend and we were all very impressed with this red Trans Am that was ripping up the course. I think he was in F street prep. And he was as fast as the A stock miata's.

We all agreed that that car shouldn't be able to do the things that it was doing but it was. And sideways half way around the course.

ian

[quote]Originally posted by AutoXdriver:
<strong>One thing no one seems to notice - or at least comment on, is the fact that that a $25,00 American POS kept up quite well with that $50,00 M3. Yes it was a 15 y.o. verses an experienced driver and I'm not saying the cars are equal, but I for one was impressed with the relative nimbleness of the big american car at those speeds compared to what I thought would be the case.

</strong><hr></blockquote>

Err... 50,000 dollar BMW? Well lets see it is an E30 M3, and you can go pick one up for between 8K (basket case) to 18 (for a very very good example) or a bit more if it is an evo car. These cars were not designed for top speed runs, they are handlers, much like a 944, they have 2.3 L high strung S14 motor in them. Anyway, if you wanted to spend 25K on on you can do the conversion my friend did. A 3.2 L sway from an E36 M3. Say you started with a car with a blown motor, 5K, spend 15K on the engine tranny swap, that should get you 300-340 hp, and then the rest on the suspension. I would love to see the Camaro keep up then. Even if the cars were both stock, the M3 would probably walk away on a road coarse. Not to keep the ranting going, but the M3 is not a 50,000 dollar car.

We did see that Trans Am doing incredible things at the Auto-x, this is true, but I give the driver credit for slinging that heavy beast around like a toy, not the car.

UDPride

I can see both sides, but I think cops on the whoel get a bad rap. I sure wouldn't want their job. Its a thankless job to be sure and the only time anyone cars about you is when you do something wrong.

As far as nailing speeders, I stand a far greater chance of getting killed from a moronic guy driving his rice rocket or Dad doing 95mph in his Caravan with 4 kids in the back than being shot to death, so in that respect, I support the men in uniform. I know all of drive 10mph over the limit even when go just a block, but the cops have to draw the line somewhere. If it isnt 10mph, its 13. If not 13, then why not 15. There has to be a number and threshold somewhere. Perhaps that threshold on the signs is too slow for our liking, but Id rather get some place 10 minutes late than not at all I suppose.

AutoXdriver

Like I said earlier I'm not saying the cars are equal. Of course the M3 handles better. And new one's are $50K, new LT1 camaros are about $25K, of course I'm guessing but I think that's pretty close. I don't know what the older M3s cost and I'm not going to worry about it.

Actually I watched the video again and yes the camaro was sliding around quite a bit more than I first thought. Was entertaining though.

Robby

The original M3 was ~$36K- MORE than enough for what it actually was- that was like '88, so pretty steep- of course, a Turbo S was almost $50K, and some of them actually did hit $50K in '89...

EDIT: Just looked at the M3 test from C&D November '87- it went for $34,810- cool car- I'd LOVE to drive one one of these days. They weigh a little less than our cars (951 anyway)- should be a hair over 3000- curb was 2857.
weight dist: 52.9/47.1
Frontal Area: 20.0sqft (I'd LOVE to know the Cx, since it's FA is lower than a 951)
70-0: 179ft
LA (300ft diam): .81g
1/4: 15.2 @ 92
0-60: 6.9 (I KNEW that 5.7 was COMPLETE BS!)
0-110: 25.3
Top speed: 141 (best I've ever seen was something like an "estimated" 144)

The first VR6 Corrado tested (C&D June '92) did a HAIR better overall- I always think of them as very comparable cars, since they match up SO well. The VR6:
1/4: 15.0 @ 84
0-110: 24.8
0-120: 29.6
Top speed: 141
FA: 19.4sqft
Curb weight: 2837 (actual is like 2980 or so)
70-0: 175ft
LA (300ft diam): .84g

I know- no one asked for a comparison test- but- you got it anyway... I've just always liked those cars- except I've driven several Corrado VR6's, but never an E30- oh well...

930 under Restoration

Let me preface this by saying my uncle is a Sheriff’s deputy and worked jump and grab in narcotics for over 10 years in Memphis and has been in the department for almost 30 years. He actually caught REAL criminals. He told me one time that most traffic cops he knew, he didn’t like because of their bad attitudes and their utter ignorance of the law.

My main problem with traffic cops is that they, for the most part, believe they ARE the law and not just enforcers of the law. The real problem is these particular ****** have no idea what the laws are and certainly don’t know what civil rights are.

If you are excessively speeding, you should be pulled. Cops should only give chase in very extreme cases. On the police chase shows on TV, they never show all the innocent people killed by the person who is running or the cops that slam into peoples cars at high speeds. A lot of cities have passed laws preventing cops from chasing and why all cities don’t, I can’t understand. I know it would **** off a lot of these cowboy cops but oh well. The first cop chasing a speeder that hits and kills one of my family members is not going to have to worry about being sued or anything else for that matter, ever.

Oh yeah, all this Bulls$#@t about how cops don’t get enough credit or slack because they put their lives on the line everyday really pisses me off! It’s part of the job and it was their career choice so they should stop whining about it. When a cop gets killed all cops go on a rampage to catch the killer but when a citizen is killed, they might catch the guy and they might not. Cops care more about other cops than the people they are paid to protect.