You can be competitve in any 4th gen car. Although the LS1 cars are
quicker in the quarter mile, it is mostly upper RPMs, not usually seen
in solo II.
Some reliability things about LT1 cars vs LS1 cars:
Engine and tranny are fairly bulletproof. On LT1 cars they have the
optispark ignition (optical) which tends to kill itself every couple of
years ($320 for the part alone).
the power steering on both LS1 and LT1 cars is prone to overheating and
fluid boiling, although 1LE LS1 cars, SS, and WS6 LS1 cars come with a
power steering cooler which helps (I have never boiled my fluid at an
autox).
One thing that the LS1 car has over the LT1 car is the aluminum block,
heads and plastic intake manifold. If you open the hood on an LS1 car
for 10 minutes it will be stone cold again, while an LT1 car having an
Iron block, aluminum heads, aluminum intake, retains heat a lot more.
So you dont lose as much power because of a hot engine with the LS1
although its probably not that big of a deal for autox.
You do not have to have a 1LE car to be competitve. Just get a 6 speed,
preferable no t-tops (power stuff doesnt add too much weight, so power
windows, locks etc are really no problem).
the only real thing to get is shocks (I recommend Konis).
I use a bigger front sway bar too, but Dean Sapp is the current Fstock
national champ in a stock (except for shocks) 1998 Firebird.
4th gen camarobirds are cambered challenged cars. you can only get about
-.5 to -.7 degrees of camber on most cars. I run zero toe (Ive found
that toe out doesnt help much except to increase slip angles on the
tires and wear them faster).
Thats really about it. you can really beat the crap out of those cars
and they handle it just fine.
Thats about all I can think of now,
oh they are fairly inexpensive. Want to spend 18K, go for a 1998 Z28 6
speed (more fun at the dragstrip).
Alex Tziortzis
1998 Z28 1LE 6 speed
13.24 @ 107.5 quarter (2.12 60 ft)
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