Top speeds in 3.8 Fbodies

[Bonemaro]

Re: Top speeds in 3.8 Fbodies

These cars were not meant to go this fast. After driving my C6 (really fast), driving the Camaro 100+ feels like driving a double-decker bus. That can't be safe.

Exactly... I felt like a boat going down the interstate. One bad spot in the road or one jerk of the wheel and I would have been toast. You could feel the rearend floating and swinging with every little bump. The best I've done since then is around 90. Hell, doing over 100 was probably 3 years ago.

I must respectfully disagree. I have cruised during certain situations in excess of 110MPH and found that my car felt pretty responsive and solid.

[Fireball27]

Re: Top speeds in 3.8 Fbodies

I do, however, find it hard to believe that a completely stock F-body with the exception of !limiter, would be able to reach the same speed as a car with the same gearing and 3 times the power on any length of road.

Pretty much every single car in the entire world's top speed is limited by air resistance (or drag if you want). As a car travels faster the amount of "power" required to push it through the air goes up exponentially based on this formula: HP = MPH^3 x FA / 150,000. Or in other words the horse power required to overcome air resistance is the speed (in mph) cubed times the frontal area (in sq ft) divided by 150,000. So, if you happen to have a particulaly streamlined shape you can overcome the wind resistance at a given speed with less power. For example: The Bugatti Veyron has 1001hp and a top speed of 253mph; to get to 150mph the Bugatti requires only 250hp, but to get that last 100mph it requires another 750hp! Now if the Bugatti had a smaller frontal area.. and say looked like the ship from Flight of the Navigator then it would be able to go even faster. This is why all the cars that have held the land speed record looked like missiles- its a very slippery shape.

So an F-body could infact reach a higher top speed than another vehicle with more power and the same gearing.. but only if its frontal surface area was significantly less (like if it was racing a box truck or something ;) )




Intrestingly the first stock bodied car to break 300 mph was an F-Body. Yep, a 3rd gen Firebird to be precise. Needless to say it doesn't have the stock gearing. http://www.kugelkomponents.com/bonne...onneville.html

[kala]

Re: Top speeds in 3.8 Fbodies

the mathmatical limits are as follows:
for a M5, 6000 rpm in top gear would put them at 197 MPH
for a A4, 6000 rpm in top gear would put the car at 212 MPH

You spelled "Mathematical" wrong...



:)

[Christopherrr]

Re: Top speeds in 3.8 Fbodies

I buried my speedo at 130...and was at 5000 rpms. So 140 is possible with more road.

[Smoke Panther]

Re: Top speeds in 3.8 Fbodies

You spelled "Mathematical" wrong...



:)

look at me care

[t-topV6]

Re: Top speeds in 3.8 Fbodies

You spelled "Mathematical" wrong...



:)

shhh don't correct panther... bad things happen... just let him correct you :)

[kala]

Re: Top speeds in 3.8 Fbodies

look at me care

...he makes me lol



:)

[SpeedingFirebird]

Re: Top speeds in 3.8 Fbodies

Intrestingly the first stock bodied car to break 300 mph was an F-Body. Yep, a 3rd gen Firebird to be precise. Needless to say it doesn't have the stock gearing. http://www.kugelkomponents.com/bonne...onneville.html

:omg:

"We also run the stock rear spoiler from a 1990 Pontiac Firebird on our 1992 car because we feel that is the best spoiler that Pontiac has. It’s not an aftermarket spoiler, it’s an actual stock rear spoiler and it’s the one that starts on the glass itself and goes all the way around the deck lid."

"If you’re going to go 300 mph in a stock-bodied production car at Bonneville, the car of choice is a Pontiac Firebird," said Joe Kugel. "Out of all the production cars, it probably has the lowest drag as far as aerodynamics are concerned, and at 300 mph, this Firebird has to be the most stable vehicle that’s ever been built."

:drool:

[F-Body_SS-Man]

Re: Top speeds in 3.8 Fbodies

the mathmatical limits are as follows:
for a M5, 6000 rpm in top gear would put them at 197 MPH
for a A4, 6000 rpm in top gear would put the car at 212 MPH

Yes it may be true but the 3.8 does not have enough power to get it going that fast. You would however be able to do that if you had the power.

Even an LS would take a long time for it to get to those speeds.

[camaroincal]

Re: Top speeds in 3.8 Fbodies

These cars were not meant to go this fast. After driving my C6 (really fast), driving the Camaro 100+ feels like driving a double-decker bus. That can't be safe.

This is not true, because the V8 versions of our V6's are the exact same car/ chassis etc. except for some very minor differences like stiffer front springs because V8's are heavier etc. And the V8 Camaros are made to go in excess of 150 mph. Maybe your car feels unsafe because something is wrong with it as its not new anymore whereas your C6 is brand new and is smooth as can be. I know in my 97 Camaro V6, my car feels as smooth as butter at 115 mph because I make sure my car is in perfect running condition. The most important thing is to have the tire pressures equal and high enough when you attempt a high speed run. I like to have my pressures at 35 psi on all 4 tires and my car is smooth as hell at all speeds. :) I'm sure you know all of this and I'm not trying to teach you anything, but it doesn't make sense to say a 4th gen V6 f-body "wasn't meant to go fast" when essentially if you threw a supercharger on it and removed the limiter, it'll hit 150 just like a Z28 and will have the same stability as a Z28, if your car is in good shape...

[Smoke Panther]

Re: Top speeds in 3.8 Fbodies

Yes it may be true but the 3.8 does not have enough power to get it going that fast. You would however be able to do that if you had the power.

Even an LS would take a long time for it to get to those speeds.

May I direct your attention to another one of my posts in this very thread:

How fast can a stock V6 f-body can actually get in real life? I don't know. But, what I do know is that, in each case, it will never go above the aforementioned speeds.

[F-Body_SS-Man]

Re: Top speeds in 3.8 Fbodies

Well i didnt read through all the comments.

[t-topV6]

Re: Top speeds in 3.8 Fbodies

Well i didnt read through all the comments.

i did... but i don't all the time, so i don't blame you.. its 5 pages...:)

[F-Body_SS-Man]

Re: Top speeds in 3.8 Fbodies

As long as we understand. I dont want to have to cyber box you for who is right. lol!

[t-topV6]

Re: Top speeds in 3.8 Fbodies

As long as we understand. I dont want to have to cyber box you for who is right. lol!

why not... that would be funny... :)