Raced a TA, GTO, Stang GT, GT500, CBR600

[Chris Arnold]

This is a long one so here's the jist: On the way down to FL I got my stock '97 M6 vette into 4 races: CBR600 (non-RR), LS2 GTO, 98-02 Firebird TA, and a bolt-on 99-04 GT. On the way back raced only one GT500, and then got ridiculously unbelievable fuel mileage! Because this post is so long, a subject word is bolded in each paragraph so you can quickly discern the what you want to read.

First the CBR600 pulled up next to me and paced me for a few seconds which immediately got my attention. I looked over and he was looking straight at me. So, I downshifted and then pointed a finger forward motioning for him to go. He motioned back to give me the jump, and not being one to look a gift horse in the mouth I jumped on it so quickly it must've caught him off-guard based on the fact that he immediately fell back by about 1-1.5 cars. To my surprise, that is exactly where he stayed until I let off at the top of fourth (~140 mph). I suspected that the bike would've tromped off from me, but I guess he couldn't ride, or that the non-RR version just isn't very quick.

Next, the LS2 GTO: Now this was an interesting race to me. I raced one with a stick back when I lived at Fort Benning, GA. There, a mutual friend set an LS2 GTO with a 6-speed up against me and I won 3 out of 3 against him. I posted as much on LS1.com and was informed by quite a few GTO owners that the LS2 is as quick or quicker than my vette and that I just out drove that guy. So, in this race, I didn't know what to expect. So needless to say, I was highly anticipating round two. That level of interest was high until the race started... We both hammered it at the same time, and there wasn't really any driving involved, I just stayed in it pulling away steadily from start to finish. Racing from a highway roll up to around 120 resulted in more than 3 car lengths and he was falling back fast.

Third race was against an LS1 trans-am with a custom liscense plate of "RUN IT". Clearly, this was a guy who wouldn't turn down a race and by the time I rolled up next to him, he was already in a low gear waiting for me. He got a bit of a jump and probably matched his rear-wheel to my front, but at that point ~100mph, the vette began to reel him in. By the top of fourth, I had him by 2-3 cars. He pulled up smiling and waving and went on his way.

Fourth Race was against a modified 99-04 GT. One of the cool things about this race was that my mom and my little brothers who were in the Excursion were actually close enough to see it. Maybe that's not a good example to set, but whatever, it was fun. Now I say it had bolt-ons, but for all I really know, it only had an exhaust b/c it was loud as hell. I totally expected that something dangerous lurked underneath his Cobra R hood. The paint job on this mustang was beautiful and it had a ground effects all around the car with two white stripes running down the middle. We didn't really start evenly. I was following mom's excursion. She was in the right lane sort of in front of a column of traffic, and she slowed down to give us both an opening to get through the traffic. When the road opened up ahead of her, he jumped over and went WOT. I was probably 2-3 lengths back and on it practically at the same time. This was a tough car to run down. I'd say we started at about 55mph. I did eventually make it by him, but I was towards the top of fourth, and shifted into fifth just after I passed to ensure that I had a couple of lengths before i let off. the 4-5 gear shift in the vette happens at right at around 140mph. I wasn't watching the speedo, but I'd say we both let off at right around 150mph. I only had him by a car or two at that point. I think that this race would've been a good one from a stop because I'm positive that the vette has a tremendous aero advantage at really high speeds. I'll bet that mustang would get out in front with a big advantage from a stop.

On the way back from FL I ran into a Shelby GT500, and to be perfectly honest, I was a little disappointed. The guy opened it up right in front of me and did not pull away. Of course I wasn't about to pass him or anything, but I sort of expected him to put a good buslength on me. Oh well, maybe I'll get my fill of one of them at the track this thursday.

Other than the GT500, I could've raced a loud mean looking 94-98 GT, but was instead more focused on gas mileage. On the way back from FL my total trip mileage according to the DIC (driver's information center) was 36.6 mpg for a total of ~750 miles. I know this sounds a little ridiculous and I thought it was probably closer to 33mpg. So, I actually reset a trip meter and filled my gas tank to the fill tube at the one gas stop I made. Then when I got to Bellbrook, I stopped at the first gas station and measured the fuel it took to completely fill the tank to the fill tube again. That leg of the trip was ~365 miles, and I used 9.4xx gallons. Down to 4 significant digits (I did have both the mileage and fuel consumed exactly), the calculated fuel mileage came out to 38.79 mpg. That seems absurd even to me, but I assure you that my math was correct. So the only thing that could be throwing it off is if the vette is not registering the correct mileage. I think it's probably pretty accurate, but I'll find out next time I take a trip along side someone else. I think the keys to my awesome mileage included staying in 6th and averaging probably 55 mph the whole way (staying between 45-65), and drifting down steep enough hills in neutral where i could pull hte car out of gear and let the RPMs drop to idle while the car maintained speed or accelerated due to gravity. It wasn't an all-out attempt to maximize fuel economy or I would've kept my speed between 45 & 50mph. But other than the speed I'd say it was about the best I could do. I'm sure I pissed off a lot of people on the interstate

If you made it this far, you must've been pretty bored.... The moral of the story: I love my LS1!

Later,

Chris

[tigersport14]

good races

[hoss 2000 z-28]

Fun times! What a great way to get through a long drive. The only way I can figure an LS1 could get mileage like that is if you had HP Tuners plugged in with a wideband and you played with your AFR on the road. The guy that tuned my car did something like that and got crazy gas mileage. Maybe your car isn't counting mileage correctly? At any rate, gotta love those C5's.

[hutch1999]

nice runs, sounds like you can drive

[TwIzZtEd]

GT500's suck balls for what they are. I have yet to see one that has impressed me.

[Chris Arnold]

Thanks Hutch, I like to think that I can drive a little better than the average enthusiast. It was all just having some fun, and like Hoss said it was a great way to pass the time on the way down.

And Hoss, don't worry brother, I find it so hard to believe that I am questioning the accuracy of my speedometer. If the car thinks it's going faster than it really is, then that would throw everything off. It measure 36.6 mpg for the entire trip. However, I did not depend on it alone. I actually calculated the mpg to 38.79 based on the fuel I put in at the end of the trip and the distance from my last fuel stop. So, when I drive around tomorrow, I'm going to check my vette's speedo and odometer against someone else to make sure it isn't off. Everything is stock, so I think it probably is right and I probably did pull that kind of gas mileage. Will find out more tomorrow.

Twizzted, I'm an avid mustang enthusiast and subscribe to MM&FF and 5.0 mustang magazines. I own a 1991 5.0 and have built 4 different combos for my 3 different mustangs. I have to admit that my first impression after playing against one for the first time is disappointment. I mean they are heavy cars, but they have 500 friggen horsepower. I think that my stock 345hp vette should be a lamb to the slaughter, but he did not pull away. I hope he just wasn't getting everything he should have out of it.

Chris

[tigersport14]

GT500's suck balls for what they are. I have yet to see one that has impressed me.

has anything ever impressed you? lol

[TwIzZtEd]

has anything ever impressed you? lol

LOL Yeah. I have seen several top fuel cars that are just AMAZING!!!!!!!
But locally......There is only one car that is driven daily that does. It is a blue 03 Cobra with black wheels. That thing is bad azzzzzzzzzzzz!!! There was the lthlpsi Cobra that was impressive also(04 yellow). I smoked him though in my old car. Cool cat though. But when it comes to Ford byproducts.....not allot do. Several Fbodies are amazing locally.

[TwIzZtEd]

Thanks Hutch, I like to think that I can drive a little better than the average enthusiast. It was all just having some fun, and like Hoss said it was a great way to pass the time on the way down.

And Hoss, don't worry brother, I find it so hard to believe that I am questioning the accuracy of my speedometer. If the car thinks it's going faster than it really is, then that would throw everything off. It measure 36.6 mpg for the entire trip. However, I did not depend on it alone. I actually calculated the mpg to 38.79 based on the fuel I put in at the end of the trip and the distance from my last fuel stop. So, when I drive around tomorrow, I'm going to check my vette's speedo and odometer against someone else to make sure it isn't off. Everything is stock, so I think it probably is right and I probably did pull that kind of gas mileage. Will find out more tomorrow.

Twizzted, I'm an avid mustang enthusiast and subscribe to MM&FF and 5.0 mustang magazines. I own a 1991 5.0 and have built 4 different combos for my 3 different mustangs. I have to admit that my first impression after playing against one for the first time is disappointment. I mean they are heavy cars, but they have 500 friggen horsepower. I think that my stock 345hp vette should be a lamb to the slaughter, but he did not pull away. I hope he just wasn't getting everything he should have out of it.

Chris

Those cars, for what they are supossed to be, suck worse than gay porn for christs sake!! Terrible stuff. I am not saying they aren't fast, they are. But for 65k you are running cam only Fbody range and losing generally. FORD missed the mark by a long shot. The Terminator cars are a force to be reconded with. The 500 = prison bitch! I have yet to race one. I have SMOKED C6 ZO6's to the point they wish they had never bought one (ok maybe not it still is a ZO6) but, you get my point. Anyways the day I race a 500 will be the equivalent to beating a fast ricer. Ho hum glad I did it but nothing to brag about. Kind of like a drunken night in a club.LOL

[tigersport14]

LOL Yeah. I have seen several top fuel cars that are just AMAZING!!!!!!!
But locally......There is only one car that is driven daily that does. It is a blue 03 Cobra with black wheels. That thing is bad azzzzzzzzzzzz!!! There was the lthlpsi Cobra that was impressive also(04 yellow). I smoked him though in my old car. Cool cat though. But when it comes to Ford byproducts.....not allot do. Several Fbodies are amazing locally.

what was your old car? didnt you have like an SS or something?

[TwIzZtEd]

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c6...kiddies010.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c6...kiddies011.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c6...kiddies012.jpg

[tigersport14]

thats sick, what were you putting down

[TwIzZtEd]

thats sick, what were you putting down

502 rwhp NA 720RWHP on the juice. I miss that car.

[tigersport14]

wow, amazing. so what are you putting down now?

[TwIzZtEd]

wow, amazing. so what are you putting down now?

555rwhp NA then add 350 shot on top.

[tigersport14]

amazing... when i get my tranny fixed we should hit up memorial or something

[TwIzZtEd]

I just bought a MClEOD tWIN DISK. i AM TIRED OF CLUTCH ISSUES. I will let you know when she is ready and we will meet up.

[TwIzZtEd]

Whata re you putting down man?

[tigersport14]

well, nothing even close to you. but i have ram air ls6 intake manifold and cut off the exhaust after the y pipe... so idk how much ill be putting down. should have headers/true duals in about a month.

[Chris Arnold]

That's not bad twizzted.

I'm building a mustang that I hope will be able to run with guys like you. The engine is complete, the cage is in, and I've got the suspension parts in, but I still need to decide on a transmission and a rear-end. I just bought a Spec stage 3+ to use with my Tremec TKO in the mean time. Have you had that clutch? Any problems?

What tranny are you running.... I'm sure it's a T56, but who built it? I haven't decided whether to go manual or auto, but if I go manual, I'm leaning towards a tranzilla or a G-force T56.

If I go auto, I'm probably going to go with a TH400 or a powerglide with a gear vendors OD.

The motor is a SBF 331 Windsor with a dart block, billet internals, and a GT4276 Turbo. Maybe it'll be ready to run ya when I get back from Iraq in December.

Chris