Hello

[luvmysentra]

Alright, so I am currently living in California. Great place to visit but my not my favorite to perminately live in. My husband really wanted a Nissan sentra about 2 years ago, so I got one for him. That's the way we roll, he owns my car I own his. Well I guess the car didn't live up to his expectations because he has asked me to sell the car and buy him an LS1. I don't know much about cars so I will be asking a lot of questions. All I know is that he doesn't want anything older than a '98, and he would like it to be in a dark/ midnight blue. Please don't try and give me false information because I will be triple checking my facts, other than that if there is any advice, or reccomended way of doing things I'm all for it. I have about 8 months to try and do this.

[Fastcar]

Buy him the new Sentra coupe! Sharp looking car, just saw it at the NY Auto show. He'll love that! First lesson: an LS1 can be a Corvette, Trans Am, or Camaro. What's his choice? Be sure instead of sorry! BTW, what happens after 8 months if you don't come through? Grounds for divorce? (JK) Why not let him do his own homework? Then, he'll have no one else to blame!

[luvmysentra]

Well I know that he wants a Trans Am. I jsut feel that if we wait for him to come home (he's in the military) then he won't want to sell the sentra. Now I love my car and all but I know that he will be happier working on the Trans with our friends and taking it to the track. If he doesn't like the car that I get then no worries because I won't buy something that I don't like or that I wouldn't drive. He can always get stuck with the Lancer until he sells it! I will have to check out the Sentra coupe, the main problem that we had with the 2.5 SeR was that no one really made modification parts. I know that I bought an exhaust, and some other little things but nothing to really improve the car.

[GOT1GOAT]

Nice wifey. Please get the man an american muscle car and get him away from the ricedom.
And whats with the triple checks? Do you think that you are dealing with ricer-ronies here.
We don't need to fabricate anything here so relax and enjoy the wealth and knowledge that you can get here.K?

[luvmysentra]

I don't mean to offend anyone. I definately know I'm not dealing with rice burnners, they are way too annoying! I promised my husband that I would check with a friend of ours before I sold OR bought a car. He's here and has the knowledge, I just don't like to bother him at work so I figured I would join here and get input the fast and easy way.

[GOT1GOAT]

No offense dear. Just want you to know that the members here will steer you clear on any LS1 topic you need to know about and assist you anyway that we can. I admire your fortitude and looking out for your hubby and wish he and you the best.

[Y2KPewterSS]

Ask all the questions you want, lots of people here that will assist you.

[luvmysentra]

Thanx guys. I did find some cars that I wanted to look into more but I lost my list. I'll probably start another one tonight after work. I'll probably be asking what seem like obvious questions but please just go with me.

[luvmysentra]

Okay so I had a few minutes before I had to leave for work..... Is there a difference between the formula trans am and the trans am? I found car that I liked but after I read more about it I'm not sure I like it anymore. The asking price is $722, and I wouldn't have to pay shiping because I could get it when I go to visit my parents. The miles are 84438 and it's a '93, title is clear and it has a coupe body. Oh and it's an auto which he was undecided if he wanted an auto or stick. It's an 8 cyl. 5.7 liter. Now the problem, the kid who's selling it, his brother drove it with low oil and pretty much ruined the engine. I was curious as to how much time and money I'm looking at to fix it? My brother had done the same stupid thing (I will NEVER let him live it down) but we just got rid of the car, his was old and not really worth fixing. Okay goin' to work now.

[SeVeReDiStOrTiOn]

Okay so I had a few minutes before I had to leave for work..... Is there a difference between the formula trans am and the trans am? I found car that I liked but after I read more about it I'm not sure I like it anymore. The asking price is $722, and I wouldn't have to pay shiping because I could get it when I go to visit my parents. The miles are 84438 and it's a '93, title is clear and it has a coupe body. Oh and it's an auto which he was undecided if he wanted an auto or stick. It's an 8 cyl. 5.7 liter. Now the problem, the kid who's selling it, his brother drove it with low oil and pretty much ruined the engine. I was curious as to how much time and money I'm looking at to fix it? My brother had done the same stupid thing (I will NEVER let him live it down) but we just got rid of the car, his was old and not really worth fixing. Okay goin' to work now.

A formula is a firebird with a v8 and has some body differences like the front-end and spoiler...a Trans Am only comes with a v8. That 93 sounds like more problems than it's worth...also the engine is a LT1 and not a LS1 like your husband wants.

[Fastcar]

LS1 engines came in 1997 - 2005 Corvettes and 1998 - 2002 Camaros, Trans Ams, Formulas (I believe), and Firehawks. LS1 engines were a totally new design from GM and had many improvements over their predecessor LT1. If you can, most definitely try to get an LS1. Firehawks were modified by SLP Engineering in NJ from stock Formulas. They had, among other things, suspension and bodywork modifications, most notably a different hood from stock GM TAs and Formulas. They were rebadged and given a serial number specific to the Firehawk series. P.S. I meant Altima coupe, not Sentra. Will be out in late June, body looks like a 350Z but with front wheel drive, a rear seat, and the same 260-ish horsepower V6 that comes with the V6 Altima. But, remember the old saying, "I shoulda had a V8!!"

[luvmysentra]

Okay, we definately want a v8 and a back seat. A friend of ours who we have known for almost 7 years now, has a firehawk but I never asked him anything about it. So now I know that I have to look for anything past a '97. Now which is better.... the formula or Trans AM? OR which do you think he would like better? He plans on taking it to the track.

[secondgearscratch]

Okay, we definately want a v8 and a back seat. A friend of ours who we have known for almost 7 years now, has a firehawk but I never asked him anything about it. So now I know that I have to look for anything past a '97. Now which is better.... the formula or Trans AM? OR which do you think he would like better? He plans on taking it to the track.

just to start. 05 vettes arent ls1s.

anyway, the formula and t/a are the same basic thing minus a few (and i stress few) exterior styling differences. like previously said, the front end and the spoiler. the t/a has a high spoiler, while the formula has the spoiler like the v6 firebirds have. some t/a's have the ram air hood, but mostly ws6s have it. the ws6 model is simply a performance package dealing with stiffer springs and bigger sway bars. it gets the higher hp rating but that is completely debatable to whether there is any real difference. at any rate, the ws6 model is the highest on the food chain, as is the ss with the camaros.

the only benefit between the ws6/ss as opposed to regular ls1 models is the slight suspension upgrades they possess. otherwise, its all the same shit.

so in regards to your questions of what he would like and what is better, it is solely personal preference. in the end, they all perform the same with only tenths of a seconds difference between certain models. some like the t/a , some like the camaro, but all like the ls1.

its an extremely efficient, tire buring, torque monster that is ridiculously fun and fast in stock form, and becomes quite unbelievable when its modified. it will get you 26-29 miles per gallon on the highway depending on your transmission choice, and has a huge abundance of torque in 1-4 and even 5th gear has a decent pull, even more astonishing when you consider the fact that its an overdrive gear! i have had 2 ls1 camaros and have yet to see a downfall with either of them. they are great cars. if your husband wants track time, there is arguably no other engine that can produce the hp and torque for a reasonable price like lsx engines. just tell him to be prepared for a sick fucking car. good luck to you and as said before, we're all hear and we're all learing too (atleast i am) so we will answer anything you come up with gladly.

[luvmysentra]

Okay, I understood most of that. I've heard about the spoilers alot around my husband's work but never really undrestood it (still don't). I know that he's a little like me (hence the marriage), so I'm thinking the formula eddition would be best. Now is the WS6 an LS1?

[secondgearscratch]

Okay, I understood most of that. I've heard about the spoilers alot around my husband's work but never really undrestood it (still don't). I know that he's a little like me (hence the marriage), so I'm thinking the formula eddition would be best. Now is the WS6 an LS1?

the ws6 is just a name for a performance package. here this may help:

Ls1:
firebird formula 98-02
firebird formula ws6 98-02
trans am 98-02
trans am ws6 98-02
camaro z28 98-02
camaro z28 ss 98-02
corvette 97-04
corvette z06 00-04

in the trans am forum, they have a "sticky" which is a post that doesnt go away entitled "official show your birds thread" i cant link it for some reason but its easy to find. go in there and take a look around at all the different formulas and trans ams of members on here!

[luvmysentra]

That is a huge help. I went to the sticky and made to page 8. I'm liking the darker colors and rounder body. There was a yellow one which I would take in heart beat. Is the trans am ws6 already low or did the guy just re do the springs? Oh and what does the Formuls m5 and m6 mean? There was also a pic of a camaro RS?

[secondgearscratch]

That is a huge help. I went to the sticky and made to page 8. I'm liking the darker colors and rounder body. There was a yellow one which I would take in heart beat. Is the trans am ws6 already low or did the guy just re do the springs? Oh and what does the Formuls m5 and m6 mean? There was also a pic of a camaro RS?

m6 means manual transission, 6 speed. m5 would be the same but with 5...

all ls1 manuals are 6 speeds, hence m6. and you will see a4 which means automatic transmission, 4 speed.

not sure which t/a youre referring to but yes alot of people lower their cars with springs from say eibach with their Prokit. makes it handle better and sets the look of the wheels off.

camaro rs is the v6 model.
now here is where it gets confusing....
a camaro z28 (ls1) had the option of ground effects, which is called the RS body package. RS camaros arent like yesteryear, they are the v6 option now.
another thing to note about the t/a... while the ram air hood completely sets off the front clip, im not sure its exactly worth extra money you pay to get it with (usually) the ws6 model. do note once again that you get an upgrade on the suspension with the ws6 though. alot of regular t/a's are lost in translation it seems but are the same thing in every aspect. so if you want the ws6 package, get it, just be prepared to spend quite a bit more on average than than its regularly optioned counterpart. hope this helps...

[luvmysentra]

I think it will be worth it to my husband to get the ws6, I'm gonna call our friend later and see what he thinks. When my husband is home they talk about cars every day so he might know what he's looking for a little better than I do. My dad expained the Camaro RS to me, but I think he was talking about the old ones, it's been over 20 years since he's worked on a vehicle really worth having. Then down side of kids. He tells me all the time to get my husband a stingray!

[secondgearscratch]

I think it will be worth it to my husband to get the ws6, I'm gonna call our friend later and see what he thinks. When my husband is home they talk about cars every day so he might know what he's looking for a little better than I do. My dad expained the Camaro RS to me, but I think he was talking about the old ones, it's been over 20 years since he's worked on a vehicle really worth having. Then down side of kids. He tells me all the time to get my husband a stingray!

vintage muscle cannot be replaced...but for the amount of power that can be had and the drivability of the ls1 f bodies, there is no reason not to get one. running 11s and 10s in these things is like the status quo! thats ridiculous! the ws6 is an amazing ride. i wanted one but at 19 y/o and in college, a low milage m6 ws6 was alittle too rich for my blood. expect to pay (and this is the average unfortunately) 18-21k for a LOW milage and clean ws6, year dependent. the 01-02s will be alittle more, especially the 02 as it was the last year they were built. either way you go, camaro or t/a, you will not be disappointed at all. good luck and anything else you need, just ask away. if i cant help someone can!

[GOT1GOAT]

the ws6 is just a name for a performance package. here this may help:

Ls1:
firebird formula 98-02
firebird formula ws6 98-02
trans am 98-02
trans am ws6 98-02
camaro z28 98-02
camaro z28 ss 98-02
corvette 97-04
corvette z06 00-04

in the trans am forum, they have a "sticky" which is a post that doesnt go away entitled "official show your birds thread" i cant link it for some reason but its easy to find. go in there and take a look around at all the different formulas and trans ams of members on here!

Not that it matters to her but don't forget us 04 gto's are LS1s.