Whats your 1:1 car? Daily or Weekend toy?

[Thirdgen89GTA]

So I'm curious what the RC buffs of this forum drive. Me? I like going fast, and even in my daily driver I want some power. Otherwise I'd probably drive the smallest most fuel efficient hatch I could find.

Instead I bought a G6 GTP 6spd manual. The manual was REALLY hard to find. My absolute cannot be dimissed requirement for a car is that it must be a manual transmission. I've had enough of Automatic transmissions and have decided no more for me.

So I have my 06' G6 GTP. 3.9L V6. A modest 240hp and 240lb/ft torque, but ever so much fun with the manual. I've run it at Road America, I've auto-x'd it, and I've drag raced it.

Untitled by thirdgen89gta, on Flickr

The other car is my baby. The one that sits in my sig.

A 1989 Pontiac TransAm, originally a 240hp and 340lb/ft torque 5.7L "TPI" V8 engine with an automatic 4spd. The auto was okay, but not much fun.

I later swapped in a 5.7L/4L60e out of a 1995 camaro and with bolt-ons it regularly ran low 13's at 103mph. It was amazing to watch such a super tame sounding car get up and go compared to other factory cars with the same engine combo. Before the year ended last year I swapped in a T56 6spd manual transmission and life was good. But then old-age struck and the short block developed a knock.

This year I get serious. A rebuilt shortblock with ARP hardware thoughout, balanced and blue-printed rotating assembly, increased compression to 11:1, ported heads/intake/throttle body, a 231/239 duration camshaft, upgraded fuel system to feed it too. Along with lowering, del-a-lum bushings up front, and UMI Tubular "roto-joint" suspension pieces out back. Also being upgraded are the brakes to a larger diameter rotor and better calipers, pads, and fluid. The goal is for the braking system to keep up with 30minute sessions where I'm stopping from 155mph 3x every 2:40 or so.

End goal this year is between 420rwhp, and 440rwhp.

Untitled by thirdgen89gta, on Flickr

Its not the fastest thing on the planet, but it sure is fun to drive.

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