"A very powerful V8 with 240 HP!" I grew up during this time so it sure seemed like it but it seems rather funny looking back. Now that we have Challengers and Mustangs with over 700 HP. LOL
it isnt funny,it was the time period.a properly equipped 305 tpi with the performance rear gears and t5 could rip 14 second timeslips with ease (as fast or faster than 85% of all previous musclecars).a buick grand national was one of the quickest cars in the world along with the turbo trans am at that time...compare apples to apples,not slingshots to barret 50 cals.many people like to remember the lowest common denominator when they remember these but they definitely came with a large variety of engine choices from 90 horsepower up to 240 which was comparable to any auto manufacturer on the planet at that time.remember a ferrari wasn't more powerful or faster than a comparable top tier third gen at that time.
Hey, it's not Pontiac's fault that GM chopped the division's ballz off and forced them to go crawling to Ch*vy for their engines after 1981 (1979, really).
The additioon of the Lingenfelter/Accel Superram (upper and lower plenum with the medium length runners), aftermarket heads, cam, exhaust, and injectors got these cars to push 400 bhp. They were easily low 13 second cars with these mods. Stroke to a 383 with these mods and they broke into the 12s.
240hp & 340 torque at 3200 rpm from the 5.7 / 350 TPI was fast for 1990-1992 and it was a working man's budget Corvette with a backseat and a trunk that could wind up to 150 mph. And with an aftermarket 3 inch Flowmaster cat back exhaust replacing the factory restrictive 2.25 exhaust pipes really woke these cars up. It was enough power that the 5.7 Formulas, Trans Am GTA and Z28s were beating all the Foxbody 5.0 Mustangs and even the replacement SN95 body 4.6 Mustangs until the top of the line Cobra or Saleens came out. And by then, the 4th Gen LT1 and LS1 Firehawks, Formula and Trans Am and Z28 and SS camaros had an answer for them too! And the F-body also was set up to handle better from the get-go than the Mustang GT, with wider 245 and 275 wide tires & thicker sway bars as standard while the GTs were coming out stock with skinny 215 wide tires. No wonder everybody in a V8 Mustang was notoriously spinning wildly out of control and crashing into telephone poles! You don't have enough meat to grip and tame the rear end!
Well said. Don't forget the Lingenfelter Accel Super Ram really took these cars to another level. The stock intake and and long runners were the reason that the car fell flat on its face at 4k rpm. Once the Super Ram was added, It added an easy 35hp and broadened the power band up to 7k rpm.
Since they're black lettered I don't much care for the brand of tires I put on as long as they're a decent tire for summer or all seasons since I don't drive them in winter. My 245/50/16s from Falken All season run about $90 each from the Walmart Website, H speed rating while Hankooks run about $10 bucks more each.
@@Brian-ee1gx I had an 89 with the 5.7 and it always felt quicker than the road test numbers suggested. It was great off the line, but died off after about 40 mph. Same flame red metallic as in the video and t-tops. I miss that car!
The cars from the 80s and early 90s are a thing of beauty!
I agree!
"A very powerful V8 with 240 HP!" I grew up during this time so it sure seemed like it but it seems rather funny looking back. Now that we have Challengers and Mustangs with over 700 HP. LOL
it isnt funny,it was the time period.a properly equipped 305 tpi with the performance rear gears and t5 could rip 14 second timeslips with ease (as fast or faster than 85% of all previous musclecars).a buick grand national was one of the quickest cars in the world along with the turbo trans am at that time...compare apples to apples,not slingshots to barret 50 cals.many people like to remember the lowest common denominator when they remember these but they definitely came with a large variety of engine choices from 90 horsepower up to 240 which was comparable to any auto manufacturer on the planet at that time.remember a ferrari wasn't more powerful or faster than a comparable top tier third gen at that time.
Well to be fair these cars are N/A and those have power adders. Hell the mustang is just now getting 500hp N/A
Hey, it's not Pontiac's fault that GM chopped the division's ballz off and forced them to go crawling to Ch*vy for their engines after 1981 (1979, really).
It was the beginning of performance. Now you have 4 cylinders that can do that.
The additioon of the Lingenfelter/Accel Superram (upper and lower plenum with the medium length runners), aftermarket heads, cam, exhaust, and injectors got these cars to push 400 bhp. They were easily low 13 second cars with these mods. Stroke to a 383 with these mods and they broke into the 12s.
240hp & 340 torque at 3200 rpm from the 5.7 / 350 TPI was fast for 1990-1992 and it was a working man's budget Corvette with a backseat and a trunk that could wind up to 150 mph.
And with an aftermarket 3 inch Flowmaster cat back exhaust replacing the factory restrictive 2.25 exhaust pipes really woke these cars up.
It was enough power that the 5.7 Formulas, Trans Am GTA and Z28s were beating all the Foxbody 5.0 Mustangs and even the replacement SN95 body 4.6 Mustangs until the top of the line Cobra or Saleens came out.
And by then, the 4th Gen LT1 and LS1 Firehawks, Formula and Trans Am and Z28 and SS camaros had an answer for them too!
And the F-body also was set up to handle better from the get-go than the Mustang GT, with wider 245 and 275 wide tires & thicker sway bars as standard while the GTs were coming out stock with skinny 215 wide tires.
No wonder everybody in a V8 Mustang was notoriously spinning wildly out of control and crashing into telephone poles!
You don't have enough meat to grip and tame the rear end!
I agree with all that! Plus, Mustangs had drum rear brakes, and didn't get rear disc brakes until 1994.
Well said. Don't forget the Lingenfelter Accel Super Ram really took these cars to another level. The stock intake and and long runners were the reason that the car fell flat on its face at 4k rpm. Once the Super Ram was added, It added an easy 35hp and broadened the power band up to 7k rpm.
Tune port was a great set up. I owned 2 and never had an issue
Firebird Forever
"You can ALMOST feel the power." She's not wrong.
BF Goodrich tires are like $164 each. Just put new rear meats on my 88. It was a fun summer. I blame these burnout videos.
Since they're black lettered I don't much care for the brand of tires I put on as long as they're a decent tire for summer or all seasons since I don't drive them in winter.
My 245/50/16s from Falken All season run about $90 each from the Walmart Website, H speed rating while Hankooks run about $10 bucks more each.
I was a Kid Watching This in TNN
This might be the quickest 0-60 time I have seen for the GTA.
I owned one, that number is accurate. The car can do even better with modern tires.
@@Brian-ee1gx I had an 89 with the 5.7 and it always felt quicker than the road test numbers suggested. It was great off the line, but died off after about 40 mph. Same flame red metallic as in the video and t-tops. I miss that car!
New for 91. A hood that came on firebirds from 85 onwards, wheels that came on 87's and same TPI engine since 87. What kind of review was this?
New front and rear bumpers, spoilers, more hp engine. Review was well done. It was also 30 years ago
Only Courtney Hansen drive in heels revving
Lo uguale gioiello