Mikes86SC

Hey guys. I was just wondering why everyone here keeps their v6, when there are so many v8 third-gens around for decent prices. Sure, most of us probably got them for a great price, but why else?
Here's my story:
In May 1998, I decided to buy another car cause I knew my Celebrity was not gonna make it much longer. When I first stopped and looked at a Camaro, I knew I wanted one. I didnt buy that one cause something told me not to. But I remembered a while back some guy around the block from my girl was selling one. Much to my surprise it was still there. This one seemed much better. Sure, it was a 6, but you can't go wrong for $475.
I know it's not the fastest car on the road, but over 3 years, I have fallen in love with this car, and I can't even dream of selling it.
Long story short...I guess I kept mine over an 8 because I've grown really attached to it, not to mention all the money I've put in it.

KED85

I paid $300 for my 'Bird. I bought it from Jennifer. Thus, the cars name.
I got a new tranny with the car, worn out engine, shabby interior and banged fenders & nose & tail piece.
Killed the engine
Tranny is good, still
Swapped in a bigger engine
Discovered I have a WS-6 suspension
Replaced body panels & interior from Pick-A-Part (1/2 price sale!)
Left over engine parts go to my S-10 Blazer engine (the MPFI heads & cam)
I'm lucky to be in this car for about $1400 and I got left over stuff to repair my S-10 Blazer for free!
I love this car, it's so versatle.
I can haul my wagon to swap meets, my Wife can drive it, I can leave it and know it won't be stolen.
I can't do that with my Wife's 68 Camaro or my 74 Corvette.
My 67 Camaro was stolen once, so, I have it under a special theft system, now. It won't go anywhere I do not want it to.

I get good gas milage, too! And power from the swapped 3.4 engine. What's to complain?


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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

Ovrclck350

I have mine because it ran fine and just needed hood, fender, and bumper cover for $750. The 91-92's have always been in my Top 5 Dream cars, so I love it.

QuartermilePrime

can i ask why a v8?...the heart of hot rodding and performance in my opinion is trying different things and playing with different engines and combos. if we all did the same exact things to our cars we would all be running around the same levels depending on money into the engine, and time. Well i would rather see a varying aray of engines being suped up than 15 or so 350s with heads and cam, or super chargers, or n20 lined up running equal. i could say the same for anyone that toys with a 305, seeing how i owned one in my 89 RS..why mess with it and just drop in a 350, because it is something different from all the other 350's running around. but that is just my opinion....lata

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E.T.F.A. Member #9
www.etfa.net

Brian K

I keep my 6 cause it was free... If I had to buy one I would have never bought a V6 especially my nothing 2.8, but since I have it I like the challenge of making it fast...

Kyle F

I am keeping my six because it is the fastest production F-body made to date. Its very different on a lot of levels. Not too as many 3.8s around as other engines. HArdly any Turbo F-bodies, Bla bla bla. I can't wait to kick some major V8 *** with my wee little V6

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89 Trans Am Turbo 3.8L All stock 43,000 miles #1053 of 1555

Past Thirdgen:
86 Trans Am w/ built 355TPI with SLP goodies and too much other stuff to List. One sweet *** car, wish I would have had a good enough Job to pay insurance on three cars so I could keep it, but for a 89 Turbo Trans Am w/ Low miles, I think I made the right choice!

86Chicken

I got mine because it was a gift (more or less). I probably never would have bought a 'Bird otherwise.

Its nice because it is different.

Plus, the car is reliable, looks good, gets good MPG and is pretty fast considering what powers it.

Dale

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The Bird
1986 FireBird
2.8L MPFI
Gutted Cat, No muffler (Sweet Sound)
Was 700-R4 --> Now T5

FAST RS

i would of gotten an 8 if i knew any thing about cars then back when i just turned 16 i knew the name camaro and firebird and i figured they were all the same. I love my car as much as i hate it something is awalys friggin wrong with it if i can go 1 month with out anything happening i would love it

1991tealRSt-topGuy

i was 16 and was going to mall oneday when i spotted mine i told my mom to pullover i took a look inside it was in really great shape inside and out (i found it really hard to believe that i saw 160,000 miles when i looked in)
then i saw......oh yeah!!!!!!!!!! a 5-speed!!!!!!! plus it had t-tops and was the color i wanted!!!!!!! this was really 2 good 2 be true.......i called the owner on the phone.....bummer i thought.....it has a 6 banger well i contemplated for a few days and realized: hey, this my first car
why spend all my cash on a Z28 only to wrap it around a telephone pole?? the price was pretty cool 2 i paid 2800 for it i figured that way 2 i would have extra money to fix it incase of a breakdown or accident

here i am one year and one minor accident later, still have the car because i've gotten really attached to it its a really great first car actually its a really great car in general period

plus i am able to take out riceburners with it!!!!!!!!hehehehehehe

Joe_L

Well, I already had a 2.8 Olds, but I wanted something that looked nice, well my uncle said $1200, and I said sure, and there it was in my yard...no taxes...hehehe...and besides with GAS PRICES I needed something that was Gas sipping....He told me it ran between 28-30mpg (Imperial) So I am hoping it does. I am attached to the car, and I actually haven't had it on the road yet, I love the look of it, I enjoy fixing things on it. Something I never shared with the Olds, I useually wised the Olds would blow up.... Oh yes and we can;t forget insurance...

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1987 Firebird
2.8L Auto
T-Tops
New Paint last Fall
No mods yet...

Mikes86SC

Wow. A lot of people call me cazy for sticking with my 6. Glad to see a lot of people feel he same as I do.

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86 Sport Coupe, 2.8 V6, dead stock, but not for long!

Daily driver:
2000 Pontiac Grand Am SE2

"Little girls play with ponies!"
www.geocities.com/camman86

Black 86 'bird

My parents bought mine for me beacuse I didn't wreck what I had before, an '84 Plymouth Voyager. They just pulled into the driveway one day with it so I didn't have a choice. Plus the insurance gods would have a field day on a then 16 year old (now 18 which doesn't make a difference anyway) with a v8, though I do have a clean record.

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The famous "one wheel peel"
My only mod: Flowmaster 40 series
photopoint.com is not going to be free much longer, so check out my new pics at www.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=1526917 before it's too late!!

[This message has been edited by Black 86 'bird (edited April 24, 2001).]

Camaro_hunter_d

well the consensous here pretty much says the same thing. good gas, easy to maintain and looks good. Well these are all good but I love the amount of room there is under the hood to put stuff in it...I;E; turbos. You have a sh*tload of room to pipe in eratic header tubing to get it to fit.
I like that the parts are easily swapped between the massive 2.8/3.1 engine base and the other engine parts that can be swapped from the 8's a few sensors and electrical parts even. The fact that they are one of the most popular racing cars keeps the body parts in good supply, and you have more than just the standard steel replacement, you have 'glass and foam core panels that weigh next to nothing.
Not to mention that I can out handle all but the 4th gens/vettes..we run the same in most corning situations. I have a massive 1 1/4 bar in front and a regular Iroc bar in the rear not sure the size but its big. On ramps are a joke now, accelerating past the 50 MPH point halfway up the sharp curved ramps...

20-psi

I had an 87 GTA and it went 14.48 best time ever. I traded that one in on an 89 TTA and went TWO SECONDS FASTER, 12.42 @111.

Pete

TomP

For the price range when I was shopping, it was two choices:

1. Buy a beat-up, hi-miles, blue-smoking, interior torn-up V8 f-body

2. Buy a straight-bodied, low-miles, no-smoke, great interior V6 f-body.

I definately made the better choice! Plus, looking back, starting off with a V6 and not a V8 probably saved my life somehow along the line.


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

Steve R

I had the 2.8 in my old '87.
Now I have the 5.7 in my '88.
Twice the motor, twice the fun.

But in all fairness, that 87 was one kick-*** car. Sure, it was slower than most rice and broke alot, but it was a cool car. It got about 27mpg highway, which I DEFINITLEY miss, and it ran on any gas I gave it. But as much as I love the fun of that 350, I'd buy my '87 back in a heartbeat and work the crap out of it. Nothing wrong with a 6 as long as the rest of the car looks cool

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1980 Camaro, '88 Police 350 engine, Headers, full exhaust, completely redone, my baby!
1988 Iroc-Z L98, MSD 6a, Accel coil, K+N's, Airfoil, Coolant Bypass, Flowmaster, Gears, Late model Bose, I like the 80 better

FBODY-ADDICT

Well I think the punchy v6 is a great engine. It performs pretty well in our heavy bodied cars, and the mileage/ reliability is also a factor. Plus when I bought the SE bird I already had a 305 formula to kill the v8 blues

Jason E

Its kind of funny that a couple of you said "I would have never bought a V6," yet have one. I'm in the same situation. As some of you know, my mom bought mine brand new, and the car is like family, and absolutely flawless. I've had it 3 years now, and every time I go to sell it, I freak out and don't do it.

The NIGHT I was putting it down on the lot at work (3 days before I was to take delivery of my Z), I washed it, took the snows off, and just gawked at it. I couldn't imagine selling it. Well, my dad came out and said "Hey, if you want, you can sell the Grand Am to your sister because she needs a car!" (I had bought a '95 GA from work for a driver.)

That settled it. I kept the RS for a semi-driver and winter car, and am happier than ever to have 2 Camaros!! I still want a V8 third gen...the only reason I didn't get one versus my Z was because to get a mint, under 30k mile IROC like what I want would cost over 10k. Why not spend 4k more and get a '97 30th anniversary model with 40k????

I will have an IROC after graduation, once the Z is paid off in another 35 "E-Z" payments I keep the RS because it is too much like family, and it will be my driver until the wheels fall off. And knowing a third gen 2.8, that won't happen for a LONG time....



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Jason E

'89 Camaro RS 2.8
A few mods....2.8 automatic with t-tops

'97 Z28 30th Anniversary
White with orange stripes (factory)
6 speed, t-tops

Long Live #3...

Mikes86SC

I'm in the same boat. When I bought my 2000 grand am, I told everyone I was keeping the camaro. Even though driving the 175 horse GA is fun, I still miss driving that little 2.8. Hopefully by June I can, after all the body work is done.

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86 Sport Coupe, 2.8 V6, dead stock, but not for long!

Daily driver:
2000 Pontiac Grand Am SE2

"Little girls play with ponies!"
www.geocities.com/camman86

Firebird90

iTrader: (1)

Back in 1990 I bought the car (Firebird SSA) brand-new for $12,999. At the time I need a reliable car and low insurance. Its been with me ever since. No more payments, registration and insurance are low. Next year I’m planning to do a v6 to v8 swap.

BadBowTie

I have my V6 Camaro because it has T-tops. My love of T-tops is so strong that I had my choice between an '86 Camaro SC, 2.8MPFI, 5spd, w/T-tops, and a '91 RS 5.0TBI, Auto, HARDTOP. There were other considerations as well, mileage, interior/exterior condition, but in the end it was the T-Tops that won.

3.1 firebird

I forgot to add that even though our 6's may not have awesome acceleration, they do handle as well as the V8's, so thy are a blast as far as handling goes.