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2001 Trans Am |
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2001 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
I bought this Trans Am in February 2001. My first and likely last new car! It was a long wait to get a "new Trans Am." I had hoped the GTA I got in May 1999 would satisfy the need for speed and Trans Am passion. Nope. Too many new LS1-powered cars in my car club, and as I stared at life down the road, it was a "now or never" decision (the single life has its reward$...) The GTO ad hanging on my wall that says, "Get one. Before you're too old to understand" must have been brainwashing me all these years!
So, almost a year later I am finally putting up pics. I had a brief picture-less description posted here in September/October.
On to business: this sucker is FAST. 3rd gear pulls 100 mph up insanely quick. It is almost scary. The GTA's TPI runners are wheezing at 4500 RPM, and this LS1 is just getting cocky at that RPM. AWESOME.
Rear wheel dyno results? At around 7K miles, it put out 319 hp and 336 ft-lbs with an airlid, "free Ram Air" mod, and closed cutout. (FRA won't do anything on a dyno, but I thought I'd list it anyway) With the cutout open the numbers were 326 hp and 342 ft-lbs. That is about 370 hp at the flywheel given a common drivetrain loss of 12-13% for manual trannies (15-20%+ for autos).
All I can say is, I love TCS: Traction Control System. Never leave home in the rain without it... I'm Widetrak after all, not SlideTrak :D
Despite the power, it is as comfy a daily ride as you can imagine. Mileage? At about 8K miles (assumed fully broken-in) I started seeing 18-20 mpg city (my city route is somewhat mixed) and 30 mph highway (100%). Despite this, when the throttle is pressed, there's 370 hp on tap. Unbelievable. It is hard to describe the feeling of jabbing the throttle after a rolling start in First gear and feeling the tires break loose. Spinning Second and chirping Third feels quite nice, too. The power it has for its polite manners is hard to comprehend.
Friend's LS1s are running anywhere from high 12s at 110 to high 13s at 102 depending on driver skill and how well they can hook 'em up. One friend's car that dynoed with 1 more hp than mine ran a record 12.82 at 110 the other night with a 1.97 60 foot time. The air and track was perfect that night. This car has the WS6 Ram Air option, so he's getting a cooler charge of air at the track than what we got sitting on the chassis dynos.
In November I added a Sun Coast Creations "Raptor" hood. It is a cross between the factory WS.6 hood and the SLP Firehawk hood. Personally, I like it better than both :) I bought the SCC cold air kit used from someone on LS1.com that didn't need it anymore. It basically directs air in the same manner as the factory '96-'97 Ram Air hoods did.
I also have a pair of Spectacle Solutions subframe connectors on the car. I was considering lowering springs, but for now, I will hold off.
I just ordered a MBA Products red shift knob with the Pontiac crest. The Trans Am needs the Pontiac crest somewhere on it!
For those that have never read up on the Pontiac GTO and the musclecar glory days, you won't understand the GR-RRR! license plate. GTO's (and other hi-po Ponchos) were nicknamed "Tigers" for many years. Royal Pontiac in Royal Oaks, Michigan was a "tuner" dealership that tricked out all the new Pontiacs back then. The GR-RRR! plate was made by them for the Tigers they let loose on the street...
The last two pictures have added text at the bottom of their full-size versions, so don't miss them :)
Widetrak