Gen 5 Camaro... V8 itch scratched :)

Gen 5 Camaro... V8 itch scratched :)

Author
Discussion

mr2aw11

Original Poster:

811 posts

230 months

Thursday 27th April 2017
quotequote all
Hi folks, V8 itch is finally being scratched, just got a '13 Camaro V8 convertible (UK car, LS3 manual)... Sounds great under load or lift - off /zero throttle for the pops and crackles (tickover is a little quiet, but I guess we've the tree huggers to thank for that).
It's certainly an "event" of a car, it's big and bold (especially for the lake district roads!), grip seems huge, but I'll admit to not hooning like a cock; got it slightly out of shape once, but recovered easily without scaring myself or falling off the road. Obviously more suited to open A-roads than tight B-s, but when I've needed it, turn in is really sharp for its heft.
So here's the "but..." acceleration from cruising speeds, it seems... well, a little lacking?
Doesn't seem a great deal quicker than my old 3MPS - am I just driving it wrong? Gearing seems tall (there's not much pull in sixth at legal speeds - in fact the Mazda seemed to pull better).
I know it's a heavy car, but I just thought the torque figures would allow it to pull a little better from low revs.
On paper, it's more than half a second quicker to sixty than the 3, and i'd expect that gap to increase a little into illegal territory?
Should alarm bells be ringing here, or do I just need to get used to dropping gears /holding gears longer when playing?

mr2aw11

Original Poster:

811 posts

230 months

Saturday 29th April 2017
quotequote all
Okay... Bit more driving, bit of getting used to it - it's longer geared than the MPS, but keep it in the power band, and boy, it moves thumbup think I'm going to enjoy this thing (though I do reckon I'll miss the old MPS - only car I've ever owned from new).
It's not as crash-y over pot holes as the Mazda on the Eibachs, but grip is prodigious, and it handles - turn in is sharp, belies its size, and it adjusts nicely as it approaches oversteer, which is predictable and catchable (my only other rwd car was an old MR2 - hence the name - again, lovely to drive, but snappier at the limit).
Plus it looks well outside the house wink






Edited by mr2aw11 on Saturday 29th April 16:29

LuS1fer

41,758 posts

252 months

Saturday 29th April 2017
quotequote all
Americans are besotted with fuel economy to avoid Government penalties. for that reason, the direct ratio is 4th and both 4th and 5th are overdrive.
Even my 4th gen LS1 auto had high ratios but that did enable it to cruise at 130mph.

AdeTuono

7,405 posts

234 months

Sunday 30th April 2017
quotequote all
Bolt a supercharger on it. I've had both, standard and a Hennessey 'charged one. They were like two totally different cars.

http://hennesseyperformance.com/vehicles/chevrolet...

mr2aw11

Original Poster:

811 posts

230 months

Sunday 30th April 2017
quotequote all
Hmm... Tempting as a supercharger is, funds don't allow as yet; perhaps some time down the road.

KevinCamaroSS

12,294 posts

287 months

Monday 1st May 2017
quotequote all
Use the revs, my gen5 was auto (flappy paddle). Was pretty lethargic in auto (great for the wife to drive it) but use the paddles and the revs and it flies.

Bearintown

64 posts

124 months

Tuesday 2nd May 2017
quotequote all
mr2aw11 said:
Hi folks, V8 itch is finally being scratched, just got a '13 Camaro V8 convertible (UK car, LS3 manual)... Sounds great under load or lift - off /zero throttle for the pops and crackles (tickover is a little quiet, but I guess we've the tree huggers to thank for that).
It's certainly an "event" of a car, it's big and bold (especially for the lake district roads!), grip seems huge, but I'll admit to not hooning like a cock; got it slightly out of shape once, but recovered easily without scaring myself or falling off the road. Obviously more suited to open A-roads than tight B-s, but when I've needed it, turn in is really sharp for its heft.
So here's the "but..." acceleration from cruising speeds, it seems... well, a little lacking?
Doesn't seem a great deal quicker than my old 3MPS - am I just driving it wrong? Gearing seems tall (there's not much pull in sixth at legal speeds - in fact the Mazda seemed to pull better).
I know it's a heavy car, but I just thought the torque figures would allow it to pull a little better from low revs.
On paper, it's more than half a second quicker to sixty than the 3, and i'd expect that gap to increase a little into illegal territory?
Should alarm bells be ringing here, or do I just need to get used to dropping gears /holding gears longer when playing?
Do you live in the lake district then?

mr2aw11

Original Poster:

811 posts

230 months

Wednesday 3rd May 2017
quotequote all
Bear, not in the Lake District National Park boundaries, though I am but a twenty minute drive from the lakes.
The last five or so years (maybe more? Time flies) has seen my favourite twisty dual carriageway (westbound A66 by Bassenthwaite) sanitised to boredom, down to a single lane and 50mph average speed cameras... In the good old days, it was a hoot in my old T-bar, but I guess a fine line between fun and scary if you were pushing on!

Bearintown

64 posts

124 months

Wednesday 3rd May 2017
quotequote all
20 minutes which way? I Am twenty minutes past the lake district on the west coast.
Currently have a '14 Challenger.
Aye the Bass lake old dual carraige way is not what it used to be , but then its usually closed anyways ha

mr2aw11

Original Poster:

811 posts

230 months

Wednesday 3rd May 2017
quotequote all
West coast also.
Challenger's a gorgeous car - saw (and heard!) plenty in Florida when I was last there, but none over in the UK.
There are a few Mustangs around this neck of the woods, US (last model) and UK (current) cars... Think the new suits the grey nicely, which I don't think does either the Focus ST or RS too many favours.

racesloth

6 posts

126 months

Thursday 4th May 2017
quotequote all
I love my cammed 2010 SS M6. You can really wake the car up with a swap to 3.91 rear gears and speedo recal. This is what comes in the trackday version - the 1LE. After that a cam and longtube headers will coax out an additional 80-100rwhp... enjoy.

racesloth

6 posts

126 months

Thursday 4th May 2017
quotequote all
I love my cammed 2010 SS M6. You can really wake the car up with a swap to 3.91 rear gears and speedo recal. This is what comes in the trackday version - the 1LE. After that a cam and longtube headers will coax out an additional 80-100rwhp... enjoy.

Bearintown

64 posts

124 months

Thursday 4th May 2017
quotequote all
mr2aw11 said:
West coast also.
Challenger's a gorgeous car - saw (and heard!) plenty in Florida when I was last there, but none over in the UK.
There are a few Mustangs around this neck of the woods, US (last model) and UK (current) cars... Think the new suits the grey nicely, which I don't think does either the Focus ST or RS too many favours.
Will keep an eye out for you!
Have seen two Camaros locally a dark blue one and I think a black one . But only seen each once.
Never seen another Challenger thohttps://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/imgs/9.gif

5ohmustang

2,755 posts

122 months

Friday 5th May 2017
quotequote all
Good choice.

Download the Chevrolet performance parts catalog. The 1le,zl1, z28 parts are available separately and are reasonably priced. Quite a few of my friends have 5th gens. As a few have said here, a cam swap is a good upgrade, that is fairly easy to do yourself.

Whether turbo or supercharged, it's a night and day difference to stock.

This one pictured here was procharged and currently being n/a there was no way I could outrun it.



madtoro

57 posts

227 months

Friday 20th October 2017
quotequote all
Late to the party,

But a cheap way to waken it up, especially low down the revs, si to add a throttle controller.

http://www.vitesse-motorsports.com/en/throttle-con...

Best bang for buck you can spend on one of these.