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ukzz4iroc
1,034 posts
43 months
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You should take your car to American Technique in Watford. Hands down the best there is. Not scared of any performance job- Rich, the main guy did a complete manual conversion from auto on mine, he's done the headers, shocks, LS1 brake upgrade, subframe connectors and so much more. His work is as good if not better than Auto pontiac's and his dad does custom bikes for a living so their bodywork and fabrication skills are World class. Better yet he is not rude 
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qube_TA
6,606 posts
114 months
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It's worth putting up with Robin's potential rudeness as he might take you out in his GTO.
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37chevy
Original Poster
530 posts
25 months
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Just out of interest does anyone know anywhere in the northwest/midlands area ie Mancs Birmingham derby area?
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OLDS
118 posts
21 months
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LuS1fer said: Found the exact opposite. The 4th gen is fast from the off (stock 305 plays the stock 145 in '82)and the handling is better than the 3rd whose propensity to change ends was more marked. Much of the 4th gen is plastic to keep the weight largely the same and the front suspension is superior to the 3rd gen and not just for comfort.
No way is an older cast iron V8 going to ever have nmore potential than an all-alloy LS1. Neither is there much cost advantage in buying a 3rd gen nowadays. 145? Wow, never knew that in 26 years. Lol. 300 Hp was some simple bolt on parts. You must know the 82 was the lightest at 3078 pounds, or did Wickepedia not tell you that? Front suspention was re-designed for comfort as most third gen owners complained of harsh ride. More G's in a third. Much of is doors and fenders? Way cheaper to build a cast iron block for the same or more power. But then, I live in a word where small blocks are like. Elbows.
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ringram
12,205 posts
117 months
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qube_TA said: yes he has, but I've known people who argue with him about the effectiveness of a particular mod, he gets quite rude with those people and they then get upset. Had a bad experience there with poor workmanship which had to be fixed by another firm. YMMV. Before then though he was fine. I think he had his son or someone do some of the work. Was down to lose bolts in the cam gear.
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LuS1fer
28,474 posts
114 months
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OLDS said:
145? Wow, never knew that in 26 years. Lol. 300 Hp was some simple bolt on parts.
You must know the 82 was the lightest at 3078 pounds, or did Wickepedia not tell you that?
Front suspention was re-designed for comfort as most third gen owners complained of harsh ride. More G's in a third.
Much of is doors and fenders?
Way cheaper to build a cast iron block for the same or more power. But then, I live in a word where small blocks are like. Elbows.
May be cheap in the US but after shipping, import tax and VAT, the cheapness in the UK evaporates and buying a crate engine might well be cheaper. IROC-Zone quotes the 82 Z28 at 3169lbs, 135lbs lighter than a 4th gen or 270lbs, depending on where you get the weight, manual vs auto, options etc. My 87 Z28 was pretty much base spec Z28 with no leather, manual windows, T5 manual and not even a heated rear window so not much came lighter but the stock 175hp LG4 was not a great engine and the guy i sold it to slotted in another V8 with Corvette heads and a lumpy cam. The plastic on a 4th gen was front wings and door skins and hatch but the inner frame was all steel. Of course a lot of the 3rd gen was plastic too. Much of the weight penalty must also be put down to bigger wheels and tyres (I think 165/xx 15 on my Z28 and something like 235/xx 16 on the 4th?)and more gears in the gearboxes, LSD in the diff etc. Just so we're not at odds, the 4th gens over here are as cheap as the 3rd gen these days and you know g's aren't the be all and end all of a good handling car. So what I'm saying is the argument is immaterial when you can buy a good LT1 4th gen for around £3000. I do confess my LS1 had Bilstein suspension and springs, SFCs, STB and BMR LCAs though. 
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OLDS
118 posts
21 months
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All my numbers were for 82 TA. The Camaros, not nearly as familiar with. I'd love a 98-03 T/A. No room/time. When I say fat, it's things like the door that is a foot thick, ect.. It's not that I don't like them, but just prefer the slender look of the 3rds. The engine out the bottom would bother me too. I guess many forth gens went abroad, as there are few here. They were'nt big sellers. I was ready to buy a Firehawk in 93, but backed out. I worked for Pontiac at the time and the price was right, but bad timing for me. Probably a good thing as a regular 98-03.would have killed it. 
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ukzz4iroc
1,034 posts
43 months
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qube_TA said: It's worth putting up with Robin's potential rudeness as he might take you out in his GTO. I don't think it is anymore which is why I never go there anymore. To feel uncomfrotable when you are spending a lot of money is just not right IMO.I always felt I couldn't be myself and also felt that I had to tread on eggshells. F**k that.
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qube_TA
6,606 posts
114 months
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Perhaps, I never had an issue with him, I know people do though.
I once drove down on a Saturday, he stayed open all day to sort my car, did loads of extra bits with out really charging.
He used to ring me up often seeing how I'd gotten on n such. Don't have an American car any more so no reason to use him now.
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chevy-stu
4,722 posts
97 months
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qube_TA said: Perhaps, I never had an issue with him, I know people do though.
I once drove down on a Saturday, he stayed open all day to sort my car, did loads of extra bits with out really charging.
He used to ring me up often seeing how I'd gotten on n such. Don't have an American car any more so no reason to use him now. I've been using Robin for servicing and sort things on my 86' IROC since 1994, and for the last 8 years for loads of work on my current 77' Camaro. He has more performance knowledge and 'real world' experience of these Camaros/Firebirds than most people in the UK. His race background with these cars has been invaluable with setting up my car for track days and fast road use. His son Tom does alot of the actual spannering now, due to Robin's health not being what it was, but they still are pretty good, if not the cheapest. Robin does have a certain 'no BS' way about him, and doesn't suffer fools easily. I've seen him tell people to get f***ed if they start asking stupid questions. I have heard good things about American Technique in Watford but never used them myself. check out classiccamaroclubuk.com and join the forum if you can..
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