Hello, Newbie Checking In

Hello, Newbie Checking In

Author
Discussion

Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,729 posts

191 months

Friday 20th June 2008
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Hi all, just joined up. My daily driver is a bog standard 1999 Honda Civic 1.6SE but I have a 1999 Chevy Camaro for fun driving. Its a standard euro spec 5.7 litre V8 305 bhp model; the only mod I've made is to change the exhaust for something that has more "V8 burble".

Anyway, hi all!




kern

21 posts

192 months

Saturday 21st June 2008
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saaaaaaa-weeeeet, whats the 0-60 like??

tybo

2,284 posts

218 months

Saturday 21st June 2008
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Very nice, welcome to PH thumbup

Baffled Spoon

5,250 posts

195 months

Saturday 21st June 2008
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Welcome wavey

Not a camaro man myself (although I do have a soft spot for the first generation model) but I'm sure it can raise a smile all the same. Glad you're enjoying it smile

Dam0ZR

75 posts

191 months

Saturday 21st June 2008
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Very nice smile! Love the sound of a v8

Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,729 posts

191 months

Saturday 21st June 2008
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Cheers for the welcome! Yeah I have to stop myself yapping on about what a fun car it is... smile

0-60 is officially 5.4 or 5.1, can't remember. 0-100 is under 14 seconds. Not tried either on a track though. The in gear acceleration is superb - power always on tap at any speed and the big V8 barely murmurs. I can cruise at 70 (ahem) and be around 2000 rpm or under. The LS-1 engine is just wonderful... I'll shut up before I start off again!wink

Medic-one

3,109 posts

204 months

Saturday 21st June 2008
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More pictures please thumbup

Always really liked these machines.

What's the MPG on it if i may ask ?

Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,729 posts

191 months

Saturday 21st June 2008
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I'll dig some more pics out then... smile

MPG? I've had 30.4 max so far - don't think I went too far above national speed limits at the time; worst (after doing silly speeds) was 18.9. Generally, with a mix of town and motorway driving I get somewhere between 22 and 26 without being too careful. Not bad for a big V8 really. smile

Forthright MC

8,362 posts

284 months

Saturday 21st June 2008
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nice 'Maro, a very decent modern muscle car are they IMO and still interesting looking for a recent incarnation too!

yabadaba

133 posts

193 months

Sunday 22nd June 2008
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Looks lovely m8! Is it an auto or one of the rarer manuals?

I picked up my 2001 Z28 on Tuesday. An auto with 41k on it that's just been imported from Japan. It's totally stock at the moment...even has a single pipe exhaust, though I have a GMMG exhaust arriving shortly for it and a set of 17" American Racing Torque Thrust 2 wheels. That should give it a little more presence!

Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,729 posts

191 months

Monday 23rd June 2008
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Sounds lovely! biggrin Mine's an automatic - tbh this is my first car over 2 litres/4 cyls so I was happy enough with an auto this time.wink Standard 16" chrome plated alloys on mine - although 1 is lifting so I'm losing about 2 psi a day on it... No-one round here seems to be able to refurb it so it looks like I'll need to scout around for a replacement. Someone did suggest replacing with 17" (better choice of tyre apparently) but the other 3 are still in great nick and I do like the chrome alloys! And I can't afford to replace all of 'em! biggrin

Got some pics of the twin pipe exhaust I got put on mine - I'll stick 'em up later.

Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,729 posts

191 months

Monday 23rd June 2008
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okeydokey, as requested - some more pics.



The back, showing the new exhaust:-



This one shows it a bit better:-




Incidentally, if anyone wants to see my pics of some American classics, you can see them here (don't worry, I'm not selling anything!):-

http://flipmartian.smugmug.com/gallery/3532461_frVCG#199782263_93Rrn 

Peter123

1,328 posts

213 months

Monday 23rd June 2008
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Welcome aboard mate. Cool car cool

LuS1fer

41,154 posts

246 months

Thursday 26th June 2008
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Technically the Euro-Maro only had 284bhp but from experience, I think extremely "technically" and the car will run 13 second bracket quarters easily. Shame some people can't see past what they think is "Japanese" styling because in the flesh, their size banishes any such notion and it's a beautiful car to drive.

You should junk the rear silencer and just have straight pipes. Better access underneath and the car sounds lovely.

Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,729 posts

191 months

Thursday 26th June 2008
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LuS1fer said:
Shame some people can't see past what they think is "Japanese" styling because in the flesh, their size banishes any such notion and it's a beautiful car to drive.

You should junk the rear silencer and just have straight pipes. Better access underneath and the car sounds lovely.
Well only one person so far has said "it looks like a Mazda"...but I can see the vague likeness (at the back, anyway). As you say, the sheer size makes it a far more impressive beast in the flesh. smile

LuS1fer

41,154 posts

246 months

Thursday 26th June 2008
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Flip Martian said:
LuS1fer said:
Shame some people can't see past what they think is "Japanese" styling because in the flesh, their size banishes any such notion and it's a beautiful car to drive.

You should junk the rear silencer and just have straight pipes. Better access underneath and the car sounds lovely.
Well only one person so far has said "it looks like a Mazda"...but I can see the vague likeness (at the back, anyway). As you say, the sheer size makes it a far more impressive beast in the flesh. smile
MOst people liken it to a Celica at the front. The Mazda MX3 was very much a mini-Z28 at the back and I used to refer to them as Minimaros - well, it did have a 2.0 V6....

Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,729 posts

191 months

Thursday 26th June 2008
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MX3 I'd certainly agree with. Both nice cars (but not a Camaro!wink).

Some hopefully better pics to show off a bit more detail:-

Loooong bonnet (sorry - hood) and t tops



Aggressive front end



Shows off the wheels a bit



That's these wheels...



Our cars...



The cockpit (passenger seat has 1 of the leather seat protectors we use)



The euro model radio/cassette 12 cd changer (with missing volume knob)



Edited by Flip Martian on Thursday 26th June 18:47

LuS1fer

41,154 posts

246 months

Thursday 26th June 2008
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Looks in fantastic nick. This wasn't the one on FindIt was it? They had a red one for £6k on there.

Flip Martian

Original Poster:

19,729 posts

191 months

Thursday 26th June 2008
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Thanks, yeah I'm really lucky. smile

Nope, it was on ebay a year ago now while I was looking for a good late 4th gen Transam. The auction ended without selling, I'd been looking for about 5 months with no luck so I contacted the seller and went to view (knowing they were the same cars underneath). To drive, I liked it as much as the Transams I'd tried (in fact they seem ever so slightly roomier inside) so after a 2nd viewing we made a deal we were both happy with.


LuS1fer

41,154 posts

246 months

Thursday 26th June 2008
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Flip Martian said:
Thanks, yeah I'm really lucky. smile

Nope, it was on ebay a year ago now while I was looking for a good late 4th gen Transam. The auction ended without selling, I'd been looking for about 5 months with no luck so I contacted the seller and went to view (knowing they were the same cars underneath). To drive, I liked it as much as the Transams I'd tried (in fact they seem ever so slightly roomier inside) so after a 2nd viewing we made a deal we were both happy with.
Nice. It's a little known fact but it's the camaro that is the sporty model in the US. The Pontiac is aimed at a slightly more affluent person requiring a touch more comfort (hence the Euro-Z28 using Firebird seats) and the Firebird is a touch heavier. Not as pronounced in the 4th gen as it was in the 3rd gen though.