I'm looking for a late model Firebird for my wife, and have found one on-line. It's a 1999 with the 3.8L V-6, and looks great in the pictures. It's about a 400 mile drive to see it, but I'm going to the town it's in for business in a few weeks. I was hoping to find a V-8 Formula, but might save some on insurance with the V-6.

What kind of performance can I expect from the stock V-6? It's listed at 200 hp. I think 3.8L came with factory supercharger in a few GM cars other than the Firebird, but only bumped it up to 240 hp. Are there any good bolt-on's that would wake it up? My wife only cares what color it is, but I wouldn't mind having some fun with it.

 

www.frrax.com

 

the best bolt on for this car is unbolt the whole front end (k-member whith wheels tires motor and tranny) and lift the car off of it then get a whole LS-1 front end and lower car onto it bolt it back up and an instant 320HP then with gears and cam with a stall should be good for low 12's

 

Well, that's helpful

 

that is the best thing about GM cars everything bolts to everything oh I forgot to tell you that you will need the computer for the LS-1 car also. Just be careful of planting too much power to the ground those 10 bolts will snap pretty easy the low 12's will do it if you get the power to the ground!!!!copy and paste this in your URL and you will get some good pictures of the 10 bolt carnagefrom a 12.4 6 speed LS-1

http://www.brazosvalleystreetbeasts....t=bolt+carnage

 

here is the video of it hapening brent is the one in the far lane check out when he hits second

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKSDdKze4i8

 

I have the 97 gtp 3.8 super charged engine.Its stock(I spend it on my trucks).
I think SLP products or performace they carry everything for the 3.8

 

Adding a good supercharger to your 3.8L would be a good option. You wouldn't have the added insurance cost since you still have a V6 and your 3.8 would probably have a bit more power than a nonsupercharged stock V8.

 

or you can go turbo like a gnx, but either way boost is good

 

In stock form the 3.8v6 camaro/firechicken was a pretty stout running car. A buddy of mine had a '00 V6 camaro that would roast the back tires pretty easy. It'd also plant ya in the seat pretty hard. That car is almost ALL fiberglass so it's light, and with 200ish (I think the 200 figure is a bit conservative) horse under the hood they're fun to drive and get good gas mileage too.

 

It should be a good wifey car, she won't be going sideways around corners but it'll still have plenty of zip. Those 3.8s are great engines, we've got a old Buick with a 3.8 that just wont die.

It should take mods just like any v8, theres a few companys that carry cams, intakes, and heads for the 3.8. A computer tune would give it a little more power. I wonder what headers and duals sound like on a 3.8

 

by the time you do mods to that 3.8 to get the numbers an LS-1 has from factory you will save time money and scraped nuckels but what do I know. I live in a town that our car club is 90% F-bodies I have learned many things from these guys

 

Taking your advice, and found a '96 Firebird Formula WS-6 on AutoTrader. It's 400 miles in the other direction, but it's got all the right stuff. Checking with the insurance agent, it doesn't seem to be that bad to run full coverage on it ($273 every 6 months). I have to wait until the beginning of October for the owner to get back from vacation, but it sure looks good in the pictures. Only 44,000 miles on it, and he wants $8,500.

 

WTF is this 'cam with stall' of which you speak?

 

the 592 cam with the lsa at 114* 4.11 gears and a 3000 stall will at least get a 12.5 oh maybe I forgot to mention exhaust but it is a very commen combination with the LS-1 guys. that cam hits hard too!!!