NP or CP: Radwood edition

"My bird IS the word" (mybirdistheword) 10/22/2018 at 11:01 • Filed to: None

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everything about this is awesome except that it’s automatic

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

link in case of kinja:

damnit kinja

obviously it isn’t collectible because it’s a dealer edition and not something official. It’s still super 90's and rad and I want it.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > My bird IS the word 10/22/2018 at 11:09

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Those wheels are more dated than Trump’s sense of humor. 

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > My bird IS the word 10/22/2018 at 11:11

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Don’t hate, it’s a good cruiser.

Ssfancyfresh > My bird IS the word 10/22/2018 at 11:20

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I remember seeing advertisements for those wheels in the back of Road&Track when I was a wee lad. I believe you could get all sorts of colored inserts: red, yellow, black, carbon look. Choice.

This thing is cool.

Milky > My bird IS the word 10/22/2018 at 11:30

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That inspiration .

My bird IS the word > Milky 10/22/2018 at 11:32

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This should be the new camaro

OmerCarrothers333 > My bird IS the word 10/22/2018 at 11:35

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The auto is fine. Just ease the seat back and enjoy watching the taillights of every Focus RS, STI, Ecoboost Mustang,  and Civic Type R zoom past you. 

My bird IS the word > OmerCarrothers333 10/22/2018 at 11:36

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good point.

dogisbadob > My bird IS the word 10/22/2018 at 11:40

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it’s cool, but CP

Milky > My bird IS the word 10/22/2018 at 11:42

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I’ll sign the petition.  

winterlegacy, here 'till the end > My bird IS the word 10/22/2018 at 11:47

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This would make for an excellent cruising car. No sporty crap - just put it on a highway or a long back road and ease into the throttle.

Chariotoflove > My bird IS the word 10/22/2018 at 12:01

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I think auto is perfect for this car.  A manual wouldn’t quite fit its style.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > My bird IS the word 10/22/2018 at 21:54

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It pretty much was the concept car for the 4th-gen Firebird... there was a corresponding Chevy concept car.

1989 Chevrolet California IROC Camaro Concept:

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > My bird IS the word 10/22/2018 at 23:16

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I have a hard time thinking of a car more streamlined than a 4th-gen Firebird, and an idea rolling around in my head.

After reading about Bauer Ltd. building their Catfish with a GM LFX 3.6L DOHC crate engine and AISIN transmission, it occurred to me that it could be an option for an GM in-house swap, and revive an old-school nameplate.

Take one non-rusty, straight Firebird with T-tops.

Strip down to the chassis for strengthening, subframe connectors, braces, the whole works to make a nice solid road car that doesn’t flex with those t-tops out.

Independent rear suspension conversion, tubular SLA front suspension conversion and K-member for suspension geometry and weight reduction

LFX and Aisin gearbox transplant, with V8-level water and oil cooling.

Keep the sleek firebird form, rather than the bulkier cladded trans-am, although it would use the Trans Am’s hatch, with the wing removed and filled in, and the rear seats deleted as well. The Front seats replaced with something lighter like Cobra Misano.

Aero improvements under the body, to smooth and fence the air under the body, perhaps even with a mild diffuser under the firebird un-skirted rear bumper.

With an all aluminum DOHC V6 with 300+ horsepower under the hood, but lighter than a Miata iron B-series inline-4 drivetrain... i think it calls for a resurrection of a nameplate.

Firebird Sprint.

My bird IS the word > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 10/23/2018 at 00:42

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If you wanted to build a serious firebird based performance build, I would get a hardtop car. I like me some t tops though.

That would be a cool and unique build. I think these cars get really passed over for neat projects.

My bird IS the word > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 10/23/2018 at 00:44

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I more want them to ditch this proportionally bad styling for something more streamlined and futuristic. 

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > My bird IS the word 10/23/2018 at 09:32

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I am not sure how “serious” this would be... considering how serious other people do tend to get.

I am just thinking about a good, stable base for a fun and handsome road car that looks like a low-flying aircraft. Something that could handle a road course or autocross track day or two without flinching, but not a fire breather, not a street racer, not a radical show-stopper.

A blacked-out hardtop would be fine, but T-tops just seem like so much fun, if the car is solid enough not to flex and leak.

Basically, a 90's car before the safety police made everything bulky, heavy, and less sleek, and hard to see out of, but with the performance and improvements somewhere in the vicinity of a modern Camaro V6 RS or ATS V6 coupe.

Wish there was a way to refit those old playskool interior designs for something more modern, like one would remodel the rooms in a house.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > My bird IS the word 10/23/2018 at 09:51

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The stickler is going to be pedestrian, side impact from SUV-height bumpers, offset frontal impact, roll-over, and roof-strength safety standards.

They KILL the ability to have a sleek car that doesn’t resemble a bunker on wheels, unfortunately.

That is one of the reasons why I keep pushing for return of the Fiero, or some sort of mid-engined car... to keep the front end low, and the weight balance rearward... and I kind of wonder if Corvette can’t go much further being as sleek with a hood so close to a V8 engine mounted in the front half of the car.

I’ve also wanted the return to new creativity in styling, rather than constant re-hash of the storied past... again, and again, and again... I get that the muscle car guys grew up with the originals... but they were NEW then. Navel-gazing into the past means not having eyes on the future.

My bird IS the word > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 10/23/2018 at 10:02

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There are people who do custom dashboards and interiors. Only problem is that I think most of them are of the "yo yo yo" variety

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > My bird IS the word 10/23/2018 at 10:15

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That’s kind of it... and actually, I don’t mind the shape of the 4th-gen firebird dashboard with the round instrument cluster hood, and three round vents on top (not unlike some classic cars) , but the overly- rounded panel trims, odd proprietary sizes,  and switchgear for GM products in the 1990s was odd when new, and certainly dated now.

My bird IS the word > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 10/23/2018 at 11:15

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Its that melted bar of soap look that is just awful. I think of the early porsche 944 inte riors vs later ones, the difference is staggering.