I'd like YOUR input...

[mrchen]

the 89 is a nice representation of a weak era in musclecar history, but this appears to be too clean and original a car to sacrifice.
you can pick up a 89 camaro to convert on the cheap

[Solocus]

By the time your 2010 is worth $10K, the IROC will be worth $20K. Nice original 350 IROCs are going for $14K in some cases. After warrenty is up thrash the 2010!

[IROCanSS]

Originally Posted by mjorgensen

Autocross is mostly about the handling so do anything you can afford to the wheels, tires and suspension. Power is great but if you can't get it to the ground it's worthless. The IROC was a great FS or ESP car a few years back and with some tweaks and a good alignment you will have serious fun. Gearing stinks, but if you change to a non factory offered gear you will be bumped to a class where you will need to spend a ton of cash to be competitive.

Have fun, cars are only worth the enjoyment you get out of them today. They don't really build anything that will be a classic like the old steel cars that can be restored and worked on anymore IMHO.

Gearing is TERRIBLE!!! I'm not trying to add any power, just more efficiently use what's there. I agree it's 90% handling. Like I said, I'm going to try it out this weekend if the rain holds off and go from there.

[IROCanSS]

Originally Posted by Solocus

By the time your 2010 is worth $10K, the IROC will be worth $20K. Nice original 350 IROCs are going for $14K in some cases. After warrenty is up thrash the 2010!

Warranty??? that went out the window well over a year ago!!! Which is exactly why I DON'T want to thrash on it. It's a lot cheaper to fix the 89 and a lot less necessary. Look at it this way... I blow the L98, the car can sit, not cost me a dime and then rebuild at my leisure. If I blow the LS3, the bank is still going to expect their money!!! I'm not one of those independently wealthy folks who paid cash...

[IROCanSS]

Originally Posted by DarkObsession

IMO, cars are meant to be driven so slap the mods on and go have fun Autocrossing

How I'm leaning...

[ffrcobra_65]

[\QUOTE] It's a tough call... I can't get another car. I already have 6![/QUOTE]

7 is a lucky number Seriously, if you butcher that '89, you will be happy at first then regret will settle in sooner than later. I had five 3rd gens, the '89 5.7 Iroc 1LE was my favorite and should have kept it. Yours has already survived 22 years as is....let it be. Get a cheapo project car and let it be the one to scratch this particular itch you got now.

[Scrappy Doo]

Originally Posted by ffrcobra_65

[\QUOTE] It's a tough call... I can't get another car. I already have 6!

7 is a lucky number Seriously, if you butcher that '89, you will be happy at first then regret will settle in sooner than later. I had five 3rd gens, the '89 5.7 Iroc 1LE was my favorite and should have kept it. Yours has already survived 22 years as is....let it be. Get a cheapo project car and let it be the one to scratch this particular itch you got now.[/QUOTE]

THIS

[IROCanSS]

I like the idea with all the people telling me to buy another car... and if I could, I'd buy a first gen miata POS and build it into a little scooter of an auto-x car but a 7th vehicle is out of the question. I really don't think I could/would do anything to the IROC that would devalue it. I mean it's "original" but it has been repainted, and needs it again. It was a crappy respray that isn't sticking plus there is a tiny dent in the one door.

The car is in great shape for a 3rd gen but no where near perfect. I'm more worried about the investment then not having time to run it.

Like was mentioned, I wouldn't do much to it. From the results it seems fairly even with a slight bias towards do it. Good points on both ends...

[mikel441]

Originally Posted by ffrcobra_65

Better get something of lesser value and turn it into what you want. Leave that nice 350 IROC alone.

This would be my thoughts.

[xXSilencerXx]

I'd leave it alone, and go get a cheap one and build it instead.

[IROCanSS]

Well I just got a reply on another thread saying that the stock 700R4 doesn't like hard down shifts and auto-x would be a lot of hard 2-1 downshifts manually pulling it into first... I already had the tranny rebuilt once...

That really puts light on a different perspective.

[Rockin the BlueSS]

if you cant buy another car... then sell some of the ones you have. you have two camaros just sell the other four cars then you should have garage space and the cash to get a decent designated race ride...

what are the other four?

[Rockin the BlueSS]

Originally Posted by jrhaus76

Well I just got a reply on another thread saying that the stock 700R4 doesn't like hard down shifts and auto-x would be a lot of hard 2-1 downshifts manually pulling it into first... I already had the tranny rebuilt once...

That really puts light on a different perspective.

the 700R4 can be made to like the shift... look up the trans-go shift kit, makes it shift very firm and replaces the bands and most of the valve in the valve body to make the trans actually work well

[ffrcobra_65]

You would be thinking right if you are thinking of a early model Miata which you can find for very cheap and it won't take much to get track ready. A 1995 -1999 BMW m3 with manual tranny would make a nice track car too! See, last year, I was on the same boat as you now. I just thrashed my e46 M3 and was itching to get back on a real track (track with more than 1 turn) I have a 1995 M3 (last of the OBD1 M3) with 80k miles in very nice shape but is an auto. It would take no more than $3k to convert to manual and $2k for suspension. In the end, I just didn't have the heart to do change it. I am looking for a Miata now.