[1]Not bad for an 11-year old car on a little boost...
With the “LS-Swap Craze” in full swing, evidently it’s difficult for some people to remember where these engines originally came from. We always like to keep a close eye on the comments our readers leave us on the LSX Magazine website and Facebook page [2], and some of what we read is a little odd.
Not often, but occasionally, we see a comment left by someone sharing their negative opinion about the fourth-generation F-bodies. Comments like; “they’re junk,” “they’re old,” F-bodies can’t handle,” and among your author’s personal favorites, “F-bodies never had LS engines in them.” …Really?
It’s only been ten years since the last one rolled off of the St. Therese assembly line, and we’re starting to think that some of our readers are either coming down with Alzheimer’s, or are Johnny-Come-Lately’s to the LS game. Whatever.
[3]Clearly not a stock Trans Am engine bay, this boosted new-generation "small block" is a force to be reckoned with.
Thankfully, there are some of us holdouts still representing our “old” Chevy and Pontiac 4th-Gen’s like they’re the latest and greatest, and that’s perfectly OK with us. Proof of this requires looking no further than this video [4] found on YouTube of a turbocharged 2001 Trans Am Firehawk running 10.28’s in the quarter-mile.
While there is little known information provided with the featured video; details such as engine specs, engine output, suspension and chassis modifications, and even if it’s a real Firehawk or a simply a standard Trans Am with a ‘Hawk hood is unclear as of this writing.
We do know that one thing is clear; the 4th-Gen F-bodies aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
[5]We smile every time we see a 4th-gen burnout.