You should know better by now... the rear end gear is only part of the picture.

 

I wasn't real sure. Nice find though. I know there is much more to it than gears, but I just can't find any advantage at all for a new edge? I'm pretty sure this topic was beat to death a few years back, might as well give it another round.

 

Given the power numbers and weight numbers, along with the LT1 having a 6 speed manual, I never understood how the two cars would run identical times.

But, why do they still run similar times? Just from bad driving?

 

I'm sure it's a combination of things. Much like stock '96-'98 Cobras are only a tick faster than New Edges despite the extra horses.

I don't know, perhaps an LT1 is a click or two faster than a New Edge. But having said that, my car runs 13.9-14.0 when I blow the tires off. I would be very very surprised to lose to a stock LT1 even when I put my 60's into the 2.2+ range.

 

Driving and weather conditions... you have times posted from Atco that embarass times posted anywhere else in the country... was just looking at my old dates/times and the DA during my low 14 passes was 2608ft. Someone at Atco with negative DA could have pulled off a 13 second pass easy.

Also M6 LT1s are harder to launch than LS1 cars IMHO... I slip the clutch out from ~2000rpm to get my best times and my peak toque hits around 3400rpm... a stock LT1 makes it's peak torque @ 2200rpm making it much trickier and less forgiving unless you know what you are doing.

That said the difference becomes painfully clear if you put sticky tires on both cars... I've seen near stock LT1 cars pulling low 13s on sticky tires with barely over 100mph traps.. they can move out of the hole quickly but 245 width GSCs weren't getting it done back in the day.

 

I also never understood how the 96-98 Cobra's were "a driver's race" with a New Edge GT, yet when both cars have a 4.10 gear, the cobra is suddenly much faster?

:/

 

Bad driving is part of it. It's a lot harder to drive an LT1 6speed than it is a 5speed 2v. I wouldn't consider myself to be an awesome driver by any means. But, the first and only time I've ever driven a 5speed 2v, I outlaunched my buddy that owns the car and ran a better time with it, on my Gtech. If you've driven any manual car, then you can be ok in a 2v. A 6speed LT1 has a big learning curve, and takes a while to master. I drive my car everyday, and still can't get a perfect launch with it. Hell, with my DR's and suspension, I still can't get any better than a 1.974 60' time in it. Another part of why is because LT1's just don't get taken care of by many people. They're getting old and cheap, so no one seems to maintain them. I probably have the nicest LT1 in my county, and it's by no means perfect. The rest are just junk almost, and I wouldn't expect them to run better than mid 14's because they're just too worn out with 150k+ and always being abused whenever driven.

 

There's a local guy I met on LS1Tech actually, that with just a cai, no cats, catback, 3.73's, and some suspension with DR's is running 12.87@107 with a '97 Formula M6, at Cordova. He does have a 12 bolt, instead of a stock 10 bolt, but the times could be replicated with a 10. At that power level, the stock rear should be able to hold up to the launches for a little while.

Also, I forgot about the other local that was running 13.0@102.3 with a '95 Z with just a cai, catback, and some ET Streets. Stock rear and stock 3.23's, I believe. He may have had 3.42's.

 

I agree ^^..I cant get my lt1 under a 2.2 60ft but im on some hard street tires.

 

You can definately see the potential when guys throw a set of tires and a couple breathing mods on them. They go from a 14 second contender to a 12 second hopeful. A shot of gass/headers away from some 11's. Pretty impressive, cheap car. IMO it has suprassed the faaaaavoh in the cheap fast department, including cost of car.