DropZ

BTW, did you ever drag race this guy? I remember the thread from a while back but didn't ever see how it ended.

Threxx

The biggest improvement in handling for my GS400 was when I swapped out the sway bars. But then again the stock GS4 sway bars are definitely going to be more ride-biased than the stock bars on an f-body.

And as has been mentioned, there are many different componants to how well a car handles. Some of them are subjective and some of them are objective.

In some ways, with enough mods but short of stripping almost everything off your car except for the frame/drivetrain, you'll be able to take out an RX7, and in some ways such as predictability or responsiveness, you may never be able to match one. Then again keep in mind that any mods you do to your car can be done to any other car too, so in the end it kind of comes down to who weighs the least, has the best chassis and steering system from the factory, and who can get the best combination of mods and tires on their car. This is one of the main reasons why compact 4-cylinder cars got so popular. They start out lighter so they just feel quite a bit more responsive and respond even better to suspension mods too.

My GS4 is modded to where it will currently out-handle a new BMW 5-series with ease, and still rides considerably smoother than one, too! But I'm also well aware that if the 5-series was modded in a similar fashion to my car, my car would get left in the dust come time for a corner. So it's all just kind of relative, and in my case, I made things go from "OK" to "good", but I will never be at "excellent" IMO unless I have a smaller/lighter car or am willing to make my car ride rougher than even the roughest riding of sports cars.

But really this is why the new magnetically variable shock absorber system that GM and others are starting to use is so cool. It can instantly vary the stiffness of the suspension independently at any wheel. So soak up a bump, then instantly stiffen things up to prevent rebound, then soften up again, then got to ultra stiff on one side and medium on the other side for a sharp turn, etc, etc.

newby

He wasn't asking how a fourth gen would do against a second gen. He wants to know how his third gen would do.
If you're going to compare a fourth gen, you should compare with a third gen RX7, which although not as powerful as a fourth gen, it would still be able to hand it it's butt through the corners.

Adam

Whoa, how'd I miss that one. My bad.

Oddly enough, thirdgens (the higher end ones) had better suspension than 4thgens. Stiffer springs, bigger swaybars, etc. With the same tires I bet the thirdgen would handle better. Just wouldn't have the power.

Dope

Jerm

Tires are 2/3rds of your handling and nexts shocks.

Tires are quite simply the best mod you could ever do to your car.

Coolformula

Third gens did have many more factory options on bars and springs etc..

but for your 4th gen

17x9.5 285 sticky tires
35mm hollow or soild front sway bar
blisten shocks HD or revalves if you can afford them


This is a very good set up that would give you a better skipad....and I like this setup drives pretty good

85_305

What kind of tires could I get on my 15's that would handle better?

85_305

Where could I get good looking, but CHEAP wheels? Cost is the main factor here.

blue69camaro383

what you want...

spohn or stock formula 36mm/24mm sway bars
adjustable torque arm
tubular rear control arms
steering brace (iroc-z came stock with it)
subframe connectors
adjustable panhard rod
better springs (eibach pro or sportline)
strut tower brace
poly bushings all over
make sure your rag joint and steering gear box are up to par....
good brake with good pads
lower relocation brakets when lowering a car
17 inch rims with a good tire, bfg kdws got a stock zo6 to 1g+
koni yellows
anything else i missed?..

85_305

I dunno if you missed anything, but thanx for the compressed list! I saved it and will be looking into each thing seperatly. Thank you!

lbrowne

I can certainly vouch for the tire advice.

I have SFCs, front strut tower bar, DMS springs, LCAs and relocation brackets.

My car before and after is not even the same car, radical difference in handling, cornering and overall *tight* feel.

Would it keep up with an RX7 through the twisties? probably...with the Kumho tires I'm currently running? not a chance.

When I get a little fatter in the wallet I'll get some nice sticky tires. Right now my advantage is I know the limits of the Kumhos I have and I'm comfortable with kicking the butt out while gettin through a turn.

I can't imagine my car with better tires - I would probably have to get a 5 point harness to keep me from going through the t-top.

blue69camaro383

thats something i am considering for my car...tired of import **** saying a domestic can't handle...back in 84 my car put down .85gs on crap 215/60/15 tires..........lets see how she does on 16 inch gta rims with kdws and all the above mentioned toys

85_305

^ agree 100% The IROC's put donw a .91 on the skid pad.. eat that, ricer-f@gs!

Chuck!

1. 275/40/17 Kuhmo ecsta mx's or Nitto 555R2s
2. Bilstein sports
3. Some sort of front end rebuild kit. Your stock **** is old and worn. Bushings at least.
4. Billet Strut mounts (spohn)
5. Eibach pro-kit

Beyond that

Subframe connectors - I run BMR and love them, sphon stuff is highly recommend by my thirdgen friends.
Edelbrock carb/tbi STB. Its just about your only option, Summit sells it.

newby

I agree that ricers are pretty freaking stupid when it comes to handling capabilities of cars (especially civics), but you have to remember not to put too muck stock in skidpad numbers; they're a very unrealistic measure of how well a car handles. The smooth, flat surface of a skidpad bears no resemblance to a real road, which is never smooth, and may have bumps, dips, ripples, camber, etc. It's really only a measure of the outright lateral grip of the tyre, which is irrelevant if the suspension can't keep those grippy tyres of the uneven road surface. A car with good skidpad numbers won't necessarily handle or grip better than one with properly sorted road suspension.

A car with an independant rear suspension will, IN GENERAL, be able to handle bumps and road variation better than one with a live axle.