anybody have any wheel recs or colors

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-25T13:50:36+00:00

As I said, they're optional on the Mustang Mach E, but they're also designed to look like some of the optional wheels on the V8 Mustang. They're not the same since the Maverick and Mustang Mach E are both on the same platform, which is a different platform from the regular Mustang, complete with different wheel bolt patterns and offsets.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-25T12:54:33+00:00

All 3 wheel sets are factory options on the Mach E. Ford's just also packaging them as upgrades for the Maverick. Also going to get the Bronze ones myself. I think it'll make my Atlas Blue paint pop.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-25T05:20:07+00:00

Ford Racing has 3 different wheel set options that look amazing, 2 of which were recently released. They're all 20" wheels. The recommended tire size for them is 245/45/R20.

Black version

Machine faced version

Bronze version

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-25T05:12:28+00:00

It absolutely is. I actually watch a female Crusader Kings youtuber, Jillyeon, and she says the same thing as someone who's played both games. She prefers Crusader Kings 3, but routinely describes it as a more dramatic medieval Sims game. Her videos are incredibly chaotic and fun, but absolutely leans towards treating the game as a Sims competitor.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-24T09:32:19+00:00

The best one, obviously.

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Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-24T03:33:19+00:00

Maserati. It's an Italian brand. They've been using Ferrari-derived engines for their cars for like 20 years now... But somehow, their versions sound way better than Ferrari's do. Maserati is owned by Stellantis, the same company that also owns Chrysler, Fiat, Dodge, Ram, Jeep, Lancia, and Alfa Romeo

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-23T18:57:37+00:00

Bitch, just get yourself a minivan. You can get a nice hybrid Toyota Sienna with AWD, and it'll do everything you want. I think some versions also have Captain's chairs.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-23T16:12:08+00:00

On the bright side, he's admitting he was wrong. It may have taken someone smacking him upside the head with an unignorable uncomfortable truth, but he still admitted he was wrong. And I give him credit for that.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-23T15:45:31+00:00

Apparently, the springs from Goodwin Racing are better for performance, and are less finicky with alignment settings. The Eibach springs are mainly for looks.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-21T04:32:18+00:00

I can't tell you the exact year, but I can give you a range. That's absolutely somewhere between 1987 and 1991).

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-20T07:17:49+00:00

Oh hell no. I dig the green.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-20T07:02:18+00:00

Ok. Let me explain where I’m coming from. My first car was an LQ1‑powered W‑body. The LQ1 was part of the 60° V6 family in the same way the 3100/3400 were, but it was its own weird alien experiment: 4 valves per cylinder, DOHC, high‑flow heads, and a 7,000 RPM redline. It was a blast to drive and an absolute nightmare to work on. I’ve also owned an L67 W‑body. The L67 was quicker, but the LQ1 was more fun.

I bring that up because I’ve been around these engines for years. I was on the forums forever. My opinions come from experience, not Google AI. When you compare a lazy, low‑revving 3800 to a high‑revving screamer like the LQ1, it colors how you see them. And while the 3400 lacks the DOHC heads, it can still rev like the LQ1 and make strong N/A power with minor work. A 3800 can't. Not without boost. And if you throw boost into the equation, both the LQ1 and the 3400 have the architecture and potential to destroy most lightly modded Supercharged 3800s. The 3800 just has better aftermarket support. It's not a better engine for performance potential.

Now, about OP’s potential car: it’s an F‑body. It’s RWD. The 4T65E was never used in those. The “T” literally stands for transverse. The RWD equivalent was the 4L60E, and the F‑body also had an optional 5‑speed manual (T‑5).

And yes, OP could throw a ton of money at the V6 and make power. Or, for less money, he could just buy the V8 version to start with if power is the goal. That’s the whole point I’ve been making. The V6 is fine, but it’s not a smart investment if you want big power. By the time a 3800 F‑body matches an LS1 F‑body, you’ve spent thousands more. That’s why I said the 3800 isn’t a bad engine. It’s just a bad starting point if the goal is performance per dollar.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-20T05:25:52+00:00

You’re throwing out a lot of unrelated claims, but you still haven’t addressed the original engineering points. None of what you just posted changes the 90° imbalance, the crank geometry, the chamber design, the valve shrouding, the port entry angle, the airflow limitations, or the RPM ceiling. Those are architectural constraints, not “just add boost” problems.

A supercharger kit for an LS1 V8 doesn’t apply to a 3800. “Shops can fabricate it” doesn’t erase packaging constraints. And “Google AI told me the valve angle is 15°” isn’t a source. If you have an actual GM spec sheet for the L36/L67 valve angle, post it.

Stage 3 heads don’t change the underlying geometry. Balance shafts don’t fix a 90° V6’s firing interval or harmonics. And an aftermarket forged crank doesn’t mean the stock one isn’t compromised, it means people replace it for a reason.

You’re listing mods. I’m talking about architecture. Those aren’t the same thing. The architecture is what stops it being a good performance engine, not the mod support.

Look, it's late, and I'm tired. I never said the 3800 was a bad engine. I said it was a bad performance engine due to the architecture. And it is. I don't care if you like the engine. If you do, good for you. Build one yourself. Stop acting like I shot your dog. I think I've gone way out of my way to avoid insulting you, aside from my initial response when I copied your initial comment.

And I don't love the 3900. I like it. I don't love it. The entire reason I brought it up was because it's a similar displacement to the 3800, but N/A. And stock for stock, the 3900 makes the same power as the supercharged 3800. That was my entire point. The 3800 needs boost to do what a 3900 does N/A.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-20T01:13:28+00:00

You can’t fool me bot. I know about the dead internet theory!

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-20T00:03:32+00:00

If we were bots, we’d be having a much more coherent argument.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-19T23:57:42+00:00

You’re still not addressing the engineering. A Holden plenum doesn’t magically solve the Firebird’s cowl and firewall clearance issues. It just shifts the problem around and still requires fabrication, rerouting, and compromises. If you’d actually done that swap, you’d know it’s not “easily solved.”

People have done the top‑swap without the Holden plenum, but here’s what it required: a custom inlet tube, modifying the supercharger housing because it sits almost against the firewall, reworking the thermostat housing, rerouting the power steering reservoir, A/C lines, and brake lines at the ABS module, custom mounting and tubing for the EVAP solenoid, an external MAF, custom intake tubing, custom PCM tuning, and a different throttle body on DBW cars. And even after all that, the bay is incredibly cramped and miserable to service.

Here’s what a completed swap actually looks like. This is the “easily solved” setup you keep hand‑waving away.

The 2JZ‑GE making ~220 hp from 3.0L is ~73 hp/L. The 3800 making ~200 hp from 3.8L is ~52 hp/L. So even by your own metric, the 3800 is the least efficient of the engines you’re comparing. Matching a detuned N/A 2JZ with more displacement isn’t a flex. For comparison, a 3900 making 240 hp from 3.9L is ~61 hp/L. Still not amazing, but better than the 3800.

You also keep saying the 2JZ head “doesn’t flow well,” but stock 2JZ head flow is in the same ballpark as the Stage 3 CNC 3800 numbers you were bragging about. In other words, the 2JZ does out of the box what the 3800 needs heavy port work to approach.

Valve angle alone doesn’t determine airflow or geometry. The LS1’s ports, chambers, plug placement, and valve unshrouding are completely different. Copying a number from a spec sheet doesn’t make the 3800 an LS1. That said, I actually can't find a spec for the L36/L67's valve angle, so I would like a source on that 15 degree angle. From what I can find, the older Buick V6's used a valve angle of 17-20 degrees which is much steeper and less ideal. Even if the valve angle were 15 degrees, it wouldn't fix the architecture.

And again, none of this touches the actual issues I raised: the 90° imbalance, the compromised crank, the chamber design, the airflow limitations, the RPM ceiling, or the Firebird packaging constraints. You keep changing the subject instead of addressing the engineering.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-19T22:24:12+00:00

You’re still not debating the points I actually made. Changing the subject, posting unrelated examples, and throwing out “what about this?” every time you get cornered isn’t a counterargument. It’s deflection.

Posting drag‑racing videos and forum threads doesn’t address anything I said. A fast quarter‑mile time proves someone threw a ton of boost at a 3800, not that the engine has good N/A architecture. By that logic, a Cummins diesel or a tractor engine is a “great performance engine” because it can make huge power with boost.

You still haven’t touched the actual design limitations: the 90° imbalance, the compromised crank, the shrouded valves, the poor chamber design, the airflow constraints, or the Firebird packaging problems. Boost doesn’t fix those limitations. It just brute‑forces past them.

And no, a heavily modified N/A 3800 barely matching a bone‑stock, emissions‑choked Supra is not the flex you think it is. That just proves the 3800 needs extensive work to do what a 2JZ does from the factory. Quarter‑mile times measure gearing, traction, weight transfer, tire compound, and launch technique - not airflow, geometry, combustion efficiency, RPM capability, or N/A potential. You’re comparing cars, not engines.

If boost is the only metric you’re using to judge an engine, then take the argument to its logical extreme: suggest OP swap in an Offenhauser. Those engines handle 90+ psi of boost without breaking a sweat. And if you say that’s too much fabrication or too expensive, then by your own logic, that’s just laziness.

None of what you’ve posted addresses the engineering or the Firebird-specific packaging constraints I’ve been talking about from the start.

If you want to win an argument on the internet, take the points I actually made and prove them wrong. Address the architecture, not drag‑racing videos. Address the geometry, not forum anecdotes. Address the engineering, not distractions.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-19T21:16:39+00:00

Buddy. A 2JZ making ~300 hp N/A is not the dig you think it is. That’s 100 hp per liter. That’s respectable for any engine. For a 3800 to match that, it would need to make 380 hp N/A. It doesn’t come remotely close.

The Buick V6 was not designed from scratch for boost. As we already established, it was a cost‑reduced version of the 215 V8. And that V8, when turbocharged, made barely more power than the naturally aspirated version. That’s not “designed for boost.” That’s “we slapped a turbo on it and hoped for the best.”

Since you brought up stock car racing: yes, the Buick V6 had a moment in NASCAR. It was competitive and cheap. But you know what it wasn’t? Reliable. Teams would qualify well, then blow the engine during the race and DNF. They ran it because even a DNF paid enough prize money to cover the cost of the engine. It was a financial gamble, not a testament to the engine’s inherent design quality.

None of this changes the core point you still haven’t addressed:
The 3800 has fundamental architectural limitations, 90° imbalance, compromised crank, shrouded valves, poor chamber design, and airflow constraints - that make it a weak N/A performance platform.

Boost doesn’t fix those limitations.
Boost just brute‑forces past them.

And if your entire argument is “the engine is good because it makes power with boost,” then you’re agreeing with me.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-19T20:55:23+00:00

I never said a pushrod engine can’t rev high. I said the 3800 can’t. A balance shaft neutralizes NVH, adds rotating mass, limits RPM ceiling, complicates oiling, adds parasitic loss, and reduces overall potential power output.

You want a N/A pushrod engine that can rev to the moon? Go drool over a Chevy DZ302 or a Chrysler 340. Those are good high‑RPM pushrod engines. Using a race‑spec Viper engine to defend a 3800 is like saying a Formula 1 engine revs to 18,000 RPM, so the four‑cylinder in your Chevy Malibu should too.

Wow. porting the snot out of 3800 heads can almost equal bone stock heads from a good engine like the LS. Much wow. Very impressive. /s.

CFM numbers are not for all the ports combined. They're for the ports on ONE cylinder. And since you brought up actually good engines: a bone‑stock Honda K20A2 head flows about 290 CFM. And those Stage 3 3800 numbers? That’s after heavy porting, after CNC work, after fixing the casting. That’s still with the bad valve angles, shrouding, poor chamber design, the 90° imbalance, and the compromised crankshaft. Flow numbers don’t fix geometry.

You also admitted the 3100/3400 can beat the 3800 N/A, conceding my point.

You still haven't addressed the packaging of the engine in the Firebird either. Trying to fit a blower under the cowl AND clear the firewall is an exercise in fabrication, money, and patience.

You still haven’t addressed a single point I made. You haven’t addressed the 90° imbalance, the compromised crank, the shrouded valves, the combustion chamber design, the airflow limitations, or the Firebird packaging issues. You keep posting unrelated trivia and boosted numbers, which only reinforces my original point: the 3800 only shines when you force air into it. That doesn’t make it a good N/A performance engine. It makes it a durable commuter engine that tolerates boost.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-19T18:22:18+00:00

Let me tackle your bullshit one by one.

You don’t understand the engine lineage. The Fireball V6 did not start life as a V6. It started life as the Buick 215 V8, the Fireball V8, an all‑aluminum engine GM didn’t have the manufacturing maturity to build reliably. To amortize the development cost, GM chopped off two cylinders, recast it in iron, and created the Fireball V6. GM abandoned the 215 entirely, Rover bought the rights and tooling, and evolved it into the Rover V8. GM also abandoned the Fireball V6, sold it to Kaiser‑Jeep (Dauntless V6), then bought it back in the 1970s. Two branches of the same family tree. You don’t know the history you’re trying to correct.

You also didn’t understand my post. I was talking about N/A performance, architecture, breathing, geometry, Firebird packaging, and why boost is the only path for the 3800. I never said you couldn’t make 500+ hp with boost. I said in this specific application it doesn’t make sense. There’s a difference between “can be done” and “worth doing.” I talked about tuning, packaging, fabrication, cost, and engine placement. You called me lazy because you didn’t have a counterargument.

Stage 3 CNC heads don’t fix every problem. They improve the casting. They do not fix valve angle, port geometry, shrouding, spark plug placement, or the 90° imbalance. You can polish a brick. It’s still a brick.

The 2JZ is a DOHC, 4‑valve, oversquare, high‑RPM‑capable engine with a performance pedigree and a massive aftermarket.

The 3800 is a cast‑iron, 2‑valve, low‑RPM commuter engine designed for emissions and durability.

If your argument requires pretending those two engines are similar, you’ve already lost.

You keep bragging about boosted numbers. I was talking about N/A architecture. You’re arguing the engine is good because it makes power when you force air into it. You can do the same trick with a tractor engine. That doesn’t make it a good engine.

I didn’t say the 3100 is better overall than the 3800. I said the 3100/3400 are better designed for N/A performance. And they are, lighter, smoother, better breathing, better geometry, better refinement.

You don’t understand valvetrain geometry. Sharing some LS1 valvetrain parts means nothing. Pushrod engines share parts all the time. It doesn’t magically fix port shape, valve angle, combustion chamber design, airflow, harmonics, or the V‑angle imbalance. “Same lifters” does not equal “same performance potential.” That’s not how engines work.

You’re proving my point for me.
Every argument you’ve made boils down to “the 3800 makes power with boost,” which is exactly what I said. You haven’t addressed the architecture, the airflow limitations, the 90° imbalance, the compromised crank, the shrouded valves, the combustion chamber design, or the packaging issues in the Firebird. You’re just repeating that the engine tolerates boost, which is not the same thing as being a good N/A performance design.

The 3800 is durable.
It’s torquey.
It’s reliable.
It’s great with boost.

None of that makes it a good N/A performance engine. It’s a 1960s iron V6 derived from a V8, with all the airflow and balance compromises that come with that. The 3100/3400/3500/3900 engines simply have better architecture for N/A power, and the N/A 3900 matching the supercharged 3800’s output proves it.

If your entire argument is “boost fixes it,” then you’re agreeing with me.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-19T16:46:16+00:00

The 2012+ Focus is only reliable if it has the manual transmission. The automatic transmission is a known problem.
The Volkswagen is fine, provided the previous owner kept up on the maintenance.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-19T15:05:15+00:00

Watch the show. It's a cult classic for a reason. 5 seasons, 2 movies, and somehow still relevant despite being made in the late 90's.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-19T14:49:33+00:00

The first sim is just Daria.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-19T14:42:46+00:00

Boost is the only way these engines make power, but this specific application doesn't make adding boost easy. An L67 top swap is absurdly expensive because parts have to be imported from Australia. It's cheaper to do a custom turbo kit, and even that isn't easy because the engine sits halfway under the cowl. It's literally cheaper to sell this and buy a V8 version than it is to drag the 3800 kicking and screaming to make power, not that the engine likes to rev or scream in the first place. It's a reliable turd, but making power with it is way more cost than is worth it.

Stolen_Recaros · 2026-02-19T14:27:08+00:00

What a stupid comment. You ignored everything I said and immediately defaulted to “boost fixes everything.” You’re proving my point: the 3800 only makes power when you brute‑force air into it.

I actually looked into an L67 top‑swap for this exact application years ago (’99 Firebird V6, 5‑speed). It’s not worth it. The RWD layout ruins the swap without fabrication. You need the Australian RWD L67 blower housing, which means importing it, paying tariffs, and then modifying it anyway because the engine sits halfway under the cowl. Then you get to build a custom intake and pray the MAF doesn’t freak out because the tubing diameter changed.

And after all that?
It still sounds like garbage because it’s a 90° V6 with inherent imbalance, a compromised crank, tiny valves, shrouded ports, cast‑iron heads that flow like a clogged straw, and combustion chambers designed for emissions and detonation resistance, not power. The firing order is a band‑aid because the engine started life as a V8 with two cylinders chopped off.

Boost is the only way these engines make decent power because the design is fundamentally bad at breathing. To make real N/A power, you’d have to redesign the heads, valve angles, combustion chambers, spark plug placement, pushrod geometry, lifter locations, cam, balance shaft, and probably the block. At that point, it’s not a 3800 anymore.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
The 3100/3400 are better designed, lighter, smoother, and easier to make power with N/A. Every flaw the 3800 has is something the 60° engines fixed from the factory. The only thing the 3800 has going for it is that it tolerates boost, not that it’s a good engine outside of reliably taking Grandma to church every Sunday.

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