Shogun

Yep folks you heard me right - I was definitely taken by an Impala SS, circa 1994-1996.

Here's the event:
Coming home from the airport tonight after a great business trip - I'm feeling full of **** and vinegar. Great music, playing it loud, sunroof open, 45 degrees and the heater on. What a wonderful night. Jesus, my body is 34 but my mind takes me back to when I was 18 after a winning football game (i.e., please feel free to substitute whatever youthful event reminds you of "THAT" feeling - driving home after Prom, your daring escapade on the 50 yard line, maxing your SAT, seeing your friend's Mom in a bikini, etc, you get my drift right?)

I'm doing 80 (with a Millennia S tailing me) when I marginally pass an Impala SS that is all black and I mean ALL black. Black car, black windows and black wheels. My God, it must be Darth Vader!

He paces along side for about 1/2 mile and then begins to flirt with his throttle. I usually don't play this game but hey, I can do no wrong today and to boot I'm feeling 9 feet tall and bullet proof. Did I mention that I was feeling about 18 years old tonight? I digress, suffice it to say that this opportunity would be too much fun to pass up.

I begin to play the game and he gets the first throttle stab from 80 and we're off and much to my surprise, Darth Vader's car is pulling (albeight slightly) on my beloved GS. Traffic then begins to slow our endeavor.

Traffic clears and Darth and I both know there's a round 2 to be had. I figure he just got his tranny to kick down before mine and he got the advantage on the last run. No big deal - I'll make sure I begin first this time.

So I did. No doubt about it - I got the first move at throttle. Now I have half a car length but good googly moogly, Vader's car is pulling on me AGAIN. By 120 he's 1/2 a car length ahead. Things are moving so fast now and I "think" I see the speedo somewhere around 130. At this point, I either started gaining or he backed off which I did began to do milliseconds later. I think chances are very high that he backed off.

My only saving grace was a highway transition ramp that we took a few miles later where the GS4 either out handled Darth or he decided not to push it very hard.

Gents, I have no idea if he was modded or not but I hope to God he was...for the pride of the GS4 and my ego. BTW, the Millennia S kept playing catch up the whole time but that doesn't really bandage my pride.

All I know is when I got home I'm sure Darth's steering wheel didn’t tilt up and away when he pulled his key from the ignition. But then again, I'm sure Vader's johnson didn't lose half its length on the highway.

Does anyone here have any experience(s) with Impalas?

Hey, just make sure you stay away from any Black Impalas, with black windows and black wheels.

Everyone have a super Sunday morning!

Eric

BLiu

I am not suprised. The impala SS is not a slow car and can easily be modded with great results. Now, if the Millenia S caught up then I would start worrying cuz those cars are as slow as molasses...

Brent

mayandoom

WRONG! Depends on what your opinion of a fast car is I suppose. 0-60 in low 7's is not fast. They can be modified like any other car out there and the pieces are affordable to obtain that. He was certainly modified. At least an extra 60-70h.

///MDex

Shogun, great run. Even since our exchange with the Impala guys here, I've been wanting to tangle with one.

Take it in stride - any car can be modded to be any other car out there. And remember like Brent said, it only takes a few dollars to make those cars deadly fast.

Hey, wait a minute; if you are stock, you absolutely have nothing to be ashamed of - sounds like he was modded anyway. I'd say you can easily walk away with a smile on your face.

And yeah, at the end of the day/night, you still park your GS in the garage, not an Impala. This hold true for Hondas, Acuras (yes, Acuras ), Fords, etc.

Note: Impala guys, you know what I'm sayin.

Hey, it gives you an excuse to bolt on a couple of goodies....

Later

ceoart

I believe I meet one of them on a side street. I wanted to pass him on a one lane road but decided not to. But I was pretty close to him. It turned out he was a Cop! He pulled me over and said I was just waiting for you to pass me! He did not give me a ticket. Glad I did not try and race him to 130 MPH! :eek:

GS400_PUSHER

I raced one of those SS they are fast cars but you should easily run a stock one to 130. But like they say they can easily be modded to burn our GS and the cost to do that is not as expensive for them as it is for us.

DDLexus

Hey there... Got some news on this subject. Turns out that the Impala SS is not that fast STOCK. But, as mentioned earlier, modifications to this engine are easy and cheap. So, performance can be upgraded dramatically. I provided a list of the specs for a stock Impala SS. Notice the displacement of that V-8. Too bad GM doesn't know how to build an engine that maximizes that size

Side, note.... The engine is, I believe, the same engine found in the Corvette. The LT1 engine is a good powerful engine. So, don't be supprised with the output modification add to stock Impala's.

Cheers.
Damon

PERFORMANCE DATA
1996 Impala SS

Acceleration (0-60 mph): 7.4 sec.
Braking Distance (60-0 mph): 120 ft.
Roadholding Index: 0.82
Base Number of Cylinders: 8
Base Engine Size: 5.7 liters
Base Compression Ratio: 10
Horsepower: 260 hp @ 5000 rpm
Torque: 330 lbs./ft. @ 2400 rpm

enginyr

better than being smoked by and acura....

The Ikon

I'll rather be beaten by an Asian car vs a Chevy!:eek: J/K I had a C5.. As mentioned above ANY car can CRUSH another car if the mods are plentiful and work with the car...

Be safe and have fun.... Don't take it personally...

ceoart

Years ago when I had my BMW 735i an old beat up Chevy that looked like it had not been waxed in ten years left me in the dust!. :eek: It was very embarrassing.