I don't have alot of experience around the W bodies. Have only run one heat with one thus far. But, after sitting through all of the footage from the last Osky team derby, I would venture a guess that they are pretty equal.........assuming that the Pacer has a braced rear and potent drivetrain.

There are a lot of "what ifs" there.  Drivers, motors, luck or lack of.  I personally like tearing up fwd cars with my pacer but wouldn't pass up a lumina if it was given to me.

A lumina is not a compact.

I dont think the question was if a Lumina was a compact or not. 

And alot of places around here pacers arent allowed but  Luminas are. 

Me and my brother have some good 1st and 2nd place battles at the end. Most of the times he pulls away with the win and both cars are junk. Luminas are around $300 each and easy to build. Pacers are around $500 each and take alot more work to build if you can find one.

why is this always thrown into the equation "Luminas are not compacts"... Is it because they are bending your hard to find AMC's well times are changing and rules are changing with them 108' wheelbase cars are now called compacts...

i would take a lumina personally. seen pacers get toreup by luminas. luminas are solid cars and if you know how to fix the rear axels on them the are very hard to beat. almost every pacer i have seen has the spindles ripped off or broke.

Depends on where you are.  Alot of shows are 108 wheelbase, so there a Lumina is a compact. 

Whether any of us consider a Lumina to be a compact is purely irrelevant to the question. He already stated he is working with 108 rules. First generation Lumina is 107.5

As I have said and many others, I have witnessed luminas rip pacers and other rwds apart, but i have also watched when it has been the other way around. Depends on driver skill, build, driving style, and you need luck.

Biggest factors to consider for this question are the rules and budgets. 

Ok guys i am going to be running a 2 man team show and the wheelbase is 109 for both front and rear wheel drive. My question would you guys take a rear wheel drive g body (80s malibus etc)or the lumina? Full weld. I have never seen a g body run.

Sorry for hijackin thread just figured we dont need another lumina vs thread, and as far as lumina vs pacer, its a toss up imo, but pacers seem to have better motors installed it seems.

W body all day everyday vs. rwd G body.IMO

lol again depends on who bulds what the wagon has like 3 or 4 runs on it the rwd  ford "(me) has 5 on it and i had no reverse both are buit by southern boys me from sc guy in wagon from nc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGy6sAHD_Ow

I love hearing "are you mad because lumina kill your hard to find amc's" no...I have never ran a Pacer. I kill Pacers with pintos...I'm I don't need a midize car.

Going to have to agree with 108 being to much for a compact class. But hey if you're allowed realistically you could run a 78-88 Monte, it's 108 exactly. Put a 2.5 iron duke in it and it'll scoot.

even with 108 rules montes not allowed. there full framed

g bodys arent very impressive to me. frames bend at the firewall, the a-arms and balljoints are weak and the backends suck.