Hey guys decided to start a new thread on my Camaro as it's taken a new direction after being half done twice now. It's on the right track and hopefully we can continue with the momentum we're on.
I bought it about 6 years ago from a guy in Colorado who assured me it was all good. No rust etc freshly built 572 Donovan blah blah blah. Turns out the motor was junk. #7 piston was toast and all the bores heavily scored. Ended up selling it. Oh and no visual rust, just nicely hidden with bog and fibreglass!! Lesson learnt.
It sat in the shed for about a year before I decided what to do and what parts etc to use.
The car was started by a shop in the US and had a rear chassis clip which upon inspection looked pretty ordinary. So the decision was made to cut everything out and start again with stock floors with deeper tubs. Sold off what parts I could.
Ended up getting into contact with Jay at Speedtech and ordering a complete Track Time suspension kit along with Bear brakes , Auto Rad new floors and rails and a host of other parts.
It sat for another year or so before I got stuck into getting the new floors and tubs done. Completed this at home in the shed with the help of a panel beater. All looking good I eventually got it back on it's wheels some 2 years or so later and that's when it went down hill.
I sent it off to a so called "professional" to get the car nearing completion. Flat firewall, mount column, pedals and finish any fab work that was needed. Well the guy did a poor job and after telling me he had sold his shop and closed his business I was told to come pick up the car.
Got it back in my shed and it became apparent that I'd been taken for a ride. I was probably more disappointed in myself than anything for not being on the ball from day one when I sent it to him.
Moving along, my mate Cheyne Speak stepped up to the plate and got involved. We came up with a game plan and got started.
Started on a flat firewall and when that was 90% done stood back and decided we needed to make this different to the other 69 Camaros around town. Right then and there it was decided to body drop it. We removed to subframe mounts lowered the coilovers as much as possible and removed the rear coilovers to get it diff on chassis. This gave us a rocker height of about 100mm which will be ride height.
Sooo back on the phone to Jay to order all new floors and rails. Picked these up a couple months ago and began the work.
Chopped out all the old new floors and began the body drop. Raised them about 60mm from original height. We also decided to straighten out the rails to avoid doing the notch in them when fitting larger tubs. They still mount in the factory location at the front.
So that pretty much brings it up to date. Floors are in final position. Will be sacrificing head room but have a few ideas to get us the room needed. Cheyne is working this week on the new tubs which we have lifted about 70mm from stock height to get us the clearance needed above the wheels. Next week will be onto filler sections between the inner section od the rockers and floor and also to weld up the rails.
As it sits the subframe is above the pinch weld on the floor with the body mounts in place. Trunk floor is raised a bit but this can be lowered back down between rails to give more room. Outsides will be boxed in to house the battery on one side and tool kit on the other.
Once all the structural mods are finished we will then begin the wide body on the front guards. This is necessary to give us turning circle without front wheels rubbing. We are working on a 50mm wide body.
More pics later in the week.
Quick run down of the specs so far:
LS engine possibly LS3
T56
Speedtech track time suspension
Bear brakes 14" front 6p
Baer brakes 13" rear 6p
CCW 18x12 and 18x9
BFG KDW 335 and 285
Ididit column
Wilwood pedal set
Wilwood masters
Billet reservoirs
4" carbon tailshaft
Autorad radiator
Push button start
That's all I have as of now. Will need to get seats and rails soon so we can start on them. Fuel tank will more than likely be custom built. Dash will be fabricated and covered as I'm going to RHD and will most likely be a Racepak display. Pretty sure the orange paint will be going too. No idea on colour yet but I am liking these battleship grey colours that have been getting around.
Cheers
Luke