THE BEAST HAS AWAKEN.....

[Slopoke21m]

The new ride..



The mouse..

The baby pic..

Well, 2 months of work are finally paying off, paint this week, service the trans, diff, and front suspension, and an alignment and hopefully Chris and I will be out next event.......making complete and total dummies of ourselves.............YAAAAHOOOOOO!!!!

[bruspeed]

Okay, let me just start off by saying the Camaro was Free. This was to be a low budget build, and I would venture to say that it is, considering some coilovers cost more than what we have in the car.

The car was originally a 1982 Chevrolet Berlinetta Camaro. It is kind of rare in it's own right, since '82 was the first year for the Third gen Camaro, and there was a total of around 40,000 Berlinettas built in '82, with I'm sure a fairly small number of them being v8's (stock was a V6).

So, the car was given to us by My cousin, or Aunt and Uncle, or Grandparents (not really sure who had ownership), It had a blown th200 transmission (automatic) and was just sitting in my grandparents backyard in Merced, CA. Off we go, my pop had just bought an Avalanche, and was itching to see how it towed and we were already cutting it close on the time until the first event. The trip down was uneventfull. We see her sitting in the back, white and pedestrian as hell, I almost feel bad for the poor thing. After a few minutes of wandering around, looking her up and down,kicking her tires, and dreaming of dodging cones at ludicrous speed, I pop open the door and look at the odometer, roughly 80,000 ticks of the odometer. Hmmmm. This might not be soooo bad, I think to myself (more on that later).

We proceed to start loading her up and then off to the old shed to pull my pops old transmissions, and race car short block. The block is a .030' over, four bolt main, high nickel block, now, that isn't all that rare, but one of the stoutest short blocks chevy had produced. So we dig everything out, and decide to use my grandfather's tractor and a chain wrapped around the bucket and bolted to some holes in the block for the heads. Well, about four and a half or five feet above the ground one of the bolts pulls loose, and in what seems like an eternity I watched the chain pull itself around the bucket and the short block fall to the ground. The block landed on its passenger side rear transmission mounting lug, which also happens to be one of the starter lugs too and breaks right off. Damn, DAMN!!! It was really weird just watching it fall and knowing we couldn't do anything about it. Anyways, It bent the flywheel and oil pan all to hell. We just sat there for a minute, wondering what we should do with our new boat anchor. We load it with the rest of the crap, just in case.

It just so happened that my grandfather had another block (no rotating assembly) sitting in his shed, we decide to try our luck and take it back with us. So with the day wearing on and the Berlinetta (which from here on will be refured to as "Netti") on the trailer, a Powerglide (2speed) transmission, and a turbo 350 transmission and some assorted other items, we haul our butts back to Nevada. That was a quite ride back. (The above "baby pic" was taken at a stop on the way back)

Back at the ranch, we pulled into the driveway, our new toy in tow, and despite the days previous events I felt like it was Christmas. I spent the next little while dreaming of the fire breathing beast that sat in front of me (more on that later). We unload Netti and I go home.

The next weekend we start off slow deciding what mods to do and taking stock of whats what. My pops and I cruise to the pick and pulls in Carson and Reno in search of IROC body parts, we find all of them but one side skirt, which I later get one that is almost broke in half, but while my grandfather is vacationing in Gardnerville on a visit, I con him into fixing it (thanks Grampy). I also proceed to start pulling the brakes and suspension components. While pulling the rear drums, I realize they are shot. The brake pads had worn past the wear indicators and to the rivets which put giant grooves in the drums. My cousin sucks at taking care of his cars. No matter, while we were at pick n pull, we found a disc brake car and robbed the rotors and caliper mounting plates. So I continue to pull the drum stuff only to find that the flanges on the end of the drum brake rearend were different than the disc brake rear. Bummer. So we press on continuing to remove the front and rear suspension.

During this time my pop fanagles another third gen from Bob at Bob's perfomance in G'ville. Cool. Parts car. It had discs and a 5 speed. Right on, less parts scouring. Come to find out, The donor had an electric fan, 3.73 Disc brake rear, The biggest sway bars that came on a third gen (besides the 1le package) and what appeared to be a good set of heads. So my pops drops off the free block, rotating assembly from the dropped motor, and the donor cars heads to Douglas machine in G'ville. He also ordered a rebuild kit from them, since he could rebuild the motor himself, but the machine work was out of his scope with the tools he has.

We load up the donor and haul it back to the ranch. Unload it in the other side of the garage (it's a pretty good size garage, iirc 1200 sf) and proced to strip it. Meanwhile Netti is sitting on jackstands, awaiting her new found running gear, and was just a shell sitting there. The stripping goes off without a hitch. And by the next morning my mom can park her car back in it's spot in the garage. Now I can't really remember if it was before or directly after the stripping, but we got the motor parts back from the machine shop. the block was bored .030' over, shot peened, hot tanked, and new camshaft bearings were pressed in. The heads were hot tanked, magna-fluxed, all new exhaust valves, some new intake valves, and valve stem seals installed. The rotating assembly was checked for true, given the go ahead and then polished. So basically we had all the motor assembly parts. But no engine stand. A quick trip to the auto parts store by my pop and the problem was rectified. I think it was roughly 2-or three days, spread over two weekends to assemle the weekend. Pops primed the oil system, and via the oil presure gauge that was plummed in on the top of the block, the motor held about 65psi at drill motor speed (2,500 RPM?? ). Awesome. That is gonna go a long way to making the motor last a good while. So, one large battle had been won, but we were still fighting a war here.

The motor pretty much fell into place in its new home and then it was time to hook all the necesarry wiring back to it's respective place. Easy enough. I had also mentioned the brakes and really wobbly front steering linkage to my cousin and asked him how he could let it get so bad seeing as how it had 80 sumthing thousand miles on it. He then enlightened me to the fact that the odometer had stopped working on it years ago and it could potentially have 180, 0r even 280 thousand miles on it . But at this point in time it was moot, as there was NO original running gear left under Netti.

By this point in time we had begun stock piling parts and had aquired a full set of poly bushings (except sway bars). A spiffy Nascar style steering wheel (still probably my favorite part) which I wasted no time installing. I proceeded to spend a good while making motor sounds with my mouth and steering around my imaginary autocross course. I install the new shocks in the back, the donor cars rear springs (stiffer than Netti's) and get her lined up, we had also pressed in the poly bushings in the rear lower control arms. The donor rear end was in, fully assembled and ready to rock.

Another week in the books and it is time to make my weekly pilgrimage to G'ville. We tinker around, get the trans installed, (new stock type clutch, pressure plate) the starter is in, relocated battery, check, pops sits in the drivers seat, turns the key, BAM, she rumbles to life, loud as hell. HOLY CRAP IT'S ALIVE!!!! The garage almost instantly fills with paint smoke as it is cooked of the headers, which by the way are open. So the test run process, cam break in commences. I pace back and forth like an epectant father as the motor is put through its paces. 20 minutes at 3000, then iirc 5 mins at 3500 and one minute at 500 rpm intervalls down the RPM range untill 2000, or something like that, all told it takes roughly 40 minutes, at the end of which the collectors are glowing red hot and 8-10" of blue fire are shooting out of the bottom of the car. Pops shuts her down waits a few seconds, then turns the key to fire her again, nothing. Starter got real hot, and with the batt in the back I'm not sure we had the amperage to fire her again. Oh well, At least it ran and didn't eat a piston in the process.

The next morn we practically ran to the garage to fire her again. Only this time there was nothing. No solenoid click, no radio startup, nothing. Houston, we have a electrical problem. After a few minutes of head scratching, it decides to work. Weird, maybe Netti was still asleep. BRAPPPP! She fires right up again settles into idle and purrs away, happy as a clam. At this point in time we had pressed in the front a-arm bushings, and we assembled the front suspension with the donor springs (again stiffer than Netti's) and it was starting to look like a car again, a really weird looking car, It had the IROC front and rear bumber cover, one gray fender and on piece of IROC side skirt. I re-checked every bolt on the bottom of the car, installed the driveline and she was ready for wheels. We had debated on tires for a while and we decided that going cheap there would not be wise. So we ordered a set of 245/40 or 45/17 RT615's (I can't remember the size anymore) and got a screaming deal on them. After three weeks of waiting Pops cancels the order, bites the bullit and orders some 275/40/17 RT 615's and mounts them up on the wheels. We run the car through gears on the jack stands to double check the status of the trans. Bled the brakes, which didn't bleed at first, then decide to fly right and bled fine. Everything checked out okay. We had a five foot tall stack of rubber, and a car on jack stands, so the next step was to mount the wheels onto the car.

This was the first time the car had supported itself since we began work around a month and a half ago. Well, once we pushed down the corners to get the suspension settled, We took a step back to admire our handy work and my first thought was "It isn't as low as I thought it was gonna be, Oh well, the rear LCAs are already pointing a little in the wrong direction." Pops jumps in fires her up, (Brian-NevadaSTi had stopped by to check the status) and proceeds to take her on her maiden voyage. Uneventfull, but very cool sounding with open headers. I load her onto the trailer so Pops can build the exhaust, and off I go, another weekend in the bag.

We get her home, unloaded, Brian had stopped by again, and I tout how well the thing runs. Pops fires her up, to show Brian the new exhaust he built fo Netti. Before this I was trying to figure out why the turn signals didn't work, and mistakenly pulled a relay that I mistook for a flasher. After a couple of deep revs the choke wouldn't go off, and the electirc fan wouldn't start. The motor got hot and spewed coolant all over the floor. Quick thinking on my Pops part he slaps the "flasher" back in and everything returns to normal. OOps, My bad. That night is when the motor saw 7000 (on a stock rotating assembly no less) and sent the alternator belt flying. I'm never washing off that skid mark on the bottom side of the hood

So the exhaust is finished the motor tuned really good, just a few more things to button up. Paint and c/c plates, which I found out yesterday aren't gonna ship until at least monday, an alignment and she'll be ready.

Thanks for sticking with me until the end folks!! I just want to say thank you to my Dad for the awesome time we spent building it. I had a blast Pops. Thanks for funding a large portion of this and letting this be the christening project for you're garage. I hope racing is as much fun as building has been!!!


Chris

[cody]

Yeah!

[M3n2c3]

Hey, I recognize those wheels and tires.

What's on the RS now, Chris?

[bruspeed]

Originally Posted by M3n2c3

Hey, I recognize those wheels and tires.

What's on the RS now, Chris?

Stockers

P.s. Tires are new 275/40 RT615's

[tysonK]

wow!

[100_Percent_Juice]

That should look pretty hot with paint. Its hard to invision it because there are so many driving around in that before condition. What color are you going to paint it?

[Nick Koan]

Hot. Can't wait to see it at an event

[bruspeed]

Originally Posted by 100_Percent_Juice

That should look pretty hot with paint. Its hard to invision it because there are so many driving around in that before condition. What color are you going to paint it?

Red, Black and White

[NevadaSTi]

I've seen the car twice in person. All I can say is, "Holy Sh!t!!"

That 7000 rpm redline was pretty impressive!! SCHWING!!

[Slopoke21m]

:: 7000 redline? the only reason i let off was because i saw the fan belt flying through the air....

[AtomicLabMonkey]

That car looks like it will be loud and fun. The question is, will it be fast?

[100_Percent_Juice]

Did it get paint yet?

[bruspeed]

Originally Posted by 100_Percent_Juice

Did it get paint yet?

Weather hasn't cooperated Hopefully this weekend!!

[bruspeed]

Updated second post with "The Story"

[sperry]

Originally Posted by bruspeed

Updated second post with "The Story"

Great writeup! I can't wait to see that thing out at the track!

[MattR]

Agreed, Great Writeup guys...I can't wait to see this thing in action, you should be very proud of your project.

[cody]

Awesome Read. Can't wait to see her in action.

[Nick Koan]

phew, long read. Sounds like a lot of fun though.

You guys gonna make it to the May 12th event?

[Forgotten]

I'm impressed. It sounds like it's going to be awesome. Is it just going to be for Autox or will there be some track days in its future?

[bruspeed]

Originally Posted by Forgotten

I'm impressed. It sounds like it's going to be awesome. Is it just going to be for Autox or will there be some track days in its future?

I think just Autox.

Originally Posted by nKoan

phew, long read. Sounds like a lot of fun though.

You guys gonna make it to the May 12th event?

We're really gonna try!!!

[Slopoke21m]

.....More of the story.....
This car had been owned by my wife's best friend "Patti" since it was brand new. She was her going to the races partner on Saturday nights for many, many years, as her husband bankrolled many many of the local stock cars at our hometrack in California. Patti passed away 3 years ago and was a true racing fan and I think would approve of her cars new life. Ive totally enjoyed building this car, its been a different experience than all my other racecars. (for one, my old cars only had to turn left) My father was usually my big help back then, and now I get to be the help to Chris. Building my cars on a budget was always a priority, and this one is no different, although money flowed a bit more on this project than the others. But its been fun, especially this thing is only a set of license plates away from being a viable streetable car, (and an adjustment of the camberplates). Hopefully the car will be just enough of a handful to be fun and challenging and be competitive. I won alot of races by half a lap back in California with cars that handled like a dream, but the funnest races were the ones that took 24 1/2 laps to figure out and finally going into the final turn making the perfect corner entry and exit beating the guy next to me by a fender.............ahhhhhhh good times...thank you guys for all your help and see ya soon at the track.

[MPREZIV]

Awesome read! Makes me harken back to building straight-liners with MY old man! We've had some SERIOUS fun out in his garage!

Can't wait to see her in action guys!

[NevadaSTi]

Me either, and I got dibbs on a ride around the AutoX cource!! Its been fun watching that thing come to life. Expecially all the work that went into it on the two weekends I was down there.

Good job guys!

[AtomicLabMonkey]

Originally Posted by bruspeed

I install the new shocks in the back, the donor cars rear springs (stiffer than Netti's) and get her lined up, we had also pressed in the poly bushings in the rear lower control arms. The donor rear end was in, fully assembled and ready to rock.

Beware of poly bushings in rear control arms. Because they are typically much stiffer, they don't allow for proper free articulation of the rear axle during body roll. Suspension friction/bind and snap oversteer at the grip limits usually results.

The factory RLCA bushings on stick axle cars are rubber for a reason - they deflect and allow for proper articulation.