continued from above

https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Vorshla...B61G3181-M.jpg

So Ryan began designing a custom, complicated assembly of brackets on the driver's side of the block to mount the power steering pump, the new small alternator, and an idler pulley.

https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Vorshla...B61G3187-M.jpg

He made templates from cardboard, then more durable ones from MDF, which helped him perfect the patterns before going into CAD.

https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Vorshla...B61G3183-M.jpg

The power steering pump is at the bottom left of the engine bay....

https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Vorshla...B61G3189-M.jpg

...and the alternator is at the top on the same side. This was needed to clear the tubular structure of the front control arm mounts and narrower frame rails - which were needed to get the proper suspension geometry and camber settings for the existing wheels and tires the customer wanted to keep.

https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Vorshla...B61G3203-M.jpg

After the templates were perfected in CAD they were printed out in 1:1 scale, trans transferred to aluminum plate, and cut out on the vertical band saw.

https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Vorshla...B61G3204-M.jpg

There were several aluminum plates, machined spacers and various hardware used to tie it all together and mount everything to the block and cylinder heads.

https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Vorshla...DSC_8891-M.jpg

This is what the assembly looked like off the car with the alternator and power steering pump attached (foreground) along with the cast bracket it was replacing (background). We didn't use computer simulations and FEA to remove every ounce from the bracket assembly, as some have asked about darned near everything we've done along the way. That just isn't practical for this type of one-off track car build. Sure, if this was a $500K, full-effort, pro race car, then maybe. Instead the assembly was built with rugged materials and hardware using experience and forethought, and it should make for a rigid set of mounts for these accessories.

https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Vorshla...DSC_8919-M.jpg

This is what the bracket looked like attached to the motor, along with the idler at the bottom - as shown above. The brackets were all hand cut, edges were ground and sanded, and we will anodize these parts when the car comes apart for paint. Clear or black, maybe even a color? Its up to the customer and won't cost much. Leaving them raw is an option but they will get water spots and such that have to be scotch-brited out.

https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Vorshla...DSC_8940-M.jpg

Here we have the brackets and accessories installed with the correct length serpentine belt installed (we tried a few sizes to find the best fit). There is "good wrap" on the crank pulley, alternator, both idlers, and the water pump and power steering pulleys.

https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Vorshla...DSC_8934-M.jpg

It was a dozen hours of measuring, design, and fabrication work but this assembly is critical to keeping the belt aligned (to avoid slinging the belts off at high RPMs) and to keep all of the accessories mounted firmly to the engine, nestled between the narrow frame rails. Losing a belt can lead to loss of electrical power, coolant flow, and if you are really unlucky, a flying serpentine belt can kick the cogged belt off the dry sump oil pump drive - and that can get costly in a hurry.

WHAT'S NEXT?

That was September's work, which wasn't exactly super sexy aero bits or big suspension work, but it was all necessary to move forward.

https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Vorshla...B61G3659-M.jpg

Next time we will finally cover the splitter + new lower valance design + the hood duct layouts. We sent a lot of images to the customer back and forth before we cut metal, and even sourced a flat hood to test hood ducts without the raised cowl hood restrictions.

https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Vorshla...B61G3663-M.jpg

Ryan was working on some other projects and on vacation for a week that month, so this was all of the September work completed on the 69 Camaro.

https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Project...B61G5080-S.jpg https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Vorshla...B61G4924-S.jpg

We also had the LS-FRS in the shop for a bit of follow up work, and took a bone stock 2003 NB Miata to a fully caged and prepped track car in 3 weeks, plus did more work on the LS Miata and other cars - all during September. It was a very busy month in the shop, for sure.

More next time,

Glad to see you posting here Terry. Love your detailed write ups of the work you guys do.

Always fun to read your project posts Terry!

Without further ado:

Yep, sounds familiar. Dave was ... :walkingdog: :D

:cheers:

It is fitting that your Camaro build wound up here--it's a killer build that I've been following on the Vorshlag site for a while now, along with your C4 build. The stuff you guys have done with Beemers is pretty awesome as well; being that the LS is quite celebrated here, your work fits right in.

Maybe you could convince that Dusold guy to post his Camaro build here . . .

Welcome to the site!

Thanks for bringing the build over here, Terry. Very detailed write up. I appreciate you taking the time to share it with us.

Great post. This is one hell of a build. Keep up the good work.

Good to see this here, Terry!

Sorry if I missed it, but what TT class will this fall into? I've started browsing the rules a few times, but haven't been able to devote the brain power needed to get it all straight in my head yet.

We're pretty spoiled in the DFW area having shops run by good people building these high caliber cars..even though they make me want to tear ours apart and start over a lot of the time :lol:

Well, that was sure a fine way to kill several soft head, lazy day, nothing to do hours... Subscribed...

Fantastic work shown in this build, can't wait to see it out at a track.

Hey Dusty! its always fun seeing your 2nd gen at local CAM and Optima events. Make sure you leave your schedule open for the May 20th CAM Invitational here at Mineral Wells in a few months. We'll bring this 69 Camaro out there, finished or not, to show progress on this build in person. I'll likely bring my 1992 Corvette (aka: Project #DangerZone) to run in CAM-S, just for the hell of it.

https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Project...P7B_7446-S.jpg http://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Projects...B61G6152-S.jpg

Don't know if that car's build thread would make sense here, but this Corvette did just turn 25 years old yesterday, so I can get license plates with a "safety only" state inspection on it now, which is kind of fun. Opens up some options (CAM-S and GTL for Optima). We've been quietly working on this car over the winter and I might just have some surprises in store for this at the NASA @ MSR-Houston event in a few weeks (Jan 23-24). I'll post up some things next week but the good stuff will be shown after the NASA event. :D

https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/photos/...-v7BQK5f-L.jpg
We took this picture for Grassroots Motorsports "Wear your helmet to work" Day. That is a custom "roof intake", heh!

To answer your question of what NASA Time Trial class will this 69 Camaro end up in? The answer is TTU. We've violated so many rules for TT1/2/3 on this build already, but the customer didn't want it built around any given class, so Unlimited it is. We had a long discussion about classing before we began, of course, as we always try to build race cars around a certain set of class rules. It makes it easier to push to the limit - with Unlimited classes it makes it easy to blow the budget! :G-Dub:

https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Project...DSC_7493-S.jpg https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Vorshla..._DSC0375-S.jpg
We have some experience in TTU class, but literally anything can run there.

We had planned on trying to get the 69 Camaro owner to enter it in Optima events in GTL ("Light") but with the 2016 rules changes to that class (where the lightest a GTL car can weigh is 95% of published curb weights - see below) that pretty much screwed the pooch. I'm not real happy about that, as it bones 4 different lightweight builds we had in process for GTL class, and I have mentioned as much to the USCA folks. But that series seems to be all about the TV show and the sponsors now... Which is fine, because they pay for a majority of this series. Just sucks for some of the more serious competitors.

https://vorshlag.smugmug.com/Project...TL-rules-M.jpg

I've learned, over and over again, to not build a serious car around a group with constantly-changing rules. NASA's TT rules are fairly stable, but two NASA TT cars we own just got pounded by 2016 rules as well - both our E46 330 TTD car (JackDaniels) and the TTC Corvette. So I guess I'm not having good luck with the rules makers this year, heh! :popcorn2:

I have been writing up the October work on the 69 Camaro today. I will try to get Jason to edit my post now, then get it posted up tomorrow or Monday at the latest.

WOW. All I really can say.