Car has come a LONG way in a short time man. She was in good hands up there at Camaro Concepts. Thanks again for the tow home, I owe ya one :cheers:

Sorry for the delayed responses yet again. My build has several months where it goes dormant. I am determined to build this car 100% out of pocket. I have been working a lot out of town lately and have identified a body shop that I trust with working on the car. Several good references and seen the work up close. He is VERY good and local to me. On my way home from work so I can see the car regularly!

He is coming to see the car saturday to give me a good estimate on the car but feels he can stay within my 7-8k budget in and out from blocking to cut/polish. I will update as my discussions with him proceed.

His shop is full right now for his custom/restorations. He said maybe 1-2 months before he will take on another project, so I plan to leave him with a deposit to hold my spot. He says 3-4 months after taking it in to completion.

One thing he mentioned was to put the subframe I plan to run in the car prior to final body work so we can make sure the front end fits on the frame that will ultimately be in the car. Now I have to push to sell the 2010 so I can buy the subframe!!!

Do you guys have any advice as to what questions to ask him when he comes to view the car? I have already been by his shop but want to be sure I have my bases covered. I have already discussed underside of the car and we're going to do lizard skin on the entire underside. Will check what paint to be used. What do you guys suggest? Remember, the car will see time on the road.

William

Roy at Camaro concepts has worked on my car as well. Best place to take your car. You will get it back quick and its done right.

Any of you guys in the Houston area needing sheet metal work or parts shouldn't even consider using anyone else.

Agreed, I was VERY happy with their work. For that, any small parts I need, I call them first to see if I can get them local. Good group over there and I recommend anyone in the area to take their car in. Honest and fair with pricing and work. Timeline they worked on if anything was FASTER than I had expected!

William

She's looking great! :thumbsup:

Theres always such excitement at that stage for me...well...maybe thats every stage. I just love cars. :D

You'll love that T-56. I have one in my 66 Chevelle and its flat out amazing.

Car had a T56 in it when it was an LT1/6spd. I'm going built T56 now to handle the power.

Ah okay. Mines behind a very mild 454. Been beating it up for a few years now and no issues. Definitely a nice upgrade over the 4 speed my car did have.

Well little update. Today I took advantage of MCB Black Friday sales an picked up a full set of Marquez lights. Got the standard 3d tail lights with backup lights, turn signals and marker bezels.

I also got the DSE subframe powdercoated and assembled. Solid bushings (stock height) an stainless hardware.

My painter called and said he is ready for the car. Going to get the subframe installed and welded into the car along with the DSE subframe connectors. An have a 6pt custom Chrome moly cage out in as well.

Going to be an expensive and exciting 4 months or so but it will be well worth it. I will update as I can but I've been spending most days offshore or away from home. Pictures will be tough to take until Feb or so.

William

Well the car is out of my hands for now. Dropped it off at the paint shop yesterday and then took the subframe connectors, quadralink brackets and rearend to the chassis shop.

Paint shop
They're going to try and have the car in the first coat of primer by the end of the week. Blocking to start next week. In talking to him it looks like we'll hopefully stick to the 2-3 month expected duration. Discussed with him about a few additional touches (nothing serious, just small things like rolling the wheel wells) and he has a paid of 345/30/19s we're going to test fit and work with until we have room for them

Chassis shop
Painter is going to work with these guys and get the subframe installed and welded into the subframe connectors/car as soon as it arrives. They're going to install the rearend and bracketry and set it all up. They have a mock up engine/T56 that they will put in as I am planning to run the motor mounts that move the engine back ~1.5". This will give me more room up front for "accessories." While the car is with them they will also install the 6 point cage that now has been decided to just have removable rear bar, and fixed door bars. They're going to fab up a custom transmission crossmember as well that is welded into the car with just a bolted plate for the mount.

I'm excited and nervous. Hoping I can have the car DONE (painted and caged) by mid March. Lets hope these two guys can stick to their schedules!

William

sounds like you are really building one heck of a car,good luck

Yea not really good at putting together a build and taking forever as I've said before, everything to be paid in cash so taking me a while.

Short list now is:
DSE suspension front and rear
6pt cage
18 or 18/19 combo wheels
335-345 in rear
Tranzilla/Magnum transmission
LSX 427"
Twin turbo
Hugger Orange

We'll see how it goes, engine will take me a LONG time to get the funds for, but I figured I have enough invested in the car, no reason to cheap out on the engine. Build what I WANT and just wait for it to be "finished."

William

Well some shiny parts showed up today. Got my Marquez 3d standard tail lights. They're not tinted, but the dark background doesn't show that.

Also got good news from MCB that my subframe was shipped yesterday. Expecting tracking information tomorrow!

Car is already at the painter, and I will be dropping off a few more parts tomorrow (hood, hinges, etc). Ready to see it start getting some work done!

William

Well more stuff showed up today. Got word from the guys at GAP Racing that my subframe arrived. Will be going by this afternoon to check it out and see all the parts/pieces that came with it.

Excited! :thumbsup:

wow can't wait to see this one done , who are you using for the engine build ?

I'll likely build the engine with machine work being done locally in Houston by LME. I have considered seeing if I can find a SAM student that wants to build it as his "project."

Good to hear Will. Hopefully they get it on your car soon.

Well life has taken a bit of a mixup. Took the car to the body shop and dropped it off. Had some changes in my living situation and some recommendations from shops to change the paint plans. Car has been pulled from the painter and taken to chassis shop first while I sort out the path forward.

GAP will be installing the subframe, subframe connectors and rearend while I am out of the country. We will be building a custom crossmember for the transmission that is welded into the car. After I return we will start on the cage.

Given that I am now a single man (first time in 11 years), I may have a little more expendable cash to spend on the car. Not sure on when it will be finished. If this year goes well maybe this year!

I will be posting pictures as the shop sends them to me.:woot:

William

Also forgot to mention, may have a lead on a block for the engine build...LSX tall deck. If I get that, I'll be looking at high 400" TT LSX build :)

Keep us posted on the build William.
Good luck man.

Teaser photo that the chassis shop just sent me. This is in and they're putting the rearend in today. Need to have my friend take the panhard bar I forgot to take when I dropped the parts off!!!

Lets just say, I am very excited right now to see this...

p.s. Dont mind the wheels, they had them at the shop and just using them as rollers for now.

WOW, these guys work fast. They got the front end installed and verified it's square with the car. Removed the tired 8.2" 10 bolt and put in the DSE 9" with quadralink and got it centered and setup. Car is now a roller on suspension!

In their body shop for the firewall fill and weld in the subframes. Then we'll look at firewall modification for setting back the engine and trans tunnel mods to match. Going to make a custom crossmember for a T56 magnum.

Then the cage goes in :D

William

Might be time for a thread title change. Project has grown a good bit and some of the changes in my life make this car one of my new top priorities. May have to think about that for a bit.

As for updates:
Subframe connectors are in and the firewall fill panel was started. Also delivered were the engine mounts that push the engine a little further back. This will require some firewall and trans tunnel modifications but going to try and keep it "stock" looking. If we cant, I'll go back to the normal mounts that came with the subframe originally.

Probably ordering the brakes this week as well and maybe the tires so we can be sure they fit. Then I'll get Nineball to spec out my wheel fitment so we can get these tires to fit. Still expecting to run a 345 DR on the back.

William

Awesome. Keep us posted Will.:thumbsup:

Yep I'll try. Getting updates from the guys at GAP and putting them up here. Maybe ordering some more goodies for it soon. I'll post up when I do :)

Lookin Good Man :thumbsup:

Cage has been started in the car. 1-5/8" 4130 and will be a 6 point cage. crossbar will be removable to be more safe for passengers and easier for people to get in the back.

Pricing out fuel system now. Looks to be pricey to get pumps to support over 1000rwhp.

William

It looking great! I like the front wheels.

Front wheels are loaners that GAP is letting me use. Going something a little more "old school" for mine with a touch of modern feel.

The guys at GAP so far have been awesome. Doing excellent work on the car, keeping me updated and it's going FAST! Got a few more updates today besides the cage...

Engine/transmission mock up is complete, no cutting of the firewall or transmission tunnel is needed :) Starting the build of the transmission crossmember and a little more surprise for me :)

William

Awesome Will.:thumbsup:

I can't wait to see more.

Did you buy your turbos, BOV, waste gates, already? I have some brand new turbonetics parts for sale.

Car looks pimp by the way

I haven't purchased any turbo stuff yet. Those were borrowed headers. Same ones I'll be running on mine however and they had a set so I asked to have them fit tested before spending the money on them.

Hit me up in a PM what you have, I may be interested.

Thanks for the compliments guys. Car has been down for far too long and finally seeing some legitimate progress.:G-Dub:

Looks even better from where Im sitting. LoL. Should have most of the cage finished up today. With the exception of the side bars. Gonna make a cool trim piece for the shifter hole and build the crossmember today. I will post up more pics soon!!!!!!!!

looks like great progress and great work

Excellent! Looking forward to the updates from you guys :)

Few more updates on the cage. He went a little custom on the rear and I like it. Added a Halo for the rear window and it will have the down bars coming from that to the shock crossmember.

http://i.imgur.com/fXJpbye.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/HQUW8P6.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Fgmbt24.jpg

William

More cage pictures from today. Just about done. Waiting on the bar ends for the removable rear bar so they can build that, and my seats to build the door bars. Should be finished up at GAP very quickly!

http://i.imgur.com/ks0qINT.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/SCSgvXB.jpg

Doesn't hurt the visibility hardly at all!
http://i.imgur.com/PyP7vn4.jpg

Nearly completed!
http://i.imgur.com/ChDVfh9.jpg

William

It looks good.

Seats have been in and they got around to test fitting them.

http://i.imgur.com/DJFwgbX.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/pjNA9fE.jpg

All that's left is to finish up the cage with the rear bar and waiting on me to arrive to build the door bars. Rear bar clamps are back ordered so may have to wait for those. They also still have to finish the transmission crossmember I believe. Car is nearly done there! Then we get it gone to paint!

I like that roll bar,especially the rear how it's tucked in close to the wall/sail panel. you mentioned the rear piece was custom made does that mean front piece is a DSE ?