1973 Camaro - Autocross / Street Car project
 

Hello Lateral-g gang. My name is Brian Hobaugh and I am in the process of building an all out autocross 2nd gen Camaro that will also be able to be driven on the street. I have autocrossed for 24 years in Nor Cal, mostly in a 1965 Corvette that is on the Lateral-g home page. My father, Steve, and I have teamed up ever since I could drive at 16. He started autocrossing in a 74 Camaro and then a 72 Z28. In 1984 he purchased the 1965 Corvette we have been running ever since. For many years we have wanted to build a nationally competitive CP Camaro for SCCA Solo II. I finally decided not too long ago to go for it and build my dream car. I purchased the starter car from Mary Pozzi and have been going to town on it hard lately. Hope to have it completed and running by summer 2010.
Maier Racing and Mike Maier is building the chassis. Maier racing is know for its long history of Mustang fiberglass and suspension parts. Mike is amazing talented fabricator and driver (multi national champion autocross in CP) and has expanded his projects to Chevrolet Camaro's and Corvettes suspension and cage work. Almost all the suspension will be custom made pieces to obtain optimal geometry. With the help of multi national autocross champion Frank Stagnaro and my father, we hope to complete a Camaro that will look good and handle even better. Because of the rules in C Prepared, we have to keep certain structural parts in the car that would be nice to completely remove or change, such as, the rear frame rails and change out the stock subframe. The car must way 3100 lbs when we are done. Our goal is to have to add a few hundred pounds in specific areas of the car for optimum balance.

Short list of goodies going on the car:

600 HP LS3
4spd G-Force Transmission with Long linkage
9" Alum housing 3rd member and full floater rear end
Custom 3 link rear suspension
JRI Coil Overs
Wilwood Brakes
Tilton pedals
Woodward Steering column
18" x 12" rear and 17" x 12" front CCW wheels
Fiberglass front end parts and deck lid and bumpers
Maier Racing custom cage and suspension.

www.maierracing.com


I will post progress photos as we go. Here is a drawing I completed to show what the final product should look like.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ckorange-1.jpg

Here is what we started with.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...r_sale_041.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...r_sale_043.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...r_sale_037.jpg

After we got the car home from Mary's, we took it all apart.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...OPHOTOS001.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...HOTOS002-1.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...OPHOTOS004.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...OPHOTOS003.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...OPHOTOS005.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...OPHOTOS003.jpg

After we removed all the bolt on items, we started cutting away.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...OPHOTOS012.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...OPHOTOS014.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...OPHOTOS018.jpg


Brian Hobaugh

1965 Corvette
1973 Camaro

After the sheet metal was cut away, the cage and rear suspension structure gets built by Mike Maier of Maier Racing

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0502.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0735.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0736.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0737.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...OPHOTOS023.jpg

The cage is tucked up as tight as possible to the body.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...OPHOTOS024.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...OPHOTOS020.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...OPHOTOS035.jpg

Looks good!! Whats next?

Here are a few more shots showing the progress of the rear cage and rear suspension and 3-link set up.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0734.jpg

Since the rails can not be removed, only portions for clearance issues, the remaining rail is gusseted to the cage structure and capped.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0739.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...OPHOTOS039.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0709.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...OPHOTOS036.jpg

Here are some shots showing Maier Racing joining the cage to the body on the rockers and A and B -pillars.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...HOTOS037-1.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0723.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0733.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0741.jpg

Hi Brian,
thanks for showing us your car, this thing is going to be awesome!

The stock front subframe has to be used in the CP in order to not have a weight penalty. Modifications can be made to make it better, so Mike Maier and Frank Stagnaro have done a lot of work to make the most of it. All the front suspension will be made at Maier Racing. Stock car steering parts will be used. Custom spindles are fabricated to achieve our desired geometry.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...OPHOTOS043.jpg

All the seams on the subframe got welded for added reinforcement.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...HOTOS044-1.jpg

The front wheel base was measured out and the suspension was plotted out.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0851.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0856.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0987.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0878.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0880.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0876.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0981.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0985.jpg

Impressed :thumbsup:

Nice looking build. Keep us posted.:thumbsup:

X2^^^^ As a fellow second gen owner I am very interested in this build. Thanks for sharing.:cheers:

With the car being so low, less than 3" off the ground, and the drive shaft and rear end higher than stock, we had to fabricate the transmission tunnel.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0315.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0314.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0320.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0322.jpg

Mike fabricated a new cover for the transmission that will be removable.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1.../Camaro008.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0199.jpg

Im locked in like radar, on this build. As you can see in my sig,Im a second generation owner too, so this will be interesting and a learning experiance for me. This is great keep those pics coming, great job!:thumbsup: :hail:

Subscribed :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :cheers:

Here are photos of the G-Force Transmission, Competition Gears 3rd member, G Force crossmember, and Edelbrock LS headers.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0285.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0286.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0287.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0288.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0289.jpg

gonna watch this, love seeing someone doing a 2nd gen build, tired of seeing 1st gen builds, seems everyone is doing those lately. Keep up the good work:thumbsup:

Awesome build. Thanks for posting.

Just went through the whole thread. Your progress is awesome to watch but now all I can think of is what this thing will look like when its done!

Awsome build!!.The greatest cars in the world are race cars THAT you drive on THE street.Keep the photos coming.Love it.:hail: :thumbsup:

Thanks! My thought too. I figured that with all the time and money spent on this car, why not be able to DRIVE IT to a car show or get together. This car will have all the running lights and have the appearance of a street car with a full race car under its clothes.

I like threads like this. Great fabrication and lots of pictures, it is like instant gratification and you can tell from these first few posts that this car is going to be a great build.

Here are a few shots of the Maier Racing fabricated spindles and upper and lower control arms.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0265.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0953.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0955.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0243.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0260.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0263.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0262.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0267.jpg

:cool: Pretty sure I have seen your vette at some events.

What hubs are you using for the front?

I am using Speedway Engineering hubs on the front and rear. The are proven quality products and Maier Racing has used them a lot.

My Dad and I have run autocross events all over Nor Cal for 25 years and have traveled to Kansas a few times for the National Championship. In the 90's we ran all over the western US.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...TTEWCAMERA.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...etteattour.jpg

Brian,
Great project! Can't wait to see it run! Thanks for posting.
David

I went to Castle a lot when they still used the big lot with Fresno SCCA and AAS. The BSPV vettes are the best looking cars out there.

I love this build. Keep the pictures coming please!

Great work. Keep us posted.:thumbsup:

Here are a few more shots of the transmission tunnel fabrication. We made it removable so if we ever need to access the transmission, removing the cover makes it very easy.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0355.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0356.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1.../Camaro004.jpg

Brian, this is a fantastic looking project so far! Maier is obviously well known in the Mustang world, neat to see that it translates over to the Chev's too. I really like the approach of the front spindles, in a previous life we had intentions of developing a very similar piece but scrapped the idea, looking back I wish I wouldn't have changed my mind. These look to be fab'd out of 3/16" plate cold roll steel? Very nice, very functional.

In the CP rule set, using the front frame is required to prevent a weight penalty, but obviously you can change the suspension. How about the steering gear? Could you, if you chose, run a rack in place of the box and not get hit with a weight penalty?

Sure I'll have other questions, but have to run. Really awesome, thanks for sharing the progress.

Mark

awesome fab work:thumbsup:

Maier does great work. These are one off spindles and we have a lot of time into them. It would have been very easy to purchase off the shelf spindles, but there are certain things we wanted and the only way to get them was to make them ourselves.

As far as the subframe, it is legal to change it out to another like the DSE or others, but you would then have a 10% weight penalty. Not worth it in our case. For most, that would be the way to go. Much more cost effective!

With the steering, we tossed that around also. After much discussion and pooling all of our driving experience with many similar cars, we decided to go with the stock type steering but with quality, race proven products. Reliability, part availability, and most important, driver feel were considered. We all picked stock design over rack and pinion. Others may have a different opinion, but we are very confident with our choice.

Brian, one other thing that I noted is what appears to be the Howe drag link. I have one that I have played with too, but a caution. The unit I have is designed specifically for the circle track cars, and as such has different left to right steering angle output/Ackerman. Not designed for both directions, I'd take a good look at that. Shame, it is a REALLY cool and functional piece. I can check the part number on the one I have, but it is the one listed in their catalog of two years ago, I don't "think" they have changed it?

Heads-up.

Mark

Mark,

You are 100% correct. We found out after we installed all the steering parts that the center link is for those folks that like to only turn left. We ended on modifying the Howe link so the Ackerman was the same left to right. We were scratching our heads for a little at first. Thanks for the heads up!

Brian

Well I'm glad I read this thread because I just installed the howe centerlink, tie rod ends etc on my second gen. If you don't mind me asking how did you modify the link to fix the ackerman?

Ovals
 

I also found out about the different center link by working on a friends circle track car. I really think this is a great project.:thumbsup:



Randy(D&Z Customs LLC.)
[email protected]
1-262-347-9741

We ended up removing the bend they put in the center link and straightening the pitman arm. Everything seems to measure out good now.

You can see in the first photo the bend and reinforcement Howe adds. We removed that in the second and third photo.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...IMG_0854-1.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0875.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...b/IMG_0876.jpg

Thanks Brian. Not sure if or how bad my problem will be because I am using a different pitman and idler arm. That may reposition things differently. I don't want to hijack your thread so I'll maybe post elsewhere on the weekend with some pics and ask some opinions. Thanks for taking the time to show me what you did. :cheers:

You have a very talented builder, thanks for sharing the progress photos!

Tony

Fantastic!!!! Great idea!!!!! I hadn't even thought about modifying this one, I threw in the towel when I found the issue and decided I'd have to build one from scratch, well done guys! You made my day.

Cheers,
Mark

EDIT: I also noticed the pitman arm, the issue was probably exaggerated in my measurement due to using Howe's billet pitman arm, it's really short. I have since bought a stock replacement, I don't recall it having the bend like your photo, I'll have to take a look at that.

Oh, and by the way, I agree with you 10,000% regarding the weight penalty for an aftermarket frame. There is no question your car will be faster with your modified front end and 300 pounds less than it would be with the best aftermarket frame out there.

Wondering what kind of scrub dimension you get with your modified spindle?
What is your front wheel offset?
If you don't mind me asking.

Thank You
Ron Stone