1970 Camaro-Purpose Built Auto Cross
 

Another 70 Camaro auto cross car. I thought I would share my build hoping everyone that contributes to the site will have some helpful insight. I'm building this car specifically for auto-cross, yet it will be street legal. I purchased the car nearly a year ago from Roger Lee at Ironworks and had it shipped home to start the build. Since then I have slowly repaired concerning spots in the sheetmetal and collected several new go fast parts. The car is getting the full Detroit Speed suspension treatment(complete front Hydroformed stub and quadralink) along with DSE cage, firewall block off plate and mini tubs. I plan on running the GM performance LS3/525 and I have already ordered an M22-W from AutoGear. I just received my 3rd member from Competition Gear and Transmission in North Carolina and am awaiting my new quictime bellhousing. I just finalized all my wheel dimensions with Jay @ Budnik(Thanks Jay) and will pull the trigger on those as soon as the suspension is bolted under the car for the last time. I have lots of other details but will stop here and provide some photos of my progress. I was able to make it to SEMA this year along with the last Goodguys in Scottsdale, the competition seems to be growing rapidly and I look forward to joining in. Thanks, Cal.

Last one.

Welcome to the site. Sounds like a great build plan. We need more 2nd gens :D

The pics above are kind of a fast track of my progress. The car was a shell only when I received it from Roger. As you can see, it's received a new roof, its stripped, I have started filling the firewall and it's now on the twirler(thanks to my son Mac). As soon as I can get the picture attaching figured out I will post recent pics of my progress.

Thanks, Cal.

Awwww man I was kinda hoping for a roadster 70 Camaro!!!!

Looks great so far.

I'm waith Trey, more pictures!

Sure will be a nice one with that parts list,good luck with your new project:G-Dub:

Thanks. You don't know how close it was to becoming someone else forever roadster.

Always good to see another 2nd gen., keep the pics coming!

lol, I'm blind. I honestly didn't notice the roof and a-pillars were missing in the one picture. :headscratch:

Welcome Aboard!!!!!!! Will enjoy seeing another great home built car.Thank's for sharing.

Dude, I want your license plate. :thumbsup:

Welcome and I am looking forward to watching your progress. :popcorn2:

Brian

That license plate is gonna cost ya. It's the only thing on the whole car I haven't had to work on.


Thanks, Cal.

Thanks Brian. I really enjoyed watching your car being built and it turned out fantastic. At some point in the build I would like to ask you some questions regarding weight, especially front to rear percentages.

Thanks, Cal.

Hey Cal, it was nice running into you and Paul at SEMA and again at Scottsdale. He mentioned it was a little rough when you started. I had no idea it was that rough.

Matt

Well as long as I can count to 20 on my digets and pee standing up i'll entertain your price. :lol:

Let me know if you wanna part with it.


Can't wait to see more!!!!

It was nice running into you too and I enjoyed watching you run in Scottsdale. It's a little rough, but it's been fun working on it and when you repair as much as we have you know when your done it's a solid car. These pictures are fairly old, I will grab new ones this week and post current pics of the car. And thanks for the tires, paul says you have some skins we can use for the build. Thanks, Matt.

Cal

Sure thing. When you're ready for some test fitting, just let me know. Between Gregg and I, the "tire shed" at Best of Show stays pretty well stocked with old tires.

Here are some pis of the car after blasting. I replaced the passenger side rocker, built a small piece for the bottom of the quarter and replaced the drivers quarter skin. The trunk is in and window opening(verticals on sail panel) is also in but needs welded up. I wil post more pics this weekend.

Thanks, Cal.

The rocker was fairly easy but these small patches in front of the wheel open were more work than expected. It's layered and has a heavier gauge inner structure that also ties in to the wheel well lip.

The quarter wasn't too bad except, as everyone knows, the aftermarket panels are never a perfect match and trusting reference points on the panel to make final cuts is a little time consuming.

One more.

nice work so far. This is my favorite body Camaro.

Tuning in for the rest...

Thank you.

Looking very nice! Keep the pics coming. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Excellent metal work!!

Thank you. Im posting more pics here shortly of today's progress.

I just came in from the shop and here are some new photos. I put in a 10 hour day today and it seems I didn't get anything done.

Thanks , Cal.

The front stub is assembled just received my third member.

I installed all the cage mounting plates and got the back half all tacked in.i also finished the passenger side flange for the wheel tub and plan on finishing up the drivers side tomorrow.

The drivers side tub is in and fit but needs to be removed and the interior flange needs welded in. I also have the cage plates plug welded to the frame rails.

looking good!

Cal,

Looks awesome can't wait to get the wheels built for you. Keep up the pics we love seeing new updates.

Nice work on the sheet metal..

Thanks Jay. I'm headed back to the shop on Monday and will post more pics of my progress. I'm hoping to finish the install on the wheel tubs and then weld in the top 4-link mounts. Then it's bolt up suspension. Should go a lot faster from here on out. Thanks again for your help.

Cal.

A little bit about the build and myself.
 

I was reading my initial intro and I thought I would share a little about myself and why the camaro. First, I've been around cars, bikes, boats, etc. my whole life thanks to my dad(Phil). I'm also lucky to have a dad that is an amazing craftsman, mechanic, fabricator, you name it, he can do it. I've been through lots of projects and he's had his hands in on every one. He still runs around with his hot rod buddies from high school and I run around with their sons. All of them still very active into cars. Now, the reason for the camaro. I met my wife nearly ten years ago and before I met her parents she told me of her dad's camaro. I pretty much DIDN'T listen to her, what girl knew about cars. Then I met her parents and eventually that same day her dad(Paul Alderman) asked if I wanted to look at some cars. HOLY CRAP, Paul had and still has some amazing cars. Just look on DSE's website and look at his 69 and 70 camaro's. Don't think because DSE built these that he doesn't get dirty, he is very active on his on builds and wait until you see his 72 chevy truck he just finished. Paul has an eye for cool cars , technically is a wizard and it seems the older he gets, the faster he wants to go. So, eight years later, several hours in the shop, several more discussing how to go faster, the Camaro was born. So we decided to call DSE(Big Thanks to Kyle and Stacy), cut out all the unnecessary weight, add some of our own ideas, apply both of our skill sets and build a autcross car. Don't worry, my dad will be getting dirty too, he likes to act like he's not excited to get in on it, but he is. I won't leave out the wives, they support all of our crazy ideas and as long as Goodguys keeps putting on shows near a shopping mall, we're good. I have had lots of support from other friends that I will list later in the build but thought I should at least explain the start.

Thanks, Cal.

This is cool. Thanks for sharing.

.

Great story Cal. I met Paul a year ago last March at Del Mar when his car was fresh. He was so excited to show me all the little details and struck me as a great guy!

Talk about gasoline in your veins...:cheers:

Thank you. I have read several of your threads and always enjoy them. Please feel free to give advice if you wish. I'm always open to learning something new. Thanks again.

Cal.

His is one of favorite 2nd gens. Yours is coming along very nicely. Love the body style (as i'm on my 2nd 2nd gen).....great to watch it come along.

Thanks. Paul's car is great and DSE did a great job. The car was a local car that Paul bought minus the motor and trans. He stripped it here in Ellensburg and delivered Kyle a painted shell. It's a pretty classy car. I just read your project post, did you figure out the wheels? I think it's a ZX3 and I know he had the fasteners reversed to the inside. I also think they had to clearance the bolt heads to clear the calipers. Let me know if you want any details.

Thanks, Cal.