"It's a bet!"
This is about how the conversation went down:
Buddy: "I love muscle cars, man, but they can't hang with my [97 E36] M3 on the track. Not for the money, at least."
Me: "That's total crap. I bet I could build up a sexy muscle car that could destroy that German turd of your for less than you paid for it!" (I like his M, but I gotta give him crap about it.)
Buddy: "You really think so? Well, what are you willing to bet?"
Me: "I bet I can build up good old American Iron to run a faster road course lap than you in your M. If I can't beat you, you can have the car. But if I win, you have to pay half the build total, and I keep the car."
Buddy: "Ok, but I've always wanted a 2nd Gen Camaro. Try to make that beat the M3 and it's a deal."
Me: "Ok! It's a Bet!"
Ok, so I paraphrased a little, but the context is there. Ok, 2nd Gen Camaro it is. Given that I am a big fan of the Transformers movie, and it happens to have a 2nd Gen Camaro in it, we're going with that car.
Enter Project BumbleBeast. It's lame, I know, but I needed a name.
The challenge is to replicate the look of the Transformers 1976 Camaro, as closely as possible to provide track ready performance, with a cap of $12K for the entire project.
So far, we're on track. I got the Camaro, a 1975 Model with a missing fender, no engine, and minor rust that I can fix. Total cost: $400
I traded some stockpiled parts for a complete T56 setup. I'll need to figure out the mounting and hydraulics, of course, but with your help, I think we can do it!
I also have a complete running 472 BBC that was donated to the cause.
So far I have the car and I have an engine and transmission that should easily be able to give me track worthy performance. I'll need to get a bigger compressor so I can do the paint, otherwise I doubt I'll come in under budget. So I'll be learning to paint cars, too. Not a bad skill to learn, I think.
And now I turn to you, my friends of the road course, for help in making a list of parts to complete the project. Keep in mind what I'm trying to accomplish. I need to beat a stock 1997 M3 around a road course. This car has 250 HP, legendary handling, and will be driven by an above average driver. I've got a 472 ci Big Block Chevy, 6 gears, and a much heavier car that was not designed to run a road course.
Me, I'm 28, I'm a Physicist for the DoD, I've been doing my own car work since I could lift a 1/2" wrench, I've designed aftermarket performance parts for a few car companies in my off time, I can weld (but not that well, need to work on that) and I hate losing bets.
And I love a challenge!
