My 67 Eternity Project Camaro

[Tony V]

Track Day




First session on the track I came in early (after 10 min) thinking I was dropping PS fluid all over the track. Because it started getting difficult to turn, small turns no problem but coming into a big turn with speed it became to feel like a manual system. Got into the pit and opened the hood to measure the temp of P/S fluid in the reservoir, I think it got too hot. I measured 260 degrees and it was the cheap prestone off the shelf. Last session of the day, I was taking a friend of mine out and about 10 min into we heard some racket within the car somewhere, pulled to the side, all temps good/Oil pressure good but rear view mirror showed a huge cloud of smoke and steam LOTS. You know the instant your heart falls out of your chest well anyway kept it idling to get to a better pull off spot but watching all the gauges which all read normal ????
Opened the hood thinking the worst but come to find out it was a rib from the serpentine belt and it had started coming apart and cutting the water line from the head and oil vent line from the engine valley, big sigh of relief it wasn’t anything serious. Actually, started it back up and drove it into the pits. Upon further review it also cut my dry sump outlet hose so I was dumping oil out just didn’t drain the tank to the point of impacting oil pressure. Here’s some pics of the carnage…..





All in all I considered it a good day, had a blast but now I have a mess to clean up. I’m glad it wasn’t painted yet. Car ran exceptionally well, it exceeds driver capabilities. I did have an off-track excursion on the back straight-a-way, I stabbed it to pass a Porsche and I call it “too much aggression or stupidity” but while in 3rd on the back straight away the back end came out and next thing I know I was turned around in the dirt. The Porsche driver did come up to me afterwards to see what HP I was putting down, next session I got behind him again but he quickly waived me by, I’m assuming he was scared of the newbie behind him…..Next purchase will have to be a go-pro so I can tape it.

Things I decided I need to change; new shifter, radiator with P/S cooler & Oil cooler, need a new P/S pump (pump has never been the same since track day). Realigned my idler pulley for the serpentine belt. Here’s my theory on why the belt came apart in the first place. Soon after getting the car on the road and driving it some I recognized that the belt had walked off by one rib where it was now sitting on the raised shoulder of the idler pulley. I think I may have stressed the outer part of the belt and it started coming apart. Since then I’ve used a laser and straight edge to assure I have better alignment on all the pulleys.

Next Event
Scheduled to run the Goodguys event on March 10th in Scottsdale so there’s several things that must get done. Not sure if I’m going to catch any slack for not having a painted/finished car in the autocross but I really wanted to vet some things out mechanically and what better way than to use the goodguys event. Plus I get to watch how some of the pros do it.