Where we are at with the PatriotDream.org Camaro

[Diognes56]

Shiny .

David

[Birdman]

And also dropped the 5.3L off at HRT Performance today for the rebuild! These guys know their stuff and are good guys to deal with. Helps that Joel is a good friend, but I'd take my work there anyway.

And check out those sexy powdercoated AMC valve covers on the bench. (yes, I do their powdercoating for them )

[Birdman]

OK, as it stands right now here is the plan for the car. This is provided a few sponsorship deals come through and we are able to run what we want.

Engine: 5.3L Gen III bored out to 5.7L with LS1 flat-tops; 5.3L heads resized for LS1 valves, 3-angled, and ported; LS1 intake with EGR blockoff; Coated shorty headers; Undecided cam

Transmission: T56 out of 99 TA; rebuilt with iron forks and billet keys and all; SPEC Stage 2 clutch and Billet steel flywheel; Hurst shifter with white ball

Wheels/Tires: Wheel Vintiques V40 with Toyo Proxes 4 tires - 17x8 fronts 245/45/ZR17s, 17x9.5 rears 275/45/ZR17

Suspension: Full AirRide setup front and rear

Steering: Upgraded steering with power box and LS1 PS pump

Exhaust: Undecided

Interior: Stock appearing black interior with aftermarket gauges and modern sound system

That's what I've got planned so far. Right now the car is sitting waiting for me to order the AirBar setup for the rear so I can install the rear suspension and finish out all the body work in the rear.

But at least it is in the shop now and waiting for me to get dirty with the welder.

[Birdman]

Got some new parts! A friend of mine gave me an LS1 intake and coolant tubes for the engine. I also got in the Bullitt replica wheels that Custom Wheels Market gave me a discount on.



Haven't done much to the car since I just bought some new tools since I broke a few and some of mine just plain sucked. Gotta have the right tools to build a good car! The aftermarket frame is being lengthened for me by Staples Engineering, so once that is done I'll be able to get the back of the car back together.

[Birdman]

The guys over at RotorsOnline.com hooked us up with some Axxis brake pads for the LS1 brake conversion! These guys have been a huge part of making the LS1 brake setup come into place.

[Birdman]

Comp Performance Group came through huge for us. They hooked us up with a Zex LSX wet nitrous kit and also have hooked Shawn up with discount pricing on any Comp Performance Group part for the rest of his life. They are also going to be putting out a press release about the project and said they'll get us in with a few magazines!

And my little man approves!


Also got the body completely stripped down and the junk subframe off the car. This weekend we'll be POR-15 painting the front subframe and I'll hopefully have the rear frame rails by then as well. I built a little body cart for the front out of some junk 2x4s that were in my way. Worked out pretty well since the back is on casters.

[Birdman]

Prothane has sponsored the build and has hooked us up with a complete Total Motion Control kit. Now we've got all the bushings and mounts we need! We're picking the a-arms up from HRT tomorrow where they tanked and blasted our a-arms so we can powdercoat them. Should have the bushings installed in them next week!

[Birdman]

We received a donation from POR-15 of their rust-proofing paint system! We had hoped to get the front subframe stripped and painted this weekend, but I've got a wicked cold and am pretty much stuck inside. I was hoping to really get ahead on the car this weekend, but other than yanking the spindles to send to Ed Miller to be modified for the LS1 brakes, I haven't gotten crap done.

[Birdman]

Well, I felt a little better this afternoon and I got a ton of work done. I had to split my time between the Camaro and a huge powdercoating job for a friend's machine shop, so I wasn't as productive as I could have been, but gotta keep the side business going!

Anyway, I got the firewall modified to fit the LS1 booster and MC. First I took the booster and cut out a template for the hole. Then I traced it off on the firewall and went to town with the cutting tool. Fits like a glove! I still need to weld in the section where the old hole used to be and modify the booster shaft to fit the existing brake pedal, but so far so good!

[Birdman]

OK, finally was able to get some real work done on the car! I got the pedals all fitted for the Modo Innovations covers, then I took everything down to HRT Performance to be tanked and blasted. Tonight I powdercoated it all semi-gloss black and reinstalled the Modo covers. Came out amazing. I also cleaned and painted the parking brake assembly. I ordered all new pedal bushings and pins and all from Firewheel, so those should be in tomorrow or the next day, then I can get the pedals all ready to go back in the car once I finish up the LS1 booster and T56 Master cylinder modifications to the firewall and get the seat supports welded in this weekend.
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