Yet another 2nd Gen Camaro - Project/update

[waynieZ]

Nice work Steve .

[FETorino]

Very cool Steve. Maybe I will get a chance to see it in person next week.

[gerno]

Originally Posted by WSSix

Keep at it, Steve. You're doing good work. Besides, I want to see what this thing looks like sitting on the ground when done

So do I. Overall it will like pretty much the same on the outside but at least the engine bay should look nicer...oh yea, and it should handle a bit better too.

Originally Posted by SSLance

Thanks for posting the update, looks like you've been busy. I can't wait to see it back on the ground again as well.

Trying to find the time. There's never enough.

Originally Posted by glassman

Dang Steve, brave. Great stuff. What's next? How close u too final assembly?

Next is to mock it up in the car, cut the floors for clearance make new engine mounts to tuck the pan/exhaust better, rework the rear suspension, build a cage, remake clutch/brake pedals, smooth firewall and clean up the wiring....just a few things left...

Originally Posted by waynieZ

Nice work Steve .

Thanks

Originally Posted by FETorino

Very cool Steve. Maybe I will get a chance to see it in person next week.

I guess that depends how many beers are consumed....





Made more progress this weekend. Overall pretty happy but did find a few new issues to think about.

Pulled the frame off the table and tested engine fitment. I wanted to raise the engine slightly to and header and oil plan clearance to make sure nothing would hit anymore.



Found 1 problem - The passenger side header tube is too close to the rear UCA bolt.



I could move the engine back but will need to shorten the driveshaft. and may have interference issues elsewhere, need to look into it more. Good news is I'm already planning to redo the firewall and tunnel so this is a possible solution

I was hoping it would be easier to move it forward, unfortunately this caused an issue with clearance to the centerline. This is will not work

Another possible solution is to take 1/2" off the headers at the head flange. Overall should be fairly easy except I've never welded stainless and am concerned if my skills are ready for such a challenge.



Final option is to sell my current headers and get a set of Ultimate Headers. Obvious problem here is $$$



Rather than make an impulse decision I wanted to go ahead and get the frame bolted up in the car to see if there were any other issues. Good news here is that other it bolted up. Only minor issue was the rear rails were a bit more spread than they were originally. I used a bar clamp to pull them back together and all seems well based on original alignment holes but I need to measure it for square.

I still need to recess the frame in the floors since I'm removing the body mounts to raise the frame 1/2" as directed by Sutton. Next week I hope to clean the pans with a wire wheel so I can mark and cut the floor sections contacting the frame

[gerno]

Made it a bit further along in the last we weeks...assuming cutting a car to pieces is progress.

I purchased a set of Ultimate headers long tubes to better clear the UCA mounts. The new headers stick out ~2" vs the old SWs sticking out ~4" from he heads. I thought about modifying the SW headers but figure with the time needed it was smarter to buy new and sell off the old ones.

I was a bit disappointed the collector flanges were not welded on the headers as I was told they would be. I can do it myself but it is a bit frustrating to spend a good sum of money and not get what you were committed. Oh well, I'll live...moving on
















With the new headers in place the next step was to set the engine placement. I decided since I was modifying everything anyways I might as well try to get the engine as far back as possible and make sure the oil pan, headers and bell housing are all tucked in the frame. Unfortunately there is where I started to get a bit happy with cutting. Now I just hope I can put it all back together.

Headers had to be tucked deeper in the floor than expected. I decided in an effort to move the header further away from my feet and to better balance the weight of the car I would offset the engine 3/4" to the passenger side. Not a huge change but I figure it doesn't hurt to try

[ATTACH][ATTACH][/ATTACH][/ATTACH]

[gerno]

I knew I already needed to redo the trans tunnel from better clearance so the tunnel got cut out .. You can also see the areas where I cut the floor to clearance the subframe



Then because I decided to move the engine back and tuck the headers it got cut a bit more. You can see where the floors had to be cut for the headers.



Then because the Torque Arm mount and trans mount are now very close to I decide it would be nice to have then mounted with a combined mount. Since I also wanted more ground clearance and everything tucked I decided to follow the lead of other 2nd gen builds on the forums. The floor if now being prepped for a full length x-member to be added. This will also be tied into the subframe itself and rocker panels for better rigidity. I'll make a dropout center section of some sort of the mount for easy maintenance on the car too

[gerno]

Forgot 1 more thing. I also didn't like the accessory drive I had and it didn't fit with the shock hoops. I made a prototype of a new setup with the PS lower on the driver side and the alternator on the bottom passenger side. I also tried to focus on maximum belt wrap. This is just form MDF but I'll most likely make it from 3/8" aluminum and have it laser cut.


All the parts except the alternator are factory from a 2010 Camaro including the 2 additional idler pulleys. The alternator is a lower amp alternator from a chevy truck because it has a smaller housing. I figure this will be nice in case anything goes out. I can easily get replacement parts locally.

[Build-It-Break-it]

Wow looking great! It's funny how things snowball. Once you start doing one thing it affects the next and adds to time,money,thought,planning etc. Great progress tho.

[gerno]

Yea, I wasn't initially planning all of these changes but I figure if i'm going to do it I want to make sure I do it the best I can. I'm learning a lot...a lot more than I thought I was going to.

[preston]

assuming cutting a car to pieces is progress.

Oh indeed it is. I've been there !

[cpd004]

Love this build! I'm looking forward to seeing how you approach the cross member mods. Especially how you are going to tie it into the rockers.