1970 Camaro RS Operation Budget LSx

[70rs]

Nice. I recognize that spot. I hope security was on break. Lol!

Im really glad you are getting to finally enjoy the car. It's been way too long since you had it truly out on the road as a driver. Very cool.

[DIGI-TAILS]

gOOd job!!! congrats!!!!

[Leadfoot1]

Yeah!!! One more on the road!!!!



Lead.

[1970camaroRS]

Ever since getting my build running, I've been having trouble with it being rich everywhere...at idle...at WOT...at cruise. I tuned with screws as best as I can to no avail. Finally, I decided to go back into the carb and see what's going on. Turns out the jets I was running were 76 primary and 85 secondary! Holy cow. I screwed this carb together almost two years ago and I don't know what I was thinking there. So, out the went and now I have 72 primary and 78 secondary. Also checked the squirter size while I was at it and I had 31's. Moved up to 35s and the part throttle hesitation I've been having went away, but the WOT tip in from idle still has a bit of a lurch in it.

The sun was setting so I didn't have time to redo the idle and mixture, they weren't far off when I fired it up. Took it for a run up and down a nearby 4 lane. Man, does this thing rip now. First gear is close to useless (have to peddle it), second gear gets loose, but the feeling of the horsepower pulling past 6,000rpm to 7,000rpm is incredible.

Now to go about fixing that stupid belt squeal. Probably going to delete the tensioner and use the alternator rod from my custom setup.

[1970camaroRS]

Just got back. Only had two runs. I figure my race weight was 3650 or more. I'm a heavy dude at 350lbs, although I was 430lbs 5 months ago!

#1

Tires at 22lbs, easy launch, shifts at 6,500rpm (maiden voyage)
R/T - .428 (it's been 8 years, ok!)
60 - 1.892 (launched easy and peddled it because the tires hooked and it actually scared me a litte, used to a bit of spin)
330 - 5.353
1/8 - 8.140
MPH - 88.47
1000 - 10.554
1/4 - 12.590
MPH - 111

Expected a little bit more, but what can you ask for on the first trip? Nothing broke!

#2
Tires at 20lbs, footbraked, shifts set to 7,000rpm

Well, I pushed through the lights on the first yellow....no timing. However, the damn thing hooked well and the shifts at 7,000rpm really helped. Then there were sparks shooting out of the cowl from under the hood. They came from the direction of the alternator. Lifted at the 60'.

Things to fix - the accessories. Lots of flex, lots of slack in the belt and I think the sparks were from the alt pulley spinning on the shaft at 7,000rpm. Also, the car must go on a diet. Will work on that this summer. And the car needs more time being tuned. I am happy with 111 mph on an easy pass though. There's always that blue bottle in the trunk too...

[1970camaroRS]

I found out where the sparks were coming from. I took the belt off and checked the tensioner, water pump and alternator pulleys. Waterpump and tensior spun like they should. The alternator would spin over 1/2 of the way and then hit something and slow down...it would even come to a stop sometimes. Appears as though the shaft is bent, or a bearing has gone bad letting it bind at a specific point during rotation. It must have been getting awful hot near the end of the run causing material to spit all over the engine compartment. Funny thing, it was still putting out voltage! Wonder how much power that thing was robbing...

I think I might scrap my whole alternator setup and go with a Katech tensioner and a Kwik Performance alternator bracket. I will obviously need a new alternator too. However, looks like the season is over up here in Washington, so I won't have new times until next spring.

[1970camaroRS]

In addition to fixing the accessories, my winter weight loss and performance plan is this:
1. Lighter rear spring - looks to be nothing but expensive options
2. Replace power window/power lock doors with gutted doors and lexan windows - lots of work, cheap to do
3. Remove all interior except for driver's seat, replace with budget racing seat - free + cost of new seat
4. Remove front sway bar - free (will sell, its a nice thick Hellawig piece)
5. Aluminum wheels (pizza cutters up front) if the budget allows

This an a change from 3.73 gears to 4.56 gears should make the car just a bit quicker.

[camcojb]

congrats on the progress Nathan.

[1970camaroRS]

Thanks!

Took the alternator apart to have a look-see. Took the pulley off halfway expecting it to be the cause of the friction. Nope, it still hung up every 180 degrees. So, I opened the case and found this:



Rotor is worn down badly and heat burned. Bad news.

Then there was this:


Going out on a limb here, but I think that is not supposed to look like that...

And as I suspected, the pulley spun a little bit due to the alternator not wanting to:





Anyway, like I said, I'm not 100% happy with the alternator setup anyway, so I'm going a different direction when I get around to replacing this.

[1970camaroRS]

Not sure what I'm doing here....





Oh, that's right...I'm stripping out the old ratty interior. Not going to put it back in either. This is step one of the diet the Camaro is getting this winter. It's going to get a little extreme.

Here is a box-o-interior parts. Not much in there is salvageable, but I will sort it out later.



Oh yeah, yanked this sucker out too.


I will be weighing everything I take out and everything I put back in.

The plan:
Steel wheels to aluminum (prostars maybe...3.5" front, 8" rear)
doors from power lock/window to manual with crash beam removed
door glass to lexan
door panels remove
Windshield to lexan...maybe
Rear window to lexan
fiberglass trunk replace stock
Passenger seat remove
Drivers seat to race seat
Rear Seats remove
Front sway bar remove
Complete wiper assy remove...maybe
Radio and speakers remove
Charcoal Canister remove
Carpet remove
5-Leaf Springs to split monos