1987 IROC Camaro Pro-Touring Build

[garage_engineer]

Continuing on with disassembling my engine bay. When I started this project, I wasn't sure how far I wanted to go with removing things from the engine bay but after giving it some thought I've decided to take it all out and paint the engine bay. Do a job once and do it right, right?

Not a lot of great pictures to show on this update as I am disconnecting the wiring harness and taking my time to label everything. My plan is to lay it all out on the garage floor and fix any connections that need repair and replace all of the loom.


I'm finding a lot of relays attached the fenders and core support with these plastic clips... doesn't seem too stable!


Also took out the fuel vapor canister. About half the hoses were disconnected which would explain the fuel smell I was getting when driving the car. Debating on putting this back in or not... I'll have to do a bit of research on what it takes to get it working properly or how hard it is to delete.

[SSLance]

I kept my fuel canister, even replaced the charcoal element in it. While I deleted most of my emissions equip, the canister is necessary to vent the fuel tank. I just ran one port to the fuel tank vent line and the other port to small vacuum port on the carb.

[WSSix]

What Lance said. There may be alternatives to using the canister but you want something to vent the tank and keep the smell away.

Good luck cleaning up the engine bay. You can always check out DSE's 3rd gen for inspiration on what a clean bay looks like on these cars.

[garage_engineer]

Originally Posted by SSLance

I kept my fuel canister, even replaced the charcoal element in it. While I deleted most of my emissions equip, the canister is necessary to vent the fuel tank. I just ran one port to the fuel tank vent line and the other port to small vacuum port on the carb.

Originally Posted by WSSix

What Lance said. There may be alternatives to using the canister but you want something to vent the tank and keep the smell away.

Good luck cleaning up the engine bay. You can always check out DSE's 3rd gen for inspiration on what a clean bay looks like on these cars.

Ok I will look into rebuilding the unit and getting a new charcoal element. DSE's car is definitely an inspiration for my build! I love the purposeful and non-flashy look of their car... I hope I can half way there with mine.

[garage_engineer]

I was able to make a ton of progress this weekend on the car. I was able to get the entire steering system out of the engine bay and then dropped the K-member. Here are a few pics:

Steering components out of the car:


I'm still working on getting the Pitman off of the steering box. My puller wasn't working even when I hit it with the impact gun so I'll have to check out some alternate methods. I will be sending the box out to be rebuilt as it has quite a bit of slop in it.

The rest of the steering linkage is definitely going to get replaced... it was looking pretty nasty. I don't think that tie rod has been adjusted in the last 30 years!



I then moved on to the K-member. First I popped the lower ball joints... I was able to get them loose with a few good whacks with the hammer. Again, found a ton of crud and dirt built up on the lower control arms. I think the front end might lose 20lbs in dirt alone!



Next, I put 2 jack stands under the K-member and took out the 6 bolts holding it up. In order to get it out from under the car though, I ended up using a chain to hook it up to my engine crane and lifted it just a bit to get it off of the jack stands so I could remove them.


Then, I lowered it down to the floor, removed the chains and dragged it out the side of the car.


Here it is outside the car with the springs and the sway bar:


I'm torn on how to proceed with the K-member. I'm on a budget, so my original plan was to clean it up and paint it. I was going to add some new bushings and ball joints to the control arms and re-use those as well. However, those tubular K-members and control arms sure are sweet! I'll have to do a bit of research here.

Next up is getting the brake booster out and keep labeling and removing the wiring harness. Little by little!

[gofastwclass]

Originally Posted by garage_engineer

I'm torn on how to proceed with the K-member. I'm on a budget, so my original plan was to clean it up and paint it. I was going to add some new bushings and ball joints to the control arms and re-use those as well. However, those tubular K-members and control arms sure are sweet! I'll have to do a bit of research here.

My opinion - stick to the budget and original plan which for me typically means fix what you have. Have some fun and upgrade as needed or finances allow.

If you are on a budget I would seriously consider your goals and make sure buying the replacement cross member or control arms is actually buying a planned and affordable performance upgrade. A good way to kill a budget and possibly project momentum is to start the "while I'm here I'll upgrade..." game. Ask the manufacturer(s) if the new parts are pretty stock replacements, are they lighter or do they actually improve performance in the manner you desire (drag racing vs. cornering), etc?

Just something to ponder. Remember disassembly is the easy part, good luck on the choice and project.

[garage_engineer]

Originally Posted by gofastwclass

My opinion - stick to the budget and original plan which for me typically means fix what you have. Have some fun and upgrade as needed or finances allow.

If you are on a budget I would seriously consider your goals and make sure buying the replacement cross member or control arms is actually buying a planned and affordable performance upgrade. A good way to kill a budget and possibly project momentum is to start the "while I'm here I'll upgrade..." game. Ask the manufacturer(s) if the new parts are pretty stock replacements, are they lighter or do they actually improve performance in the manner you desire (drag racing vs. cornering), etc?

Just something to ponder. Remember disassembly is the easy part, good luck on the choice and project.

Good advice, thanks for the insight. It's definitely tempting to fall into the "while I'm at it" trap, but I'm also trying to be smart and replace things that are easier to get at while the engine is out. I'm going to make a few calls and go from there. Thanks again for the tips!

[ZMAN1969]

Nice build I HATE pulling the engine on my third gen and did it several times
I would think and A/M K-member would cut a bit of weight and add more room I'd do it - you are there
I'd suggest subframe connectors, they really do stiffen these cars up I didnt think it'd make much difference but boy did it

[WSSix]

If the aftermarket k-members don't offer better geometry, then stick with your factory one. The weight savings alone are not worth it. Your car is no where near that level of performance at this time. You'll be better served by buying better tires or upgrading the brakes with the money you would have spent on the k-member.

[qnitro]

Im watching this one, seems like a good ride