I drove Hellfire for the first time last night. I was over at Sled Alley and they had the interior and all the glass done. I fired it up and took a spin in their industrial park area. These Camaros are the same but also different. I love the evolution. Firing it up and driving it off is familiar yet different.
My first impressions:
The D&D Tremec T-56 Magnums shifter feels like a gun bolt. Very cool and very precise feeling. D&D took my stock Magnum box apart and tuned it up. Brass sliders and set up the clearances. They did this while they had it apart for the new oil pump.
The DYAD Centerforce clutch feels great. No noise easy to drive OE feeling pedal efforts. Once I get some break-in miles I will see how the high RPM reserve is. If it shifts well at 7000 RPM during a WOT 2 – 3 we will have a winner.
The brake feel is great. Nice high hard brake pedal. I used an OE Bosch ZR-1 booster and master to match the ZR-1 brakes. I copied the pedal ratio and the brakes feel just like a ZR-1! The ABS is also Bosch like the ZR-1 so it should all work as designed.
The new Recaro seats feel great. Supportive yet not like a hard shell. Very comfortable.
The engine had wicked throttle response but with over 800 foot pounds by 2000 rpm it should. It idles at 700 RPM with a very small lope. The Borla exhaust has a very deep sound. I had Borla make me some bigger mufflers and resonator. I think it is no louder at idle than a stock Z/28.
The DSE new steering rack has great steering feel. The best yet. For people who notice these things the new DSE racks are tooled and made by DSE. Look at the casting for the DSE logo. All of the other racks are remanufactured Mustang II stuff. I have personally broke one of the remanufactured racks at VIR at speed.
Sled Alley did a great job on the interior. We used all C.A.R.S. parts and the doors sound like a vault when you close them. Just a great thud sound. We used some Dyna Mat and a lot of the lighter Tac Mat. Matt and Paul also put the front clip on the car. Sled Alley and the Dutchboys make a wicked team if you want a straight body.
We finally got to see the car outside on the ground and the paint is stupid nice. The fit, gaps and surfacing is the best yet. The car is very stunning. (Sorry I wanted to get home and forgot to take a picture.) Matt drove the car up and back and it has a unique look on the road. The PPG red is very deep. That against the carbon fiber has a nice look in my opinion.
Bringing it home tonight to finish the last of the wiring. If the weather is not crappy we should get a bunch of miles on it this weekend.
Mark
