1970 1/2 Camaro Project Car Built and Owned By Tom Cornett.

Project Name: RS-R (Rally Sport Racer)

Task: Full Custom Pro-Touring

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In the begging there was a green car...

Here is the first day home for the Camaro. It's ready for transformation. It's a clean car, good body, clean complete interior, mild 307 and TH 350 trans. The body was stripped down to the shell and put on a 360 degree rotisserie.

Here the Camaro has been stripped to its basic's and put on the home made Rotisserie

Rims are Chrome ZR1's. A spacer will be needed for proper fitment, but no modification of the rear inner fender's will be needed to fit 315's out back!

Here is a picture of the Front suspension clip back together. It was sent out for power coating with all the front end pieces and inner fenders. All the bushings are PTS PolyGraphite. The geometry for the front suspension in the second generation Camaros are much better than the first. No modification is needed here for handling. Also shown is the trim parts that have been sent you to be re-chromed.

This is a picture of the firewall with the heater core removed and welded in. The body is on the rotisserie and is upside down. Notice the Tube that will house the wiring between the drivers compartment and the engine bay. All wiring will be under the passenger side dash. The current plans are for the interior and dash are to use a new Camaro's interior, including dash and center console. All loose parts that are visible have been powder coated white or high gloss black. A new 2 1/2 inch steel cowl hood has been purchased and will be used.

Fog Light modification

Notice the original front end...

The plans are to build a solid aluminum grill, ad fog lights, and weld up the seams for a more smoother look.

...Here the body seams have been welded together and smoothed.

...The fog lights have been welded and smoothed to create a natural look. A final mock up was done to ensure alignment and clearance before being send to the paint shop.

Clutch pedal

In order to run a T-56 six speed the stock clutch pedals needed to be purchased and modified. The T-56 has a shorter throw than the stock 4-speed and a custom arm was fabricated with a adjustment nut in it. This allows for a clean install unlike some with a fabricated restrictor plate on the floor boards. This will also allow for a perfect adjustment in the throw of the clutch linkage.

Rear End

The rear end is a Chris Alston Fab9. It now has Currie Axles, 4.11 gears, Detroit locker, and aluminum nodular section. The rear swaybar mounts have been fabricated to the frame rails. The springs are multi leaf Eaton's with more PST bushings.

...Note: In the back ground you might see vette front and rear suspension and a shell of a 67 Nova. That was the first project that got put on hold. Problems came when the measurements showed that the rear suspension couldn't fit without narrowing it which means big $$$. The other option was to cut the car in two and widen it two inches. The parts are still in the garage, but the project is probably on hold permanently. This is not a big budget operation, but just a few back yard car crafters.

...This set up should provide for very good street, strip, and auto-cross handling. This is a similar set up that the Z-71 Camaro is running. Breaking power will be provided by Bear Brakes.

Frame work

And the winner is.... LS1. This was the best choice for the motor and trans combo based on the needs for the engine, performance desired, cost, weight. The LS1 is all aluminum so it will help with better weight distribution, fuel injection is always a plus, and the complete motor and trans with computer was purchased from Ebay for $4,000. Can we say "Screaming Deal"

It has been mocked up to the subframe to check for critical clearances. The motor mounts will most likely have to be fabricated unless someone comes up with a product fast. The rear cross member was almost perfect for the fit. The mount was cut and re-welded.

The only clearance problems come from the steering linkage. A universal joint will have to be used to clear the pump and header. A rack and pinion unit might just be in the works too.