Joel's 1984 Camaro Z28

6/3/01 - Major changes again over the last month! I got a 2 bolt main 1981 350 for $150 with just about everything to make a complete motor. It only needs honing, and will probably reuse the whole rotating assembly. The heads are 461 casting double hump heads, and I will rebuild those. I'm starting an engine buildup page to keep you updated, as well as take some picutres over the rebuilding process. Also, I'm planning on a little bit different paint job and exhaust, which I have changed down below...

4/26/01 - Major changes as of the last couple weeks. I'm still in the planning stage, but have made some major steps towards knowing what I'm doing with the motor. I decided to keep the motor in the truck, and build up another one for the Camaro. The reason I decided on this, is I want something a little bit milder than what's in the truck (need a smaller cam and carb), and I have access to a (hopefully) rebuildable '94 motor out of a C1500 truck.

4/13/01 - Well, looks like the plans to do the motor swap over spring break are going to be pushed back to the summer. I want to get all the parts neccessary together, so I can get it running as quickly as possible. Oh, and if you're wondering why some of the stuff says 85 Z28 (like the usernames on all the message boards), it's because when I bought it, I was told it was an 85, then after I had it home for a few days, I found out it was an 84... :)

OK, my plans are to road race it. I bought the car because it was set up for a four speed manual, and I wanted a Camaro instead of a Rustang. I probably won't have it done for quite a while, but want to have it as something that I can drive a lot, and take on long trips (Power Tour?), but I am ultimately setting it up for the twisties. Anyway, here's the plans, and I'll keep it updated on what the car *currently* has up above.

Engine/Transmission

I was planning on pulling the motor out of the truck, but changed my mind on that when I found out I have access to a rebuildable core. So that means I can actually have both cars running at the same time, big plus!! So, here's my plans for the build up so far:
1. Bore over .030, grind crank .010 if needed (still haven't pulled the motor apart to see what needs to be done)
2. Rebuild kit from Northern Auto Parts (rings, bearings, and gaskets)
3. Brand new Vortec heads from GMPP
4. Comp Cam Xtreme Energy 262/270 cam, .462/.469 lift, 110 LSA
5. Edelbrock RPM Vortec Intake
6. Edelbrock 650 Vaccum Secondary Carb
7. Edelbrock Elite Series non-Script valve covers and 14" Air Cleaner
8. Hooker Super Comp Shorty headers

Pretty simple build up, but should be pretty effective. I'm hoping for 325-350 HP, and hopefully sold mid-low 9's in the 1/8 and mid 13's in the 1/4.

As far as the transmission goes, I am still planning on sticking with the four speed for now, and switching over to an overdrive unit later. I was planning on the T56, but don't want to switch over to a hydraulic clutch. So, I might save up and go with the Richmond 5 or 6 speed eventually. But, I am going to get a Centerforce Dual Friction clutch for the four speed soon.

Suspension

I'm still working on suggestions for suspension parts, it's really hard to create a good cheap setup with so many parts to choose from.
General
1. Kenny Brown subframe connectors
2. 6 or 8 point rollcage from Jegs
3. Edelbrock TBI Strut Tower Brace
Front
1. Wonderbar from IROC Camaro
2. Thicker sway bar (any suggestions?)
3. 1LE or Baer front brake swap
4. PST Front end rebuild (with Polygraphite bushings)
5. Koni adjustable struts
6. Eibach Pro Kit Springs (lower ~1.5")
Rear
Lots of Spohn stuff. Once I learn more about it, I'll post more...

Wheels and Tires

I was originally planning on having two different sets of wheels for the street and the track, but now I'm thinking about just running one set. I want to go with BBS or some other racy-type wheel that looks a little bit different than what you're used to seeing on a third gen F-Body (see pic below), I'm shooting for a 17 x 9 in front and a 17 x 11 in back. I'll probably run BFG Comp T/A R1s or Yokohama A032's for tires (275's in front, 315's in rear).

Body

I was going to keep it Dale Earnhart colors, but now I want to paint it like my race car. Black with blue checkered flag graphics down the sides, and blue-painted 15 inch NASCAR wheels. I'm still going with the 91-92 Z28 Spoiler. Here's what I want my car to eventually look like besides a different paint job:

Interior

Again, keep it pretty much stock, probably eventually with a Hurst shifter. Nothing fancy here...

Well, that's about it for my current plans. They will probably change a few times before I get done with the car. But, if you have any suggestions at all, or any questions, feel free to e-mail me at jslikness@hotmail.com.