Road Race IROC Camaro

[bnjny]

Re: Road Race IROC Camaro

Find yourself a nice Chebbie 350 and swap it in...

If you plan on running the car in any SCCA autocross and you want the car to be competitive on the local level (maybe), then I would not go past ESP (class) for now.

Any other swap will send you to the dark side of prepared... CP and you will never be seen again, at least in the same light, lol...

From a cost perspective, ESP is a good place to start with this car... In ESP, per the rules you can backdate/update per the model (thirdgen, 82-92, parts can interchange). For example, if you found a fiberglass factory 82-83 hood, you could use it... Disc brake 9 bolt, can be swapped, subframe connectors are allowed (read the rules for specific installation)... 305 and 350 swaps are doable, per the rules... A swap to a manual trans, with the 350, I'm not sure (again, read the rules)...

If this is just for fun and you don't care where the car is classed, do as you please...

If it were me I would, swap the 305 for a 350 (use even) and keep the TPI.

Swap in a 5 speed and thrpw some good shocks, subframe connectors and the biggest factory sways you can find online (cheap). Get a good alignement and start driving the car...

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: Road Race IROC Camaro

I know what the problem is - question is do I fix it or do I put this off to the side until I come up with a 350 or 383? or 5.3 or Buick... or...

timing chain has skipped at least a couple teeth... I could fix it... but it's a 305.
decisions

think I'll do some regular work on the other rigs and come back to this one.....

[CTX-SLPR]

Re: Road Race IROC Camaro

Go turbo 3800 and use the shorter deckheight to move it down in the chassis and make a real downpipe instead of the cramped TTA compromise piece. The Ford T5's bolt up with a 4th Gen F-body bellhousing, just have to use a Ford clutch, pilot bearing, and yoke.

[Runner1972]

Re: Road Race IROC Camaro

What the Hell. :o

How can anyone think that's a good job is beyond me.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: Road Race IROC Camaro

the good news, it has a new pump in it and it's making pumpy sounds.... the car attempts to start, but isn't there yet.... thinking it might have a spark issue since it tries to start; but backfires quite nicely (occasionally) in its attempts to start...

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: Road Race IROC Camaro

progress.... ish

as a public service announcing, I provide these pictures of work done by the PO:
even if you cut a hole in a floor, you may not get the pump out


when you connect the fuel pump in the tank, use the right hose


and if you can't figure out how to solder, don't twist the ground wire to the ground


or, simply put, don't buy a car from Ron Morell. (aka Ron Moron).

what's frightening is I drove this driving car bomb for a bit.... between the hose that leaked on the pressure side, and the twisted, coroded wire - it's an amazing thing this thing didn't go boom.

[ecniv]

Re: Road Race IROC Camaro

I can tell you that the 700r4 *will* cook itself, in short order, while road racing.

I have a pile of dead ones on the floor of my garage. A world class T5 will be going in the car soon. They're not known for being strong, but I think that it'll still hold up better than the 700r4s I have burned up.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: Road Race IROC Camaro

good tips... sort of my plan - about the only thing that might change is if I come across a 4 speed.... I bought a three-pedal set up despite having an auto simply for that reason - I don't think the 700 is a good idea in any of the racing venues I plan on running.

[bnjny]

Re: Road Race IROC Camaro

You did mention SCCA autocross... Read the rule book before you spend any money... A 3rd gen F-body can still be competitive on the local and regional level in ESP. I would start first on the safety and suspension. As long as the drivetrain is in good working order... You will also need tires... Go used... It is actually pretty easy to find track takeoffs in a 245/50/16 size.

Once you have driven the car at an autocross or two, you can step up to a track day. Why? If there is anything you missed in the drivetrain or car itself, the problem will show up at the autocross... A cheap, low speed way to test out the car.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: Road Race IROC Camaro

I agree, ed... my initial plan is make it run... however, for budgetary purposes and project purposes I try to plan out where I'm going with the car - saves me from going one direction then back onto another (i.e. the Studebaker)...
as for the 4 cyl .... umm, no ;D

[fast Ed]

Re: Road Race IROC Camaro

If it has a decent running engine, I would suggest leaving that for now, and concentrate on prepping the rest of the car ... that will eat up more than enough of your funds. Lots of that gen. of Camaro / Firebird have been used as road-race cars over the years, should be lots of spares out there with some searching. From the mid-80s to the early 90s we had a great race series up here sponsored by GM Canada and Players cigarettes, basically specially prepped 1LE cars running on the production Goodyear Gatorback tires ... made for some awesome racing. Ron Fellows, Richard Spenard, and David Empringham were some of the front runners in that series.


cheers
Ed N.

[BBR]

Re: Road Race IROC Camaro

I was gonna suggest a Ford 2.3L Turbo.

;D

Or turbo an Iron Duke for it.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: Road Race IROC Camaro

the plot thickens - I just met Ken Duttweiler's brother... anyway, that may influence the direction of motivation... although I'm still very tempted with a 5.3/turbo combination that takes advantage of the fact this car is already wired for multiport injection.... and now pictures...

putting brakes back on the car (this is a big improvement over my normal course which is to make it run, then fix the brakes)


I absolutely hate this color green, and my first IROC was the maroon - thus back to maroon it will go... might even be easy to strip as most of the paint just blows off


Interior is in "useable" condition


as is true with most PNW cars - no rust, just door bumper guards



I was working on figuring out why it doesn't run - fuel pump is bad..... time to cut a big hole in the floor.

Re: Road Race IROC Camaro

It's here, now it's time to bench race this thing.

Inspiration is coming from the turbo mustang.... I'm thinking a turbo 231 buick powered scca car.... or would I be happier with LS power or just a solid build 350.... thoughts? In any case this will be a knuckle dragger - 4 spd T-10 or similar....

I voted LS. The LS seems so cliche lately. But it is cliche FOR A REASON! Light, cheap (if you're smart and can find one), and fast! This would make it handle great and get through the course quickly. You would have the most fun with it.

[88 Dippy]

Re: Road Race IROC Camaro

i would not use the series 3 rods. there more brittle and shatter easier. i rather have a bent rod then an exploded rod

there is no diffrence between the series 2 and 3 N/A pistons to even bother switching them out the forged ones are not worth it few people have killed stock pistons and the ones that have have been the N/A pistons by breaking off the top ring land. forges are just a waist of money as the top ring land can still break off

the diffrence in the heads are neglidable. on the GP forums the consensis is 3 HP to the crank diffrence with the slightly larger valves



my old 2001 GPGT was making 270 WHP and was running a 12.99 for around $900 i had a stock low milage L36 that was in the car so 9.2:1 compretion, XP cam, stock L67 heads, intake, M90, 3.4" pulley (stock is a 3.8") with a 3" DP i was running stock manifolds.

that was a fun car ;D