The Camaro Club (UK)

hello Classic Camaro Club,

Thought it was time I signed up and joined this elite group of driver's of the very best Camaro made.

I'm based in NW London, just around the corner from the Ace Cafe, so often seen there. I'm active on quite a few other forums so may be familaiar with some here too. I'm sure I've seen that red supercharged 2nd gen before...

After selling my 86' IROC I had for 7 years in 2000, and missing the V8 rumble I bought this 77' about 6 years ago, and having too many friends with TVR's and other quicker cars, meant mine has undergone quite a few changes. It's gone from a rusty green 350 auto, old school mismatched bucket like this:


into a nice quick, capable road and track eating beastie like like this:


It's had a nearly full body restoration (but rust still pops up, as i does) suspension and brakes all modified to actually work, has a manual 5 speed Tremec conversion, 383 stroker with ally heads and all the good bits, interior is updated with decent seats, harnesses, HID lights, subframe connectors etc.. the list goes on.
I'll add the full spec if anyones interested.
I have about 5 track days in it now and it goes pretty well, and it's great seeing the faces on people that really don't expect you to stay with them, particularly on the bends.

I look forward to hearing from some more 2nd gen'ers...

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“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”

Welcome to the board, cool looking car you've got there. Feel free to post up the specs on the car & the modifications that you've made. Any lap times available?? What circuits do you have track days on? Any plans for the future for it??

cheers...Nige

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Too much power...not enough hands!!

Many thanks for the welcome Nigel,

I've done 4 different days at Brands Hatch(indy) since last July, didn't really get to time my laps, as you're not supposed to be doing that on track days, but my co-pilot in November 'reckoned' the best was a shade under 1.04, about the same as my mate in his 911 Carrera Porsche.. !
Also did a day at Spa in belgium last October which was rather wet all day, so bit dissapointing.
I'll probably do a few more this year, and already have a 3000 mile Alpine tour booked for september with these guys http://www.petrolheadnirvana.com

Car is mostly looked after by Robin Gray at Autopontiac, who rebuilt the crate engine I bought last year after the crank sheared. All the suspension & geometry set-up and most of the other upgrades were done by Autopontiac too.

It's a late 86-91 block, 4 bolt main 1 pce rear seal, Eagle steel 383ci stroker crank, 10:1 KB pistons, Eagle ESP 6" rods, Canton 5-trap door Roadrace sump, Pro-Race harmonic balancer, lightweight Flywheel, Edelbrock Performer RPM cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM 64cc Aluminium big valve heads, Edelbrock Performer Air Gap intake & 800 cfm vac secondary carb, double roller timing set, Comp Cams hi-rev followers, roller rocker arms, Ali pulleys, 1 7/8" Hedman headers, custom made by Longlife dual 2.5" stainless exhaust with Badlanz electric cutouts. Last dyno'd at 425bhp & 490lb/ft

Auto converted to Tremec TKO-500 5 speed manual, McLeod 11" Kevlar clutch with Wilwood hydraulics, carbon fibre shifter, shortened & balanced propshaft, 2.56:1 posi diff.

Bonnet scoop, 78-81 rear end all fibreglass, bumpers mounts removed, rubber early Z28 style front spoiler, HID & LED light conversion.
Was originally blue, then British Racing Green metallic, had re-spray and sort of body restoration August 2005, now 'nissan' dark pearlescent rose pink.
Interior trim upgrade to late model transam + race bucket seats with 4 point harnesses. New headlining/carpet/custom door panels/handles etc. Oil Pressure & Vacuum gauges, Grant GT carbon fibre steering wheel, Carbon effect dash panel, mirror, gear panel & stereo surround.

18" Rondell 058 wheels with Toyo T1R 245 & 295 tyres. EBC drilled front discs, EBC yellow stuff pads, braided hoses, heavy duty rear shoes & braided hoses.

Alston welded sub-frame connectors. Energy Suspension polyurethane sub-frame bushes.
Front: Energy Suspension poly bushes on all wishbones, links, roll bar mounts, Hotchkis front springs, 1 1/4" Addco front anti-roll bar, Edelbrock tie rod links.
Rear: Hotckis leaf springs, Energy Suspension poly bushes on leaf eyes & spring mounts, 5/8" anti-roll bar.
Koni adjustable sports gas shocks all round.


Future plans are better brakes, probably C5 conversion all round, few more suspension mods, GTA steering box, better rear gears as the 2.56 is rubbish for getting away quick but i'll do 70mph at less than 1600rpm. Maybe fit a 6 point roll cage and another set of wheels with track day tyres.

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“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”

Welcome to the club car looks superb

Bet that Alpine trip will a laugh

Go to the Ace occasionally so may see you there either in my 1st or 4th gen

Cheers..........Tim

Welcome! and wow! what a transformation from the first picture, car looks fantastic

Cheers,
Mark

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'68 Camaro

Thanks for the info on the car it sounds like a good set up. Next time you speak to Robin tell him I send my regards. He used to race a 2nd gen Trans Am a couple of years ago. My friend races a '70 Mustang in the HSCC series & I help out on the car a bit when at the track & I finally met Robin at Siverstone at one of those meetings. I'd previously bought some bits from him but had never met him until then.

What sort of spring rates are you runnning & what sort of steering set up has he put in it ie what caster, camber etc? Be good to run mine against yours & see how they compare

cheers....Nige

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Too much power...not enough hands!!

Robin, broke the engine on that 77 Trans Am about 3 years ago, which was the only race I went to strangely enough. Engine has now been finally rebuilt recently and the whole car's just in the process of being re-done. he should be out for a few days this year in it.

I'm running the Hotchkis springs which I think are only 600lb ish up front, could easily go to 1000 or more but it is a street car mainly so bit worried about it shaking apart. Castor is max possible with standard arms at about 3 degrees, but adjustable upper SP&C arms and tall ball joints are on the cards soon, Got a late 3rd gen steering box to go on too and maybe move the lower arm mount point back if still not enough.

Do you have yours set up soft at the rear, hard at the front ? Quite a few differences in our cars, but yes, it'd be good to see how they run in comparison.

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“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”

Is Robin building the car to race himself or for Neville who owns the car? my car has 1400lb front springs & to be perfectly honest, if you didn't know they were on there you'd never know during ordinary driving. The rear is 150 lbs with a bit of work in the suspension & axle set up

cheers....Nige

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Too much power...not enough hands!!

Hi this looks a really nice car
Your thoughts on the laptimes at BH got me looking at my old laptimes:

I thought I would post my laptimes and years on BH GP and Indy circuit in Butch as well as my finishing position
Ist time is FTD 2nd time is my best then wet or dry and then where we finished in race

1997 BH Indy 00:53.69 00:55.44 00:01.75 dry 8
1997 BH GP 01:42.33 01:44.57 00:02.24 dry 5
1998 BH Indy 00:54.34 00:55.33 00:00.99 dry 1
1998 BH Indy 00:53.67 00:55.33 00:01.66 dry 6
1998 BH Indy 00:56.53 00:56.70 00:00.17 wet 1
1999 BH Indy 00:55.60 00:56.15 00:00.55 dry 2


best

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Kind Regards
TopCat
Secretary
Classic Camaro Club
Member of The Association of American Car Clubs UK
Email :tboles@strathnoon.co.uk Websites: http://www.classiccamaroclubuk.com and:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdhLJtR_ZY4

hi Tim, that's interesting as there's not a vast difference between the wet & dry times really is there,? pretty consistent too

cheers...Nige

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Too much power...not enough hands!!