LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

It's time for some serious work on Project Panther! I know some of you have been following this build, and I know i have been kind of stupid about it by making new threads every time something big happens. But no more! I'm first off, consolidating all the previous threads into this one so that anyone who hasnt seen can see how far the car has come already. Then, throughout the next year (approximately obviously) I will continuously update the thread with the newest progress on my build, if even just so i have a solid record of what ive done.

So if you've been following this build, skip to the last update, because everything else is new. But for those of you who havn't, here's the project!
----------------------------------------------------------
The Car:
1989 Chevrolet Camaro Iroc-Z
body: hardtop coupe
original color: black
original options overview: all power options.
Engine: 305 TPI (LB9)
Transmission: WCT5
gears: 3.08 posi
wheels: 85 Iroc-Z single lines

Here's how the story began:

from when i was trying to decide what car to buy. here was the initial description of the car that will become "Project Panther".

and then almost a year later, after i had already bought and sold a yellow 1985 Iroc.

continue ----->

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

Next we did some of the obvious work that was needed:

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

I then removed some of that nasty blue tape and pulled the tranny for some work:



And then i cleaned her up:

Then i put new seats in.



gtg for now but ill continue updating later today.

hotrod16105

Subscribed. Keep up the good work. It's amazing what can happen in a year with alot of hard work. And alot of $$$$$$$$$$$

84cammygirl

Wow what a difference. Great work. Im going to keep up with this one bro.

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

Next, on 8-07-08', it finally got inspected. Passed with flying colors too even though the cat was fried.

In order to do this, we had to replace 3 sensors and check all the wiring on the entire car. It turned out there were some major electrical glitches that were causing 90% of the cars problems. After that, just a quick hook up onto a scanner and some basic tuning resulted in a street legal car.

Since then, I have been driving it pretty regularly. I learned how to drive a stick on this car, and have put ~400 miles on it in the last month and a half.


Also, i forgot that somewhere along the way i redid the Iroc wheels myself.

I started off by stripping down the clear with aircraft stripper. I then masked off both wheels with painters tape:



Followed by spraying the wheels with 4-5 coats of black spray paint




And finally polishing the wheels with Mothers





---


New stuff: Start reading here!!

I got a baseline test for my camaro last weekend. Going to the dragstrip, i managed to get 3 runs in. They were my first runs ever on a dragstrip, and also my first performance test in the camaro. needless to say i failed pretty badly, including near stalling the car AND missing gears on my first 2 runs

Run 1.
I actually win my first race here because the Lightning in the other lane redlighted!
.74 reaction
3.28 60ft
19.09 @ 73.73MPH

Run 2.
1.42 reaction
3.29 60 FT
18.07 @ 83.57MPH

and my only decent run, though the 60 ft was atrocious:
Run 3.
.62 reaction
2.44 60 FT
15.54 @ 89.5 MPH.



Heres a video of the action that day:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFw0qDubjw4

i think my first and 3rd runs are on there. The first and last runs of the video respectivly.



---


And now the parts have started coming in. Yesterday i got my 4 brand new NOS GM replacement centercaps. I also got my clear side marker lights and ordered NOS GM replacement front marker lights. I also now have 3 complete sets of fenders to mix and match the best fitting set to the car, along with scouting out a repalcement WCT5 incase mine blows. Also I got Dyno Don headers on the way!!

Also, I am researching engine shops for the build, which i will get into in greater detail in my next post, where i will list all the parts i have and will have sitting ready to into my baby this winter.

Until then! (probably tonight).




Also, if you want to subscribe to this project, do it here. This is the last and only thread i will be making on this car. it's just easier for everyone whose intersted this way!


Thanks
~Doug

GTAwheelman

makes me want to go out and work my camaro. too bad i have other stuff to do before it gets cold. well that and i have no extra cash with xmas on the way.

Doc_G

iTrader: (1)

wow doug that car's come a long way already, I'm impressed. I am subscribing so that maybe it'll give me the motivation to get off my lazy *** and fix a few things on my own car.

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

Don't worry. I'm out of "extra cash" too . Luckily, i have a job lined up in a few months so i'll be able to get some money so this project doesn't take 5 years to finish .


Anyways, speaking of finishing, heres the plans:

in my possession (for this project) i have so far collected:
passengers door.
6 fenders (gotta be a good pair in there somewhere right?)
the 4 Brand new NOS center caps
brand new NOS front marker lights
brand new aftermarket clear side marker lights
new nose
new front lip spoiler
new side skirts
new rear bumper
New headliner
Dyno Don's 1 3/4" shorties 1/ AIR tubes, and single cat Y-pipe (did you know magnaflow makes a gasoline engine 3.5" cat? So ill stay single cat for my build)

and the masterpiece to be:
and a L98 engine! Found it for $200 on craigslist. has 166k well taken care of miles. $200 bought me everything from the oil pan to the plenum, including all senors, electronics, and another air intake. even the computer was included! ALSO. Note that this is an 89 block, so it is a 1 piece RMS and a roller cam block.

Things I'm still looking for:
GM foglights

Things I have yet to purchase, but have already decided on:
NOS Rocker Emblems
NOS bumper emblem
NOS "TunedPortInjection" emblem
NOS front emblem


And now, the plans for this winter!!!! For anyone who has been following, these have changed alot. But this is pretty much the final call here. This is what will happen in the next 6 months barring and money issues.Yes Justin that means i will have an incredibly over strong L98 making no power at all. for now

Engine:~Clean the L98 up with a good boil (yay shiny!)
~summit rebuild kit
~Forged 4340 Eagle Specialties 3.750" stroker crankshaft.
~Forged 4340 Pro Comp Scat I-beams
~Forged Mahles (10.6:1)
~Custom CROWER grind
~New pushrods
~New 1.6 Rockers
~home ported L98 heads and TPI intake
~TPI air foil (came with the engine)
~Custom tune by the fastest thirdgenner in Pittsburgh!!

Exhaust:
~Dyno Don shorties WITH AIR TUBES (cmon ppl. how hard is it to be legal?)
~DD Single cat Y-pipe
~3" magnaflow cat (again. Not hard to be legal. OMG I lost 2 HP...)
~3" Hooker Cat back

Exterior:
~New PPG paint. Black in color
~Custom made silver and graphite striping (along the GFX. Same size, just custom color)
~Rear/side window tint
~Fresh stickies. The ones on there now were free from a Malibu....
~All new emblems in place
~All new lights in place
~All new weatherstripping
~All new bumpers

Interior:
~New Headliner
~New sun visors
~new plastics inside.
~new carpet
~new gauge cluster
~new door panels


At that point. I will be broke!!! But heres the plans for my money once i get some cash up again (next winter project phase II???)
~AFR 195 heads
~FIRST fuel injection Intake
~Custom fabricated (for my engineering class) CAI.
~Brand new Ignition system from top to bottom
~Tremec TKO-600 Transmission!!!!
~LS1 10-bolt
~150 shot of Nitrous
~Aluminum driveshaft
~Corvette brakes
~17" wheels. Not sure what kind yet
~Spohn chassis/suspension throughout the car. If they make it, I'm buying it.
~3.42 or 3.73 Gears
~Cowl hood


I think thats about all.. I know i left out the little bits like new injectors and plugs etc etc etc but it's not all that important. So there you go! That's my project for this winter and beyond. I'll be updating whenever a big part comes in or i get some work done. The car is "scheduled" to go in the garage this month. My dad just wants the garage for some body work on the family cars first then its all mine.


Thanks for reading guys! I'll be sure to try and make updates interesting. At least as much as they can be... And of course i'll just chat with you all


Thanks
~LMSkyliner/Doug

Sonymaster20

iTrader: (3)

Sounds Fun.. all that work,good job! looks good! Lol aren't you still 16 or 17? I am And I have most of my cars bodywork done. All stripped down and getting into primer, just have yet to post my own thread

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

Yes i am 17 years old! I think this is a pretty good project for someone my age. It's really helping me learn real world application stuff to put into my engineering courses too. I can't wait to get some serious work done.

jrhaus76

Keep us posted!

vette9190

iTrader: (2)

Subscribed

Man I am impressed with what you have done so far. Keep up the good work.

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

Oooh oooooh!


so. since im getting new tires in the spring, who wants me to see if i can get my dad to let me "get rid of" the old ones? I live on a dead end street and the dead-end has been used as a burnout pit for years


he didnt let me roast the old ones off because he didnt want a broken car.. But since its going to be taken apart anyways maybe he'll let me roast these ones.

19CAMARO85

iTrader: (5)

hey man, keep this thread going i plan to keep an eye out for updates. Keep Postin man and good luck. -Matt

Bullydawg

iTrader: (7)

I also am expecting updates soon.

I remember when I sold my 70 Lemans Project car to get my dads midlife crisis (Formula) He said he will gelp me get it running all good and everything. He hasn't really done anything to it... In which, "I" have learned how to rebuild a rearend, adjust valves...etc.

You are lucky to have a dad help you out on your car. I mean its not like I dont like my dad, he tries, I guess it is he doesn't know how to do it either and he doesn't want to learn with me, so I end up doing it myself with my buddies who DO want to learn how.

But then again my buddies have a 5.0 Mustang, 87 Trans Am, and a 240sx. So we all tinker on eachothers cars.

but back to your thread. ENJOY your car, you have earned it!

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

Haha thanks man. I got the same kinda friendly tinkering going on here.

My friends are building a:

custom 32' Ford. He's kinda wealthy though, and estimates it will take $65,000 to finish. Im betting on $100k with the level of custom stuff hes doing.

big block 70' Nova

and a 99 LS1 WS6 trans am...


I kinda got the runt of the litter, but I hope to keep up with them in the future. It's fun to work on V8s from the 30s up to modern times. The Flathead started it, the SBC is the best V8 to date (IMHO), i got the upgraded roller cam/ 1 piece RMS SBC, and then there is the LS1. It's cool to see the progression.

Sonymaster20

iTrader: (3)

lol 100k? you call that kind of wealthy?

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

Thats only "kinda wealthy" around here lol. The average first car of kids at my school is running about $65,000 as far as i can guess..


But yea. His names Bryce and his car is going to be crazy. everything on it is one off custom. bryce is in line with Foose and george Barris etc etc etc to get a job with them once he's out of college. He is using those connections to build his ride. He has copyrighted several of his one off designs that are going into his car and i think at least 2 or 3 of them are going into production as a product in the company that one-offed it for him.


to give you a good idea, he flew to california to some guys shop jsut to watch 4 custom (his design) wheels be cut on a CNC machine. he then flew back home. A week later he flew BACK out to california to hand pick the cab/shell to use for his car. Then had it shipped back via a car shipping company. Oh yea and he's 17.

Sonymaster20

iTrader: (3)

Wow. That is crazy, SPOILED. hey man don't worry about the rich people in your area, just remember you'll have better moral values when it comes to taking care of your stuff because you Will KNOW what it takes to build a car. Unlike all the rich kids around you.

JT

iTrader: (1)

OK. This thread was cleaned up. If you notice your post is missing, take that as a sign and as a warning.

Back to the original topic.

Thanks.

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

I've gotten a few more parts! I'm only looking for 1 more thing now!!

One of the things i bought was a set of foglights for $15 together!, but one of the lights is missing the black rectangle ring that frames the light, so i have to find one of those, BUT, other than that, I'm done. I have all my fenders, all my bumpers, skirts, caps, and parts picked out.


Now i just have to find a way to pay for them all


I'll get some pictures once my next, very sexy, part/s arrive.

FormulaL98

Looks like U have a solid project goin!!! good work so far Lol your build reminds me alot of when i got my nova when i was 16 lol. I didnt have has much body work as u may have, but a screaming small block and steep gears busted my Muncie M20 like 4 times (7200rpm launch, 7800rpm shifts) b4 I bought a TKO for it lol. I am glad to see there are more young wrenchers out there (im 22 now). Needless to say I'm subscibing to the thread, good luck and keep the build pics coming.

P.S. burn those tires to the ground, then show us

HoodsBadBowTie

Sweet looking Camaro. Its coming along great. Keep up the good work!

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

good news and bad news all around!


Start with the bad shall I?
first, it started snowing real bad the last week here, so I am done driving the camaro. Mostly thats because the roads have now officially been salted.
second, I've run into a budget crunch. I have had to put alot of money down on alot of weird unexpected things in the past week or so, and as a result, This winter is going to be harsh. I, unfortunatly, am going to have to reduce my budget this winter by about $1000. Because of this, I think the rotating assembly is going to have to take a hit. I'm thinking a Scat 9000 series cast crank and scat pro comp I-beams. Bout the best i can do for the $ i have left.



but now some good news.
I think, first off, that even though i'll have to cut $1000 from my rotating assembly, it will not effect performance. as long as I keep the 11:1 pistons, I think i'll be ok in that department. And since I am looking at around 400-450 HP, I think I will be safe on strength either way. I'll save the big ($) guns for a firebird build down the road that i want to do.

also, I bought some more parts today. I got some very nice black carpets front and back to go with my black headliner, although my seats and doors are still grey . I also bought ANOTHER front lip spoiler for a very very good price. Can't have enough of em' with these pittsburgh streets. And, I now will know how much gasoline i have left (along with my actual speed and actual RPM, which were equally far off) thanks to my new 145 MPH gauge cluster (yes its a cable driven one like what i needed).



and the grande finale, I should be recieving my much anticipated package on December first!


~LMSkyliner

allenfre

Your Cowl hood looks promising. I was just pissed when I saw one which I thought it was for a thirdgen but it wasn't. I am planning to install some new door panels.

19CAMARO85

iTrader: (5)

man i dont think he has a cowl yet. I know he said somthing about getting one but hasn't yet that i know of. I wouldn't mind haveing one lol My budgets low right now too lol Keep it up man -Matt

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

haha yea you're right.


Sad day today, I had to move the camaro back outside for a few days to finish work on our other cars... And then the snow came!




lets pray for her safety shall we!


mmm.. I can't wait to show you guys my new parts though

19CAMARO85

iTrader: (5)

man those are some killer snowflakes you caught with ur camera... and a great back drop too!! lol eh a little snow shouldn't hurt to bad just dust her off occasionally. Or make a snow man on the roof lol (a small one)

allenfre

Awww... I can't stand to see some thirdgens to be in that chilling situation.

gcgarner

Your finished project sounds a lot like my 'Bird (but with some nicer components in the engine). You will love it when you throw some 3.42's back there. Even 3.73's behind the T5 would be good ... mine is a crap-o-matic 700r4 so 3.42 is as high as I want to go since I'm not racing this car. I would love to do a nitrous install as well ... I'm just worried about it looking nice, neat and clean. Good work, man!

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

Ah my!! I completely forgot to update you guys. I've been so busy with school and doing the actual work I'm afraid it quite slipped my mind.


I'll update tomorrow. I get to drive her one more time down to the body shop so they can give me a good assessment. Things have been moving slow but they're about to start rocking. Plans people and shops are in place for the build...


but you'll all learn more tomorrow

~LMSkyliner

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

heh. Im killing my own build thread here!!

Ive been really busy guys sorry. School and family and relationships tied up all my time but I'm good now. Got my College all sorted out (full ride to Kettering. Used to be GMI for ya older guys). And family and relationships sorted themselves out. So its camaro time!!

Got the car in for good about a week ago. Just today I finally got to serious serious work. Heres some pictures to show it, just cause I love pictures

oh, and heres a mini-game for you bored people. Lets count the number of fenders I have. Also add 3 for the one in the family room, and the pair i have in storage at a buddies.

This morning:






and heres now:






parts:






right now i'm in full tear-down mode. I also have been doing alot of fitment testing picking the parts to use. They will be sent down to the paintshop as soon as they are prepped, as I have found the best fitting fenders etc.



ps: GO STEELERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1LOMARO

Subscribed....... definitely want to keep an eye on this build.

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

thanks guys!


today i did some work on the rear end. However first I had to deal with a minor disaster...


Imagine my surprise when I opened the hatch only to find the carpet looked wet. And when I pulled the carpet up?? Well. here:


luckily, no rust. I was able to get it out pretty easily and I think everything will be ok. I know I caused the leak myself because the car never leaked, but when i swapped hatches I tweaked it a bit to try to get the spoiler lined up. Apparently I tweaked it a bit too much. I've decided to un-tweak it and I am going to move the panel back on the glass to get the spoiler to line up. Alot more labor intensive yea, but it is what needs to be done..


Anyways, heres the rest. Just alot of nuts and bolts. Got the hood off also as you can see here.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d7...ar-down001.jpg





and incase you havn't noticed. I am indeed working in the smallest, darkest, coldest, most crowded garage on TGO. heres a picture without the flash of what I was working in... And yes the mat is there to keep my **** warm(ish)




I think tomorrow I will tackle the interior.. It's all gotta come out anyways. Needa make room for the new black carpets/headliner/plastics etc.

hotrod16105

Progress. Nice. I hate working in small cold garages. But, you use what you have.

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

mmhmmm. It's one of those "it's not so bad once you get used to it" deals... I have gotten pretty adapted to it already. I got my nice bright spotlight setup in the back for light back there, and a bunch of lights up front. Honestly though, the key is this piece of carpet I layed across the front of the car. I found it in my neighbors trash last week (its got a few little stains.. looks like juice?) and i snagged it. . You would not BELIEVE how much warmer it feels working on carpet compared to that concrete... Night and day easily. Now I am wishing i had nabbed the other few pieces that they had out so i could put em around the whole car!

Survivin on what I got.. The real fun will begin when I havta dig the engines out (under the pile on the left side) and start working on those in the same garage

hotrod16105

It should start warming up a little in a month or so. Those lights throw off some heat so that should help a little.haha

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

yea alittle too hot... I was trying to see into the hatch so i moved it real close to the quarter and it messed with the paint real bad. looked like it started melting it!! atleast it looks like itll just sand out but still



no lights close to the car anymore lol.

hotrod16105

Haha. Yeah, thats not so good. I have one of those small torpedo heaters. That thing would heat up that garage in about two minutes. Just have to figure out where to put it.

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

no where lol.. If i had one, I think I would probably end up putting it in the doorway facing into the garage. Theres no room in the garage for it unfortunately.


My dads trying to find a specific kind of heater. He wants one to fit in this window in the wall we have down there. He says he can find it but its expensive so he keeps waiting to find a used one. meanwhile, we freeze!

hotrod16105

You'll find one sometime around June.

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

yup, right after the previous owner is done doing HIS car...


If we don't have one by august I'm buying him one for his 50th birthday... I'm not going through another winter of this!


But seriously this carpet is nice.. I wanna carpet the whole garage in freebie-junk carpet now

hotrod16105

That can be nice. Until you spill oil. But if its freebie-junk stuff who cares right?

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

my point exactly..


my engine deal is starting to get interesting though. I think I'm going to wait till Justin's shortblock is sold before I make a move. I want to know what happens to it before I start down my road because he has essentially the exact shortblock I want to build.

Also, Im not sure you saw, but I headed up the GP on those FIRST intakes. So I gotta get my order in for that. Im still trying to decide between the stock color, or getting it done in color for me (they do it for $150, and its a REAL nice job. Check the GP board and the last page of the FIRST thread to see the one dudes. Beautiful blue intake. I think they matched the paint code to his car). Im thinking I want to get it colored, but then the question is, red or black??

I also needa get some subframe connectors ordered.. other than those 2 things I am gonna wait on the shortblock. And the job prospect..

hotrod16105

I missed the gp. I've been working on the amc this year so most of my time has been on that. Yeah, it wouldn't hurt to wait on justins short block. I checked it out when i was at his place a couple of weeks ago picking up his bumper. That thing looks like new. Probably because it is. If i wasn't building the other car i might have been able to pick it up.

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

you should put some pics of the AMC in the pitt thread. Id like to see. Those are cool little buggers.


And yea.. I know its new. I would pick it up if I had the money but I just dont. And no one else does either! My dad won't let me spend what he deserves on it, so I'm just here to wait in the background and give him what I can if he ends up needing a quick sell. Also, I am alittle wary of the fact that they are not the upgraded rod bolts (I can get the same assy WITH upgraded rod bolts, balanced, shipped to my door for $1500. Thank you research!!!). So I don't know... Some days I think I should just get my machine work done and have a stronger bottom end for ~$2000, then the next day I say wait for him.. /shrug.

I think I'll conservatively aim for mid 13s in the spring. Nothing nasty... I wont have the drivetrain to back it up till the fall so I gotta go easy anyways. Plus I gotta build the bank back up for round 2.

Stippy17

iTrader: (6)

Ill have to snap a pic of my garage to compare it to yours. Mine is just as small lol. Thats why most of my parts (Except for the TH400 & 400 SB) are in the basement in a room I like to call my "Parts Room" My Mom thinks otherwise, but slowly that room is being taken over by me Hehe.

As for the carpet I have almost my whole garage with carpet haha. I think Ive said that on the Pitt board. Its very nice working on your back when you have carpet to lay on.

LMSkyliner

iTrader: (1)

Unfortunately, I do not have the option of a parts room. We have some rather nosey pets who would get into everything if I put it within their reach, and their reach extends to right outside the garage door if you understand me. So we have to keep everything inside the garage, or else take the risk of the parts being in a vulnerable area of the house. So, for now, we are just cramming everything into the corners… Fortunately, there is room for the interior up in the attic, and everything other than the interior is already out of the car, so we are good in that respect. We’ve decided that we are indeed going to do the interior next. We just have to decide if the doors are coming off or not (im guessing yes, though I don’t want to take them off because they are both the original doors and have clearly never been off the car.) But I think we’ll get the doors off then rip the interior out. It all has to go because I have new black carpets going in.

Speaking of black interior, anyone know where I can find some black cloth seats that are real comfortable for our cars?? I was thinking 4th gen seats but all i can find is leather. I hatttteee leather. Im OK with these seats, but they came out of a Cavalier and aren’t the most supportive seats on earth.

hotrod16105

I'm guessing you're thinking of the amx or javelin. I have a 1966 Ambassador. Its a 4 door sedan. But i like it. I think i mentioned it there but i dont talk about it here much because after all it isn't a 3rd gen. I have some info and pics here:http://www.pittspeed.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47050

I have to update a little, but not much has changed.