In the fall of 2017 I started to build a tube chassis for the 1983 Camaro I purchased off Craigslist. I started with kit from Chassis Engineering that was owned by two other people who were in over there head once they started the project. They cut and tacked 5 tubes together and quit. I took over the project knowing there was some tubing was missing. I purchased some more raw materials and an SFI spec rule book. What follows is my build

 

First day I rolled it in

 

 

 

 

Here we are today trying to figure out how to build the front of this car. The wheel base was 101 inches stock for an 83’ Camaro, which is the same as a Mustang Gt. I couldn’t leave it that way, so I figured out how to stretch the wheelbase to 105 1/2 inches and Increase the stability.

 

Not bad at all. Nice to have a place large enough to do all that and tools/equipment to do all that.

Looks like at least 24.4C but probably 25.2C

Stretch the nose although you may want to find out what the specs are for a fiberglass nose first.

As much as I can dream, I could never pull something like that off. Just doing a back half was a huge project.

 

now we're having fun.....!

 

Looking good my man!!! it has plenty of bars in it it should be very stable and stiff for some horse power.

 

Thanks for the compliments, yeah it’s a lot of work for sure, but it’s coming together, I’m started building it to a 25.4b spec in 2017 so I have to change my rear motor mount braces to meet the 2018 c spec revisions.

 

Great work.
thank you for sharing.

 

this is freakin awesome. i love these types of builds. keep us all updated.

 

So how do you make up for the stretched wheel base of 105 1/2 inches as opposed to the stock 101 inches of the stock body?

 

I have a harwood front end that has a stretch in the front fenders, between the wheel well opening and the door seam. Plus moving the body in relationship to the chassis and putting the front axle a fraction forward of wheel well center , Gives me 105.5

 

You've obviously done your homework on this! It's looking awesome!

 

 

Absolutely the hardest part of the chassis to get straight and square

 

As much as I'd love one, it would be cheaper to buy someone elses tube chassis car (providing it has a current chassis cert), than it would be for me to build one. I did my own back half and full cage and that alone was a lot of work. A full tube chassis could cut around 500-1000 pounds off my car. Love to have around 2300 pound race weight.

 

It would be cheaper to buy a chassis car used, but I’m 6’4 and it’s hard to find anything that would be safe for my size. I enjoy working on the car when I have time. I looked at some used cars and they would require changing the cage and replacing worn out parts. It takes more time than money to do what I have done so far. We will see in the end if it’s worth it. Still have a lot to do.

 

Making headway on the chassis. Just pulled it off the table so I can weld underneath.

Off the table and upside down. Time to weld the bottom

 

 

Making progress, had to change tubing around rear transmission mount to satisfy spec changes and make some more foot room.

Lower control arms and mounts done.

Moving on to the rear.

 

Brackets came out really good and tied in rear tubing nicely

Bought some new 4 link brackets, they were laser cut, but the holes were sloppy, so I made my own!!!

Making progress, everything fits good

This car is going to be a little heavy

 

freaking awesome project. very cool!!!

 

Thanks , appreciate the comments.

 

Made some brackets from 1/4 inch plate

Welded them to housing on a 2 degree angle

Fabricated back brace from 1/8

Lazer says it’s centered . Wishbone in background

Welded the brackets together first

 

Safety first

Making progress

 

bad-to-the-bone, nice work man!

 

Thanks, still alot left to do.

 

Hanging the doors

 

Fitting the front clip

 

Really hard to compare anything here to stock, but is the engine set back compared to factory placement? It looks to be completely (or nearly) behind the front axle centerline.

 

The front of the block is actually 1.5 inches ahead of the front axle centerline. However, the front axle centerline is moved 4 inches ahead for a 105 inch wheelbase. Compared to a friend’s third gen with a bbc and a stock transmission location , I’m about 1 to 1.5 inch closer to the windshield base.

 

Wish I had the space and the tooling to do all that.

 

Got the radiator and fuel cells mounted.

Getting complicated

Trying to size my wheels with a mock up wheel from a friends car

 

Test fitting front wheels and tires

Welding in driver side floor pans. I made them out of 22 gauge, bead rolled and hammer formed around the tubes

 

Finished driver side floor and seat


Hopefully cut this right

It fits

Powder coated

 

Still working on her , close to done

Powder coated

Ready for paint

Waiting for the pinstriper

 

Looking back at the older pictures, I have questions.

Wouldn't the front wishbone mount be better if the heim joint was vertical to allow more vertical travel?

When mounting the front shocks, how is alignment accomplished?

I'd like to see the sheetmetal work on the bottom corners of the firewall. Was it wrapped around the curve of the floor?

Where is the parachute mounted tube attached to with the rear tubework so high at the back of the car or is that just an optical illusion?

Fab work looks amazing and the diff alone looks really amazing.