Wanted to start off my first thread to see if I'm cool enough to hang with the guys haha. As I'm typing my third gen sits on 4 jack stands waiting for doors, paint, and just about every bolt to be put back I figured I could join the forum and learn a thing or two from someone who has experience building this platform. Building the car to run nice in a straight line because handling never really peaked my interest as a child and its flat out badass.

 

Heres a quick pic of the engine bay right now after a few days with the wire wheel on a 4 1/2 grinder and a few cutoff wheels. Ive stitched in all the seams, cut out battery trays and front of the wheel wells, filled alot of small holes on subframe and firewall, welded in a panel to cover up the heater box holes, also took off the front bumper support.

 

If my beat up '88 Sport Coupe first car road warrior can hang around here, I'm sure you can too Welcome to TGO!! This is a great learning place and it looks like you've got some serious Chevy Thunder in that project

 

Welcome from a fellow Canuck!

 

hi bow tied,were about's in Ontario are you? im in the k.w area and have some questions and am always looking for other third gen'rs.

looks like a sweet iroc by the way,i had an 87 l98 iroc in white years ago
(plus an 84 berlinneta,an 83 v6 and an 82 iron duke 4 cylinder 4 speed)
i switched to the pontiac side of things for now.

 

Hi Bandit,

I am in London. I 've been a car guy for a long time but I am relatively new to 3rd gens but I'll help if I can.

 

i actually picked up my car the other side of london past strathroy last year.
it was not kept 100% original unfortunately so im just going to keep it clean
and make it mine,my way.i just scored an lb9 305 to replace the weak lg4
so ill get a 75% bump in horsepower and a 50% bump in torque. ive got a small mountain of parts to change out and im hoping this rain stops.

thanks for responding.

 

Sounds like a great project. pics?

 

Hey That82lsswap. How goes the battle? We're practically neighbours (Edmonton area). I'm 20 minutes from Castrol Raceway.
http://www.castrolraceway.com/

 

yeah,its the car in my avatar,i think i have an album of some pics as well.its a white 1986 trans am (5.0 5 speed)with the cowl hood.im right in the middle of putting a performer rpm intake,holley ultra 650 carb,moroso die cast valve covers,chrome water pump,new wires,new gaskets etc,dirt up to my eyeballs lol.

 

that would be fun to head down there,i usually end up going to grand bend motorplex but its an hour and a half for me


castrol raceway probably will be too.

 

This Castrol Raceway is near Edmonton Alberta where I now live. It'd be a hell of drive you. That said, I've done it more than once in my Camaros. Toronto to Edmonton; about 3500 kms and 32 hours drive time.
I used to live and work near Toronto and would regularly drive to Toronto Motorsports Park (Cayuga), do St. Thomas Dragway and then Grand Bend.

 

my apologies,i thought you were speaking with bow-tied,you've got a hell of a nice camaro.been outta the third gen game for about 10 years,figured it was time to grab another one (got a trans am this time,go figure)as clean as possible and do it right.(or as right as i can afford,lol)

 

Thanks for the props. It has seen better days though.
I find these 3rd gens are still an economical platform to build on with plenty of aftermarket support not to mention the used part market is steadily growing.

 

that's the great thing,you could pick up a roller or a shell for peanuts,i just missed a complete(but dismantled) 5.7 gta for $1000.there's a clean plain Jane v6 bird a block from me for $750.
if you look hard enough you can find them cheap and plentiful.

 

I agree. I've been shopping around for about a year and have come across a few low optioned "plain Jane" versions for $1000-1500.
On the other hand, I also see that prices are trending up for the later models that are better optioned. Some ridiculously overpriced IMO.

 

that is for sure,i picked mine up in a partial trade /partial cash deal.$1500 and a couple guitars/music gear.i figure i paid around $2500/$3000 but the car is clean,uncut and not rotten . it has no options whatsoever other than air(and that was removed before i got the car)i mean AM MONO RADIO,ROLL UP WINDOWS,NO HATCH BUTTON..
N O T H I N G A T A L L...but it is a 5 speed,has 4 wheel disk brakes,positrac and clean as a whistle.(and its a hardtop,i was sick of leaking,rattling t-tops)i love it.

 

 

I'd like to find one for sale like that. 5 speed, 4 wheel disc, hardtop and none of the other stuff I don't care for... excellent.
Although in all fairness, my next purchase may be a dedicated track car. Or close to it.

 

by track do you mean drag car or road course ? i dont want to pigeon hole myself into having a dedicated drag car,i would love to have a good all around car that does everything decently well .