detltu

iTrader: (1)

I just bought a 1991 Camaro 1LE as a project to fix up and have fun with.
My goal for this project will be to create a sort of what if ultimate factory 3rd gen. I have posted many times on the 1992 Heritage collectors edition car and how much I like it, so this Camaro will be my own personal vision of what the ultimate factory 3rd gen should have looked like.

In the process I am probably going to tick some people off or offend some senses. I plan on removing the 350/6 spd combo that is in the 1le now and replace it with the 305/5 speed out of my other 91 Z28. Unfortunately for me, my 91 z28 is not even a G92 car let alone a 1LE so the engine and transmission are not exactly correct for the 1LE car but the only differences I know of are a differnt 5th gear ratio in the transmission and the L98 camshaft in the 305.

There are two 3rd gen Camaro's that I would like to have in my garage some day. These are my visions of what the ultimate factory 3rd gens would have looked like.

The first is a 1992 Camaro Z28 1LE Heritage Edition- This car is a 305/5 speed combo with the full SLP package (headers, exhaust, cold air, runners, chip), aluminum heads, and a cowl induction hood. To me this embodies the spirit of the first generation Z/28s. The 305 1le's were rated at 235 hp and the SLP package claimed an additional 50 hp, throw in aluminum heads and you are close enough to give the car a rated horsepower of 290 just like the original Z/28s.

That is sort of what I intend to build with my 91 1LE

The second car that I would like to eventually have in my garage is a 1992 Camaro B4C "SS". This car would be almost exactly the proposed Collectors edition car with a 350 L98 and a 6 speed. The only difference I would make would be a cowl induction hood and the Z28 high rise spoiler and maybe some SS badges.

This 91 1LE project will be to build the first of the two cars. Unfortunately for me and my cars, I don't have a ton of time or money to put into this, but I want to do it right as much as possible. it will be pretty slow going, but I intend to update this thread with any progress I make on the car. Hopefully I can get some good feedback and suggestions (particularly on places to get work done when I have more time than money). I will try to post some pics this weekend and give a little more details on where I am starting from.

Impaqt

iTrader: (1)

Fairly certain a 350/6spd wasnt a factory option in a 1LE anyway....

detltu

iTrader: (1)

It definately wasn't a factory option. The 1le I purchased was originally a 305/ 5 spd and the previous owner swaped it out for a 350 / and a 6 speed. The speedometer in the car doesn't work right now and the emissions equipment is missing, so I have some work to do before I can get it inspected.

Basically the only thing that is 1le about this car is the vin #

Bigwavedave

I have a 1991 1LE with a 350/4spd stock (original owner). My key addition was A/C. With it I also added dual cooling fans. Some may disagree with this, but where I live I could not drive it most of the year without it.
The other non stock change I made was adding the remote hatch release (solenoid, relay, and button). Got tired of flipping down the license plate.
And of course no front plate to block the bow tie.

RS Chris

A 350/4 speed stock? Is that a typo, or did you swap out the auto?

Bigwavedave

4spd Auto.

travis401

iTrader: (1)

whats the plans for the 350 and 6 speed? selling to fund the 305/5speed?

RS Chris

Ah, I see.

detltu

iTrader: (1)

Yep. When the 305 and 5-speed are ready to go in I will sell the 350/six speed.

Finally here are some pics:




And here is one of my older 91 Z28

NemeSS-TyranT

iTrader: (1)

So going from slow to slug.
Why not just keep the 350/6spd and throw the better parts on there.

detltu

iTrader: (1)

Why don't you tell me what you really think.

Like I said, I have a specific concept for what I want with this car. 350 6 speed isn't it. Sorry if that offends some people. The 350 that is in the car now has quite a few mods to it Holley Stealthram, trickflow heads, 540 lift 280 duration cam, Edelbrock headers w/ 3" Flowmaster exhaust. It's pretty quick, but it's really rough and not all that pleasant to drive unless you want to drive fast.

It will definately be slower than what it is now when I am done with it, if that makes it a slug to you then I guess it's a good thing I'm not building it for you.

one92rs

iTrader: (5)

now thats funny right there i dont care who you are. i dont blame you at all. i had a complete ls1 that just needed a few things done to it. i sold it and got a used 350 tbi to replace my 305 tbi. going to keep it simple on this car.
good luck on it.

NemeSS-TyranT

iTrader: (1)

Yea, i guess whatever you think is correct for your car. So be it.
I can build my own, 3 actually.
good luck, sounds like a fun project. GL

detltu

iTrader: (1)

No prob. Like I said in the original post, it probably offends some people's senses to take out a 350/6-speed to put in a 305/5-speed, but I'm trying to build the exact car that I want. I'm also saving up for a 5th gen ZL1 that should take care of any urges to go a little faster. I want my 3rd gens to be something close to what they could have sold to the public in 1992. So I'm sticking mostly to things that could have been easily modified in 1992 and GM or a dealership could do them without upsetting the emissions folks. Sort of what I would have liked to see from a factory or dealer special Camaro. I like the 305 because the original Z28 had the 302 and the Mustangs of the period also had a 5 liter engine. The goal for this one is 290-305 net hp.


The only thing I am thinking about doing that wouldn't have been available in 1992 is some fast burn heads. The Fast burn Vortec design didn't come out until 1996, but I like the idea of Vortec heads. The thing stopping me is they weren't available in 1992 and they aren't cheap, especially when I add in the cost of the Scoggin Dickey TPI intake manifold.

92 BBC Z

Saving up for a ZL-1. Then saving for heads should be easy.

detltu

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, the ZL1 savings pretty much max me out right now (just to be clear, I am saving for a 5th gen ZL1 not a first gen). Just buying the car knocked 5 grand out of the savings. Anything I do will probably push the ZL1 farther away. That is the struggle right now. I don't want to push it out much further than it is now. I'm back up to 18k which is about where I was before I bought the 1LE. The ZL1 is still a year or more away for me regardless so I have to balance making savings progress with making progress on the 1LE.

cphgncowboy

detltu i want the black z
a black 91-91 z28 is one i've always wanted

Demonic13

iTrader: (-1)

On these 1LE performance brake kits are the rear calipers also aluminum? I am not seeing any where about the rear of these brakes. I found the front kits but I want to know if the rears are also a light weight aluminum and where to find them? Thanks.

travis401

iTrader: (1)

the 1LE refers to the front brakes only. but yes the rear disks are single piston alum pbr calipers.

detltu

iTrader: (1)

It's available. I haven't pulled the engine and transmission out of it yet. It's a non G92 car so turning it into a 1le "clone". You would really need to come check it out but if you want I would consider any offers

I would like for it to go to someone who will build it back up. I would hate to see it go to waste.

detltu

iTrader: (1)

As travis401 says, 1LE only upgraded the front brakes, but I have heard the rear discs refered to as 1LE as well. Rear discs were available with all G92 cars (all 1LE cars are also G92). You could get the rear discs without a 1LE, but you can't get 1LE without the rear discs.

Sometimes the line gets blurred between what was part of the G92 package and what was part of the 1LE package. The oil cooler, dual cat exhaust, and 145mph speedo were all part of G92 for instance. 1LE was mainly front brakes, aluminum driveshaft, aluminum spare and a special fuel tank and pickup that later (sometime in 91 I think) made it into non-1LE cars.

If someone says they have 1LE rear brakes, they are probably referring to the G92 rear disc brakes.

Demonic13

iTrader: (-1)

Thanks for the answers the rears will also be alum. My next question is I have disc all around I will be getting a 1LE kit for the front along with the '90-92 1LE/J65 Proportioning/Combination valve. With my stock rear disc can I just buy 1le rear calipers and they will bolt right in place of my stock with no mods after the combination valve is ordered and installed? Please let me know. Thanks again.

travis401

iTrader: (1)

again, there is no "1le" rear caliper, its the g92 rear caliper. also there is no difference between the "1le" prop valve and the standard 4 disc prop valve that ive ever found.

if you already have rear discs, its the same stuff that came on the 1le cars.

Demonic13

iTrader: (-1)

Thanks again. I heard you the first time But I want to be 100% before I do this. Now from what you stated, I have a good prop valve because i have rear disc brakes, I get that. but my rear calipers are cast iron and I would like the alum ones where can I get them? Since they will just bolt right up. Thank you again.

travis401

iTrader: (1)

get a used set from a 3rd gen, theyll bolt right in.

Demonic13

iTrader: (-1)

After checking all parts stores it looks like there is no rear aluminum caliper for our disc brakes. Just like you said the rear disc that I have are the same as the 1LE cars had. I thought there were alum calipers also available for the rear but it looks like there is only the cast iron ones. Has anyone found a site that makes aluminum rear calipers for us thirdgener's? Thanks

travis401

iTrader: (1)

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/brak...rear-disc.html, check out post #2.

garner

Can't wait to see the progress!

DrewsCam

iTrader: (2)

Looks nice man

detltu

iTrader: (1)

Since I haven't posted on this in a while. Quick update:
My wife was diagnosed with Cancer in 2013 and we wiped out my ZL1 savings ( I had 30k at the time and it was a good thing that I did). She finished her surgeries, chemo, and radiation in late 2014 and is doing great.
I ended up buying my ZL1 in 2015, but i didn't get to walk in with a large down payment. I will be paying for it for a while but I am loving it. Trying to do some kind of driving event in the car about once a month(autocross, drag, track), but the consumables are putting a hurt on my bank account. Hoping to have the 1LE ready to take some of the driving duties to reduce my tire/brake/gas expenses.

The 1le:
I ended up having someone swap the engine and transmission for me and the 305/5 speed is in the car. The 350 is sold off, the 6 speed is still available. Body for the black car is still available too. I've thought about turning it into a track car, but that is dreaming at this point so I think I am going to try to sell it.

The car is currently waiting to have the exhaust put on. I have a set of SLP headers and SLP 20TL catback that will go on it in the next few weeks.

I will hopefully post some pictures of the 1LE and ZL1 together soon.

detltu

iTrader: (1)

2015 ZL1 and 91 1LE in the driveway together for the first time.

detltu

iTrader: (1)

The car went back and forth between two shops for the last two years. One shop put in the trans and engine then sent it over to an exhaust shop to put the exhaust on. Then it went back to the first shop because the exhaust shop couldn't put on the headers (WTH??) and was supposed to go back to the exhaust shop. After a few weeks of no contact from exhaust shop I decided to bring the car home. It had been sitting out for so long the paint has faded and oxidized quite a bit.

Next step is to find someone more local to finish the exhaust.

Probably won't get back on it until next year at this point.