Love this site, I've gotten lots of ideas, best thing about the net, what ever your doing, somebody out there has already done it, and can help with that ugly learning curve.

Here's the deal. As part of my mid-life crisis, I've picked up an 83 Camaro Z-28. It's a perfect project car, in that the body is in pretty good shape, doors still hang straight, interior is acceptable. It is also easy to push around, in that it has no engine or tranny. A builder that is highly recommended here in the Nashville area has worked up the short block for me. 383, 230/240 @ 050 cam, 9.6 cr with 64 cc heads. I'm bypassing the entire computer system, going carb and old school. I'll be hooking that up to a 700r4, the car originally had a manual, but prefer the auto.

I plan on using the headman shorty headers, and having at least a semi-custom exhaust done up. I would sort of like to use a commercial cat-back system, to save some of the fabrication costs. I am thinking about the dynotech (?) system, the flowmaster is a bit 'assertive' for the stealth profile I'm trying to project Maybe the edelbrock, been checking the exhaust forum, but I notice that the "Louder is Better" emphasis there. Different strokes for different folks. I remember fondly an old Nova with "Cherry Bomb" glasspacks, but that may be dating myself.

Once I get done building the rest of the engine, get it and the tranny in, and the 101 various gremlins worked out, I'm curious as to what my next steps should be. I know that it's going to need some help in the suspension dept, sub-frame connectors, LCA, Torque arm. I am also a bit afraid of just how long that stock 10 bolt will last behind the very generous torque this thing will be making. My engine guy has been at it for quite a while, has some engines that hold some track championships with the roundy-round guys, so I trust his judgement. He has tested the same basic build on a chassis dyno, got over 350 at rear wheels, or about 400+ at the crank. This should give me a very low 8 in the 1/8th, and 12s in the 1/4.

What do you guys think the next step after getting it running should be? Attack the unibody and tighten it up, or better axles and a stud girdle on the 10 bolt? Upgrading to a ford 9 inch, or a 12 bolt really isn't an option, at least now.

Later

Steve W.

 

lol. yeah i had a '68 nova with cherry bombs too. no shame. i have a 3" flowmaster catback on my formie 350 and i dont think its too loud. my neighbors might disagree but i'm very happy with it. id go with subframe connectors for sure. an absolute necessity for these cars.

 

Traction is what will kill the 10-bolt, as well as wheel hop. If the car doesn't hook up, no power will be transmitted; and wheel hop will kill it by repeatedly shock-loading it, about 5 times a second.

Welding up the axle tubes and using a stud girdle greatly increases their strength. The LS1 cars use essentially the same rear end, and they seem to mostly last down to about high 11s, so I wouldn't worry too much about it in a 12-second situation.

You absolutely need to stiffen the body. These cars are missing a vital component that should have been included from the factory; namely, subframe connectors. You need them, especially if the car has T-tops. Get some of the type that run all the way along the sides under the rocker panels, and then go across to the inside and connect to the front subframe.

I have Spohn LCA lowering brackets (also correct a factory defect with these cars, faulty rear suspension geometry); Lakewood lower control arms; and a Spohn torque arm. This combo gave me a massive improvement over the rubbery stock stuff. In fact, when I took off the factory LCAs, one of them was visibly balooned out, and I could flex both of them with my hands (the one more than the other obviously). This seemed to hook up a moderately warm 400/5-speed pretty well.

Here's a pic of somebody's car unibody with some kind of SFCs that are a good example of what to look for. These particular ones are somewhat exhaust-hostile; but the overall principle is correct.

 

RB you would have a picture of a unibody laying on its side. Yea stiffen up that body. Nice engine setup you have there, remember to post pics of everything when you get a chance.