saluki

My Dad and I have just restarted on our build that started a few years ago. All we had done was it gutted (motor and drivetrain included). We are now lightening it and maybe mini-tubs before it goes to Burkhart Chassis. There it will receive atleast a 25.5 cage with complete suspension and chassis parts from Burkhart also (K-member, a-arms, spindles, ford 9" fab rear end, LCA's, torque arm, panhard bar, anti rollbar, crossmember, subframe connectors, and bumper supports).

AFCO DA's, Aerospace brakes, Moser axles, lexan for back hatch
Wheels and tires TBD

For the motor there is a slight disagreement on what to use. The BBC in our other car or a small block LS motor.
For the transmission there is a 99.9% chance we are going to use the powerglide that we already have, converter is TBD.

The other slight disagreement is over the hood. I would like a pin on, he would like a bolt on. He wants the car to be as light as possible, so i say lets save a few more and have some more room to work with the pin on. His concern is the wind blowing it away one day at the track.

All body and paint work will be done by us, as my dad used to be a bodyman. We are also updating the front end to the 98-02 version because imo it looks so much nicer than the older one.

As you can see we have put this car on a major diet which it nowhere near done. We have cut out one of the wheel wells (the other to be removed soon), are removing every unneeded bracket, and are in the process of removing the inner fenders.
It does have some rust but that can be taken care of.

The car

From the back hatch

The passenger side wheel well

The front end


We also have some parts for sale so contact me and I will see what prices he wants for what. We have motor, seats, etc.

Boosted Firehawk

iTrader: (11)

very cool

where ya located

saluki

The central illinois area.

As you can see we are doing this in the driveway(for now) so can't give out much more info than that.

saluki

I am learning to use a cut-off tool before i go and cut out the driver side wheel well for mini-tubs.

As I said above the plan is AS LIGHT AS POSSIBLE. so we have taken the door bars out and are cutting those brackets as small as possible. and still maintain some rigidity.



What's left


Whats taken out

I don't have any small scales around so i can't tell what it weighs but i'd estimate about a pound for each side.
we are also doing the lock side on each door which we estimate will be about a half pound each.

saluki

not going to post any pics of the other wheel well yet. Im still working on it and my skills with a cutting wheel are not good enough to show the non-finished product if you know what i mean.

saluki

Well we finally got a cooler day where it didn't rain for 5 minutes every hour making it hard to work. It sprinkled about 4 drops and I was able to get alot of work done on that side. I am to the point to where it is just drilling out spot welds. You will see in the pic the part of the wheel well it still there. I am leaving it for my dad to finish because with only a few days experience with a cut-off tool i am not good in small spaces.
Anyways to the pics




the ever growing scrap pile


Dad's car/Chuck's playtoy (Honestly I think chuck has more passes in this car than my dad does)

saluki

I found the powerglide in the garage


And it looks like we may skimp on the motor for now and go up to another later.
The choices went from a 482 BBC or a LSx to a 305 SBC or an LT1

BLK95-Z

iTrader: (2)

Looks good. Between those two I think Id do a carbed LT1. Id try and find a th350 or 400 untill your making some big power though.

saluki

Beleive me, if we had enough money we would do it in a heartbeat. If it were my choice we would be going LS at first and then add a shot of nitrous after I get a few passes under my belt.

The TH400 we have is in Dad's chevelle and I can tell you the only ways its moving is over his dead body.

I'm slowly learning my way around cutting tools and would never like to see a spot weld again if I didn't have too.

More info on the motors
LT1: Out of the camaro we are working on. Has been through a fire so will have to be gone over. One nice thing is it has the MSD dist
305: Out of an old cop car, so we are not exactly sure how long it will last.

saluki

I was also told to put this pic up.
Chuck Burkhart is behind the wheel.
250 shot helps alot on E85 in a 3500 pound car

saluki

Unfortunately its been to hot to do much outside but we have gotten some stuff done.

Rear fender wells are very very close to done. Passenger side is completely pulled out. Driver side only needs the top pulled out where it is covered by the 1/4 panel and a few more spotwelds drilled along the back.

Next up will be finishing the front inner fenders, finishing the mini-tubs, and cutting out the front for the cowl, and several more brackets... and then it will be off to Burkhart Chassis.

The motor has pretty much been decided on. It will be a 305 out of an old cop car. While I try to convince him to build an LS motor. I know it looks like crap but thats is because it is 20+ years old with who knows how many miles on it.

saluki

We were finally able to sell the LT1 from the car, and are in the process of selling a 427 short block to help finance the LS block and a rotating assembly. We believe the used stock short block we are getting is atleast for an ls2 so hopefully it is atleast a 6.0 and not an LS1. I am just going from info that my dad is slowly feeding me about it.

The hood will be a pin on. I would like to thank the guys at Burkhart chassis for the help in convincing him of that. They may have also convinced him to go to a fiberglass hatch

They also convinced him to go to full tubs. I am not 100% sure on the material of them yet or the reasoning behind it. Because as far as I know the fastest this car will see is 8.90's running on E-85.

Things we have gotten done:
Antenna is finally out
Along with the gas tank door
Seat brackets have been taken out.

Things we have just started:
Beginning to fix the rust it the floor board.
Beginning to start taking out what is left of the wheel wells.

Things we still need to start: (THIS LIST KEEPS GETTING LONGER )
Put Driverside window back in (for now)
Cut the cowl
Cut the rest of the inner fenders
Cut the radiator support out

Things we are thinking about doing:
Cutting out the rear tire area and bringing it flush with the framerail

saluki

Things we have gotten done since the last post:
Remove winsheild
Cut the cowl
Cut the rest of the inner fenders
Cut the radiator support out

Things we have just started:
Beginning to fix the rust it the floor board.
Beginning to start taking out what is left of the wheel wells.

Things we still need to start: (Thank god it got shorter)
Put Driverside window back in (for now)

Things we are thinking about doing:
Cutting out the rear tire area and bringing it flush with the framerail





The door latches have been lightened to the extreme.

saluki

Its been a long time since I have given an update, I have been at school so I haven't seen it. It is now on a rotisserie and I found out we have a rear end being built.
I haven't got the full details yet but it will be chromoly 9" that Burkhart builds. Im assuming strange or aerospace brakes, moser axles and center section.

RacerXLs1

iTrader: (14)

Did u end up picking up a motor?

saluki

I have a feeling he did...

I can still hold out hope we can get an LS motor though

I just don't know how much longer that 482 will last with the abuse it gets at the track. 250+ shots of nitrous at somewhere around 15:1 compression

Now obviously in the camaro that shot wont be as big but still its not going to like it.

I meant to get a few pics while i was at home but i didn't have time. next pics will be coming over christmas break.

Another thing that is currently being done is every hole from the spot welds is currently being welded in.

saluki

Unfortunately I had to come home over the weekend again... need to study...
But i snagged a few pics of it on the rotisserie. About half the holes in the floor are welded up and we are about to finish the second half. Just need to flip the car so we can easily work on the driver side.

We are hearing we may need a new roof because there was a recall about it only holding paint once, anyone know anything about that?

Jadedbird

iTrader: (27)

Nice build here.. Sub'd

fatboyzcamaro

iTrader: (7)

Keep pic update. Looking good

saluki

I am home on spring break so time for an update.
So not all that much has been done. The larger holes have patches. We received most of the new 98-02 front end. I think all that is missing from that is the headlights. A rear end is being built. Most of the front suspension is here Just need to pull some pieces off the old front suspension to be able to bolt it up (upper strut mounts i think). It looks like we will also be getting a new set of shocks and struts soon. Its virtually ready to go to the shop when it becomes a roller.

motor has pretty much settled on a 632 unless we suddenly win the lottery.
I don't know if i mentioned before but it will not be getting mini-tubs, it should be getting full carbon tubs.