New LS1TECH Project - 1998 1LE Camaro
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 32,987
Likes: 58
From: Houston, TX
New LS1TECH Project - 1998 1LE Camaro As some of you may have already learned, I purchased another member's 1998 1LE Z28 a couple days ago. I won the car on an ebay auction for $3500.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=4500858694
The car doesn't have an engine or tranny in it.
It does have a set of Pro-Stars (rears being shipped), as well as QA1 shocks all around, and a BMR K-member. Other than that, it is very much stock.
The car is navy blue metallic. My favorite F-body color! Gray cloth interior with power.....nothing. Not even the rear hatch is power. Perfect for building into a drag car, its already lightweight to begin with. Interestingly, I did some looking for 1LE build numbers, and they only made 8 total blue NBM 1LE Camaros in 98. Pretty rare car!
I plan on doing alot of work on the chassis itself, before worring about what engine or tranny to install. The car will be a drag car only, and never see street duty as long as I own it. Of course, it will also be a very clean car, possibly show quality. No ugly junk racer for me!
I plan on ordering a slightly narrowed 9" rearend (to run deep dish rear wheels). Redoing the full suspension, adding racing brakes, lightening it up as much as possible, and adding a custom hood and a custom paint job that will stand out nicely. It will also have a 10-point cage installed, as well as all other NHRA required safety items.
Right now, I'm considering either a 364ci (6.0L) LS2 all-out NA engine, which should put it in the mid 9s, or going with a single turbo setup to run 8s. That will largely depend on my budget (and sponsors) for this project. 8s are much more expensive than NA 9s!
No hurry to get the car done, I'll keep playing with the 69 for now. I'd like to run some 9s in that one first. Nitrous kit is on the way for it
Yes, I seem to be a Camaro ***** lately. They seem to be addicting....
Tony
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=4500858694
The car doesn't have an engine or tranny in it.
It does have a set of Pro-Stars (rears being shipped), as well as QA1 shocks all around, and a BMR K-member. Other than that, it is very much stock.
The car is navy blue metallic. My favorite F-body color! Gray cloth interior with power.....nothing. Not even the rear hatch is power. Perfect for building into a drag car, its already lightweight to begin with. Interestingly, I did some looking for 1LE build numbers, and they only made 8 total blue NBM 1LE Camaros in 98. Pretty rare car!
I plan on doing alot of work on the chassis itself, before worring about what engine or tranny to install. The car will be a drag car only, and never see street duty as long as I own it. Of course, it will also be a very clean car, possibly show quality. No ugly junk racer for me!
I plan on ordering a slightly narrowed 9" rearend (to run deep dish rear wheels). Redoing the full suspension, adding racing brakes, lightening it up as much as possible, and adding a custom hood and a custom paint job that will stand out nicely. It will also have a 10-point cage installed, as well as all other NHRA required safety items.
Right now, I'm considering either a 364ci (6.0L) LS2 all-out NA engine, which should put it in the mid 9s, or going with a single turbo setup to run 8s. That will largely depend on my budget (and sponsors) for this project. 8s are much more expensive than NA 9s!
No hurry to get the car done, I'll keep playing with the 69 for now. I'd like to run some 9s in that one first. Nitrous kit is on the way for it
Yes, I seem to be a Camaro ***** lately. They seem to be addicting....
Tony
12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 839
Likes: 0
From: Allen/Denton
Congrats with another new car man. I think you should go turbo and shoot for 8s. The camaro looked very very nice at thunder. When are you going to put some sticky tires on the 69. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Originally Posted by Nine Ball
I'll keep playing with the 69 for now. I'd like to run some 9s in that one first. Nitrous kit is on the way for it
Yes, I seem to be a Camaro ***** lately. They seem to be addicting....
Tony
Yes, I seem to be a Camaro ***** lately. They seem to be addicting....
Tony
9's in the 69
sure hope you have some better tires than the ones you were roasting at the shootout. 
good luck and have fun
Rodney
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 32,987
Likes: 58
From: Houston, TX
My new Hoosier slicks (28x10x15) and Pro-Stars showed up over the weekend for the '69. I test fit them last night and the fender lip needs to be rolled to fit them. So, I ordered an Eastwood fender roller and it should be here Friday. Maybe if I'm lucky I can get some drag slick passes in next week. I can't wait!
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,829
Likes: 30
From: Central Indiana Honors: 4th grade spelling bee contestant
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 32,987
Likes: 58
From: Houston, TX
Todd, a 4-link would be cool, but I'd want to make sure the car could outrun the way it would look with that setup. Too many slow cars out there with 4-links that don't need them, and I'd hate to add to that number. haha
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Why would you take a car that was really intended for road racing and want to make a drag racer out of it? It makes no sense. Why not just go and get an F-body that came with a V6. You'd be much better off in the long run by returning that car back to what made it a 1LE. You might even have an investment opportunity as these cars appreciate in value over time. I'm not trying to be a d*ck here, but I just dont' understand why anyone would buy one of these cars for drag racing. It's like converting a Ferrari Enzo into a monster truck. I'm really not intending sound like a jerk here, so please don't take it that way.
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 32,987
Likes: 58
From: Houston, TX
why? Because it is lightweight, and only cost $3500. I already have one two collectible SS Camaros, both of which will be worth more than this 1LE ever will.
"Really intended for road racing". What a joke, the factory parts on a 1LE aren't highly superior over any standard Z28 parts, it was just a lightweight stripped down model and thats about it.
Before my Grandfather died (he was a car nut too) he told me to have as much fun as possible with my cars while I owned them, and to let someone else worry about restoring them later. He had alot of collectibles through the years that he would never really go all-out with, because he thought they might be worth something later. Looking back, he wished he could have built, raced, beat-on every one of them and fully enjoyed them at the time.
Realistically, if any car has more than 10K on it, collectors aren't going to be very interested in preserving it. Someone will have to restore it later
"Really intended for road racing". What a joke, the factory parts on a 1LE aren't highly superior over any standard Z28 parts, it was just a lightweight stripped down model and thats about it.
Before my Grandfather died (he was a car nut too) he told me to have as much fun as possible with my cars while I owned them, and to let someone else worry about restoring them later. He had alot of collectibles through the years that he would never really go all-out with, because he thought they might be worth something later. Looking back, he wished he could have built, raced, beat-on every one of them and fully enjoyed them at the time.
Realistically, if any car has more than 10K on it, collectors aren't going to be very interested in preserving it. Someone will have to restore it later
Glad to see you got the car. Just to good of a deal to pass up but I couldn't deal at that time.
The turbo set would be kick ***. Like you said, it will not be cheap. Any cheap parts add will brake. Get a well build 6.0L, max bored, than de-stroke it. 9500-10,000 rpms would be cool. You have already dealt with intercoolers, so that will not be any thing new. A good DFI computer will make things a lot easier.
Good luck on the project.
David
The turbo set would be kick ***. Like you said, it will not be cheap. Any cheap parts add will brake. Get a well build 6.0L, max bored, than de-stroke it. 9500-10,000 rpms would be cool. You have already dealt with intercoolers, so that will not be any thing new. A good DFI computer will make things a lot easier.
Good luck on the project.
David
Originally Posted by Nine Ball
why? Because it is lightweight, and only cost $3500. I already have one two collectible SS Camaros, both of which will be worth more than this 1LE ever will.
"Really intended for road racing". What a joke, the factory parts on a 1LE aren't highly superior over any standard Z28 parts, it was just a lightweight stripped down model and thats about it.
Before my Grandfather died (he was a car nut too) he told me to have as much fun as possible with my cars while I owned them, and to let someone else worry about restoring them later. He had alot of collectibles through the years that he would never really go all-out with, because he thought they might be worth something later. Looking back, he wished he could have built, raced, beat-on every one of them and fully enjoyed them at the time.
Realistically, if any car has more than 10K on it, collectors aren't going to be very interested in preserving it. Someone will have to restore it later
"Really intended for road racing". What a joke, the factory parts on a 1LE aren't highly superior over any standard Z28 parts, it was just a lightweight stripped down model and thats about it.
Before my Grandfather died (he was a car nut too) he told me to have as much fun as possible with my cars while I owned them, and to let someone else worry about restoring them later. He had alot of collectibles through the years that he would never really go all-out with, because he thought they might be worth something later. Looking back, he wished he could have built, raced, beat-on every one of them and fully enjoyed them at the time.
Realistically, if any car has more than 10K on it, collectors aren't going to be very interested in preserving it. Someone will have to restore it later
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 32,987
Likes: 58
From: Houston, TX
No offense taken man. I fully understand the car is rare, but collectible wise it isn't since it no longer has the original engine in it, and is set up for an auto tranny right now. But, I'm sure this one will make the other 1LE owners proud in its own way.
BTW, go kick Harlan in the nuts for building an 8.3 ET Firehawk haha.
BTW, go kick Harlan in the nuts for building an 8.3 ET Firehawk haha.
Originally Posted by Nine Ball
No offense taken man. I fully understand the car is rare, but collectible wise it isn't since it no longer has the original engine in it, and is set up for an auto tranny right now. But, I'm sure this one will make the other 1LE owners proud in its own way.
BTW, go kick Harlan in the nuts for building an 8.3 ET Firehawk haha.
BTW, go kick Harlan in the nuts for building an 8.3 ET Firehawk haha.
BTW, it's 8.29 
On a side note, I know where you might be able to get a narrowed 9" and a set of Alumastars w/ the right offset for them. If you still want to go that route
Originally Posted by Nine Ball
No offense taken man. I fully understand the car is rare, but collectible wise it isn't since it no longer has the original engine in it, and is set up for an auto tranny right now. But, I'm sure this one will make the other 1LE owners proud in its own way.
BTW, go kick Harlan in the nuts for building an 8.3 ET Firehawk haha.
BTW, go kick Harlan in the nuts for building an 8.3 ET Firehawk haha.
There were only 8 1LE package cars in 1998 that were Navy Blue. They were all 6 speeds. You essentially just picked up a modern day ZL1 Camaro on a used car lot, at a used car price.
http://www.1le.net/
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 32,987
Likes: 58
From: Houston, TX
hardly a ZL1, as those originally cost nearly double the price of a regular Z28 back then, and had a much better/bigger engine than the regular V8 Camaros. I sure wish GM had offered larger engines as an option! Had the original ZL1s came with base model 305ci engines, they wouldn't be worth nearly as much. Z28s in '67-69 were essentially the stripped out cars (no A/C, etc...) and they would be a better comparison to the 1LE now. But, they also had an upgraded engine too.