View Full Version : I bought a major Pro-Touring project from a high school, WOW what were they thinking!
So I buy a 1969 Camaro Pro-touring car from a closed high school class project. I spend a lot for it but the skinny is this, everything is brand new.....
New Dynacorn body
DSE front end
Heidts IRS rear
All new sheet metal
490HP 396 cid small block
seats
interior
RS headlight conversion
Wilwood big brakes
tremco 5sp
dual disc clutch
new glass
new trim
SS gas tank
Aluminum Radiator
Billet Wheels
New tires
So the class teachers spend almost $80,000 in new parts and half assed bolted some parts on and that's where he ends and I begin, I purchased it for a less then half of that he paid for all the parts. So now I have to figure out what to keep and what direction I should head down to build a top notch Pro-Touring Camaro. Any help or thoughts as to what direction I should head with this project?? Thanks Dan
sheck44
08-05-2016, 02:27 AM
Ya, keep everything but the 5 spd and the 396
Cheers
Steve
What would you suggest for and engine and trans and why? Thanks Dan
Restomod
08-05-2016, 06:16 AM
Sounds like a great start, nothing wrong with the engine / trans combo. Is it carb or efi?
It is a Blue Print 396 with 490HP and Holley Carb?
Nicks67GTO
08-05-2016, 07:40 AM
Wow!!?? What high-school had that kind of money to throw around on a project hotrod?
BMR Sales
08-05-2016, 07:58 AM
Was the school in Canada?
Mad RIver School Dist in Dayton
CampbellshotrodsAZ
08-05-2016, 08:59 AM
I'd be pissed if I lived in that school district, you're not teaching kids anything valuable for a career by bolting together $80k in new parts. My buddy who teaches high school shop class has to jump through hoops and use his own personal connections to bring in beaters for his class to wrench on.
But back to the topic at hand, I'd leave the engine/trans that came with it. And truthfully, if you're asking for what engine would be better and with an explanation why, you aren't going to notice the difference between the Gen I SBC and the engine of choice that many would suggest. That 490 horse SBC will be plenty of fun, and cost $20k less than the other swap people would suggest.
sheck44
08-05-2016, 09:06 AM
So I'm just assuming that its a carbed combo so with all those GREAT parts I'd totally LS this car ... Just me but I see so many guys build such nice cars and then after tell me I wish I'd put an LS in it ... Just comes down to how much you want to $$$
Cheers
steve
ilikeike
08-05-2016, 11:59 AM
Nice score.
My high school wouldn't buy a $9000 rear end for the 70 cutlass we had. lol.
Post up pic's
csouth
08-05-2016, 12:11 PM
I'd build out what you have, that's a great start. I only put an LS in mine because my motor was stolen. I would be running a 455 Olds right now....
Restomod
08-05-2016, 02:26 PM
LS's are great but you already have what sounds like a solid combo, i may put a fast efi on it or something simillar but thats it.
Yes, it was so weird to see what the teacher did with "our" tax dollars. He bought good stuff but the kids aren't going to learn much bolting new parts on it. I'm a tech guy and like the idea of the LS motor and I have no problem selling the one that is in it and doing the LS route. So, which LS and what is an honest guess as to the cost of the needed parts and engine? Also he bolted in a new trans cross member that has a 3 inch wide U shaped flat bar loop welded to the bottom of the cross member and looks like a drive shaft loop but it is under the trans mount and is almost hitting the ground, it is very odd!! The way I look at it I can spend another 45K on more parts and I'm still OK.
silvermonte
08-05-2016, 04:17 PM
I would like to see some pictures of this beast.
minendrews68
08-05-2016, 06:38 PM
LS's are great but you already have what sounds like a solid combo, i may put a fast efi on it or something simillar but thats it.
Yup, what he said, Keep what you have and have fun with it.
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I would like to see some pictures of this beast.
Me too..
Zoomin
08-08-2016, 08:40 AM
I'd like to see pictures of this beast
Pix of the teacher that can piss away eighty grand on a project, or the car?
TheJDMan
08-08-2016, 01:12 PM
Lets see some pics!
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
Here are a few from just off the shipping truck. I filled the car full of new parts and there is four more pallets of parts in the back of the shop
andrewb70
08-08-2016, 03:29 PM
Wow....tax dollars at work....sigh....
"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money..." ~~~Margaret Thatcher
Anyway....My advice will depend on what you want to do with the car....If you actually want to drive this thing, sell the 396 and tremec 5 speed and do a LS3 and T56 magnum...
Andrew
socalfandabodys
08-08-2016, 04:40 PM
I saw this when it was at auction. If i remember correctly there was a Brookville bodied model A in a similar state? What exactly happened? Did they tell you? It seems really fishy a small school district would spend 6 figures on a couple of unfinished high end cars.
I saw this when it was at auction. If i remember correctly there was a Brookville bodied model A in a similar state? What exactly happened? Did they tell you? It seems really fishy a small school district would spend 6 figures on a couple of unfinished high end cars.
Yes the near finished Model A went for about 30K which is what I spent for the 80K parts for the Camaro project. I heard that they shut down the auto body class because of the vice principal and the teacher spent all the money and now both are no longer there! When I bought it they didn't say in the ad about the other 35K in parts that went with it!!! I was shocked when I got there and looked over the car and they then told me about the extra 8 pallets of new parts....
mildcustom2
08-08-2016, 08:40 PM
I would love some feedback on the quality of the fit and finish of the Dynacorn body. I am considering going this route.
Thanks.
I would love some feedback on the quality of the fit and finish of the Dynacorn body. I am considering going this route.
Thanks.
So far it looks really good. The way I've been thinking is, with all the work to repair an old body and replace panels that are rusted or damaged over the years, I would rather spend the time working on panel alignment then working on a rough old body!
COPO-RAT
08-09-2016, 10:59 AM
If you decide to sell the motor, let me know, I'm interested.
Thanks.
shmoov69
08-09-2016, 08:19 PM
Yes the near finished Model A went for about 30K which is what I spent for the 80K parts for the Camaro project. I heard that they shut down the auto body class because of the vice principal and the teacher spent all the money and now both are no longer there! When I bought it they didn't say in the ad about the other 35K in parts that went with it!!! I was shocked when I got there and looked over the car and they then told me about the extra 8 pallets of new parts....
Criminal..... Should be in jail for that BS.... But they are probably in politics now.....!!
Finish it the way it is. Fuel injection would be the only change I'd fart with right now. Unless you just have a surplus of cash and then drop in a supercharged LSx.
Criminal..... Should be in jail for that BS.... But they are probably in politics now.....!!
Finish it the way it is. Fuel injection would be the only change I'd fart with right now. Unless you just have a surplus of cash and then drop in a supercharged LSx.
Money isn't a problem if it make sense and is a good improvement? What would a super charged LS engine and setup cost, just a rough guess. I don't do things on the cheap, which means if it takes a bit more money for new I would go new. Since I've never done any LS projects, a dollar number would be helpful?
shmoov69
08-10-2016, 02:56 PM
Money isn't a problem if it make sense and is a good improvement? What would a super charged LS engine and setup cost, just a rough guess. I don't do things on the cheap, which means if it takes a bit more money for new I would go new. Since I've never done any LS projects, a dollar number would be helpful?
Well, sorry I can't help you as one of the other guys would have to tell you that because I'm a cheap a$$!!! LOL! I got an old school SBC with a homemade carb'd turbo setup.
What do some of you other guys think, $20-30K?
68Cuda440
08-10-2016, 07:03 PM
Well, sorry I can't help you as one of the other guys would have to tell you that because I'm a cheap a$$!!! LOL! I got an old school SBC with a homemade carb'd turbo setup.
What do some of you other guys think, $20-30K?
Getting a price on a crate motor / transmission is pretty straightforward. What you need to remember is all the other parts! Headers. Front drive accessories. Radiator. Driveshaft. And etcetera.
sheck44
08-11-2016, 02:39 AM
Supercharged LS ... NOW your talkin !!!
Soon many variables on cost, but simply I believe a LS3 with a top mount blower would be somewhere in the middle $$ range ... how much for everything I'm not sure. I know how much mine cost but I'm up in Canada and it's a LOT more up here.
Now this said, you should certainly entertain a seriously built LSX or LS7 good for 500+ RWHP, 500-550 seems to be the magic # for these cars on the street
Cheers
Steve
Protour_Pinto
08-11-2016, 06:36 AM
When I went to High School we got cars donated to us from the big 3. We also got a lot of speed parts from Ramchargers since I worked there, Those were given to us but we had to pay Michigan State taxes on them, They wrote them off as donations to a educational facility or something worded like that. Maybe thats how these cars and parts came to the school?
The cars or parts from them were not to be sold. They would come back at the end of the year for them and would drop more off in the fall.
I have the receipts, they paid with a school credit card. I just checked the prices and it looks like all the parts have gone up about 10 to 15% in the last couple of years!
MonzaRacer
08-11-2016, 09:55 AM
Throw on Fitech 4bbl setup with fuel center it supports 800+hp.
Never under estimate SBC. Trbo355 over on theturboforums.com, he ran 9s with junk 357, pair of Buick GN turgos and even used TPI AND A TRANSBRAKE TH400.
BMR Sales
08-11-2016, 09:56 AM
When I went to High School we got cars donated to us from the big 3. We also got a lot of speed parts from Ramchargers since I worked there, Those were given to us but we had to pay Michigan State taxes on them, They wrote them off as donations to a educational facility or something worded like that. Maybe thats how these cars and parts came to the school?
The cars or parts from them were not to be sold. They would come back at the end of the year for them and would drop more off in the fall.
The reason I asked earlier about where the school was, was because I had a School talk to me extensively about our Suspension - the person told me about the motor etc - they were Buying everything
Protour_Pinto
08-11-2016, 02:34 PM
The reason I asked earlier about where the school was, was because I had a School talk to me extensively about our Suspension - the person told me about the motor etc - they were Buying everything
They need to learn how to work with the manufacturers, Everyone benefits.
Maybe they learned a thing or two.
I decided that I'm going to swap in a new LT-4 engine and a T-56 trans. So the new 396 small block, new 2 disc clutch, and the new Tremec 5 speed will be removed and put up for sale.
jy211
08-12-2016, 03:04 AM
Project name -------> High school drop out
Restomod
08-12-2016, 03:57 PM
Isnt going from a 396 sb to a crate lt4 a step down???
Richard454
08-12-2016, 05:49 PM
Isnt going from a 396 sb to a crate lt4 a step down???
I hate when GM uses the same designation!!!
NEW LT-4 supercharged 650HP
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2016/08/lt42-1.jpg
OLD LT-4 330HP
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2016/08/chevroletcorvettegrandsportLT4-1.jpg
rickpaw
08-13-2016, 06:16 AM
Isnt going from a 396 sb to a crate lt4 a step down???
Not really. The crate LT4 is the supercharged, 650hp engine used in the C7 Z06 Vette. Hardly a step down at all.
Restomod
08-13-2016, 10:19 AM
Yeah i see that...whole different amnimal!
mc84_zz4
08-13-2016, 04:24 PM
Project name -------> High school drop out
^^ x2 !!
:hail: :hail:
Would any one know the best way to get the lowest price for the engine and trans?
Restomod
08-15-2016, 02:49 PM
Jegs $12.8 or 14 with the control pack and drive system.
sheck44
08-16-2016, 01:50 AM
Just curious but does anyone have a total cost of doing an LT4 with all the 'extras' involved with this engine
I know these are very cheap up front for 650HP but what's the cost at the end of the day and is it worth it ???
Cheers
Steve
I decided to budget $20,000 for the LT4, trans, clutch, and drive line setup. I think I'm going to sell the New DSE front end and the New Heidts PRO-G IRS rear end and go with a Roadster Shop or an Art full frame to handle the 650HP.
csouth
08-16-2016, 06:16 PM
I decided to budget $20,000 for the LT4, trans, clutch, and drive line setup. I think I'm going to sell the New DSE front end and the New Heidts PRO-G IRS rear end and go with a Roadster Shop or an Art full frame to handle the 650HP.
Unless you just want the full frame, I'm pretty sure that existing setup could handle the 650HP...
Schwartz Performance
08-17-2016, 04:01 AM
Neat project!
Keep us in mind for the LT4 parts.
We also offer bolt in full chassis systems :)
-Dale
I just think that with the higher HP and larger tires that the stress on the body with flexing that a full frame will help and then I have a full matched set up. Good isn't Cheap and Cheap isn't Good!!
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Neat project!
Keep us in mind for the LT4 parts.
We also offer bolt in full chassis systems :)
-Dale
How is your pricing on LT4 engines and parts??
csouth
08-17-2016, 09:48 AM
I just think that with the higher HP and larger tires that the stress on the body with flexing that a full frame will help and then I have a full matched set up. Good isn't Cheap and Cheap isn't Good!!
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How is your pricing on LT4 engines and parts??
I always thought that was the purpose of subframe connectors, to give F-Bodies a stiffer feel? I guess with what you paid for the car, you're not taking a loss on the parts. Good luck with whatever you choose.
Thanks, I might start a second Camaro and use the spare parts on that build if they don't sell. I think a going to budget 20K for the RS full frame and the extras for it, that should be enough to get the frame to a roller stage.
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