Your opinions on my project....

[copmagnet]

Hey guys..

I've been snooping around your forum here for a week or two and finally decided to post up. I'm purchasing a new toy and have a few questions I need opinions on from you guys who have "been there done that." Keep in mind my intentional use for this completed car will be street use only with a occasional run down the drag strip. It will definitely not be a daily driver, but I would like it to be close.

A little info about the car........1969 Camaro SS it comes with no engine and no tranny, which is what i wanted. The body work was just finished and is ready to go into paint, whatever color i want. And it has the stock SS wheels with stock rear end.

First off, engine....I would like to hear your suggestions as to what set-up to use with my goal being anything over 600hp. Keep in mind i already have a bored and stroked LS6 427 in my Z06, and kinda would like to go a different route then an ls1/6 again. Looking for that throaty loud muscle car sound and power. Right now I'm looking at buying the ZZ572 big block from GM. The 620 street crate motor sounds good to me but i wonder if there's a better and possibly cheaper way to make that power reliably.

Second, paint.......... I've having trouble deciding a color for the car, and if I chose to go with stock paint, I can't figure out if the 69 SS's had the hockey stripe down the side or had the racing stripes on the hood and trunk? I'm leaning towards some bright red with black stripes but have not made my decision.Suggestions would be appreciated...

Wheels.. as with my vette i will be going with the widest wheels and tires possible. I like the way some of the cars look on here with fiskes but i might want to go with something bigger then 18's in the back. If i could find a sticky tire in the 335/345 19" range I probably would go with that.. ... Or do you recommend that 18" be the biggest i go. I would like to find a decent balance between form and function without sacrificing too much of one for the other.

Thanks for reading and please feel free to throw your opinions at me.....:cheers:

Darren

[Steve1968LS2]

How about an LS2 or LS7 then?? ;)

The problem with a big block is weight, weight up front is bad for handling. If you are just gonna cruise it and drag it from time to time then big deal but a big block car making 600hp will generally be slower than a small block car making 600hp since part of the hp will be used to move the extra mass of the big block.

However a ZZ572 does look bitchen in an engine bay.. What do those things cost now? $10k? Seems that for coin like that you could go with a small block or even a small block with some sort of induction system. Just a thought.

Generally hockey stripes are associated with SS cars and "ralley stripes" are associated with Z28's (the large stripes on the hood and trunk) I say do what you like :)

As for color thats a personal choice go with what you like but don't be afraid to take a chance. Red & black is fine so long as you don't mind being the eleventybillionth car at an event with that color combo. Then again its common because it's a proven winner. give and take I guess.

Bigger than 18's in the back will look cool but be worse performance wise. Again, you have to decide what is more important. A 335 tire will require major work and is tough even with a mini-tub.

How was that so far?? :)

[gen3bu]

1) if you want the throaty sound run a big exhaust system 3"+ pipes with race mufflers and a lot of cubes, i belive bill mitchell has 454 smc w/ al heads.

2) red/black is tried and true or overdone depending on how you look at it. i like the idea of 1972 olds spring green with charcoal hockey stripes - just my opinion

3)the biggest sticky tire i have found so far is a p305/45/18 nitto drag radial - these will find their way onto my car

as with any custom car you taste is what comes first, do what makes you happy

[ProdigyCustoms]

You already have the cruiser, the Vette, is the the bruiser? I am sure the Vette is a bruiser in its self, but is this the crude raw power Boulevard basher? If so, forget the 572 and get something built that makes some power.

[Nine Ball]

Sounds like we have similar tastes.
1. LS6 enthusiast - check!
2. 69 Camaro SS - check!
3. likes red and black - check!

Here is mine: www.ExtremeG.net

Steve nailed it, those big blocks are cool and send out some nice bragging rights, but that additional weight will also negate some of the power provided by them. Unless you go with an all-aluminum block and heads perhaps. I'm pleased with my 500 rwhp supercharged 349ci LS6, might be another route for you to go. My car definitely doesn't sound like a normal LS1/6 car, I have dual 3" exhaust with an X-pipe. Lopes pretty nice with the 232/232 cam, and the blower whine is addicting.

Camaro SS's all came with the hockey stripes standard, the only SS's that had the hood/trunk stripes were the white/orange pace cars in '69. Z/28s had the hood/trunk stripes. There were a few other stripe options as well in '69, like that bumblebee front stripe that tapered up the center of the hood. Rare and nice in design. Like this one:
http://www.ls1tech.com/PowerTour04/pages/DSC03412.htm

As for tires, you can't go any wider than 275s in the back if you plan on lowering it without mini-tubs. I have 275s on 10" wide wheels and its very close to rubbing.

Tony

[copmagnet]

Guys....thanks for the info so far. nothing is set in stone as i stated, so these ideas matter to me and take each one of them into possibilities.

tony, your car is beautiful but makes me think twice about getting mine bright red.....wouldn't want to have a twin rolling around Houston. But either way it looks awesome. Also, that pick of the front hood stripe looks rare enough for me, I like it. Wasn't that a paint characteristic of the 67-68 SS cars? Thanks for the info

ProdigyCustoms, you got it right MTI built me an 540rwhp beast that goes with my 2002 Z06, it has all the handling, braking and street manners that i need. Like you stated, i'm going for the grunt in this vehicle which I've always associated with big blocks. I've also been looking at Proformance unlimited's 454 chevy engine and i guess with a shot of juice would hit my horsepower level. although i'm not a big fan of nitrous.... can anyone suggest any other reputable engine builders?

Also, as stated there's no right or wrong way to build my custom camaro, right now i'm just gathering info and trying to pick a direction...

[Nine Ball]

If you are in Houston, you are more than welcome to swing by and check out the car in person. I live on the NW side near Humble. Bring the Z06 :D

If the body is arrow-straight, how about doing it in black with a red stripe?
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

that stripe I posted was a '69 option. The 67-68 versions didn't go up the hood like that, they just connected and went straight across the front end.

My shortblock was also built by MTI, as well as their ported heads. I had one of their 434ci LS6's in my Formula, but wanted something more 'visual' under the hood this time around. Thats whats nice about blowers and turbos - more eye candy!

Tony

[Nine Ball]

here are some more pics for color ideas:

http://www.ls1tech.com/69Camaro/car01.jpg
http://www.ls1tech.com/69Camaro/car02.jpg
http://www.ls1tech.com/69Camaro/car03.jpg
http://www.ls1tech.com/69Camaro/car04.jpg
http://www.ls1tech.com/69Camaro/car05.jpg
http://www.ls1tech.com/69Camaro/car06.jpg
http://www.ls1tech.com/69Camaro/car07.jpg
http://www.ls1tech.com/69Camaro/car08.jpg
http://www.ls1tech.com/69Camaro/car09.jpg
http://www.ls1tech.com/69Camaro/car10.jpg
http://www.ls1tech.com/69Camaro/car11.jpg
http://www.ls1tech.com/69Camaro/car12.jpg
http://www.ls1tech.com/69Camaro/car13.jpg
http://www.ls1tech.com/69Camaro/car14.jpg
http://www.ls1tech.com/69Camaro/car15.jpg
http://www.ls1tech.com/69Camaro/car16.jpg
http://www.ls1tech.com/69Camaro/car17.jpg

[copmagnet]

Gottcha on the paint, I just remembered seeing a few 67-68 and they are usually black with that white stripe that comes over the hood. Simple yet mean.... I'll probably be coming into town with the Z in the next couple of weekends, maybe we can meet up then. By the way I think i saw your car at an MTI dyno day a while back. I wasn't there but thats when my Z07 package was being tuned. Your blower is definitely eye candy....Did you opt for the intercooled version?

[socalfandabodys]

I have always thought a black 69 camaro with either white or silver stripes would be awesome.

[Nine Ball]

Yes, my Magna Charger is the intercooled version based on the new GTO kit.

[ProdigyCustoms]

There are a lot of different ways to get horsepower as you know. Depends on weather you want a lumpty, lumpty camed up high RPM motor, or a Grunt monster. It is pretty simple, grunt = big cubes, low RPMs. We build 600 horse in 400 small blocks, they are camed and sound like they are going to kill something, turn 7200 RPMs. Also just made 570 in a 496 Hydraulic cammed, 5800 RPM motor that sounds rather docile. Just different kinds of power. I love the RPM motors and run one in my car, Michael likes big block power and decided on one for Prodigy.
Only thing I would say about the 572 is GM leaves a lot of power on the table. The last thing you want it to have 600" of motor and get your ass kicked by 2/3 the motor by some SBC, or worse yet, a 347 Ford!
If it were me, I would build whatever motor unless you go to Mitchell or Shariroff. We are dying to build a aluminum 427 SB2 headed motor. Could make 700HP easy with pump gas, be light, and turn RPMs that would make your nads tingle.
Your welcome to call if you like, we are loaded with ideas.

[copmagnet]

I just checked out the site with the Shafiroff engines and seems like another possibility. I especially like their 2 yr 24,000 mile warranty... Anyone had bad/good experiances with them?

How hard would it be to stuff some 345/30 19's on the back? Is it simply a matter of tubbing or am i going to have to play with axle length and spring placement?

[Nine Ball]

It will require mini-tubs, inboard relocated leaf springs, narrowed fuel tank, inboard relocated rear shocks. Check out Detroit Speed, you would basically need their entire kit.

I'd get a narrowed axle too, just so you could finish the tub job with a nice deep dish wheel.

[Rybar]

I like the idea of the GM 572 620:

600+ hp AND has a warranty.....

[70ptta]

for the color id say go with all black but with a flat black hockey stripe. i never seen it but in my head it looks killer. any one know of this color scheme