Project Bad Penny - more changes because done is boring

[jro183]

Nice car for sure. All the right bits.

[ssx]

Man, I still can't get over how wicked that Autorad Support/Radiator and closeout looks...Pure Art right there!!!

[JohnC]

18-gallon FUEL SAFE unit with aluminum can. On a regular Camaro you can go as large as 22-gallons.

I went with a "hat" design so that the tank wouldn't hang down in back.

Hey Steve,

What's the pros and cons on taking the FUEL SAFE route vs. Rick's "unique baffle system" tanks (like in Shipka's car)???

Thanks
John

[John Wright]

Drool.......

[1968Maro]

Hey Steve,

finally caught up on my DVR'd shows and watched bad penny on the Ultima Street Cars Series.

Very cool! I have been looking at pictures of the car for years but it was really alot of fun to see it in motion.

Did you start these mods just as soon as you got back from Ultima?

[Steve1968LS2]

Well, it doesn't feel like it but progress is being made.

The underside is scraped and the new Wurth stuff should be on there by tomorrow.

With any luck I should be picking up the rearend housing from powder this week as well, then we can put the rear back together and get her rolling again. Found that he axle tubes were pretty warped from the 3-link brackets so Currie cut off the ends and welded on new ones.. straight.

Parts are moving for the 460 cube RHS LS engine, biggest delay will be the 4.250 Lunati crank which is two weeks out. That's the only delayed part though.

Cam selected is a 247/261 .624 114 LSA stick.. Any guess as to power?

Should be good to go for having the car done by April.. knock on wood.

The LM clutch is over at Centerforce getting refubed (figured I might as well since it's out)

The oil cooler system is also in progress getting all hard lined up. The Setrab 925 fits perfect. This is being done at Fast Eddies Fabrication in Orange, CA.

[Steve1968LS2]

Hey Steve,

finally caught up on my DVR'd shows and watched bad penny on the Ultima Street Cars Series.

Very cool! I have been looking at pictures of the car for years but it was really alot of fun to see it in motion.

Did you start these mods just as soon as you got back from Ultima?

Yep... started tearing the car down a couple weeks after the event.. there's always room for improvement and I wanted to fix a few things that had been bugging me.

[Steve1968LS2]

Hey Steve,

What's the pros and cons on taking the FUEL SAFE route vs. Rick's "unique baffle system" tanks (like in Shipka's car)???

Thanks
John

The number one advantage of a bladdered fuel cell is safety since the bladder can deform and not rupture in an accident. I also holds less gas vapor in the tank, so less chance of explosion.

I don't know if the baffleing is "better" than Ricks, but it's damn good since we run 1.3+ g with zero fuel problems.. heck, after optima we only had about two gallons left in the tank.

[Jim Nilsen]

Hi Steve, I am wondering if you are going to try and make the Road America events? It sure would be nice to see Penny nice and new before the Motorstate. I can only imagine how much faster she will be!!!! The new gearing will certainly make a big difference too on that track.

If you don't make it out in April or May I know I will be seeing you in Michigan for sure. The Cormaro will be there if I have to trailer it in so you can see it. But I know it will be running and ready for fun completely done or not.

They are never really done Penny is the proof.

[formula]

Do you ever think about BP and think back to your blue car, and think "my god, how far I've come"?

I'm not trying to be mean and hope it doesn't come off that way--the blue car was awesome, but I feel like you keep pushing the bar further and further.

[cheapthrillz]

Do you ever think about BP and think back to your blue car, and think "my god, how far I've come"?

I'm not trying to be mean and hope it doesn't come off that way--the blue car was awesome, but I feel like you keep pushing the bar further and further.

I was thinking about that '69 with the gassers the other day too. It was my background on my desktop when I was in high school.

I agree.... Steve doesn't stop! Every change he makes to Penny impresses me more and more. Every time I see a new picture I think "Man that car is perfect... you couldn't do anything to make it better", but then he does!

[Motown 454]

Thats some nice duration on the cam, with all those cubes it should make some nice power.

[jake72ss]

Steve, what type of coating has been applied to the exhaust?

[6'9"Witha69]

All I know is, rappers are goping to start bragging about having $$$ like Steve Rupp!!!

[jknight16]

Looking good Steve. One question for ya. Prior to this latest revision to raise the rear upper shock mounting, how exactly were the shocks mounted on the inside of the frame rail? I'm considering going a similar route with mine and the info could be very useful.

[ZZ430]

That core support/radiator/closeout is the coolest thing I have ever seen!

Wow...

[Ron S]

Well, it doesn't feel like it but progress is being made.

The underside is scraped and the new Wurth stuff should be on there by tomorrow.

With any luck I should be picking up the rearend housing from powder this week as well, then we can put the rear back together and get her rolling again. Found that he axle tubes were pretty warped from the 3-link brackets so Currie cut off the ends and welded on new ones.. straight.

Parts are moving for the 460 cube RHS LS engine, biggest delay will be the 4.250 Lunati crank which is two weeks out. That's the only delayed part though.

Cam selected is a 247/261 .624 114 LSA stick.. Any guess as to power?

Should be good to go for having the car done by April.. knock on wood.

The LM clutch is over at Centerforce getting refubed (figured I might as well since it's out)

The oil cooler system is also in progress getting all hard lined up. The Setrab 925 fits perfect. This is being done at Fast Eddies Fabrication in Orange, CA.

Wow,I was just talking to Payton about building a new core support for my Mustang because the the one I originally built was 1x1 .125 wall, and heeeeavy.This is exactly what I had pictured in my head to replace it,that is a beautiful peice. I need to get to work!! Ron

[Steve1968LS2]

Hi Steve, I am wondering if you are going to try and make the Road America events? It sure would be nice to see Penny nice and new before the Motorstate. I can only imagine how much faster she will be!!!! The new gearing will certainly make a big difference too on that track.

If you don't make it out in April or May I know I will be seeing you in Michigan for sure. The Cormaro will be there if I have to trailer it in so you can see it. But I know it will be running and ready for fun completely done or not.

They are never really done Penny is the proof.

Too many events.. not enough time.

The car for sure won't be there.. I decided that I really want my car at the Goodguys Costa Mesa event.. yea, it's a piddly tiny and slow autocross course, but it's my hometown and giving rides to all my neighbors and friends last year was a blast. Plus I need to defend my editors challenge win.

But, I will for be at that Gingerman event with Penny.. and I look forward to checking out your car then. And you're right.. never done because frankly done isn't nearly as much fun.

Although my list is getting awfully short..

Do you ever think about BP and think back to your blue car, and think "my god, how far I've come"?

I'm not trying to be mean and hope it doesn't come off that way--the blue car was awesome, but I feel like you keep pushing the bar further and further.

Yea, generally I think back and wonder what good deed I did to end up in the job I have now... I mean, I'm just a car guy like you guys that someone pulled that golden ticket.

Because of that I was able to build what had been rolling around in my cranium.. I really liked the blue '69, at the time I thought is was great. But, I found PT the same time I started that car and by the time I was done it wasn't what I wanted anymore. It was more street rod/cruiser and I wanted it all a bit more hard core.



Penny has turned out better than I could have imagined, but that was thanks in large part to pro-touring.com, lateral-g.net and all the great people who've let me pick thier brains and helped me flesh out ideas. I like to think that BP is a big ass group project.

There's always someone faster or better, but I hope to keep pushing and at least making them work for it. lol

Thanks for the comments

Steve, what type of coating has been applied to the exhaust?

It's a thermal coating called "titanium" by my coater Embee Performance in Santa Ana, CA.. has a nice look and works well for the exhaust.

www.embeeperformance.com

All I know is, rappers are goping to start bragging about having $$$ like Steve Rupp!!!

lol.. maybe broke rappers.

Now don't get me wrong.. I have a TON of cash tied up in Penny.. the thought of adding it all up scares me.. maybe $90k.. more than likely more.

BUT, my job lets me build a nicer car than I could normally afford on my working stiffs income. Maybe I spend $10k on an engine that would normally be $15k.. but every bit helps.

Penny is certainly no riddler car.. or even SMOTY quality.. but she's pretty nice and she's all mine.. well mostly all mine. lol

Looking good Steve. One question for ya. Prior to this latest revision to raise the rear upper shock mounting, how exactly were the shocks mounted on the inside of the frame rail? I'm considering going a similar route with mine and the info could be very useful.

The shocks were mounted to the crossmember for the Watt's link. If you look in the January issue you can see the old holes in the crossmember.

In a stock Camaro this would have been fine but Penny's rear frame rails aren't stock. As such the bar was a bit lower so we needed to add the new attachment points.

Email me at [email protected] and I will shoot you a picture of the original crossmember. Might help.

[Steve1968LS2]

Wow,I was just talking to Payton about building a new core support for my Mustang because the the one I originally built was 1x1 .125 wall, and heeeeavy.This is exactly what I had pictured in my head to replace it,that is a beautiful peice. I need to get to work!! Ron

That's a benefit of owning a first gen Camaro.. lots of cool crap on the market.

I should weigh the core support.. my guess is that is weighs less than a stocker but the larger radiator weighs more. But I bet this one is stronger than the stock steel unit.

Get that LS7 in place yet?

[Ron S]

Not yet Steve, everthing is here except the head gaskets (back ordered).Hoping to have the rest of the shortblock together this weekend,and set in next. Had these big plans for the car this winter and didn't do any of it.Starting to get that paniced feeling. Ron