NASCAR / Camaro

[bonecrrusher]

Thanks Sean, Bryce, Ray & Amir - I appreciate it!



Did some more "test-driving" with the Camaro this weekend. We have almost 150 miles on it doing shakedowns and working out a few bugs. Must admit - very happy with the handling....it is amazing.....very stable....not sketchy in anyway.....great ride....very pleased. Car is now at the body shop for several "details". Hope to have it back in a couple of weeks.

Put together my first-ever YouTube video.........enjoy!

Turn your speakers to "11"!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYQGiAevI7w

Done.... sounds badass!

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

I love this car... SO much...

[compos mentis]

Any updates Scott and/or more gifts from youtube you want to send our way?

[ZuperZport]

Any updates Scott and/or more gifts from youtube you want to send our way?

Hey guys! Camaro became closer and closer to being 100% done as the summer rolled into fall. The finish line was very much in sight until we took a step back to admire our work and decided some more improvements were needed to get it really “right”.

I spent most of this season focusing on working out any and all mechanical gremlins. Got the Camaro to the point where everything is working the way it should. After a couple hundred test miles and tuning the car runs and drives great.

Switched gears then to correct some cosmetic issues that I thought could be improved. Since I want the finished car to be just that, finished, I did not want to over look any area that at this stage of the game could be made better. With this being said I was never very happy with the final paint surface as well as the gaps and paint edges on the body. The metallic paint looked great in some areas but was a little blotchy in others. Then this blotchiness got sealed under the clear. Also we made the wrong choice in going gloss black on the hood, rockers and tail panel. The gloss black and very delicate clear allowed for too many surface scratches that were driving me crazy. Lastly, the door and fender gaps were not as good as they could be. My painter and I made the only decision we could – repaint - so back to the body shop to start the process again. With lessons learned we set out to correct our mistakes. Improved all of the gaps and edges. Used a better sealer that laid down more evenly. My painter got a new spray gun that in his words was twice as good as anything he had used in his career. We used a more forgiving clear that allowed for a better finished result. Also, switched from gloss black to a black-matte clear on the hood, tail panel, rockers and spoilers. Finally we raised the black paint line on the rockers to jell better with the Camaro’s body lines. So all in all a huge undertaking to do at this stage of the project but well worth it in the long run. Did not want to have any regrets on any aspect of the build process and found it very worth while to correct the body issues now. All said and done I am thrilled with the results. Couple of pics below:










Applying the black matte clear this week and then full throttle with all of the wet sanding and polishing. We should be all done in the next week of two. Exterior reassembly is fairly simple – bumpers, mirrors, grill, lights, etc. – not much trim to deal with and no locks or door handles. Car then goes to clear-bra specialist in Charlotte for application to lower valance, spoiler and areas behind wheels for chip protection.

The Camaro is not intended to be a trailer queen – many dates circled on the calendar for some road course thrashing – but still wanted the best finish on the car possible. Think we are getting there. Have a good friend who is a “pro-photo-video-ographer” to do a video/pic shoot as soon as we are back north with the car. Looking forward to posting some finished vids and pics then.

Thanks for all the kind words and continued interest. Day of nirvana will come soon……………..strapped in the Camaro on pit road at an open track event with all of my Pro-Touring.com pals………………..awaiting the green flag.

Can’t wait.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7KSkZxt_zo

- Scott

[sr73bu]

Everytime i see this thread pop up I can't help but comment....

Looks Great Scott!... I think the Matte black accents will look awesome!

... can't wait to hear you crack the throttle on this thing at RTTS next year!... Good Luck with the finishing details!

-Sean

[rfalker1]

Car is 100 percent wicked

[compos mentis]

Car now looks as good as it sounds, huh Scott?

[ZuperZport]

Everytime i see this thread pop up I can't help but comment....

Looks Great Scott!... I think the Matte black accents will look awesome!

... can't wait to hear you crack the throttle on this thing at RTTS next year!... Good Luck with the finishing details!

-Sean

Thanks a bunch Sean - very much looking to road-coursing with you at RTTS II!!!

Your paint came out super-awesome - one of my personal favorites here on PT!

- Scott

[ZuperZport]

Car is 100 percent wicked

Thanks Randal!

Really like both of your Camaros' - old and new! The white w/black stripes looks great!

- Scott

[ZuperZport]

Car now looks as good as it sounds, huh Scott?

I hope so Skip!

A long road traveled - this custom car building stuff - never easy nor quick!

Can't wait to do some more video stuff - will keep you posted!

- Scott

[Ron S]

Hey Scott, it will be cool if you do RTTS, I'll get to see that beautiful beast, and we can run some laps. Have you got a chance wring it out yet?

[coolwelder62]

Wow!! turned out awesome.I love this camaro.Scott M.

[454bug]

Hey Scott,

Very impressive you bit the bullet and did the what you thought needed to be done...

Your attention to detail is obvious and admired!!

GREAT job!!!

[Bryce]

Looking good.

[ZuperZport]

Hey Scott, it will be cool if you do RTTS, I'll get to see that beautiful beast, and we can run some laps. Have you got a chance wring it out yet?

Hi Ron,

So looking forward to hangin' 10 at RTTS. Hope Bill and the gang schedule the event a little later in April or even May so the weather cooperates more. After we got the Camaro well sorted out we did some road testing on some very vacant roads in the hills outside of Charlotte..........no Kyle Busch antics at 140+.........but were able to "safely" push the limit slightly to feel the car at speed. Also found a big ole vacant flat asphalt lot to test hard turns, braking, etc.. Overall everything feels good. Real test will be at the open track. If all goes well I may attend the Good Guys show at the end of this month at Charlotte Motor Speedway. They have an autocross event there..........while my car is better suited for open track I am interested in seeing how it does between the cones. Looking forward to blasting around The Lightning Circuit with you and the Stang!

Not sure if you saw this small vid we made over the summer - nothing too serious - just fun:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TuthZr_vEM

- Scott

[ZuperZport]

Wow!! turned out awesome.I love this camaro.Scott M.

Thanks Scott!

Love what you are doing with Project Chochise! That Bird is gonna be amazing!

- Scott

[ZuperZport]

Hey Scott,

Very impressive you bit the bullet and did the what you thought needed to be done...

Your attention to detail is obvious and admired!!

GREAT job!!!

Thanks Ray!

As you, I and many on the PT board know.......sometimes it cost twice as much and takes three times as long to get it all right........very much looking forward to having only two parts left - 1) the car & 2) the key!



- Scott

[ZuperZport]

Looking good.

Thanks Bryce! We are getting there!

Digging your suspension upgrades on the Falcon! Your car just keeps getting better and better!



- Scott

[bonecrrusher]

Car then goes to clear-bra specialist in Charlotte for application to lower valance, spoiler and areas behind wheels for chip protection.
- Scott

Autoshield in SE Charlotte?

[sniper]

Car is badass. Hope the paint issues are worked out for you. Is Adam still working on this?

Autoshield in SE Charlotte?

I had a customers car done there. Complete custom cut full frontal. Full fenders, hood and bumper, and mirrors. My customer was not happy at all, edges were not cut cleanly, jagged and not smooth, some bubbles, didn't pull windshield squirters but cut around them. I don't install these products, but I think wrapping that material around an edge will no doubt roll up, rather than just cut it back from an edge a 1/16".

I think these guys bank on plotter cut installs for the bulk of their business. Custom cut is another animal.