3rd gen Z28 track day build

[83rdracer]

Hey folks, kind of a newbie to PTO but have been posting my build thread at thirdgen.org over the past 4 years (Fabrication forum, "home brew road racer"). The car started out as a clapped out but solid, rust free beater from SC. Car was hit in left front hard enough that it bent the front frame rails ahead of the k-member. Originally bought the car for parts but when saw how solid it was decided to use as the basis for my track day car. I had the frame straightened by a reliable body shop, drove it for a few hundred miles to make sure it was OK and then set to make it into a very capable track car.

I am building this car on a very tight budget and which dictated that I make most of the suspension parts rather than buying off the shelf stuff so this is no cookie cutter 3rd gen. I really disliked everything GM designed into this car except the body. I have designed and installed a 3 link rear suspension with coilovers, replaced or reinforced the unibody with rectangular tubing, added a full cage and finally replaced the strut front end with an SLA suspension from a 2000 LS Camaro.

I am a wannabe road racer and the extent of my driving experience is completing the 3 day HPD school at Mid Ohio so I could qualify for their lapping days. Now all I have to do is get the car done.

Her we go....
Car before mods




swapped out the little 7.5 dif for an 8.6 from a ZR2 S10 truck (3.72 gears, posi, 30 spline axles and disc brakes.



I designed and built the ramps to serve as a chassis jig of sorts. When done with the project I can use them for maintenance for all my vehicles. I made these plates and stands to locate the rear axle. I mounted them to the OE axle and marked its location. Swapped in the ZR2 axle and set back in place.


Long before I had the axle I designed the 3 link suspension. I plotted pick up points and control arm lengths that would give me adjustments for pinion angle, anti squat, roll center height, ride height etc.