Better Grow a Mullet! 73 Camaro - base model getting some mods.

[grendel]

I am relatively new to this board, but not modding cars or trucks. Fabrication's in my blood. I've also wanted a second gen Camaro. There's something about a car that is as old as you are. When I first registered, I thought I would build a 1st Gen Firebird, but a sale of that chassis changed all that. Fast forward to last week and I acquired a 73 Camaro (one year younger than I am) with a 383 topped by a Weiand 177 blower and followed by a 4 speed manual. Seems like a refuge from the 70's with it's 14" Cragars, cherry bomb exhaust and rusty headers. Suspension is stock and tired, as is the steering. She floats a good bit down the road, but looks 20ft decent doing it. The body work on it leaves a little to be desired, but not too bad. My oldest daughter likes the color, so it she will stay pull me over red. Also like the tan interior but also like black. Since someone removed the HVAC, we have the solution for that, but still need a lot of dash pieces to keep the squeaks at bay.




I talked with my friend Darren at Ride Tech about this car. We've collaborated on a few other projects like my 67 GMC with a 1623hp GMPP LSX on air ride.




I gave him the direction that I wanted this car to handle well enough to make me vomit. This is what he came up with: Ride Tech Level 3 Coil Over system, front and rear using stock spindles/knuckles ( I am surprised by the stock suspension specs) Delphi 600 steering box by Borgeson Stock sub frames (still thinking about this one. Front's ugly) Pro Forged steering components (still thinking about a rack and pinion - installed one on my 67 GMC with a custom cross member) Ride Tech Tiger Cage with door bars Came with sub frame connectors Moser 9" rear Bear 6S brakes front and rear (black calipers) DSE Mini Tubs



Other things I am doing: Detroked LS2. Remember the old DZ302 that wound to the heavens, made good power and made you giggle as you rowed through the gears? Yeah, we're doing a modern over square tribute. I got a screaming deal on a Callies MagnumXL crank with a 3.185 stroke... yep, you read it right. Add a set of AFR Mongoose heads, old skool dual quad carbs with a bit of magic, let Lunati go nuts with cam and valve train specs and we should have a light weight motor with about 550rwhp. If it's not enough, everything's forged and high end, we can throw a NO2 shot on it for giggles.




Trans will at least be a six speed, but researching late model transmissions with more throws on the shifter.

Always had good luck with Entropy Radiator, so going with one of theirs.



American Auto Wire's getting the nod for wiring.

Dakota Digital gauges should keep everything in check.

295's in the front, 355's in the rear should make everything fun.

Plan is to to be done with it by spring. In parts acquisition mode, planning mode's done.

Since my wife cracked jokes on Facebook that I can't leave anything alone, I had to pull out the Boyd Coddginton Junk Yard Dog's in 17's and 18's while I wait for suspension and other parts to get here. They look ok on the car and got rid of the spin everywhere 14's....

The 70's called, they wanted their vibe-o-riffic Cragars with "unilug" (who thought of one hole for two lug sizes, anyway?) bolt pattern back.

Y'all probably want to see pictures. Wow, first time writing bookishly for a post. All that said, opinions wanted. Would like to hear about subframes that use stock-like A-arms but look better, better knuckles/spindles, etc.

Thoughts?