Layout of my future project LONG

[BB69]

I have a 69 Camaro that I bought 3 years ago. Back then, I intended to buy a nice driver and have some fun with it. In reality, it needed a lot of work. I have spent the last 3 years just trying to get it on the road. I replaced all the suspension, updates to 4 wheel JL8 style brakes, replaced the subframe, and am now putting it together. Of course, while I was doing this, I really wanted to build a PT car. In fact, I have wanted to build a PT Camaro for longer than I can remember, obviously before there was a name for it. Long story short, I have decided I am going to sell the current car sometime next year, and start fresh. Whenever people ask questions about building a car, we all say to put your ideas on paper or you end up getting lost (something like above). So, I just got done roughing out my ideas for the next car. I thought I would share this as it may help someone else put a plan together for their car. Basically, I started with my goals; the things the car has to do or be. Then I added some detail to the goals. The final part is putting specific parts and ideas on paper to match the goals. I have a lot more to put down in this area, but it will take some time. I also would like to keep some ideas to myself for the time being.

So here it is (please keep in mind many of the final details are missing, but I think the idea is there.) Some of the formatting is off from the original Word doc, so if it's confusing, I apologize. Hope this gives some people some ideas.

Brainstorm for Camaro

Main Goals
 Handling
 Comfortable
 Must be turbocharged
 Reliable
 Clean appearance
 Original
 Affordable (originally and in service)

Details on goals
 Handling
 Lateral acceleration
 Braking performance
 Track days and backroads

 Comfortable
 Behavior of Car
 Predictable handling
 Slow transitions from under to oversteer
 Stable under severe braking
 Doesn’t follow road irregularities
 No turbo lag
 No pitching over bumps
 Not bouncy over bumps
 Little brake dive
 Little body roll
 Car environment
 Supportive seat
 Supportive restraints
 Room for feet using pedals with normal shoes
 Shifter within easy reach
 Clear view from seat (front, side, rear)
 Easy to read gauges
 Easy to roll windows down
 No rattles, buzzes, loose items
 Readily accessible switches, controls
 Heater/defroster
 Smooth clutch action

 Must be turbocharged
 Twins
 Intercooled
 fuel injected
 Wastegates
 BOV

 Reliable
 Start every time
 Cold
 Hot
 No overheating
 Engine
 Turbos
 Diff
 Brakes
 Trans

 No breakage
 Clutch
 Transmission
 Driveshaft
 Halfshafts if used
 Differential
 Engine

 No fatigue failures
 Rotors
 Brake lines
 Fuel lines
 Roll cage
 Suspension arms
 Wiring (rubbing and chafing)



 Clean appearance
 No graphics
 No special paint (candy, metalflake, etc)
 Remove some trim (mainly badges)
 Update some trim and exterior pieces (grill, door handles, side markers)
 Integrate exhaust into body
 Contrast
 Combination of painted and polished/plated components
 Black hoses and nickle fittings
 Neat wiring
 Reduce clutter
 Engine bay
 Dash

 Original
 Minimal purchased kits/components
 Fabricate as much as I can
 Benchmark as many cars as I can to combine/modify ideas

 Affordable
 Spread out purchases
 Use production pieces
 My labor
 Minimal use of custom wear items (brake pads and rotors, bushings, shocks, sensors)
 Invest in specialized tools (hydraulic tube flare)

Specifics to meet goals
 Reduced weight
 Remove rear seat
 Lighter wheels
 AL heads
 AL radiator
 Lighter seats
 Rack and pinion versus steering box
 Sheetmetal tunnel tied into frame
 Fiberglass hood and fenders (possible trunk)
 Reduced moment of inertia
 Centralize items in center of car
 Move engine back
 battery behind driver’s seat
 Inboard shocks/springs
 Move seats as close to console as possible
 Push turbos to center of car (laterally and longitudinally)
 Stiff
 Full frame
 Roll cage
 Vertical and horizontal shear panels
 All suspension points tied to cage
 Consistent braking
 Possibly manual for feel
 Pad selection
 Rotor diameter and thickness
 Fixed versus floating caliper

[rocketrod]

Looks like a good start. One suggestion that might help is to categorize things by systems/functionality: Engine, Body, Brakes & Suspension, Interior, Misc., etc.

I also noticed you mention you wanted to build a PT car. You may want to define what PT means to you and include the definition in your plan to help keep you focused.

Good luck

[BB69]

Rod,
When I said PT, I basically meant that the car I was describing would probably fall under what is now considered PT. I really don't care what people call it. By the time I get this car done, we may well be into the next big movement, and I will be labeled a copycat that's 2 years late. In reality, I have been wanting to build this car for over half my life. I was trying to define the car with the goals. The hardest part for me was deciding that this car will not be the ultimate track car. Ask Adam, you can have a blast on te track without being the quickest. I do not plan to race anything but the clock and maybe other street cars. Making that decision really helped me.

Thanks for the suggestion on splitting it up. I was thinking about making a chart (we engineers love our charts) and linking all the goals to specific areas of the car. I know some of my ideas are conflicting, so I will have to see how many things each goal will affect.

Thanks again for the input.
Ken