1969 camaro for... driftin'

[swapinthedark]

I have been a haunt for quite a while but figured I would get a bit of info on here and start doing some E-hand shakin'.

This build is not pretty. It is on a TINY budget. It is basically ruining a minimum rust 1969 camaro. ...but I swear that I am not just ruining a car for nothing. I don't tend to smash my drift cars. I have had many and they are all still alive today so hopefully this old girl will live several years this way and then as I get older and the budget grows with me.. maybe it will become a slightly more legitimate track car. The car will be used A LOT. I am the kind of guy who will hop in a tin interiored no radio having car and go on a 500mi cruise to a track event. One of the things pushing me toward this kind of build is my recent employment change. I now work at a muscle car restoration shop and some of the fellows there are intrigued by what I do..but very skeptical. With this car, I have em on board and that adds a lot to it for me. (I like seeing people who would normally cringe at what I do start to really get into it).

The car has a story that can be read in my PT intro. The gist is that it was almost rust free, has no real historic value and it was cheap.

The drive train is from a donor car that was pre-modded to a degree and was also a great deal.

front suspension:

CPP econo arms upper/lower
CPP AFX spindles/ vette brakes combo. (Is this 1" drum/drum master with a WW adjustable prop valve going to play ok together???)
Viking double adj coilovers with 750lb rates.
Rebuild GC steering box.
the usual new steering bits.
shortened steering knuckles.
lengthened drag link.
removed steering stops, dented area where knuckle hits arm at lock...other stuff to that affect.

Rear suspension.

12 bolt. spool. 4:10s. the rest of that business.
Heidt's bolt on four link.
afco rear 2 ways with 400lb rates.


Inside:

Cage is USdrift/CL/SCCA/etc legal 8 point.. well, almost. It started as the old drag cage in the car, and after making sure that it was still sound (on the inside) after all these years, we have added the required bars to fill out the diagonal/door Xs/harness bar. The rest of the interior is all aluminum sheet work. It was installed in the 70s and looks too dang good to rip out. Car has all roll up glass and will be street driven A LOT. I got a ton of elec autometer ultralite gauges for free so it has gotten the aluminum dash filled with those. The wiring harness for the body is an American Autowire Highway15 and man was it a nice install! Eventually I will add some basic hot rod heat for defrost purposes mostly.

I cobbled together a legal fuel cell setup from used/scratch n dent parts.
Somewhere in the mix is a basic swirl pot and a pair of walbros, oh, and an old holley electric pump too..

The engine is a GM replacement LS1 with no miles. TSP stg 2.5 5.3 heads. LS6 manifold, old torquer2 cam, ARP bolts in the top stuff, Improved racing bolts in the bottom stuff. Melling HP (not HV) pump, Improved racing pan baffle. Chinese knockoffs of doug's headers (fit great).

The trans is an F body T56 all fancied up by Tick. LS7 clutch business. Normal mods to make that work out.

I have forgotten a ton of stuff but I will try to post as I finish up the "get it usable" phase of this thing.

The car is pretty much ready to use now and I will be taking it to several local events to shake it down. Then in May I will take if out for it's first longish road trip to Ocean City MD cruise week.


oh. Here are a some pics of my last few projects. An LS/T56 R32 Skyline, a 70 chevelle with LS/t56, and a toyota JZX100 "chaser".







Here are a few pics that I already have on the computer from the "build".

[srh3trinity]

I like the stance on the '69 and the Minilite wheels give it a great Trans Am vibe. Any more pics of the Chevelle?

[Jodak]

Dude nice looking car, im curious what suspension your running in the rear? And wheel specs?

[Pedigry]

What wheels are those? They look like actual minilites but ET makes a version as well. I'm trying to find 18's in those wheels but can't find them. Cool build btw.

[FORDvsCHEVY]

I’m JDM at heart and love muscle cars. Love this for drifting…. Did you add an e brake? Also what state you in?

[19,69camaro]

Guys that post was from 10 years ago...