I stumbled across this forum while searching for 2007 Camaro pics. Looks like it could be a valuable tool!

My Camaro is a 1971 that I bought two years ago off ebay (from Seattle to Michigan!). It had a raunchy running 454 (of the truck engine, stump puller variety) which we made run right and had much fun with it in the summer of 2004. That same summer I found an "LS-6" 454. It has 4 bolt mains and genuine LS-6 rotating guts. I started rebuilding it on Thanksgiving 2004. Once into the project I decided to add a Tremec TKO 600 5-speed to it, of course new clutch, scattershield and driveshaft followed. Not being able to leave well enough alone, pretty soon I was adding Hotchkis swaybars, new traction bars, new shocks, repainted the engine compartment, etc., etc., etc. What a gluten!! We are currently in the process of rewiring the engine bay now. Oh well, the plan is to have it ripe and ready for the 2006 cruise season in Michigan. Pictures and all the gory details reside at: http://home.comcast.net/~hamsteel/Grants_71_Camaro.html

I did a lot to make it a ground-pounder like Brodix aluminum heads, a Comp Cams mechanical roller cam, yada. I like to drive it everywhere when its not raining, except work. Since the pictures on the website, I sandblasted the wheels, primed and painted them the right color and even clearcoated them and put new trim rings on. Soon the interior will turn all black.

I look forward to sharing info and help with more seasoned members of the forum.

 

Wow, that truly is an awesome car. I particularly like the way you've avoiding overdoing it. Fantastic job.

 

Thanks, but it sure seems like I'm overdoing it. Your car collection looks awesome!! I especially like the Z06. Which is your favorite?

 

Well, I love the Z06 most of all, because it is my baby. Since I was 17, I had wanted a silver coupe (a real coupe, not a fastback) with a 427 in it. Took me 30 years and three college educations to pay for first. Then it took a full year, and about as much money as the car cost new, to get the engine sorted out and everything adjusted, but it does 10 flats on street tires (okay so its street tires are drag radials) and I drive it to work on good days.

That said, I drive the vette mostly for just cruising. The Porsche does daily duty in rain and whatever. It is an awesome car, amazingly fast for 3.6 liters, and smooth handling -- as smooth and linear as anything I've ever driven. On the other hand, the Porsche is very rear-end heavy and it pivots around its *** when cornering, whereqas the vette is actually a better, more balanced handling car, picoting around its middle section because its weight its much more balanced.

Then there is the Camaro. I love it, but I don't want to drive it daily. Its a crude, mean, noisy pig. It lives at my son's place and he does the work and drives it most of the time. I pay the bills and sometimes drive it when we cruise on weekends. Its raw: you have to crawl in around the roll cage. The clutch is like pushing against a barbell. there are no motor mounts--the engine in bolted directly to the fbody, so it shudders and shakes and quivers, and there is not much exhaust, so its noisy and thunders, and its difficult to drive around sharp corners with the locker rear axle and the subframe connectors, but when you hit the NOS it lifts the front wheels off the ground. 9.6s in the 1/4 on a good day (with my son driving). Most of all, I love to park it in front of the house where the neighbors can look aghast at it, like I am killing babies or something. It is so noisy and so anti-social with its quad four inch exhausts, and yet completely street legal, I love the idea of it best among the three, I just am not into driving it myself . .

Back to the original point: I have always loved the '71 Camaro -- when that model came out I was in awe, they were so original in style -- But those were the leanest years of all. I was in grad school, broke all the time. Had to sell my '68 Camaro to buy a '71 Olsmobile so my cute little blond wife could dirve to school where she taught, to support me (makes sense, if you think about it, although I've always regretted parting with the '68 Camaro).

You have a VERY cool car, something close to extraordinary. I really like it. Congrats and best wishes for its future.

 

WOW! nice 71. Is the L88 a fiberglass or steel. I just got a L88 fiberglass of of ebay. It is real light. I plan to make it functional as well. that is a heck of a car.

 

Very Nice car you have there. Welcome to the Forum and enjoy your stay. Be sure to create a gallery for your car.

 

Lee - I think it was Craig Jackson who said, "Muscle cars are meant to scare women and children". Thanks for the kind words re: the 71. I love the early second gen body style, but, man, they used some crappy sheet metal back then -- too many little ripples. I love cars with a personality. Unfortunately most of today's cars don't have one, however you should be proud to have three of them.

Matt - The hood itself is steel, but the L88 scoop appears to be fiberglass grafted to the steel hood!! Weird, huh? Is your L88 hood for a second gen? How much did it run you? Let me know how it works out. A buddy of mine was just telling me last night that someone has come out with the regular cowl induction hood for the second gen that matches up to a 69 cowl induction air cleaner.

Boost - Thanks, also. I'll create a gallery this spring after the engine replacement and all of the mods are done. The pics on my homepage are all of the old engine. New baby has alum heads and March pulleys.