There is an F-body in my driveway

[myfirstbonnie]

Jordon came over today to do the install of his headers and valve springs. We got everything tore down tonight and ready to do the install tomorrow. Other than some stubborn bolts, things went rather well.

Paul, Jordon says you better make sure all 4 barrels are working next year.

The pictures:

[00Beast]

Looking good!!! I love the wheels on the 'maro. I remember that when I was 15 all I wanted for my first car was a 4th gen, LOL.

[CMNTMXR57]

Ahh, I remember those days with mine!

[Ando]

Well that's about as accessible as those spark plugs are going to get, too bad you have to remove the water pump to get to the distributor :sad5: Ditto on the rims, lookin sharp. Guessin the ol'LT-1 sounds pretty bitchin these days, well done.

[2000Silverbullet]

Lookin good.
That Z sounded good without the headers. I imagine it's gonna sound real good now.

Ya my four barrels are working now. So much so that I run out of fuel and need a new high flow fuel pump.

Jordan's 305 rwhp should be going up to at least 350 now.

What else did you do to yours CMN to get 415 rwhp.

Matt, my brakes are working too now so I can slow down a bit as I cross the finish line ahead of Jordan so I don't break out.

[myfirstbonnie]

Valve springs are done so he shouldn't have any more valve float. Tomorrow we start the header install and adjusting the rockers.

[00Beast]

CMNTMXR had an LS1. Same chassis, different animal.

[CMNTMXR57]

Yea, being an LS1, it made plugs and ignition system work a little easier. Not a lot, but nonetheless.

Here is what I did to get 415rwhp.

1) Buy the car
2) Pull it around back
3) Remove the engine
4) Sent engine off to my favorite engine builder, had the bottom end blueprinted, bulletproofed, and installed the aftermarket set of heads, and a more aggressive cam that I chose
5) installed hand made ceramic coated long tube headers, big cat-back, tuning, electric water pump, etc, etc...

Pic of the car;


PIcs of me removing the engine;




I know I've got pictures of the engine coming back in it's crate and putting it all back together, but I don't have them up now.

[2000Silverbullet]

I would think that you put that same engine in the GTO. Which car do you prefer? From a looks standpoint, my choice would be the F body.

Matt, that valvetrain needs some roller rockers instead of those tub rockers.

If I get some work this winter I think I'll have to do some upgrades of my own. If no work, then I'll just have to rely on reaction time and consistency.

[myfirstbonnie]

After a little fighting with the steering linkage, the left header is in place. Next is to slip on the y-pipe and tighten the header down. As for now, it's break time, beer in hand.

Gotta teach the young ones to use protection. Jordan putting his rubbers on.



Steering linkage removed



Header in

[clm2112]

Is it my imagination, or is the fan switch busted off? (in the cylinder head, between #1 and #3 exhaust ports)

The pacesetter headers look good. And clearance problems yet with the steering shaft?

[CMNTMXR57]

I would think that you put that same engine in the GTO. Which car do you prefer? From a looks standpoint, my choice would be the F body.

Depends. But they are both the same LS1 engine sans some improvements over the years from '98 to 2004, as well as the GTO uses a front sump oil pickup and a different oil pan. But it is the same LS1 and T56 as seen there.

Both have their unique personalities. The F-Body was a pit-bull swinging a sledgehammer in a China shop. It was a no excuses, brute instrument of excessive displays of force. It was a "punch the throttle, hang on, and hope it stays in a straight line" kinda car. I had more fun ripping out of tollbooths or away from stoplights in that car. But despite it's slight advantage in pure performance, really anything over 120mph was a white knuckled affair. It rode harsh, unforgiving, and left little "refinement" on the table.

The GTO on the other hand, delivers 99% of all the performance of the F-Body, with a BMW demeanor. It is a fine, surgical precision instrument by comparison. Speeds in the triple digits range is like cruising along at 70. I won't lie, I've had it up to 140+ many a time and it felt as smooth and unruffled as our Bonneville's at 55. It's a softer, cushier suspension despite it's high speed stability, so the road imperfections we're blessed with here in Chicago, aren't a visit to your favorite dentist affair like the Camaro was. I know some here will flip a gasket when I say this, the GTO is on par with, maybe slightly better in overall ride quality than our van. It's much better than my GXP, and was light years ahead of my GTP before the Bonneville.

The Camaro was the car I wanted when I was 25, single, and wanted to declare war on everything and anything that pulled up to the light next to me. The GTO better suits me now, at 38, married with two children.

[CMNTMXR57]

Oh, and lest I forget, the GTO is put together like a tank compared to the F-Body. The F-Body is put together with quality on par with some of the Little Tikes toys my kids play with. The GTO is put together light years ahead of the F-Body in terms of material quality, fit/finish, and overall assembly.

My body shop who has worked on both of them, when he first worked on my GTO years back, called me up swearing at me. His direct quote was "This thing is put together *dang* near as well as the last Mercedes I had in here!" The car is actually screwed together, not "press-fit" connector assembled. I've broken more tools trying to get the GTO apart, whereas parts on my Camaro fell off in my hands...

[2000Silverbullet]

The Camaro was the car I wanted when I was 25, single, and wanted to declare war on everything and anything that pulled up to the light next to me. The GTO better suits me now, at 38, married with two children.

I fully understand your points.
I on the other hand like to feel 25 again when I drive my F body. My two children have left now. I'm almost 20 years older than you and I don't mind getting my teeth rattled, I still have them all, and I still like declaring war on everything and anything that pulls up to me at the lights.
I like the rush of adrenaline doing 140+
You're getting soft old man. Oh that's right, you also drive a van.

[2000Silverbullet]

Oh, and lest I forget, the GTO is put together like a tank compared to the F-Body. The F-Body is put together with quality on par with some of the Little Tikes toys my kids play with. The GTO is put together light years ahead of the F-Body in terms of material quality, fit/finish, and overall assembly.

I fully agree with the build quality and fit comparison. Just too bad the GTO has to have the same looks as a tank compared to an F body.

[CMNTMXR57]

The Camaro was the car I wanted when I was 25, single, and wanted to declare war on everything and anything that pulled up to the light next to me. The GTO better suits me now, at 38, married with two children.

I fully understand your points.
I on the other hand like to feel 25 again when I drive my F body. My two children have left now. I'm almost 20 years older than you and I don't mind getting my teeth rattled, I still have them all, and I still like declaring war on everything and anything that pulls up to me at the lights.
I like the rush of adrenaline doing 140+
You're getting soft old man. Oh that's right, you also drive a van.

I don't drive the van, my WIFE does. :p

I don't mind "feelin young" again. The problem is, around here everyone has a fast car, and they all want to race. I can't take the GTO out without getting challenged by about 15 Vette's, 30 Civics that think they're fast, Evo's, WRX's, SRT4's, etc, etc... So I don't even attempt to take the car out during normal hours. I usually try to go early in the morning, or late at night when they're all sleeping in, or out at clubs with their friends.

[2000Silverbullet]

I don't drive the van, my WIFE does. :p

I bet she drives your GTO too.

[CMNTMXR57]

The only stick she knows how to drive... wait, that's personal...

Truth be told, she doesn't know how to drive a manual trans, so the car is safe. Besides, I don't think she can even depress the "man" pedal on the GTO anyway. Otherwise, I don't let her breathe on the car, much less sit inside it.

[2000Silverbullet]

Oh ya, that's what I'm talkin bout. I have a whole new respect for you now man.

[CMNTMXR57]

I only let my kids in it! My son went with me this past Sunday to go do some more work on it. Those are the priceless moments. Even better when he goes back to Mommy and says "I helped work on Daddy's 'go fast car'". "I worked on the dwiveshaft!"