hot72rod
Veteran Member
A buddy of mine posted the craigslist ad on FB. Glad to see they got picked up by someone in the group.
Tim and Allen's '73 LT z06 Build
- Thread starter AllensaurusRex
- Start date
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roadrace2
Veteran Member
Nice find!!! great project too - will be looking for updates.
Brians70RS
New Member
nice project,congrats on the engagement!
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IntensorPoet
New Member
Very nice project, a hard work done so far!
AllensaurusRex
Veteran Member
A New Start
Long story short: Scott at n-tune wasn't able to get to my Camaro. A good buddy of mine's father-in-law happens to have a ridiculously badass shop. So we decided to knock it all out there. See below.
Loading Up:
Engine Build:
Had a terrible time getting the harmonic balancer off. I didn't snap any photos but:
1) Our puller kept slipping off the grips
2) There were no holes so we made our own
3) We ended up having to heat the badboy with a torch and even then it was slow and difficult coming off. The insides were very clean though. I was pretty happy, overall.
Old oil pan and accessories
Inside the beast. Also new COMPCAM from COMPUSA installed. Again, no pictures.
Comp Specs:
INT 281 EXH 289
DUR @ .050: 231 239
Lobe sep 112.0
Valve Lift .617 .623
I think I was cleaning off the old head gasket around this time?
New windage tray, oil return pickup, gaskets, etc.
Just about $1,000,000 in heads and head bolts
But dammit, they look good
Difficulties # 2
I ordered the BRP 2nd gen Camaro swap kit including motor mounts, trans crossmember, and headman headers built to fit. The headers were about the only thing that fit decently easily (We had a lift, and they slid right in from underneath). The motor mounts on the other hand, did not. On the website/instructions they specify the 3 bolts that should be used for 1970-1973. No matter which way you fit these, there was only one way in which a maximum of 2 bolts would fit...and one of those 2 bolts wasn't even one of the 3 bolts specified (Hard to see in the photos..I will brighten them later). What you see below are just test fits, because we are going to have to mark/drill new holes. In the middle of all of this I began questioning rather or not I had an actual Camaro/firebird F body subframe. I have a LOT of front end work already done in which I have specifically ordered/fitted for a 73 Camaro. I really doubt that I have a nova/ventura subframe where everything BUT the motor mounts fit. However, I checked part numbers and read reviews online where others fit no problem, so who knows? Maybe I got the Saturday night or Monday morning shift subframe in 1972, haha. Additionally, we had some issues with the trans crossmember at first. We added spacers to my rear body bushing to give some additional space. When we were first fitting it the top of the crossmember was digging into the floorpans on both sides.
You can see below where the pan was bottoming out on the crossmember
Malachi cutting the tunnel to fit the trans
This is a bad angle, but the homemade spacers really gave the floorpans some relief
Good ol' 1 7/8 headers
Long story short: Scott at n-tune wasn't able to get to my Camaro. A good buddy of mine's father-in-law happens to have a ridiculously badass shop. So we decided to knock it all out there. See below.
Loading Up:
Engine Build:
Had a terrible time getting the harmonic balancer off. I didn't snap any photos but:
1) Our puller kept slipping off the grips
2) There were no holes so we made our own
3) We ended up having to heat the badboy with a torch and even then it was slow and difficult coming off. The insides were very clean though. I was pretty happy, overall.
Old oil pan and accessories
Inside the beast. Also new COMPCAM from COMPUSA installed. Again, no pictures.
Comp Specs:
INT 281 EXH 289
DUR @ .050: 231 239
Lobe sep 112.0
Valve Lift .617 .623
I think I was cleaning off the old head gasket around this time?
New windage tray, oil return pickup, gaskets, etc.
Just about $1,000,000 in heads and head bolts
But dammit, they look good
Difficulties # 2
I ordered the BRP 2nd gen Camaro swap kit including motor mounts, trans crossmember, and headman headers built to fit. The headers were about the only thing that fit decently easily (We had a lift, and they slid right in from underneath). The motor mounts on the other hand, did not. On the website/instructions they specify the 3 bolts that should be used for 1970-1973. No matter which way you fit these, there was only one way in which a maximum of 2 bolts would fit...and one of those 2 bolts wasn't even one of the 3 bolts specified (Hard to see in the photos..I will brighten them later). What you see below are just test fits, because we are going to have to mark/drill new holes. In the middle of all of this I began questioning rather or not I had an actual Camaro/firebird F body subframe. I have a LOT of front end work already done in which I have specifically ordered/fitted for a 73 Camaro. I really doubt that I have a nova/ventura subframe where everything BUT the motor mounts fit. However, I checked part numbers and read reviews online where others fit no problem, so who knows? Maybe I got the Saturday night or Monday morning shift subframe in 1972, haha. Additionally, we had some issues with the trans crossmember at first. We added spacers to my rear body bushing to give some additional space. When we were first fitting it the top of the crossmember was digging into the floorpans on both sides.
You can see below where the pan was bottoming out on the crossmember
Malachi cutting the tunnel to fit the trans
This is a bad angle, but the homemade spacers really gave the floorpans some relief
Good ol' 1 7/8 headers
Last edited:
AllensaurusRex
Veteran Member
For anyone wondering about clearance issues, see below. These headers fit VERY nicely. They look tight by the steering linage, but that is just the angle. You've got an inch on any side, in any direction. However, the evaporator core/blower motor housing has to go. Was it barely touching the block, yes. Could this be made to work. yes. Was it ugly as sin, yes. I decided to break down and buy a cover plate and spend another $1,000,000 on vintage air. Pops is happy though...he hated that housing, haha.
EFI ready tank from Ricks. Expensive, but looks to be worth it. Dry fit went easy peasy.
Might have to make a little room for the tips..
All in all a successful Saturday/Sunday. Got a new list of things to buy, more things to powder coat, and much more sweat and tears to come.
Bonus vehicles:
EFI ready tank from Ricks. Expensive, but looks to be worth it. Dry fit went easy peasy.
Might have to make a little room for the tips..
All in all a successful Saturday/Sunday. Got a new list of things to buy, more things to powder coat, and much more sweat and tears to come.
Bonus vehicles:
daddio4048
Veteran Member
Getting engaged & building a car. You are living large my friend ! Car is looking awesome.Maybe you will be done in time to take the car on your honeymoon.
AllensaurusRex
Veteran Member
Hoping to have her "moving" in the next 1.5 months. I use "moving" as a very loose term.
hot72rod
Veteran Member
Its not just you that has had problem with by the mounts. I have a 72 camaro frame in my 73 bird and had the same problems.
I also used these same mount in a 73 and didnt have any issues. I called and talked with the guys at BRP about the issue and it would seem that GM had used different mounts in 72 verses other years. I couldn't even get some clam shell mounts to work with the 72 frame.
What trans did you go with?
I also used these same mount in a 73 and didnt have any issues. I called and talked with the guys at BRP about the issue and it would seem that GM had used different mounts in 72 verses other years. I couldn't even get some clam shell mounts to work with the 72 frame.
What trans did you go with?
AllensaurusRex
Veteran Member
I have a t-56 trans and I had to add about an inch of spacers in the "furthest back" subframe body bushings to get the trans crossmember to work. It still fits snug, but it DOES fit.
I haven't called BRP yet...but I bought these mounts to be a painless conversion and it was anything but that. I still have to drill out a 3rd hole in the subframe to put a 3rd molt in the body mounts. Pretty annoying. At first, I really thought I may have a nova, ventura, omega subframe or something strange but then everything else I have purchased and bolted on from the front end was for a 73 Camaro. So now I am just really confused.
Anyone else have any issues with these?
I haven't called BRP yet...but I bought these mounts to be a painless conversion and it was anything but that. I still have to drill out a 3rd hole in the subframe to put a 3rd molt in the body mounts. Pretty annoying. At first, I really thought I may have a nova, ventura, omega subframe or something strange but then everything else I have purchased and bolted on from the front end was for a 73 Camaro. So now I am just really confused.
Anyone else have any issues with these?
