# Bringing the Camaro back to life... **URL:** \ **Category:** Builds\ **Created:** [October 17, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903 "2011-10-17T15:15:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TurboTravis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/turbotravis/32/6406_2.png) [@TurboTravis](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurboTravis)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/1 "2011-10-17T15:15:57Z")
A little history on this car…79 Camaro. I came home after school one day, and this car was sitting on the lawn. My dad drove by it for sale (locally), and decided he wanted it. It was bone stock besides a shift kit, and due to that, the 130HP 305 would ‘spin’ the tires on the 1-2 shift (60mph) in the dry, and the 2-3 shift (90ish) when it was raining. Of course, being young and dumber than I am now, my friends and I had to verify that each time that it was driven. I built the original replacement (another 305) for this as my senior project in high school. I joined the military shortly afterwards, and my father continued to tinker with the car. The 305 was removed, and the current 406 (actual small block 400 for those non-Chevy guys, fairly ‘rare’, all things considered) was machined by our builder (same guy that I had do Ray’s Supra), and assembled/installed by my dad. It made mid 450’s on the engine dyno, and over 500 lb/ft tq as I recall. Saunders Transmission did us up a TH350 too. Right around this time I got out of the military and had some free time. Even back then (2002), trap speed was my primary focus, so we brought it to the track on the street tires. First pass was 13.xx@108 I think. Some dude felt for bad for us that he let us borrow some slicks, lol, and I think we went high 12’s. Over the next few years, we purchased a slick/skinny package for the car, and I bought him a nitrous kit for fathers day (2005 I think) and that went on too. As the WOT list says, the car’s best time to date is a 11.2@123. For the last several years, the car has pretty much just sat, and we’ve said we’d tune it up ‘next year’. Well, many ‘next years’ came and passed. Without getting too personal, it’s really hit home that ‘next year’, in regards to family, may never come. Over the last few weeks, I’ve shifted getting this car ready into overdrive, and the goal is to get it to Napierville before the season ends. The goal-run a 10.99 (or faster) before the season ends. I see it as a realistic goal. The suspension has always been overlooked, and as the upcoming pictures show, it’s been removed, awaiting the new parts. The 60’ was always mediocre at best (1.6s as I recall). As you drag guys know, if we cut a 1/10th off of that, that’s 2 tenths on the big end. Combined with the suspension upgrades ( Caltracs drag shocks and springs, car already had traction bars which will have to be ‘good enough’ until funds allow for the Caltracs ones), I think the much cooler temps and wideband tuning of the nitrous will get us pretty close. Anyway, here it is. Yes, it’s very, very dirty. It’s in desperate need of polish/wax/general cleanup. A halfass cleanup will happen before it leaves the property, lol. He’s 79 ( my dad), and he likes SS emblems. I’m not going to stop him, and no one else will either, ha. ![http://i55.tinypic.com/r73jhw.jpg](http://i55.tinypic.com/r73jhw.jpg) Interior. It’s in REALLY good shape, but obviously needs cleaning. ![http://i56.tinypic.com/2h53dkg.jpg](http://i56.tinypic.com/2h53dkg.jpg) Engine. Needs cleaned BADLY. Lance, you’ll get the headers at some point. Carb is on the way back from it’s freshening up. ![http://i55.tinypic.com/2qnd0k3.jpg](http://i55.tinypic.com/2qnd0k3.jpg) Trunk ![http://i56.tinypic.com/25i65iq.jpg](http://i56.tinypic.com/25i65iq.jpg) Hope you guys enjoyed the read. In the end, the # it runs, or does not run, does not matter. It’s all about spending quality time with family. Enjoy it while you still can everyone. -T ---
**Author:** ![jdaniels](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jdaniels/32/6399_2.png) [@jdaniels](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jdaniels)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 4:36pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/2 "2011-10-17T16:36:34Z")
Cool car, my brother had a '79 Formula. Can’t wait to see the numbers you do with it The family comment is as true as it gets. Spending time with the family is priceless, gotta make sure it’s a priority in your life at all times! ---
**Author:** ![88slowmarro](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/88slowmarro/32/6339_2.png) [@88slowmarro](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/88slowmarro)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 4:43pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/3 "2011-10-17T16:43:02Z")
Good deal homey , love the car . I have a forged 396 kit for it !!! ---
**Author:** ![toomanycamaros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@toomanycamaros](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/toomanycamaros)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/4 "2011-10-17T16:53:22Z")
Nice looking car Travis. While I doubt you’ll need them I have a complete 406 rotating assembly I’d sell cheap cheap cheap if you can use it. Also what are the specs on the current engine combo? ---
**Author:** ![TurboTravis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/turbotravis/32/6406_2.png) [@TurboTravis](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurboTravis)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/5 "2011-10-17T17:02:42Z")
> [@New engine runs on compressed air](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-engine-runs-on-compressed-air/29505/16): > > Good deal homey , love the car . I have a forged 396 kit for it !!! I’m trying to go faster, not slower:rofl ---
**Author:** ![TurboTravis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/turbotravis/32/6406_2.png) [@TurboTravis](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurboTravis)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 5:05pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/6 "2011-10-17T17:05:06Z")
> [@\*\*\*\*Official: Southgate Meet Thread\*\*\*\*](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/official-southgate-meet-thread/29171/1652): > > Nice looking car Travis. While I doubt you’ll need them I have a complete 406 rotating assembly I’d sell cheap cheap cheap if you can use it. Also what are the specs on the current engine combo? Nothing crazy at all. Roller cam, ported Vortec heads, Edlebrock air gap intake, NX plate kit. If we’re still messing with it next year, it’ll get an E85 carb and possibly as set of aluminum heads. ---
**Author:** ![88slowmarro](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/88slowmarro/32/6339_2.png) [@88slowmarro](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/88slowmarro)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/7 "2011-10-17T17:37:25Z")
The 396 is a new kit not the motor in car now ---
**Author:** ![DeathbyRT](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/deathbyrt/32/6648_2.png) [@DeathbyRT](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/DeathbyRT)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/8 "2011-10-17T17:58:28Z")
Very nice. Cant wait to see it go. ---
**Author:** ![TurboTravis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/turbotravis/32/6406_2.png) [@TurboTravis](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurboTravis)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/9 "2011-10-17T17:58:37Z")
> [@21 Ways to Maintain a healthy level of insanity, especially at work](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/21-ways-to-maintain-a-healthy-level-of-insanity-especially-at-work/46079/3): > > The 396 is a new kit not the motor in car now Just playing man. This motor won’t come out until excessive cylinder pressures/rpm have made internal parts turn into external parts:crackup ---
**Author:** ![10secondC](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/10secondc/32/6715_2.png) [@10secondC](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/10secondC)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/10 "2011-10-17T18:03:57Z")
lol…nice. I have been looking for a 79/80 Camaro for the girlfriend. Let me know when you are going to hit Napierville…If I have the day free I’ll meet you there. ---
**Author:** ![97cavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/c5a1d2/32.png) [@97cavy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/97cavy)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/11 "2011-10-17T18:21:51Z")
My dad bounced on me and my mom when I was like 8. He left behind (car was in my mom’s name due to DWI’s) a 79 (or maybe an 80) camaro with a 396 painted red white and blue. The car was pretty beat, floor boards were rusted out, but the engine would still kick over. I always planned on getting that thing fixed up and it being my car. When I was like 13, she gave it away to a customer she dealt with at work who turned it into a pure stock racer out at the valley. Just GAVE it to him. He gave us a few years worth of free passes to the valley, so that was cool none the less. The more I look back on it, if I had a car like that in my teenage years, i’d probably be dead. I can completely understand the family thing. It really hit’s close to home that in the past few months i’ve been told my mom was pretty much dead (while I was almost 1000 miles away). Priorities first man, and Im sure you will get that thing to where the old man can have a grin on his face you will remember for years to come – even after its his time ---
**Author:** ![TurboTravis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/turbotravis/32/6406_2.png) [@TurboTravis](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurboTravis)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 6:26pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/12 "2011-10-17T18:26:13Z")
> [@Let the killing season begin....](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/let-the-killing-season-begin/46068/17): > > lol…nice. I have been looking for a 79/80 Camaro for the girlfriend. Let me know when you are going to hit Napierville…If I have the day free I’ll meet you there. Will do. Looks like Saturday the 29th right now. Gonna be a challenge to make it, but that’s part of the fun! ---
**Author:** ![TurboTravis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/turbotravis/32/6406_2.png) [@TurboTravis](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurboTravis)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 6:27pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/13 "2011-10-17T18:27:52Z")
> [@Good day for the market](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/good-day-for-the-market/46028/31): > > My dad bounced on me and my mom when I was like 8. He left behind (car was in my mom’s name due to DWI’s) a 79 (or maybe an 80) camaro with a 396 painted red white and blue. The car was pretty beat, floor boards were rusted out, but the engine would still kick over. I always planned on getting that thing fixed up and it being my car. > > When I was like 13, she gave it away to a customer she dealt with at work who turned it into a pure stock racer out at the valley. Just GAVE it to him. He gave us a few years worth of free passes to the valley, so that was cool none the less. The more I look back on it, if I had a car like that in my teenage years, i’d probably be dead. > > I can completely understand the family thing. It really hit’s close to home that in the past few months i’ve been told my mom was pretty much dead (while I was almost 1000 miles away). Priorities first man, and Im sure you will get that thing to where the old man can have a grin on his face you will remember for years to come – even after its his time Asshole. You’re going to make me get drunk tonight and purchase parts for the car:rofl Thanks for all the help/convo as of late ---
**Author:** ![toomanycamaros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@toomanycamaros](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/toomanycamaros)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/14 "2011-10-17T18:40:49Z")
> [@Shredd And Reagan Cruise Nights](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/shredd-and-reagan-cruise-nights/46067/21): > > Nothing crazy at all. Roller cam, ported Vortec heads, Edlebrock air gap intake, NX plate kit. If we’re still messing with it next year, it’ll get an E85 carb and possibly as set of aluminum heads. Well if you want some spare stock 400 stuff I have a complete .30 over assembly with very low miles that I took out of a running engine in favor of all forged stuff. Everything is in good shape I just have no use for it in the forseable future. ---
**Author:** ![PJB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/pjb/32/6389_2.png) [@PJB](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PJB)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 6:45pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/15 "2011-10-17T18:45:48Z")
> [@Let the killing season begin....](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/let-the-killing-season-begin/46068/17): > > lol…nice. I have been looking for a 79/80 Camaro for the girlfriend. Let me know when you are going to hit Napierville…If I have the day free I’ll meet you there. There was a fairly decent blue '81 (same bodystyle) for sale in Lake George during the car show. I think he wanted $3500-4k (cant remember exactly) for it. Supposedly had 400+ hp but I think he was full of shit. ---
**Author:** ![10secondC](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/10secondc/32/6715_2.png) [@10secondC](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/10secondC)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/16 "2011-10-17T18:48:35Z")
yeah…looking for more of a $500 shell. Start with a clean slate. ---
**Author:** ![MSport1223](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/msport1223/32/6735_2.png) [@MSport1223](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MSport1223)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/17 "2011-10-17T19:14:54Z")
> [@Internet options for a small business.](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/internet-options-for-a-small-business/46080/5): > > Asshole. You’re going to make me get drunk tonight and purchase parts for the car:rofl Thanks for all the help/convo as of late Would you happen to know Chris Little? ---
**Author:** ![TurboTravis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/turbotravis/32/6406_2.png) [@TurboTravis](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurboTravis)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/18 "2011-10-17T19:27:33Z")
> [@WTB: d16 intake manifold, p28 ecu 650cc injectors, manual trans.](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/wtb-d16-intake-manifold-p28-ecu-650cc-injectors-manual-trans/45967/36): > > Would you happen to know Chris Little? No. Where would I know him from? ---
**Author:** ![MSport1223](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/msport1223/32/6735_2.png) [@MSport1223](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MSport1223)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/19 "2011-10-17T19:31:08Z")
> [@\*\*\*\*\*Official: Mighty Meet Thread\*\*\*\*\*](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/official-mighty-meet-thread/10918/3108): > > No. Where would I know him from? Ah, nevermind. Thought his dad and yours worked together or something. He was mentioning something about a Camaro rebuild the other day. ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@Alpine](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903/20 "2011-10-17T19:46:25Z")
Looks like it wants to take a trip to Warrensburg for some WOT blasts. [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bringing-the-camaro-back-to-life/260903.md?page=2)