Bought a used 2004 GTO!

Now that the Camaro is becoming more and more a race car, I jumped on this opportunity when I saw it: a used 2004 GTO automatic in Cosmos Purple. It has 104k+ miles and is in great shape for a car that cost me only $4-figures. :-) It'll make a good daily driver.





Naturally, I had to take it to the track, back to Alabama, where it ran a 13.8 @ 101, bone stock (mostly).  My original GTO, back in the summer of 2004, never broke 100 or out of the 14's.

ProCharger D1-SC Installed

Took the plunge and installed the supercharger, a ProCharger D1-SC with a Wastegate and an Aeromotive fuel pump.  At max power level (about 11psi boost), it makes 620 rear-wheel horsepower and 572 torque. For a more manageable daily driver, we dialed it back to 595/535.





Here it is on the dyno:



And here it is on a brief jaunt in the mountains:



And here it is on a shakedown run, where it ran 10.7's in the 1/4-mile right out of the box:

Best with Cam

Took the SS to my favorite track, Steele, Alabama, and set a personal best with cam-only.

11.633 @ 118.01, 1.605 sixty, 1/8th: 7.434 @ 94.56.

 

11's and Then Some

In early November I had a new cam installed, along with what is called an "LS3-conversion". Basically, the new automatic Camaros come with a different cam than the manuals, and also have Active Fuel Management and Variable Valve Timing - fuel economy improvements on many new cars. The AFM turns off 4-cylinders at cruising speeds. Needless to say, pretty useless for my goals.

The new camshaft I chose is from Lingenfelter Performance Engineering, famous in the modern EFI hotrod world, especially with Corvettes. Mine is their GT-9 cam, designed especially for blowers, or superchargers. I decided to install it first, to get me into the 11's easily and get me ready for the addition of what will likely be a Procharger D1-SC Supercharger next year. With just the cam, I gained 48 HP, which was exactly what I needed.

Here's the video of the car on the Dyno after the cam install:


And here's an idle video:


Since my GTO days, there has been a Shootout in Darlington SC each November. It is only for GM cars with IRS, mainly GTO's, Corvettes, Camaro's and G8's. I participated in the first one a few years back and now I brought my new Camaro.



Results were great:
Sixty foot: 1.695, 1/4 mile: 11.731 @ 117.58

No reason to go faster than 11.5 until I'm ready for a roll cage, so I'm very happy.

Here's a video form the day, which tells you a bit about me. We were in a bracket race (racers pick their predicted time and try to run as close as they can to it, without going faster), and as I began the race, I realized I had beaten my opponent handily off the line and could "lift" and coast through the traps - so that I would win and not "break out". But, the launch felt so good and the pass felt so right, that I did not lift, "broke out", but set a personal best. All those things went through my mind in the course of about 2 seconds... it's just not in me to slow down. :)

Here's the video:

New Personal Best

Went back to Steele's Midnight Madness on September 30th. Beautiful cool night. I managed to squeeze out some more timing and set a new personal best:

1/4: 12.152 @ 113.69, 1.677 sixty
1/8: 7.784 @ 89.65



This week, I'll be looking at camshafts and planning the next stage of the car's transformation into a serious contender. For bolt-ons only, my L99 Camaro SS is #7 on the list on Camaro5.com.

Getting ready for Fall racing!

Recently, we have installed gears (3.45's from a manual Camaro), an underdrive pulley, and a Meziere electric water pump. Also installed have been lowering springs, front and rear sways, and differential bushings.

Altogether, I have not beaten my previous times, not because of the summer, but because the new suspension components have not helped me improve my sixty-foot times. So I will be making some adjustments.

I have made some visits to Alabama International Dragway's Moonlight Madness, which is a lot of fun. Here is a helmet-cam video at Steele:



And a good race with my regular camera against an LS2 GTO:



Then a daylight video with the helmet-cam.



On that day, I had six back-to-back runs with a 12.3 @ 112. Very consistent with the new electric water pump, which keeps engine coolant temps down in the staging lanes.

Dog Days of Summer

No chance for records recently with most track days being over 90*F.

I have been racing and have some good videos.

Here's a good one from Steele, running low 12's on a hot day:



And last week, I took a trip up to Bristol Dragway in Tennessee for their Fas Mart Street Fights. It was a lot of fun, though the track was slower due to altitude and heat. Great facility though, and the surrounding mountains are beautiful.