1967 Chevrolet Camaro Pro Touring review and test drive

When invited to review and drive a heavily modified classic muscle car, it's best to jump at the chance. In this case, it is a beautiful example of a "Pro Touring" car with 550 rear wheel horsepower (about 625 crank horsepower given a 12% loss) and a modernized platform.

Pro Touring typically means a classic muscle car thoroughly upgraded with a very powerful engine, an overdrive transmission suitable for the highway and track worthy modern suspension and brake components. After all that, the chassis is reinforced to eliminate body flex and enhance handling. The two major contributors to the build of this car were Gearhead Garage in Sacramento and Campbell Auto Restoration in Campbell.

This 1967 Camaro is called "Sledgehammer" and is going to be on the auction block at Russo and Steele in January. You can tell the '67s from the rest by the wing window at the A-pillar. It also has a website here with only a few updates needed. Successful small business owner Mike Bassi tells me he has over $240,000 into the car but unfortunately it's time to sell it. You may recall I met Mike at the Goodguys Car Show in Pleasanton, CA earlier this year. Mike has a racing background in the SCCA Mazda RX-7 series. He knows cars and what they are supposed to do. In fact, he and the car placed 4th out of 70 at the autocross at that show.

Lowered, menacing and a little scary looking in the garage, it fires up with a serious growl from the blown 350ci ZZ430 crate motor with some minor chirping from the supercharger. Once inside, I immediately notice how clean it is and rather comfortable. But it's noisy, in a good way. There doesn't seem to be any sound insulation and quite honestly, in this car, that's how it should be.

The dashboard controls are late-sixties basic but with Auto Meter gauges in front of the shifter. The short backed Corbeau GTS 2 seats are quite comfortable and have had the head rests cut off for a period correct look. You sit deep in them despite their appearance are a full performance seat. I would be curious to try them out for track duty to see if additional bolsterstering would needed. Another wonderful aspect of this car, setting it apart from so many muscle cars: It has air conditioning! The leather appointed interior and Porsche carpeting add further to it's immense appeal.

Riding in the car was grin inducing. It's loud despite the soundproofing but the engine and exhaust sounds were music to the ears. Driving or riding this car is like riding a Chopper. Not something you want for a cross-country trip, but perfectly capable for many miles and looks wild and sounds bad ass. If you're not in the mood for it two things happen: You either choose not to drive it or it puts you in the mood as soon as you start it up.

The suspension was stiff yet compliant. I could feel the bumps but it wasn't harsh and the movements were not conveyed as rocking motions. My first thought was "BMW" over a particularly bumpy road. The modern components look good viewed under the hood and looking low under the rear of the car. The only problem is a slight tire rubbing when a passenger is onboard during tight right hand turns. Remember this car has 275 series rear tires. The rear suspension is a Moser 12 bolt with a Truetrac rear differential.

Finally I got to drive it. And the first thought and verbalization before anything else is a deep, "Ohhh Yeahhh" with a wicked smirk. The clutch pedal is stiff but the travel is short so it works quite well. The feel is very linear and exceptionally smooth in it's engagement. The short travel takes some getting used to but the fun is immediate. The shifter is firm but quite positive with throws that were average in length. It's a modern 5 speed transmission, but it's not a Miata, of course. Steering is direct but so smooth, not a lot of feedback is felt. Then again, I wasn't on the track either but for daily driving, it was superb. Body roll was minimal. The impression I got was driving a heavy sports car. Isn't that was Pony Car is anyway?

Acceleration is fierce. The power rush above 4500rpm is especially hard, almost disorienting. I said almost. The second time at wide open throttle you're used to it. A little bit. However starting in first gear at full throttle, once in third, the scenery is blurring and you realize you've just rushed past any national speed limit and potentially going to be in a lot of trouble if there are any witnesses. It was simply glorious, raw and beastly.

Asking what he would do differently next time, and there will be a next time, Mike responded fuel injection. I would agree as well - it allows for fine tuning, longer spark plug life and better mileage. But if there is a common element in used car ads for exotics and high-end sports cars, the mileage is almost always quite low. So really, those are moot points unless you plan on keeping your love for a while, like Mike did.

Additional accolades for the car include a write-up in Chevy High Performance, "Bad to the Bone" award at the 2007 Bowtie Bash, DeAnza College and "Sweet Sweeper" at the Goodguys November 2009 show.

According to Mike, the price range for a car like this is $80k to $160k. This is an exceptional example. Contact Mike at info@tri-phase-electric.com if you're serious about buying this car.

Below are some additional build details about the car from the owner:

The engine was designed and built by Campbell Auto Restoration and is built for the procharger blower. We are running 10 pounds of boost on 91 octane with the help of a programmable water injection system, and a J&S knock sensor system that protects the engine along with the new programmable MSD6al 2 digital ignition box. The Holly 750DP was built by the carb shop and tuned by Tim Arnett.

The Transmission is a Tremic TKO 600 with a McLeod dual disk hydraulic clutch system and an aluminum flywheel. It has a Denny's nitrous ready custom driveshaft with 1350 U joints front and rear. The Moser 12 bolt rear has a 3:73 rear ratio with a true track limited slip diff and 33 spline axels. Custom dual 3 inch stainless exhaust system with x pipe design.

We are running a Hydroboost system on Baer 13 inch brakes in front 12 inch in the rear with a relocated parking brake cable. The hydroboost is incredible to use and great in road racing situations.

It has a custom RS front end and has many billet aluminum items from the custom trunk hinges to the Ring Bros hood hinges. LED lights round out the custom tail section. We replaced the stock 67 fuel location to the license plate area like the 69's. It has a custom Rick's stainless gas tank that has a check ball and fuel door system and was built for road racing so not to lose fuel during hard corning. a 2K extra option. Inside also boosts some GT2 seats from Corbeau with Morris Concept classics 3 point seat belts. We also installed Porsche Pyle carpeting throughout. It has a Momo steering wheel with a real Ferrari horn. The wiper system is from DSE. The body is rust free and has a rhino liner underneath. It has a brand new Optima battery given to me from Optima for allowing them to use the car in a show. It is running a painless wiring system, duel electric fans and a Nascar radiator. It also has AC but currently not charged, but does work when charged.

The Wheels are custom Boze forged alloys and are a one off for this car. All lights, wipers, horn, stereo and windows work. It also has brand new glass from the full body off restoration. The list of options and custom fab work is long. It has a Bud Millard Appraisal at 230k.

Ask Rob About Cars 12-20-09

Question: What is the cost estimate on changing a ’72 Impala Custom Coupe(Hard top) into a convertible top?
-T.D. Wise

Answer: Thank you for your question! A convertible top conversion is a huge undertaking but companies have been doing it successfully for years. Figure about $15,000 to $20,000 for a professional job.

Additional structural bracing must be added as well so weight will be added. For vehicles designed with a convertible model in mind, the weight difference is negligible. A good example is the Chevrolet Corvette. For others such as the BMW 135i, the convertible is over 300lbs heavier. An aftermarket conversion means you'll feel the chassis flex over bumps and handling will be compromised. This isn't uncommon from factory convertibles as well. Other drawbacks are the value will probably be negatively affected and safety is compromised.

The process is time consuming but there are a couple of companies that have been doing it quite successfully for years with impressive results. Newport Convertible Engineering is one of them. Another is a regular SEMA participant called Drop Top Customs by Convertible Builders LLC.

Good luck and thank you for your question.
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Have a question about cars you would like answered? Want to know about performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc? Ask me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!

Drag racing tips for your street car

Many amateur drag racers already know the tricks, tips and techniques to help their car go faster and more quickly at the dragstrip. However, there could be a few you're not aware of. Additionally, there is one potential major misconception and a technique for automatic and perhaps manual transmission cars that could be key as well. Listed are some obvious old-school and some not so obvious tips due to rampant electronics in modern cars.

Weight reduction - easily established by racing with a low tank of fuel. Modern fuel injected cars won't run lean with less fuel - don't worry. Remove the spare tire, etc. Removing rear seats (if equipped) is not uncommon. However, a totally stripped interior, if a daily driver or even weekend car, just really looks cheap and junky unless the interior is purpose built and finished for racing. Edit: Extra weight in the rear may allow for a lower 60-foot time and hence lower ET while making only a minor difference in trap speed. Experimentation is the key. 

Run cooler - icing the intake manifold. Cold air is denser air which translates to more horsepower. A hot engine will heat incoming air. There isn't much that can be done with the ambient air temperature, but running extra hot doesn't help. Without going deeply into modifications, a lower temperature thermostat is used for this reason. Push your car if feasible instead of the stop-n-go in the staging lanes. There are handheld tuning tools and even fusebox modifications that allow the cooling fans to start and run at lower than factory-set temperatures. Being the only guy pushing your nearly 2-ton car gets old real fast.

Something you may not know regarding running cooler. Some cars actually make more horsepower due to fuel programming when coolant temperatures are below 180 degrees vs. the normal operating temperatures of 200 degrees or higher. The balance of engine temperature, fuel economy and emissions is altered when seeking maximum power at wide open throttle.

Tires - lower tire pressure may very well be worse for two reasons. Losing traction from lack of grip means sitting and spinning while your opponent is accelerating. Also, if there is an increase in the rolling resistance of the tires, that is a parasitic drag. Every little bit counts when counting in tenths of a second or miles per hour.

When equipped with high performance low-profile tires which have stiff sidewalls, a common misconception is that if you lower the tire pressure significantly, you'll have more traction. This is because racing slicks use lower tire pressure to soften the sidewalls and increase the size of the contact patch. If the modern low-profile tires have structurally stiff sidewalls, less air will mean less contact patch in the center of the tire while the sidewalls maintain their stiffness. What is very important here is knowing how your tires respond to air pressure. Unless there is an established technique that is getting 60ft times below 2.0 seconds, try starting with pressure in the high 30s and work your way down. You may find a range that your car performs the best is far higher than those that are running 22psi in their low-profile 35 or 45 series high performance tires.

One last point regarding tires. The smoky burnouts look and sound fun, but do it for too long and a street tire can become slippery rather than sticky. A general rule used for non-drag radial street tires is do it just long enough to see smoke, then stop.

Fold your mirrors inward. Minor I know, it sounds silly, but trapping at 109.9mph vs. 110 can be frustrating. The competitors at the Bonneville Salt Flats who use duct tape to seal body gaps wouldn't laugh. Do you think that's allowed at the Texas Mile?

If equipped with adaptive shock absorbers, the "comfort" mode may allow for more weight transfer to the rear, facilitating better traction and a better launch. Conversely, "comfort" mode may also trigger a slower shift from the transmission with more slippage and even at a lower rpm. Who the heck drag races a car with a "comfort mode" anyway? Well, Mercedes Benz E55 owners with smaller-than-stock supercharger pulleys have been known to run 10-second quarter mile times. Crazy but it really pays to know how the various electronics influence the behavior of the vehicle.

Use a toilet brush to scrape debris off the tires. Buy a new one at the grocery store (please) and before you get in the staging lanes, a quick scrub will remove some of the larger debris. Does it work? Well I'd say it doesn't hurt. Pebbles in the tread can cause voids in the contact patch.

Related to the toilet brush, VHT track bite traction compound helps immensely for traction off the line. Spray after taking off the debris and preferably by crew member after doing a brief burnout on your street tires. Granted, if track prep is fresh, this probably isn't necessary. At some tracks, it's essential for street tire cars. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the street tire equipped cars that run fantastic times do this during track rental days.

Adaptive transmissions and electronics can be the most confusing and impactful of the various necessary steps to run the best times. It's important understand your car and how it reacts. Read up on the forums from other owners for their techniques. Others may do certain routines not even realizing why they seem to work. I'll list examples of how some cars respond to various inputs.

A slow diagnostic transmission shift may occur after start-up. Not noticed during daily driving, but at full-throttle, it could be painfully apparent, hurting trap speeds. One resolution I'm aware of is to drive over 20mph before lining up at the lights so the initial 2nd to 3rd gear shift is done. Even a single or dual clutch automated manual might do this. At some dragstrips like Infineon Raceway at Sears Point, the staging lanes are so close to the "christmas tree" this occurs.

Manually shifting the automatic transmission, while not as consistent, may make for firmer shifts. On the other hand, another car may shift better if simply left in "Drive". Further complicating things nowadays some mechanical tachometers actually can't keep up with the engine speed which means easily "banging" off the rev limiter when manually shifting while trying to judge the optimum shift rpm. Hitting the rev limiter means blowing your run and maybe losing. Lexus actually has a digitally simulated tachometer for this very reason in the new LF-A. Remember, this can apply to automatics, dual clutch and single clutch automated manual transmissions.

Lastly, when you sometimes pull the fuse to the transmission, it resets the "adaptives". What this means is some types transmissions will "learn" how you were driving previously and mimic that. For example, if you're idling at the stoplight waiting to enter the track, slowly driving to tech inspection and finally in the pits, your transmission could possibly store this and repeat this in the form of sluggish yet smooth shifts. Pulling the fuse will reset it to the default setting and the wide-open throttle will signal faster and firmer shifts. This can really make for a literal checklist.

Modern cars with all the electronics that make our lives easier and safer also are a pain in the butt to extract the maximum performance they are capable of. Keep in mind the basics - keep it cool, learn how your tires react to air pressure changes and finally learn how the electronic nannies hurt or help your car.
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Have a question about cars you would like answered? Want to know about performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc? Ask me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!

Tesla updates and changes for 2010: T1 vs. T2

Test driving the 2010 Roadster Sport was an eye opening experience. Keeping in mind the 2009 model year was skipped without a one-year break, the improvements are significant. Here are some changes from the 2008 (T1) to the 2010 (T2).

The interior has been upgraded and features a push button "drive" selector vs. a lever. The video display screen was moved to the central dash area. It gives various information such as estimated range, power regenerated, number of barrels of oil saved, etc.

Enhanced battery cooling is also part of more powerful and quicker cabin cooling (air conditioning) as well as heating and overall ventilation.

Toggling between performance and "max range" is done by turning the key, even with driving. Needless to say, during my test drive I kept in the Performance mode notated by a tiny "P" in the upper right corner of the display screen.

A variety of sound-deadening techniques were utilized to reduce noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). One of the interesting methods was the use of pellets in a chassis side rail that expand by 5,000 percent during the adhesive heat cycling to eliminate rattles. Adhesives are used throughout virtually all automobiles. If you strip the interior and sound deadening material, any car is going to have some interesting squeaks and rattles. Tesla is obviously striving for improvements for mainstream appeal rather than kit-car refinement.

The Roadster Sport 215 kilowatt motor produces 288hp and 295 ft lbs of torque and is most noticeable up to 5,100rpm. As you can see from this graph from Motorcyclist magazine , power will fall off at higher speeds. I predict one of the next major improvements will be a multi-speed transmission that not only will make for great acceleration, but potentially a longer range during highway usage. You may remember the first generation T1 had a two speed transmission put problems meant abandoning it for a single-speed fixed gear. You can see Tesla's technical specs here.

The options available seem to be areas of profit as opposed to some seeming to be package deals. Quite clever - the vast majority of buyers can afford it and I would guess they contribute significantly to the margin of revenue. Remember, low volume doesn't make for discount prices. The Executive Leather Interior is $,6000. Alternately the Premium Carbon Fiber and Leather Interior is $9,000. Keep in mind this is a two-seater. A body color hardtop is $3,200 or $5,000 for carbon fiber. Exterior carbon fiber treatment is $9,000. The most common question - how much is a replacement battery? It's $12,000. A replacement engine for a high-end car can be far more costly.

While it doesn't appeal to everyone, Tesla has established credibility, viability and continue to evolve their daily driver. Their initial product, a high performance car that never needs gasoline, a high price-point (including the options) for profitability is a proven platform for further development before going mainstream. Will the T3 feature a multi-speed transmission? Perhaps it will have artificial intelligence...

Check out my test drive of the 2010 Roadster Sport here.
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Have a question about cars you would like answered? Want to know about performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc? Ask me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!