Picked up this Camaro in Sept. 2005 as my daily driver. Have been repairing and upgrading it ever since.
Aug 10
After much preparation, I finally got around to installing my Pacesetter Headers and Y-Pipe this past weekend.
Starting a few months ago, I first took the headers, stripped the paint off of them, removed the placards, then sanded the openings as well as any blemishes on the surface of the metal. Next I shot the headers and Y-Pipe with 3 coats of 1200* F High Temperature paint with Ceramic.
Finally I wrapped the headers with gray header wrap and shot them with 2 coats of high temperature silicone sealant. I also procured 90* Taylor spark plug wires and wrapped them all with DEI's "Cool Tape" to reflect radiant heat.
After collecting a set of NGK - TR55GP spark plugs and Abbott Header Gaskets, I was ready to go. The install took a good part of Thursday evening, and all of the morning on Friday as well as a portion of the afternoon. All in all I would say I took a little under 12 hours to do the job. It all turned out great for the most part. One of the original studs was already broken off when I got under there, so unfortunately, I had to settle for 5 new bolts to hold my headers in on my passenger side as opposed to the preferred 6.
Once I had done all I could, I took the car down to Midas and had them weld up the Y-pipe for around 60 bucks. Following that I headed to CarQuest and picked up a new oxygen sensor, as the original on the passenger side refused to come out of the Log Manifold.
The additional 15+ hp really makes the car feel as if it's not trying nearly as hard to accelerate and I'm quite pleased with the whole project overall and how everything turned out.
Jun 29
It was a long weekend here in Canadaland and I decided to take the opportunity to work on car related projects.
On Saturday, I grabbed an upper ball joint out of my front end suspension kit I ordered a week or two ago and proceeded to drill out the rivets/install the new ball joint etc, just like I had done a month or two ago on the driver's side.
If only GM hadn't cheaped out and used rivets instead of nuts and bolts...sigh...oh well, I got the job done. While I was inside the passenger wheel well I went ahead and replaced the caliper bolts and sleeves as I had already done so on the drivers side a month or so ago and figured I might as well replace these as well before there's a problem.
The next day, I finally got tired of staring at my J&M LCAs and Panhard bar and decided to slap them onto my car. No problem right? Wrong.
I keep forgetting to take the time I THINK the job should take and multiply it by three to get the ACTUAL job time. Anyway, suffice it to say, it was a bit of work getting the old LCAs off and the new ones on, but six hours later I was victorious.
And what a difference! The back end feels much more buttoned down! It really hugs the road! It's amazing what you can do when you upgrade the suspension on these cars.
So that was my long weekend.
(Also, I wrapped my drivers side Pacesetter header to match my passenger side header and started prepping the Y-Pipe for install)
May 22
Well, after over a year of it sitting in my basement, I finally had a weekday off and some free time and cash and decided to get my Borla Adj. Catback exhaust installed and welded up.
Holy heck is it ever loud when opened up all the way! Actually, it's even loud with 50% straight and 50% through the muffler! I need to re-install the more conservative block off plate for driving around these parts. I do love the look though. Much better than that ugly stock V6 turn-down pipe.
Hopefully I'll get some pictures up here shortly!
Z28 Styling package, with black side mirrors and roof bar
T-tops
3.08 rear Gears (w/Drum Brakes)
Fog Lights
Black urethane RK Sport letter inserts
Gloss Black Painted Rear Drums
Side Molding delete
16' 5-spoke Firebird Wheels (sporting Michelin X-Ice tires)
"APPLY BRAKE TO SHIFT FROM PARK" cover-up vinyl sticker by Brent Frankner.
Ebay Dash Pad Cover - Black
SLP CAI
Clear Image Automotive ceramic coated headers
3" Borla Cat-back Adjustable exhaust
Taylor 90* Plug Wires
Bosch Platinum +4 Plugs
Vented and Cross-Drilled NAPA Premium front brake rotors
Bilstein Front Struts,
Bilstein Rear Shocks,
McQuay-Norris Front Stabilizer Bar End Links
J&M Non-Adj Rear Lower Control Arms
J&M Non-Adj Panhard Bar
(Stock Springs)
(Stock Stabilizer Bars -30mm Front + 17mm Rear)
OE Aluminum Driveshaft out of a 2002 T/A
Alpine Head Unit.
Install 180 degree thermostat
Install new rear end w/ 3.42 gears, LSD, disc brakes.
Install new s.s./Teflon coated brake lines
Install Edelbrock Non Adj. Torque Arm
Tune and Install '97 PCM
Purchase and Install 35mm Strano front sway bar.
Purchase and install 96-97 Style SS Spoiler
Ported Heads? Ported Intake upper and lower manifolds?
Only time will tell...
6 Comments on Namrepus28's Camaro
Hello
Quite a list up there. The car looks good though! I ranked ya. Thanks for all your advice. You've been a great help. Lookin forward to posting with you and chatting on FT.
anything but fram lol K&N gold never did me wrong but there kinda expensive. fram is really the only filter ive heard problems with, ad either have been they come w/o the rubber seal, come with 2 so it leaks through them, clogs up with in an hr of run
looks good, and if u want to keep it running toss the FRAM oil filter quick, ive had personal exp as well as buddys tell me they are total sh!t now. I went through 3 on a truck of mine before i figured out it was the filter causeing the engine to crap out
Very nice ride,,,, just wanted to let you know I rated your car ..15 stars for ya .. Now will you please rate mine ... thanks
Sweet Camaro!
Nice ride!