The 1000RWHP Quest, The Build & The Players

The time has come for a serious project. I’m on a quest for 1000 rear wheel horsepower! That’s right, ladies & gentlemen, 700 horses to the rear wheels just isn’t enough anymore. I’ve got the items ordered and hope to do the install & tuning in late July. Here’s what I’m doing:

Engine: I’m having a new engine built by LME. They speced out a 427 LSX based engine specifically designed for forced induction and capable of rock solid performance at 1200rwhp. You can check out some of the engine specs below. While the engine is out I’m going to get the headers ceramic coated and stream clean the engine bay. That will feel soooo good.

Transmission: I’m going to do a transmission swap and upgrade the stock T-56 with an RPM level VII TR6060 (should be good for 1000 ft/lbs torque). I want to stick w/ a manual 6 speed and this seems like best option.

Differential: For the rear end I’m going with the C6 Z06  RPM Level III w/ a Quaife differential and the stock gear ratios. I’m also going to upgrade the drive shaft & axles.

Boost Controller: I think I’m going to go with the AMS-1000. Looks like it can do everything I need and then some.

Suspension: In order to get more power to the ground I’m planning to upgrade the suspension as well. I think I’ll go with something from PFADT.

Clutch: Unfortunately my ACT clutch isn’t going to hold the power I intend to make so I’ll have to find an upgrade. No idea what kind I’ll get yet. It needs to hold a lot of power but still be streetable.

Forced Induction & Fuel: I’m going to stick w/ my APS kit for the time being. I’m going to try and max it out and see where we get. If I end up needing to I’ll upgrade the fuel system and put in larger turbos, but that may be a 2013 project.

My goal with this project is to be as personally involved as possible (and do as much work as possible myself). I’m having Vince over at Lung Automotive do the install (he’s going to love having me over at his shop all day “helping”). Vince has been instrumental in assisting me with picking  parts, getting things ordered and destroying my comfort zone. Per several  recommendations I’ll have the testing and tuning done by Premier Performance.

So why the upgrades? Believe it or not out of the people I know (and sometimes drive around with) I’m the slowest guy! Last year Rob raced his 1200rwhp Underground Racing modified Lamborghini at RMR and it was inspiring. And seeing his 10 second pass made me want a 10 second pass too. And I get what I want 😉

Anyway, really excited about this project. Parts are ordered and now I just have to sit back and wait. Once everything is here it will probably take a couple of weeks to get things swapped out, installed and ready to go. I’ll post all of the progress here on the blog as things unfold!

Engine Specs:

www.latemodelengines.com

427″ LSX/LS7 Twin Turbo Engine Build w/ 9.8-10:0:1 Compression for 1200+ RWHP

+ Balance, blueprint & assemble shortblock: fully deburr block, line hone block w/ ARP main studs deck, deck block to desired deck height w/ BHJ deck true fixture, bore block on 3 axis CNC, hone block w/ torque plates, balance crankshaft to 1/4 oz. in. tolerance, hang pistons on rods, check bearing clearances, file fit rings, assemble shortblock.

+ Assemble longblock & dyno test engine: degree cam, check piston to valve clearance, adjust valve train geometry & lifter pre load, install oil pump & heads.

+ GM Bow Tie LSX race block. Features: priority main oiling, billet main caps, increased cylinder wall & deck thickness, 6 bolts per cylinder (for added improved head gasket sealing). Block comes w/ cam plate, rear cover, all plugs & dowel pins.

+ Callies Dragon Slayer 4340 forged 4.0″ stroke crankshaft 58X-LS7 long post w/ indexed & trued journals.

+ Callies Ultra Billet 6.125″ H beam rods w/ ARP 2000 7/16 bolts (good to 1500 RWHP turbo applications).

+ Wiseco forged turbo duty pistons w/ tool steel wrist pins & anti friction coating on skirts: Includes stainless chrome top ring (for high heat applications), napier 2nd (improved oil control), 3mm oil rings (reduced friction & improved oil control).

+ Upgraded tool steel wrist pins .210″ wall thickness.

+ Clevite MS 2199 H mains, Clevite CB 663 H rods, Dura Bond CH-23 cam bearnnings

+ ARP Pro Series 12pt. main stud kit.

+ GM LS7X LS7 6 bolt CNC ported cylinder heads. Parts: REV titanium 2.200″ intake valves, REV Inconell exhaust valves (for high heat applications), PAC dual hyd. roller valve springs (good to .675″ life), titanium retainers, machined locks, machined locators, Viton valve seals-Heads flow 400+ CFM.

+ Cam Motion custom LSX turbo camshaft

+ Cloyes LS7 4x single roller w/ extended crank drive for dry sumpt oil pump.

+ Morel tie bar high RPM hyd. roller lifters.

+ Manly one piece chhromoly 3/8″ x 7.8xx x .120″ wall LS7

+ ARP 2000 Pro Series 12 pt. head studs for LSX 6 bolt block (offers 40% more clamping force than the standard ARP 8740 chromoly material).

+ GM LS7 oil pump ported w/ thicker scavenge G rotar for 30% increase in scavenge side flow. Pump also has a billet front cover to accept the thicker gear.

New Corvette Floor Mats by Lloyd Mats

I recently got a set of Lloyd Mats for my Camaro– really happy with them! So, I decided to get a set for my Vette too. Tthe driver-side mat was in pretty bad shape and years ago I had quickly cut the old trunk mat to fit around my sub & amps and the sloppy job had bothered me ever since.

I picked black for the new mats. After reading that the Lloyd ebony mats weren’t a good color match I decided black would be a nice accent.  When I pulled the old mats out I was actually surprised to discover that the old driver and passenger mats were black and that they didn’t match the old trunk mat. Huh. Never noticed that. The new front mats look just like the old one and went in without a hitch. But the new trunk mat was going to need some work. And this time I was determined to do it right.

I tried to be extra careful, measuring things so many times that it made me crazy. You need to cut carpet like this just a touch too big do you can tuck it against the other carpet so it appears to be seamless.

This is so much better. Now it looks like someone cared.

Before & After. The colors on the pictures are somewhat messed up. In real life the mat on the left is ebony with a hint of olive green and the mat on the right is a nice solid black. The iPhone camera seems to have some consistency problems when photographing different shades of black.

Anyway- one more cosmetic issue resolved. In fact, cosmetically I’m really happy with the car. I do think I might put on a ZR1 spoiler though.


Posted by Cam, July 15, 2012

Do You See What I See?

You probably don’t see anything in the first picture (which is the point)… But in the second picture (a close-up) you can see the line of my Corvette’s new ClearBra.

In order to preserve my car’s paint (Utah roads are not particularly kind to cars) I had Tint & ClearBra Specialists in Midvale put on their most extensive package (front bumper,headlights, half hood, front fenders, rocker panels, side mirrors and rear fenders). They also did a color wash (the ClearBra was put over it) to make sure everything looked immaculate.

I’ve had it for a few months now. It looks really nice and was very well installed. Except for one small corner that had an issue when I washed the car, it’s stayed in place just fine (I guess you’re not supposed to powerwash them). And the other day I was really happy to have it when I drove over a pile of tar covered gravel that someone was nice enough to leave in the road. Not a cheap accessory, but it’s good peace of mind.

Yep, I feel like I have to document everything. It’s like some kind of disease.


Posted by Cam, Jun 14, 2012

Being “That” Guy

“It was Dilroy!” It was always Dilroy. Billy sat in his chair and squirmed like little boys do when they get in trouble.  And he was in trouble, but he was also nearly thirty. He’d blamed Dilroy for the mistake but –and he never seemed to learn – there was no Dilroy at the company where he worked.

Wayne sighed and leaned against the cubicle wall. “Billy, this is getting ridiculous. When we hired you – and remember, we were doing your Dad a favor – we agreed that you’d sit at your desk and not touch anything or talk to anyone.”

“But Wayne,” Billy wailed. “If you’d just give me a chance to do some real work I wouldn’t have to be so obnoxious.”

Wayne considered this carefully. Having another worker might be beneficial. But then again, every office needed an obnoxious guy. On the other hand, they weren’t an office. Still, the idea of Billy doing work was laughable. The guy could barely sit still in his chair all day with nothing to do.

“You’re going to have to make a choice” said Wayne.

“And that choice is?”

“I’m either going to need you to find the mythical jock strap of Hercules or see our psychologist.”

Billy’s adventures are too incredible to recount in the written medium, but after returning with the famed jockstrap, briefing the board and giving credit to Dilory, Billy settled back into the role of guy-who-doesn’t-do-anything-and-bothers-everyone and they all lived happily ever after.

THE END

Other Blogs Have I Which Are Not of This Fold.

Just a quick little update for the family and fans (ah ha ha! Haaaaah ah….). In the past few weeks I have updated most of my other blogs:

CamOnCommerce.com – Just a couple of miscellaneous posts.

UtahCorvette.com – Still messing with my car. A couple of fun posts too.

UtahCamaro.com – Starting to mess with the new car.

ZoobaBean.com  – Sometimes I post silly things I’ve written. This blog has had a couple of updates in the last few weeks.

HughesFamily.com – Last year I picked up this domain and put up a blog. I’m in the process of deciding if I want to maintain it. Thoughts?

KnifeBlog.com – This is my company’s main blog and it has cool stuff on it (I don’t do the blogging personally, but I think a blog this good deserves a plug).


Posted by Cam, May 29, 2012

 

Terrible Short Stories for Children

I’ve always thought the idea of adult themes presented in a children’s book format was amusing. These are some awful little tidbits that I’ve written here and there over the years. Most are pretty bad, but there are some gems. I present to you Terrible Short Stories for Children

The Little Boy with too Much to Do.

Adam had too much to do! He couldn’t finish everything so he flung himself from a cliff.

The Little lost Girl

Gretchen was lost in the mall. She had wandered away from her mother. She cried and cried until a nice man said, “Come with me, I’ll drive you home to your house.” Gretchen went with the man and no one ever saw her again.

The Bad Little Dog

Pepper was a bad little dog. He would not sit, he would not roll over and he begged at the dinner table. “I will take Pepper on a trip, and when we come back he will be a good dog.” Later, Father came home but no one saw Pepper. The next night at dinner Father said, “Will someone please pass me Pepper?”

The Bird who Could Not Fly.

Little Bobbie Robin sat in his nest. He could not fly. He decided he must learn, so he hopped out of his nest and jumped. Little Bobbie Robin could not fly.

The Seed that could not Grow

Once there was a little seed. A bird ate it and pooped it out on some rocks. It could not grow.

The Fat Little Cow

There was a farmer who had a fat little cow. Each day he went to see the cow and told her how beautiful she was. He said, “You are the fattest most beautiful cow there ever was!” The cow felt very good and ate as much as she could so she would become even fatter for the farmer. Soon the little cow was so fat she could not walk. The Farmer said, “You are the most amazing cow I have ever seen!” The cow was very happy. Until the Farmer killed and ate her.

The Bad Teacher

Barney’s teacher was bad. She made Barney learn to add and subtract, divide and multiply. She made Barney learn the alphabet and she forced him to read and write. Barney grew up and became a successful business man. When he was rich enough he hired high powered lawyers to sue his bad teacher for ruining his life.

The Little Fish

There lived a little fish in a little pond. He had just learned to swim. One day he was caught by a hook. A boy-scout pulled him from his warm home and danced about gleefully. The boy-scouts ate the little fish.

The Race

Paul ran as hard as he could. He finished last. His father came over to him and said, “It is okay that you did not win. Your brothers are better than you and they will win.”

Three Wishes

Bob found a magic lamp while he was on vacation. The Genie inside said I will give you three wishes. Bob said, “I wish I knew what to wish for! And I wish I was home so I could show my friends. No, I wish I hadn’t wished that.” The Genie slapped Bob.

The Boy Who Cried Turtle

The Wade Family went to the Beach. “Turtle!” said little Timmy Wade. No one looked because Timmy saw Turtles everywhere. The Turtle climbed out of the sea and ate Timmy.

Healthy

Mr. Riggs worked out every day. He ran five miles, he lifted weights for hours and he swam and swam. He only ate healthy foods- never anything he liked. He never had time for anything fun. But he always said, “I’m taking care of myself now so I can enjoy my family when I’m old!” The doctor said Mr. Riggs was in perfect health. A truck hitMr.Riggs and he died.

Ice Cream

Mommy brought home ice cream for dessert. She said if we ate all our vegetables we could have some. Dad ate ice cream before he ate his vegetables. Dad said, “When you are a Dad you can eat what you want.” When I am a Dad I will eat kittens and  bunnies.

Baby Lewis Learns to Talk

Baby Lewis was learning to talk. “Come on! You can do it” said Mommy. “Come on! You can do it!” said Daddy. They practiced long and hard, every day for months. Baby Lewis learned how to talk! “Quiet!” said Mommy. “Shhhh!!” said Daddy.

The Bike Story

John had a brand new bike. He had worked hard and saved his money for two years to buy it. Each day he washed and waxed his new bike. He rode it around the neighborhood each afternoon. Every night John carefully put his bike under the porch and locked it to a post. John’s bike was his favorite thing in the whole world. One day John was hungry and he traded his bike for a cookie.

The Lonely Tree

Billy was an oak tree. He was all alone. One day a forest elf said he could have a wish. Billy clapped his branches together. “I wish for a friend!” The forest elf said he would grant the wish. The next day a man came into the woods and walked up to Billy. “I am your friend!” he said. He took out his ax and chopped Billy down.

Best Friends

Pete and Joe were best friends. Where Pete went Joe went. Where Joe went Pete went. They played tag, hide and seek, they ran and laughed. Later that day Pete found a new best friend named Dave.

The Lamp Lie

Lucy was scared. She had broken her mom’s favorite lamp. When mommy saw the lamp she was very sad. Mommy asked Lucy, “Do you know who broke my lamp?” Lucy shook her head. She felt bad inside. When Daddy came home he said, “Do you know who broke mommy’s lamp?” Lucy shook her head. She felt bad inside again. Lucy lied more and more and eventually the bad feeling went away

Mark’s Teeth

Mark would not brush his teeth. His mom told him they would rot and turn green. Mark would not brush his teeth. His Dad told him they would smell bad and turn yellow. Mark would not brush his teeth. His Brother told him they would get cavities and turn gray. . Mark would not brush his teeth. His sister said they would decay and turn brown.. Mark would not brush his teeth. And nothing anyone said came true. Mark’s teeth turned black and fell out.

The Newspaper

Mr. Fuller was not happy. Each day his newspaper was thrown into his grass. Mr. Fuller stopped the paper boy and yelled at him. He told the paperboy to stop throwing the newspaper in the grass. Mr. Fuller was not happy. Each day the newspaper was thrown through his window.

 Marvin’s TV

Marvin liked to watch TV. And the TV liked to watch Marvin. One day Marvin went to turn the TV off and the TV turned Marvin off.

Camaro Aftermarket Subwoofer Review

So here are a few of my Camaro stereo impressions thus far.

JL Audio 10W7AE Subwoofer:

Wow. Just wow. This sub is amazing. The 10W7 provides so much more depth and bass than the 10W6 in the Corvette that’s hard to believe. I honestly feel like this is all the bass a rational person could ever want. Even with the sub turned up the sound is full and smooth.

JL Audio JX1000/1D Amplifier:

I had originally intended to use a Kenwood XR-1S (the same kind my Corvette has) but the preamp signal in the RCA outs carries six volts which would fry the Kenwood. I opted for the JX1000 because it can take the six volts with no issues. The JX1000 also mutes the outs as soon as the receiver is turned off so there’s no sub thump when things power down (this can be an issue with the stock Camaro stereo and some aftermarket subs and I didn’t want to use a ground loop isolator if I didn’t have to).

Feature-wise the JX1000 is pretty straightforward. I picked up JL’s remote so I can control the gain while I’m driving. This is especially nice on cars where there is no separate sub out (hence no way to adjust the sub volume). Everything works just like it’s supposed to. It’s powers the sub with no issues and sounds excellent.

Performance with the Boston Acoustic System:

I wrote about how I thought the Boston Acoustic set up in the Camaro was pretty good for an OEM offering. I stand by that. As the speakers have broken in the seem like that have lost a little off the clarity but it could be that the sub woofer just overpowers them a bit.

I had to do some tweaking with the stock stereo settings (which is tricky, since they don’t give you too many options) to try and balance the stock speakers with the 10W7. Not physically balance- I’m talking about the volume and frequencies. Overall I think the stock speakers and the JL sub compliment each other quite well.

As far as physical balancing goes I think the staging in the Camaro is exceptional. The music is right in front of you, just beyond the dash (possibly that front center channel makes a difference). Even the sub tones sound like they are coming from the front of the car.

Mounting: 

As I briefly mentioned already the box I got from SubThump.com was excellent. The fit in the Camaro’s trunk is perfect. I mounted the JX1000 onto the subwoofer box because there was room and because the box seemed very sturdy. I checked to see how much vibration the amp was enduring and it’s pretty minimal- the sub box is like a rock. In addition to being impressed by the performance, I’m also visually satisfied with the outcome.

Conclusion: 

I’m pleased enough with the Boston Acoustic speakers and JL Audio sub & amp that I’m not planning to add aftermarket speakers (woofers & tweeters) or an amp in the near future. I think the music I listen to is well served by the configuration as-is. With the Camaro I do think a sub is critical if the musical experience is important to you.

Stereo Shootout:

At the onset of my stereo shoot out I was pretty sure I preferred the Camaro. So to make things more fair I decided to fix a few issues in the Vette. I spent a long time trying to isolate and eliminate the alternator whine (not gone, but much better). I moved the staging to the front of the car and did a lot of tuning; I think it makes a huge difference in sound quality and enjoyment.

So with the stereos on more equal footing I will shortly commenced the 2012 Camaro vs. Corvette stereo shoot out.Stay tuned!