"At some point I'm going to have to remove the plastic from the steering wheel and radio faceplate, as well as the window sticker. But for now, I am enjoying it being new." OK, that's a somewhat normal thing to do for a diehard car guy. I mean, some people who buy a new car may decide to keep it under wraps for a couple of days to really soak in the newness, and we're fine with that. Of course, it sounds a bit strange when you're talking about a 2010 Camaro with just 8.0 miles on the odometer that already sports a 1000+hp, LXR-headed, 427-cubic-inch Warhawk powerplant blown by a ProCharger F-1C. And, it gets even crazier when you consider that this Camaro sits on a fully adjustable Pedders coilover suspension and 18x11 3-piece Forgeline wheels with massive 305/45/18 Mickey Thompson drag radials out back. To say David Caine and his Camaro are understated would be, well, an understatement.
"I had the idea of an engine I wanted to build for quite some time, but didn't know what to put it in. I didn't care for any of the bodies that were available. I really don't like F-bodies (Editors note: shame on you Dave!) and Corvettes carry a certain air about them I wanted to stay away from. I was lucky enough to see the prototype fifth-generation Camaro the first time it saw daylight and knew right then that was what the engine would go in. I started acquiring parts over the next few years and when the time came that we could actually order, I started ordering everything I needed to finish the powerplant. I bought this car specifically to put a pump gas 1000hp engine into."
And build a 1000hp pump gas engine he did. "We used a very specific honing process on the Warhawk block that has proven to work very well for us. Setting the sleeves in a new aftermarket block is very important." With that attention to detail, PK Machine of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, not only prepared the block, they also balanced the entire rotating assembly using a "no-holes" technique, which would help ensure longevity and high rpm reliability. A Callies Dragonslayer crankshaft acts as the foundation of the rotating assembly, swinging a set of 6-inch Callies connecting rods and Diamond pistons wrapped in stainless Total Seal rings. "We knew we wanted big power, so the block and heads were a six-bolt configuration and we used a Cometic head gasket to avoid O-ringing the deck or the head surface."
Up top, David had Cary Chouinard, of Performance Induction Specialties, build a pair of LXR/ETP LS7-style cylinder heads, which were fully CNC-ported before being stuffed with a set of 2.20- and 1.60-inch PSI hollow-stem intake and exhaust valves. With a 70cc chamber, these heads would bring the motor to a blower-friendly 9.6:1 compression ratio, perfect for things to come. Down the middle of the Warhawk block lies a custom camshaft with 231/239 degrees of duration and 0.655/0.660-inches of lift, which actuates a set of T&D 1.80:1 ratio rocker arms. With a stock GM LS7 intake manifold and a set of American Racing headers, the motor made 575 hp on the engine dyno, a good, solid foundation to start from.
"My goal was to create a daily driver that road smoothly and would annihilate the tires at will, at any speed, while retaining some form of reasonable fuel mileage and, of course, all the creature comforts such as power windows, a nice stereo, A/C, etc. With today's technology, I didn't think that would be too much trouble and so the saga began. The project started off with a set of twin GT3582Rs and some where along the way, the turbo stuff, all bought and paid for, got shelved and a ProCharger F-1C found its way into the scene." With the new lungs bolted to the engine, David returned to the engine dyno and walked away with a 1,048hp pull on just 16 psi. "I haven't put it on the chassis dyno yet, but I'm guessing it should make over 800 at the tires, which should allow me to meet and/or exceed my goals."
Engine complete and tuned, David wasted no time modifying the rest of his Camaro's drivetrain to take the abuse. "I researched clutches for several months, talking to manufacturers about what they could do. I found Fidanza was just releasing their new twin disc for the 2010s and they offered one that was rated at 900 lb-ft, so, of course, I called and ordered one ASAP. Once in the car, I had no regrets. There was no chatter, no rattle, and engagement was smooth with an easy pedal. I love that clutch." The stock TR6060 transmission is still in place, which turns the stock differential, upgraded with just a pair of Hendrix Engineering axles. Stance comes from a set of Pedders Xa coilovers, which allow this Camaro to sit perfectly above the new Forgeline wheels. "The Pedders gave me the stance I wanted and certainly made the car look much better as well as giving me adjustability in both ride height, firmness, and travel."
With everything ready to roll, Dave had just two things left to do before showing his Camaro to the public for the very first time. Inside, Dave pulled the stock seats and had them recovered in black leather with dark-red suede inserts, something that looks factory but really helps this 1SS stand apart from the crowd. Outside, Dave told us, "We all know how important wheels are and that was an adventure in itself. I knew I wanted to run the Mickey Thompson ET Drag Radial tire, so I would have some chance of traction and the largest diameter they offer is 18-inches, so ..." After months of searching, Dave found Forgeline and convinced them to build a set of 18-inch wheels with the correct offset for his 2010. "They slipped on perfectly and filled the wheelwells completely." And with that, Dave was done. A build that started years before he could even purchase a fifth-generation Camaro was complete, and it was time to move on to something else. Or, was it? "That covers everything that is on the car to date, however, not everything I had on my list to do. I had hoped to score a Nickey hood, but they still have not been released. In the very near future, the car will get gauges, a hood, and some type of subtle stripe or paint modification. I intend to put a set 3.90 gears in it as soon as someone steps up and makes them. I haven't made my mind up yet about a rollbar, but I'm going to have to come to terms with that before the spring or get kicked off the track after one pass." Sounds like a tough decision. Remember, this is a brand-new 8.0-mile car after all.