2000 Chevrolet Camaro - Training Wheels

Perhaps Dave Underwood didn't know what he was getting himself into when he dropped off his 26,000-mile Sebring Silver Camaro SS at Wheel to Wheel Powertrain, but he certainly opened Pandora's box when he commissioned the crew to build him a sick Gen III-powered 10.5 tire car. It began with a race-prepped iron block and a healthy sized turbo, then before he knew it the stock suspension was being traded for a four-link, the comfy interior stripped to make way for lightweight aluminum and fiberglass, and finished with extensive bodywork and a custom Stinger Yellow paint job. The 36-year-old Ohio native wound up shelling out over six figures, but in the end he got what he wanted-one of the meanest Gen III-powered cars to ever grace the 1320. Now the only trick is learning how to drive it.

Using the same knowledge base that helped Wheel to Wheel lay claim to the first 6-second Gen III, a 404ci iron block was assembled and prepped for over 1,500 hp. Billet main caps were used to secure a lightweight Callies 4340 forged crank along with a custom-made girdle. A Dailey Engineering 5-stage dry sump oiling system was used in combination with an ARE oil pan and custom windage tray to reduce drag on the crank as it spins to over 7,000 rpm. Oliver billet connecting rods and Mahle forged 2618 alloy low compression pistons are thrust into the 4.010-inch bore at this alarming rate reliably thanks to a solid roller setup. Wheel to Wheel is mum over the specs of the Cam Motion turbo roller cam, but it is designed to keep making power over 7,500 rpm. SCE Titan copper head gaskets and O-rings help seal boost to the stout bottom end, and contribute to an 8.2 to 1 compression ratio. The long-block is topped off with a set of All Pro LS1 castings that have been CNC ported to Wheel to Wheel's proprietary specs, then treated to Del West titanium 2.125 intake and 1.60 Inconel exhaust valves. Jesel's high-end catalog of Gen III components is also used, including a 1.7 ratio shaft mount rocker system, solid rollers, and a belt drive.

While nothing was held back on the design and assembly of the motor, the turbo sizing was scaled back a touch while Dave acclimates himself to the new powerplant. A still prominent 94mm unit from Precision Turbo is the sole motivator for the 404-cube mill. In current trim, the turbo won't exceed 25 psi or the 1,565 hp and 1,447 lb-ft of torque it made on W2W's engine dyno. However, bolting up a 101mm should take the back-half Camaro from a best of 7.87 at 179 mph to near seven flat at around 200. Now that's cooking! Kurt Urban at Wheel to Wheel (W2W) did the honors on the Camaro's maiden voyage, spooling up to only 11 to 12.5 psi. Now that the keys have been turned over to Dave, he plans to sharpen his spurs at the current boost level before cranking up to 25 psi or switching to a larger turbo. A loose 6000-stall, 10-inch converter from PTC is used with the Rossler Turbo 400 to make spooling up the large turbo a bit easier on Dave. With increased experience and a larger turbo, the converter may need to be tightened up in the future according to Kurt. Meanwhile an ample dual core water-to-air intercooler from PTE, HKS Race wastegate and Tial blow off valve will continue their usefulness as the combination changes. A serious set of titanium coated 321 stainless steel turbo headers were fabricated by W2W with gargantuan 2-inch primaries to feed the mondo hairdryer, and a 5-inch down pipe vents the fumes through a Dynomax race muffler.