To ensure that the drivetrain wasup to the task, Coleman called upon his association with Mark Williams Enterprises and had them supply him a bullet-proof 12-bolt Chevy rearend assembly. Equipped with Williams 33-spline Hi-Torque axles, steel spool and Richmond 9310 lightened 4.30 rear gears, the 1350 U-joints mate to a Mark Williams 3 1/2-inch aluminum driveshaft. Transmission duties are handled by a purpose built TH350 that was assembled by Greg Freeman of Baker's Transmission in Orange, Texas, to Comp Eliminator specs. Helping the TH350 handle the power was a full arsenal of ATI Performance Products parts, including aluminum forward and direct drum and 36- element sprag. A stock input shaft, reverse valvebody and Kevlar clutches easily handle the horsepower. Putting the torque into motion is an 8-inch ATI Treemaster MRT stall converter that flashes to 4500 rpm. When combined with the TH350's stock 2.52 low-gear set and an ATI Compu-Flow transbrake the engine quickly leaps into its power zone. Rounding out the transmission is an ATI steel flywheel, transmission cooler and scatter shield for added security and cool fluids. A Turbo-Action Cheetah SCS shifter with reverse-pattern and command center controls the gear changes and houses switches for the line-lock, trans-brake, water pump and two-stage rev limiter.
Very little had to be done in the way of lightening the car or altering the stock appearance for 9-second passes. Optioned as a "Billboard Car," the Z28 was literally a stripper with roll-up windows and a low-line stereo. "Madman" and Thunder went to work, and the A/C and HVAC systems were removed and a Burkhart Chassis HVAC plate was bolted to the firewall. Inside the cabin, the airbags and rear seat were extricated along with the factory stereo, and a single Kirkey aluminum racing seat replaced the buckets. A 10-point rollcage custom built by John Harrison of Houston, Texas, provides occupant safety and a solid foundation for the suspension. Out back, a Madman & Co. "Outlaw" torque arm with integral transmission cross member and weld-in subframe connectors are combined with chromemoly lower "Outlaw" control arms and Panhard bar, which all feature doubleadjustable aircraft grade rod ends. A Madman & Co rear sway bar is welded in and a matching wheelie bar with adjustable and removable bars is utilized to fine-tune the rate and upward mobility of the light Z. AFCO coilovers featuring 150-pound rate springs and Twin-tube multi-adjustable drag-race shocks allow efficient rear weight transfer and almost infinite adjustability for varying track conditions. To further lighten the car and provide better front-end control a PA Performance K-member and BMR upper and lower control arms were sourced, while the power steering rack was converted to a Madman & Co manual rack. AFCO coilovers featuring 250-pound spring rates and adjustable shocks round out the front end.
After some initial track testing and adjustments in order to optimize the car's launch, the meager 404 cubicinch LS2 turned a freakish 9.41 at 139.96 mph with a 1.25 60-ft time. Having also gone 5.91 in the 1/8th mile dispels any notion that the combination is only a top-end charger.