WHEELS & BRAKES
Skinnies and slicks rule. On the narrow
end, TJ posted M/T 28x7.50 Sportsman
fronts on 15x3.5 Weld Magnum Drag
2.0 hoops. On the business end, the car
twists 275/60 street radials on 8.25-inch-
wide Magnums. Sexy Aerospace 11.75-
inch diameter vented rotors and two-
piston calipers reside at both ends of the
Camaro. This setup is completely viable
for street driving and was designed as
such.
CHASSIS
The Camaro rides on a PA Racing
K-member and upper control arms, and
a Strange front coilover (150 pounds)
kit that was meant for a Fox Mustang
conversion. To fit the strut, TJ simply had
the spindles turned down to accept it.
Spohn strut braces were already in the
car and so they remain. He also retained
the stock antisway bar. The steering
system was replaced with a Wilwood
manual Pinto rack-and-pinion, shedding
frontend weight and gaining accuracy
from a Race Craft bumpsteer kit. The
Moser 9-inch housing is bracketed by an
adjustable torque arm, aluminum control
arms, Panhard rod, and Suspension
Techniques 1-inch antisway bar. Stock
coil springs and Strange Fox shocks form
the rear suspension. Weighing in at 3,300
pounds, the Camaro's short times are
consistent in the 1.3-second range.
INTERIOR
Though not readily apparent at first glance, every interior panel except the rear sails
and the hatch trim has been swapped for custom-made stuff. Carpeting is new. The
Kirkey Pro Street Drag aluminum buckets were covered in Air Knit black that Kirkey
custom made for the application. The big deal inside is the dashboard, lifted complete
from a '02 Camaro. TJ put it down with a matching console, and ebony leather door
panels and steering wheel. He snugs in with a Stroud cam-lock five-point harness,
a welcome complement to the airbag-equipped steering wheel. A PLX wideband,
Raptor shift light, and Auto Meter transmission fluid temp gauge were tucked out of
sight in the center A/C ducts. Water temp, oil pressure, speedometer, volt, and fuel are
monitored via the functional fourth-gen instrument cluster. The MSD 6010 ignition box
is also out of sight and away from heat secured to the backside of the glovebox.
EXTERIOR
One of the first things TJ did to his captive was to have AA Paint and Body in Pensacola
change the exterior from IROC Black to '03 Ford CX Dark Shadow Gray. TJ says,
"The metallic in the paint makes it come alive in the sun's rays, while at night it looks
downright wet. It had been tapped in the front before I bought it, so it needed a little
work on the radiator support to make the hood, fenders, and bumper happy." He went
further: "Welding up the holes from the '88 model metal track rubber trim door molding,
to the clean look of the '90-92 trim that was painted to match the car are the only body
modifications other than a shaved antenna hole on the passenger-side fender." A GM
SS hood protects that snorting chunk of aluminum quivering beneath.