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When we saw how far along our ’73 Camaro project had come thanks to Bruce Monroe and Joe Walden at A&E Motorsports in Santa Fe Springs, California, our jaws dropped, eyes widened, and clutch foot twitched. Then, once we sat in the Corbeau seats and gripped the familiar Tremec shift knob and glared down the carbon hood, we envisioned ourselves weaving this screamer around orange cones, all white-knuckled and grinning. We distinctly remember delivering a boring, stock F-body and now it seems to have transformed into a killer corner carver that we can’t wait to pilot. F73 has come a long way since we started the project a few years ago and the builders at A&E did a superb job in making our road-hugging vision become a reality. One of the first things on the agenda when we purchased the car back in 2009 was to install the more desirable split bumper front nose, but before the fascia could be installed, we contacted the cooling system experts at AutoRad for one of their ultimate radiator/support/fan setups. If you don’t mind paying good money on a truly trick part for your car, you need to check this setup out; it’s an all-aluminum, bolt-on radiator package that replaces your stock support and is equipped with dual, giant electric fans (see sidebar). Other OEM metal pieces were also replaced with lighter versions; Anvil Auto sent us their Power Bulge carbon-fiber hood and matching trunk lid as well. Eddie Motorsports supplied us with a very cool “F73” battery hold-down from a hunk of billet, and we’re also running their trick billet hood hinges as well. A complete 9-inch rearend from Moser sits under F73, which A&E Motorsports bolted in place using Detroit Speed’s QuadraLink rear suspension kit. If you want to take corners with aggression, an adjustable four-link is the way to go, so Detroit Speed designed a kit that bolts to your car’s factory frame, eliminating the leaves—converting your car to have a more viable suspension setup for taking corners. We opted to go with a five-speed... We opted to go with a five-speed gearbox for our second-gen project. A Tremec TKO 600 got the nod and the techs at A&E were able to position it in the tunnel of the F73 using a kit from classicchevy5speed.com. A&E also completely rewired F73, because as most gearheads know, early ’70s wiring can be a nightmare when it comes time to install aftermarket electronics, like in our case, the digital Street Dash from Auto Meter. Instead of adapting the factory harness to incorporate new gadgetry, A&E opted for a new wiring kit from American Autowire, which is a clearly labeled and easily installed kit that covers even older cars with power windows, radio, foglight, hazards, and other accessories that need power. Installing the sound deadening Dynamat flooring, Detroit Speed’s wheeltubs and through-the-floor subframe connectors, and a Moser 9-inch rearend were other upgrades A&E handled over the last several months. Stopping the F73 at each corner... Stopping the F73 at each corner are Baer’s 13-inch rotors, which are clamped by their 6S caliper—one of the only six-piston brake setups designed for street driving. We plan on abusing the heck out of these on the road course and even some speed-stop challenge events as well. With CHP covering various road course and track meets like the American Street Car Series’ Run to the Coast event ( americanstreetcarseries.com), it made sense to build a car that could annihilate the corners and come to a halt with spine-snapping speeds in competition, while still being a comfortable street car we could drive anywhere. By using a complete suspension system from Detroit Speed, including their cool QuadraLink rear suspension that swaps the leaf springs for a sturdier four-link setup, some fat BFGoodrich tires, and Baer binders, we want to show how an old muscle car can traverse like a new sports car. This project was largely inspired by Detroit Speed’s Kyle Tucker and Brian Finch’s cars—both of which are extremely competitive second-gens. With F73’s eventual power output from a blown LS3, combined with DSE’s stellar suspension system and wide rollers, it could be even faster than the brand-new Z06 Vette, at least, that’s the plan.  If you’ve never sat in a Corbeau...  If you’ve never sat in a Corbeau seat, you are missing out. Even when the car is sitting still, the way these seats grip your body gives you a certain confidence, so we can imagine when we’re racing we’ll be able to take the corners at full-bore without worrying about sliding all over the place. We went with Corbeau’s CR1 reclining model for the F73. Features include high-wear patches that have been strategically placed to protect your seat from abuse in the high-wear areas and are available in cloth, with Leatherette high-wear patches, Microsuede, with leather high-wear patches, or 100 percent black leather.  American Autowire provided...  American Autowire provided the fuse block, connections, and all the wiring needed to totally revamp our ’73’s electrical system. Clearly labeled wires and detailed instructions made installation easy, however, it was still time consuming because that’s how wiring a car from scratch goes, but easy, nonetheless.  We’re running a complete suspension...  We’re running a complete suspension setup from Detroit Speed, including their rebound adjustable coilover shocks. These feature special internal valving by Detroit Speed, which is ideal for these road-handling muscle cars.  For ultimate rigidity, Detroit...  For ultimate rigidity, Detroit Speed’s through-the-floor subframe connectors were used to tie F73’s chassis together. This is actually a tricky thing to do according to the builder because you have to cut structure out of the car to install them. It’s imperative that you make sure the frame is totally square before welding them into place.  The F73 rolls on Rushforth...  The F73 rolls on Rushforth Wheels’ Livewire model, which measure 18x10 in the front and a whopping 18x12 rear. The tires are BFGoodrich g-Force KDW, measuring in at 335/35ZR18 in the rear and 275/35ZR18 in the front. With this much grip, combined with the large brakes from Baer, the F73 should be an absolute terror on the track.  The Auto Meter digital Street...  The Auto Meter digital Street Dash is hooked up using these very trick weatherproof connectors. Joe Walden of A&E Motorsports in Santa Fe Springs, California, handled getting F73 all wired and ready.  To eliminate body roll during...  To eliminate body roll during hard cornering, Detroit Speed’s front suspension setup comes with a large front sway bar that actually runs through the front crossmember and attaches to the control arms through this spline-wrought arm.  If you’re looking for a carbon-fiber...  If you’re looking for a carbon-fiber part for your Chevrolet muscle car, Anvil Auto probably has it. We learned of their website recently and were impressed with the amount of different carbon parts they have. We’re running their PowerBulge hood and carbon decklid. The bulge in the hood will actually be functional, as it will clear the F73’s future engine—a supercharged LS3.  Here’s a sneak peek at the...  Here’s a sneak peek at the engine combination we’re planning to run in F73. It’s a factory stock LS3 (which made impressive baseline numbers on the motor alone) that we bolted ProCharger’s D-1SC supercharger to. If you’re wondering what 13 psi of boost will make on GM’s latest ponycar V-8, let’s say it sang to the tune of 769 hp and 668 lb-ft of torque! CHP AutoRad’s Trick Radiator/Support Combo One of our favorite parts of this project is the aluminum radiator support from AutoRad. Handcrafted in the United States, this complete kit comes with all you need to swap out your stock steel support for an aluminum one and the double-row, oven-brazed radiator can cool even the most radical engine combos. Options such as electric fans, A/C condenser, fan shroud, and incorporated transmission cooler are all items that can be added to the base package upon ordering. AutoRad has these available for ’55-57 Chevy, ’67-69 Camaro, ’62-67 Nova, ’68-72 Nova, ’70-73 Camaro, and ’65-72 Chevelle. Eddie Motorsports out of Rancho Cucamonga, California, provided us with a couple really neat items that you have to check out. An “F73” logo-engraved battery hold-down was made for our project by EM, and we’re running their super-nice billet hood hinges as well. These are a much sturdier alternative to the ugly factory hinges and they’re even built with sealed bearings that ensure your hood opens smoothly every time.
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