Читать книгу Detroit Speed's How to Build a Pro Touring Car - Tommy Lee Byrd - Страница 6

INTRODUCTION

Because the first-generation Camaro is still the most popular choice for a Pro Touring build, this book provides step-by-step instructions for taking a stock 1969 Camaro and making it handle and perform better than a new sports car. The buildup features the most generic platform and provides outstanding results when complete.

These steps can be used for other builds also, as most muscle cars feature a coil-spring independent front suspension and a solid rear axle, with either a leaf-spring or multi-link coil-spring rear suspension. This buildup also includes braking systems, tires and wheels, engine upgrades, and much more, in an effort to squeeze every ounce of performance out of a classic Camaro.

Chapter 1 gives you an overview of Pro Touring by answering these questions: What does Pro Touring have to offer you? Which makes and models are best suited for Pro Touring? Who is Detroit Speed?

Chapter 2 discusses the skills you need to accomplish a successful Pro Touring build and where is best to take on the project. Also, a fairly complete list of needed tools is provided.

Other important factors in a Pro Touring build involve the chassis structure: whether your car rides on a full frame or features a unibody construction. Many modifications provide rigidity to the chassis, which helps high-performance suspension components do their jobs efficiently. If the chassis isn’t strong enough to handle the abuse, the best parts in the world do not provide the ideal result. Braces and other support brackets are a great addition to any full-frame car, although subframe connectors are a must-have for anyone using a unibody vehicle, such as a Camaro, Mustang, or any of the popular midsize Mopars. Chassis and structural bracing are covered in Chapter 3.

All front suspension styles and components are discussed in Chapter 4. Chapter 5 covers everything for the rear suspension.

Chapters 6 and 7 reveal the ins and outs of the most desirable braking systems, as well as tire and wheel combinations that provide good looks and awesome performance. In Chapter 7 you also learn what it takes to fit the largest possible tires and wheels on your Pro Touring build.

Of all the traits of a Pro Touring car, the one that appeals to all car guys is horsepower, and that is the focus of Chapter 8. Any custom build, whether it’s geared toward drag racing, road racing, or anything in between, needs horsepower to complete the gearhead experience. Although horsepower is always a popular bragging point for any build, the way horsepower is made has changed drastically in the past 15 years or so.

With the development of the LS family of engines, as well as the popular overhead cam engines from the Ford camp and the new Hemi from Mopar, it’s very popular to swap a late-model engine into a vintage body. With a plethora of products, including headers, wiring harnesses, and engine mounting kits, it’s even easier to bring your muscle car out of the Stone Age, compared to the experimental engine swaps of years past.

You can make big power with modern engines without spending crazy amounts of money on race-only parts. They’re dependable, powerful, and surprisingly fuel-efficient. It’s not uncommon for a 500-hp V-8 engine to get fuel mileage in the mid-20 range, something that was unheard of in the muscle car era. Although big-blocks ruled when gas was cheap, they just don’t stack up to the new wave of power plants from the Big Three manufacturers.

Throughout this book, you see the necessary steps to turn a stock Camaro into a full-on Pro Touring machine. Some folks start with a complete driver, whereas others pick up a project that someone else gave up on. Regardless, the process is the same and the end result is definitely worth the effort.

Chapter 4 covers front suspension and Kyle Tucker provides insight into the advantages of Detroit Speed components. His extensive knowledge in product development and real-world muscle car performance have earned him respect in the aftermarket industry.

Rear suspension is covered in Chapter 5, where you follow along with the installation of Detroit Speed’s QUADRALink rear suspension system. It replaces the original leaf springs and provides a killer suspension that really works.

Old-school big-blocks are still a great option for many muscle car applications but the real problem with these engines is weight. For a Pro Touring build, you’re looking for a nearly perfect weight balance from front to rear, and a big-block puts an extra couple hundred pounds on the nose.

What’s the biggest disadvantage? This can be answered with one word: weight. Big-blocks, and old-school small-blocks for that matter, are heavy beasts. The weight differences of various engine combinations are covered more thoroughly in Chapter 8, and you quickly appreciate the reason most folks opt for a modern engine in a Pro Touring car.

Engine swaps are very popular in the Pro Touring movement. For most GM vehicles, the go-to platform is the LS family of engines. These engines are surprisingly affordable and make incredible horsepower. This particular engine is an all-aluminum LS6, topped with a Magnuson supercharger, making nearly 600 hp.

In Chapter 9 you find a complete guide to wiring and plumbing your car, including some fuel system tricks and tips.

Chapter 10 showcases some great examples of real-world Pro Touring cars, including a 1969 Camaro, 1966 Mustang, 1963 Chevy II, and 1965 Chevelle.

Most folks dread electrical work on an old car but it’s essential to the reliability of a Pro Touring car. You learn everything you need to know about wiring and plumbing in Chapter 9 as you follow along with the 1969 Camaro project car.