My '96 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
» Standard equipment
» 99/00 Mods
» 00/01 Mods
» Timeslips
» Pictures

This bright red '96 Z was brand new when it was imported from the States back in spring 1996. I bought the car in the summer of 1999 from the original owner.

 

The car had 53k miles on it and although it was regularly maintained, a couple of problems had to be fixed before hitting the road. In addition to infamous intake leak and a broken tranny mount, the PS pump was leaking.

The Z28 is not a rare car in the States, but you don't see them much around here. The reason is that our government banned the import of US spec cars in '97. That's why only a few 4th-genners made their way here. One can buy a brand new Euro spec Camaro for $38k, but the few who could afford it seem to prefer German luxury cars.

It is nice to have a somewhat rare car, but it also means you have to figure out all your problems by yourself. Car repair shops can't help much if you don't have a clue yourself. Parts supply is quick enough, but unfortunately shipping charges and taxes often nearly double the prices compared to the States, so modifying ain't cheap.

When I bought my Z, I knew next to nothing about 4th-gen cars. So I started to look around for information on the Internet. It didn't take long to discover www.camaroz28.com, f-body FAQ and Camaro axis. It took a few months to read the stuff and learn the basics.

Initially I didn't plan to do any extensive modifications because I thought it's too complicated and too easy to screw up. CAI and a cat-back was the most I was thinking about doing. But when you read the board long enough, the unavoidable happens and you get the mod bug bite. So in winter '99/'00 I did order a bunch of performance goodies and the endless modfest began.

 

Standard Equipment
 

For standard equipment, please see the window sticker.

 

99/00 Mods
 

ENGINE:

  • LT4 heads (stock) and intake
  • GMPP Hot Cam kit
  • BBK 58 mm TB
  • K&N Cold Air Intake
  • LT4 heavy duty timing set
  • Fastchips programming
  • Holley Annihilator Ignition box
    and coil (removed in 2001)
  • Accel Extreme 9000 plug wires
  • Hypertech 160 F PowerStat
  • LT4 knock module
  • 1LE air intake bellow
  • !EGR, !AIR, !TB

EXHAUST:

  • Hooker Super Competition shortie headers, ceramic coated single cat
  • Hooker 3" cat-back with Aero Chamber muffler
  • Self-fabricated off-road pipe
Hear the car rev! (1 Mb .wav)

 

CHASSIS:

  • Chassis Engineering SFC's
  • Lakewood LCA's
  • Lakewood adjustable panhard rod
  • ES sway bar bushing kit front/rear
  • Performance Friction carbon metallic brake pads

DRIVETRAIN:

  • TCI Breakaway torque converter (2600 stall)
  • B&M Shift Improver Kit Stage II
  • B&M 19 000 GVW tranny cooler
  • 1LE tranny mount

APPEARANCE:

  • A&A rear wing
  • LT4 composite valve covers
  • Tinted hatch glass
  • Zaino mod's :)
  • RK Sport clear corner lenses

AUDIO:

  • Alpine TDA-7567R, head unit
  • Alpine CHA-1204, 12 disc CD box
  • Alpine MRV-F305, amp
  • Alpine MRV-1005, amp for woofer
  • Infinity 15" woofer
  • 4 Alpine speakers
 

00/01 Mods
 

CHASSIS:

  • Eibach Pro-kit springs
  • Bilstein HD shocks
  • 1LE front sway bar
  • ES polyurethane bushings everywhere
  • SLP strut tower brace
  • Spohn LCA relocation brackets
  • SLP ZR-1 style 17x9 wheels with 275/40 tires

BRAKES:

  • PowerStop cross-drilled rear rotors
  • BAER Track-kit with 13" front rotors

DRIVETRAIN:

  • Borg Warner T-56 six speed manual transmission conversion
  • STAR stage III kevlar clutch
  • B&M Ripper shifter
  • 3.73:1 gears
  • LS1 3" aluminium driveshaft

 

 

Timeslips
 

As there is no timing equipment in Estonia, most of my timeslips are from runs made in various drag-racing competitions in Finland. By now the only "real" event here has been "Raadi Speed" where timing equipment from the Finnish "Riverside Cruisers" club was used. I have never run on a purpose built drag-strip, all those competitions have taken place on small airfields, where grip is quite poor. I hope this at least partially explains my lousy 60-ft t imes :) Click to see timeslip:

 
 

Pictures
 
 
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