OVERVIEW
Location: Cincinnati, OH, USA
About Me: I'm a married 40 something father of two and I've been a shade tree mechanic since I built my first go kart at age 12. I have been keeping my hands greasy modifying, restoring and ocassionally racing cars ever since. Although I'm not an Electrical Engineer or Programmer by trade (luckily, my father is!), I've been fortunate to develop a technical apptitude over the years working on small projects in these areas learning in the shadows of my father. A good friend of mine exposed me to his MegaSquirt project two years ago and I instantly knew I HAD to convert my car to EFI! I researched nearly every possible EFI system for my project and VEMS was the clear choice for flexibility, capability and certainly value. Nothing really compares short of a high end MOTEC!
Current Project: 1969 Chevrolet Camaro RS SS Convertible, "Pro Touring" Conversion with EFI
Project Goals: Build a 60's era muscle car that maintains a nearly stock external appearance into a car that drives and performs as well as today's best 2+2 performance cars. The car will primarily spend most of it's life "cruising" but will occasionally see drag racing and autocross events. A well balanced, driveable package is key. All irreplacible numbers matching components for the car have been kept during the conversion. The following are the primary performance measurement goals I'll be evaluating at completion of the project:
- Quarter mile: under 12 seconds on DOT drag radials
- Skid pad: over .9 G on DOT performance street tires
- Chassis dyno: over 450 hp at the wheels
The following is a brief rundown of the car's configuration:
- Target curb weight: 3,400 lbs (no driver)
- Weight distribution: 53% front, 47% rear
- Front tires: 245 45 R 17 Kumho MX
- Rear tires: 275 45 R 15 Kumho MX
Engine Specifications:
- 417 CID small block Chevrolet V-8, 4.155 bore, 3.875 stroke, normally asperated
- 513 hp at 5,400 RPM and 539 lb ft torque at 4,600 RPM (before VEMS)
- These numbers were measured on the engine dyno using Edelbrock RPM Airgap dual plane manifold and Holley 830 HP carb. This combination started making 430 lb ft of torque at 1,800 RPM, the lowest RPM during the pull, and made over 500 lb ft from 3,300 RPM to 5,400 RPM! The combination made for a great street engine but EFI will only make it better!
- AFR 210 Race Ready 100% CNC ported aluminum heads with minor bowl work
- Flow bench tested (peak values: 278 CFM intake at .600 and 224 CFM exhaust at .700)
- 10.75 to 1 CR
- Comp Cams 12-770-8 mechanical roller cam
- Specs: (gross valve lift: intake .564, exhaust .570, duration at .015 lift: intake 274, exhaust 280)
- Comp Cams roller lifters
- Comp Cams 1.6 roller rockers
- Canton custom oil pan with internal bafles and teflon windage tray
- Ross forged pistons
- Eagle forged 6" H Beam rods
- Eagle forged crank
- Splayed 4 bolt main caps
- Dynamically balanced and blueprinted by Watson Rupple Performance
- Mezerie 55 GPH electric water pump
- Be Cool HD aluminum radiator
- Dual Spal 11" HD electric fans
- Braille Auto No-Weight battery
EFI Configuration:
- VEMS v3.3 assembled controller
- Primary_trigger VR
- Secondary_trigger HALL
- PS2 connection
- Mounting-style, screws
- MAP connection, 250kPa (6/4mm pneumatic)
- LCD connection
- Knock and EGT
- Ignition drivers,8
- Flyback 30V flyback
- LCD 4x20, green
- v3 harness V-8, with injector harness and relays
- 2 Bosch knock sensors
- 2 EGT sensors (K-type) (2x90mm) with connector pair, 6mm
- 2 Bosch wideband O2 sensors and bungs
- Oil and fuel pressure sensors
- Edelbrock 29785 Victor EFI aluminum intake (port matched and profiled)
- MSD 8514 Cam Sync distributor plug (hall effect)
- Edelbrock 3630 fuel rail kit
- Edelbrock 1000 CFM 4 barrel throttle body with GM TPS and stepper IAC
- Electromotive 200-72707 60-2 crank trigger (VR)
- 42 lb Venom flow matched fuel injectors (high impedence)
- GM style coolant and MAT sensors
- Walbro GSS 340 fuel pump
- Edelbrock high flow regulator
Driveline:
- TREMEC TKO 600 5 speed manual with Hurst shifter
- Ratios: 2.87, 1.89, 1.28, 1.0, .64, 2.56 reverse
- McLeod Dual-Disc HD clutch and light weight steel flywheel
- Inland Empire 4" aluminum driveshaft
- Moser Enginering 12 bolt rear end
- 33 spline axles
- 3:42:1 HD Richmond Gears
- Detroit True Trac limited slip differential
- HD support cover
Suspension:
- Global West CAT 5 complete suspension system:
- Revised geometry upper and lower control arms, Delrin bushings, with custom tall spindles
- HD 1" sway bar
- QA1 aluminum coil-over front shocks, double adjustable
- 600 lb race springs (300 lb variable rate springs for street use)
- Custom centerlink to eliminate bump steer
- Custom rate rear leaf springs with spearical bearings and Delrin bushings
- QA1 aluminum double adjustible rear shocks
- Solid body mounts
- Sub frame connectors (welded) and HD tunnel bracing
- Modified GM/Delphi 700 series 12:1 steering box with rack & pinion valving
Brakes:
- Wilwood 6 piston front calipers with 13" NASCAR spec rotors
- Wilwood 4 piston rear calipers with 12" vented rotors
- Wilwood master cylinder
- SSBC adjustible proportioning valve