Project Snowball has been dormant for quite a while; its last installment was in May '08 where it received some much-needed rust repair. At long last, this LT1-powered third-gen project is nearly ready for track and street duty, though, where it will dominate Mustangs at will.inline_mediumwraptextright27039809/tech/suspension/1004gmhtp_thrid_gen_pontiac_firebird_suspension_upgrades1004gmhtp_01_o+gen_iii_chevy_camaro_suspension_upgrades+performance_suspension_kit_instalation.jpgTrue

In our last episode (Mar. '10) we dyno tested a slew of bolt-ons and the new Precision Turbo (#PTB305-5857) on our Grand National test car. With these upgrades we anticipated possibly breaking into the 12s (13.50 was the previous best e.t.), but the transmission began to slip in First and Second gear. This prompted a call to our friends at PerformaBuilt Transmissions for a rebuilt 200-4R, that could easily handle our intended power level, and a higher stall converter to help our hot, new turbo spool. From day one of strip testing we've needed a higher stall converter for a better launch to lower the e.t.'s, and when we removed the trans from Tim Cairone's Buick we discovered a remanufactured torque converter, which are typically a low-stall unit, probably installed during the previous trans rebuild. That explained why we could never build any boost for a good launch-our 60-foots were in the terrible 2.2 to 2.3 range! A typical 12- to...

What you see here is the much-anticipated, highly secretive, and oft-dreamt-about RHS LS Race Block. We won't go into the history of this block, but suffice it to say it is real, it is ready to ship, and it certainly delivers on all of its promises. The amount of time and thought RHS has poured into this block shows in every improvement, and believe us, there are many. This all starts with a massive amount of A357-T6 aluminum, which is eventually formed into one of two castings, a standard 9.240-inch block or, the much more interesting, 9.750-inch "tall deck" version. For the tall deck, you get a set of very long 6.38-inch sleeves, which are built specifically to minimize "piston rock" at the bottom of a long stroke, while still maintaining enough clearance for larger 4.600-inch stroker crankshafts. The press-in, spun cast-iron liners are surrounded by a full water jacket, which provides maximum cooling for the 4.125-4.165-inch bores. The tall deck also benefits from a very...

Like most things in life, Frank Beck's story starts off innocently enough, "I bought this car brand new and it was supposed to be a daily driver. Once we reached 3,000 miles we started taking it to the track, my wife would bring the drag radials in the back of her Range Rover and we would bracket race it. We were just excited to meet other GTO owners at the track who shared the same passion for drag racing and for the car. The first year, our personal best was a 13.40 at 116 mph." And while some may be satisfied with that, Frank told us that the first year was just a tease, infecting him and his family with what would turn out to be an all-consuming GTO speed addiction. An addiction that would not only end up changing the face of late-model GTO racing, but one that would build a career, a great group of friends, and a killer shop in the process.inline_mediumwraptextright26823785/features/1004gmhtp_2005_pontiac_gto1004chp_01_o+2005_pontiac_gto+burnout.jpgTrue

In the first installment of our 451 cubic-inch LSX build, Late Model Engines in Houston, Texas, machined our GM Performance Parts LSX block to accept a custom set of 4.185-inch Wiseco forged pistons and a 4.100-inch stroke Callies forged crankshaft. The crew even balanced the crank in-house to jive with the Wiseco pistons and pins, Compstar H-beam rods, and a set of Total Seal rings. This go-round LME will start piecing the short-block together, which would also require the help of ARP studs to secure the mains. A Canton Racing oil pan and Melling high-volume, high-pressure oil pump will keep those mains and crank in constant supply of lubrication. These are two often-overlooked parts in an engine build, despite their great responsibility, and with higher horsepower and rpm it becomes increasingly important. To make matters worse, we have a very long stroke and expect to be eventually placing this motor in a street-going F-body with serious potential to lift...

There once was a time when driving a manual transmission meant a little bit of work. It wasn't long ago that manuals were known as a "man's car," something that took a little work to get right and a little firmness to operate correctly. With the new age of automobiles for everyone, it seems that GM has slowly been taking all of the fun out of shifting, making each generation of shifter more and more disconnected from the actual transmission, leaving us with a mushy unit that feels more like an approximation than an actual precision instrument. Unfortunately, in this process of "refinement," transmission manufacturers have been forced to build much more complicated shifter units, with multiple pieces bolted together, each one flimsier than the last to help reduce NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness). The problem then, is how can this be fixed?inline_mediumwraptextright26844050/camaro/tech/1004gmhtp_2010_chevy_camaro_short_shifter_install1004chp_01_o+2010_chevy_camaro_short_shifter_install+.jpgTrue

With our '01 Camaro SS looking good both inside and out, it was time to get down to the serious business of picking a powerplant. If you haven't been following along, our project Camaro is being built specifically to slay imports at their own game, which means we need to be able to out accelerate, out brake, out handle, and out drive one of their best-the Subaru STi. While the handling and braking will come later, this month's project involves prepping our new GM Performance Parts LS6 for battle. Why an LS6 you ask? For starters, it is a direct replacement for an LS1 (or other Gen III) as originally came in our SS, which means the factory harness, PCM, and sensors plug right in. The "Keep It Simple, Stupid" or KISS strategy should help make for an easier install with less potential for failure in the heat of battle....

Show me a car lover and I'll show you someone who wishes they still had their first car. That first car is almost never perfect, but the attachment formed during those first few years behind the wheel tends to outweigh any faults. Unlike many, Jeremy Snyder didn't let an accident, breakdown, or a change in finances get in the way of keeping his first car, a 1986 IROC-Z Camaro. No, he still has that car 13 years later, and doesn't figure he'll let go of it anytime soon.inline_mediumwraptextright26824895/features/1004gmhtp_1986_chevy_camaro_iroc_z1004chp_01_o+1986_chevy_camaro_iroc_z+classic_body_style.jpgTrue

This can't be the right road. I haven't seen another car in over an hour and these "Panther Crossing" signs are really starting to freak me out. What happens if you hit a panther? Would you have to get out and fight it to the death or something? Either way, I didn't want to find out. It was dark, it was 4 a.m. and it was way too eerie outside to get lost. As I drove on into the night, I began to wonder what it must have felt like the first time someone bombed down the salt flats for over a mile. I wondered what type of loon would be attracted to building a one-mile certified death machine, something capable of hitting well over 200 miles an hour in under 5,280 feet. Wait, what did that sign say? It was so small, that couldn't have been my turn; I didn't see an abandoned airport. Keep on driving. As if the salt flats weren't enough, I...

You are looking at the fastest and quickest all-motor LS-based car in the country. With a factory chassis, there is none faster. In Memphis, it ran an 8.58 at 158.7 mph with a 1.27 60-foot (weighing 3,500 lbs). In fact, this car is so important that it is almost a celebrity around the racing world, with a slew of past features in magazines that hardly ever turn an ear to the LSX racing world. But, what really makes this car special isn't what it has done on the track, but what it has done to people's lives. This car has launched careers and helped educate a slew of now well-known LS-based mechanics, tuners, engine builders, and shops. And this is accomplished by building, racing, and breaking records in real cars, built and maintained by the students of the School of Automotive Machinists. So let's take a look inside and see what makes this car, and its students, stay on the top of the LSX game.inline_mediumwraptextright28291393/features/1004gmhtp_1999_chevy_camaro_ss1004chp_02_o+1999_chevy_camaro_ss+custom_front_grill.jpgTrue

There is no denying that there are fewer custom/tuner car enthusiasts involved in this segment of the collector car hobby than five to eight years ago. However, the people who are still involved today are just as, if not more, passionate about their vehicles and the hobby than ever before. Carlisle Events, one of the world's largest presenters of car, truck and motorcycle events is dedicated to continuing to offer an event that allows custom/tuner enthusiasts the opportunity to compete, show and celebrate their passion. The fourteenth year of the Carlisle Performance & Style event will motor back to the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds May 8th & 9th. Carlisle Events bills Performance & Style as, "more than a car show" but rather a "motorsports and lifestyle celebration, that plays host to over 1,500 of the hottest, loudest, fastest and most tricked-out cars,...

Check out Erik Cederberg's sinister '10 Camaro and then, respectfully, check out his lovely new wife, Helena. A true meeting of beauty and the beast, Erik reports, "She drives the car just as hard as I do on the road course!" That's impressive, considering his 2010 already sports a Livernois Stage 1B camshaft and a pair of matching L92 heads. An AFe intake brings in the air, while a pair of Kooks long-tube headers evacuate the spent gasses. With custom tuning, Erik's 2010 has made 497 rwhp, more than enough to get things going. On track and around the streets of Miami, Erik and Helena can thank a set of Pfadt Racing sway bars and springs for keeping everything under control, as well as the Torq Custom 20-inch forged wheels for keeping the tires on the pavement.inline_mediumwraptextright32517162/camaro/features/1004gmhtp_2010_chevy_camaro1004gmhtp_01_o+2010_chevy_camaro+performance_suspension_kit.jpgTrue

You may be familiar with Larry Hamilton Jr. ("Right Place, Right Time," Apr. '09), but you should also get to know his father, Larry Hamilton Sr, of Elgin, Illinois. Using LS power in his '01 Z28, Larry Sr. runs 10.95 at 122 mph on motor, with an impressive 1.46 60-foot on M/T drag radials. To run this quick, Larry uses an LS6 short-block, topped with a set of APE 6.0L heads. Commanding the valvetrain is a custom Speed Inc. 235/240, 0.643/0.609-inch lift, 111-LSA camshaft, which must make a ton of power. A Strange 12-bolt and FLT Level 3 transmission keeps everything turning, while a smorgasbord of suspension pieces keep everything hooked up. Larry plans on spraying it with 150-rwhp worth of nitrous in the spring, which should hopefully net him some low 10-second slips. Not bad for a stock bottom end and 3,600-pounds.inline_mediumwraptextright32516673/features/1004gmhtp_2001_chevy_camaro_z281004gmhtp_01_o+2001_chevy_camaro_z28+chevy_ls6_short_block_engine.jpgTrue

"I could never afford a 'cool' car when I was a kid, so, in 2002, when I was finally at a point in my life that I could afford something fun, I came across this car and it was love at first sight!" Six years and an additional 240 horsepower later, Kris Hazen of Kingsport, Tennessee, is still in love with his '00 Camaro SS, and for good reason. The heart of this build is a Texas Speed-built forged LS6, which is force-fed 9 psi of boost from a ProCharger P-1SC. A Yank 3,500-stall and Strange 12-bolt rearend transfer power to the ground, spinning (or, hopefully hooking) a pair of Mickey Thompson drag radials. "The new motor has allowed me to get a new best of 11.064 at 123 mph, falling just short of my 10.999 goal." Of course, Kris also told us that "whenever I get bored again, the simple fix will be a D-1 head unit and more boost." And so it continues-see you...

If you actually managed to take your eyes off of this thing and you're over here to read about it, we applaud you. This is one of those cars that is so evil, so sinister, that pictures truly are worth a thousand words. Sure, the hood may not be for everyone and to some the thought of painting a perfectly good Z06 flat black is unforgivable, but to the hardcore crowd, this is the only way a race car should come. We could go on for days talking about the perfect stance or the "death by displacement" badges adorning the front fender, but to truly understand Keith Berry's '02 Z06, you really just have to take a look at it.inline_mediumwraptextright27826330/features/1003gmhtp_2002_chevy_corvette_c5_z061003gmhtp_01_o+2002_chevy_corvette_c5_z06+custom_hood.jpgTrue