Long overdue for a Car Journal! Making this thread to document and track my journey into High Performance Driver's Education (aka Track Days) with my 2019 ZL1 1LE.
First, some background -- I've been a GM guy since I was a kid and grew up wrenching on my father's 50s, 60s & 70s cars. Mostly muscle cars, sometimes car-boats (looking at you '75 Delta 88) and a '56 190SL (yes, not GM, but whatta car!)
I frequented fbody.com and ls1tech while I was in high school and fell in love with the fourth gen trans am. That's where my handle / user name originates from -- 2002 Ram Air Trans Am (aka WS6). That was my dream car. I ended up saving and saving and saving and purchased my first car when I was 16 -- a 1999 Pontiac Trans Am. Did a cam install with supporting valvetrain and bolt-ons in my parent's garage. Unfortunately, that car was totaled -- I was at a dead stop to make a left hand turn and was rear ended by someone going 40+ mph.
Still, I loved the fourth gen f-bodies and found a 2000 WS6 out in Ohio. Made the 8 hour drive out there and drove it back in a blizzard. Thinking back, I'm not sure how I had the courage (I suppose typical youth invincibility) nor how I made it home. Ended up moving over the bolt-ons from my '99 Trans Am and did heads/cam on that car. TSP MS4 Cam, Patriot CNC Ported 243 heads and supporting valvetrain mods. Ended up breaking the stock 10 bolt at the dragstrip and installed a Moser 12 bolt. She put down 432 hp / 385 tq on a dynojet way back in 2006. I wish I had some footage from the dragstrip, but instead I have this fun
burnout video. And here's a potato quality video
post heads/cam install, but before tune. Please excuse the mid 2000's baggy jeans
And
this video is literally the FIRST startup after doing the heads/cam. I was terribly nervous. While I had turned over the engine by hand, I had no confidence the car was going to start and run. I had images in my mind of what the sound of piston hitting valve would be like. Thankfully, I executed the install and timing alright and everything worked as it should have!
I regret ever selling the WS6. Should've held onto her, but I sold her and purchased a 2005 CTS-V. The first gen V was a great car, but nothing compared to the Gen 2. I kept that car until 2009 when they were bringing back the Camaro. Bought a 2010 2SS/RS, did some light modding and then sold her around 2013 when I moved to NYC and it didn't make sense to have a car.
Here's a 12.5 run with bolt ons.
At the end of 2018, I bought a house in the suburbs of NYC and it was time to get back into the hobby. I purchased a 2011 CTS Wagon as a daily driver and found a 2019 ZL1 1LE at a local dealer. I had no intention of purchasing the ZLE when I went to look at her -- I was actually in the market for a first gen or early second gen firebird / trans am or camaro, but I fell in love with the ZLE.
Attached some photos of my old cars here. The next post will be about the ZLE.