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Old 12-04-2018, 08:43 PM   #1
ocautomotive
 
Drives: 2017 ZL1 and 2018 SS 1LE
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Orange County
Posts: 567
A Cursed Car. 2018 Camaro SS 1LE 416 Stroker Whipple Build SORRY ABOUT HUGE PICS

This one will be a long one, but I have always wanted to make one of these. First and foremost I wanna post all the mods on the car currently.
Performance:
LME 416 ci Stroker
LT4 block
Balanced and Blueprint
ARP Main Studs
Manley Forged Crank
Callies H Beam Rods
Wiseco Pistons
Clevite main bearings
Clevite Rod Bearings
GM LS7 Lifters
LME custom spec cam
Katech valley cover
BTR dual valve springs
retainers
Whipple Supercharger Kit
Alky Control Dual nozzle meth kit
TSP Headers
LT4 Injectprs
LT4 in tank
LPE big bore pump
ACT Clutch

Cosmetic:
Wrap
American Racing VF103 wheels
Race star dark star drag setup
Eibach Lowering Springs
GM dark tails
Street Scene Splitter
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Now that that is out the way, let me explain why this car is "cursed". Skip back to June 2017, I wanted to trade in my 2016 SS (the one with several early production issues). I was looking at the 1LE but didnt think i could find the deal i wanted, so i started talking to dealers and realized the deal I wanted was actually quite possible. The other issue now was i could not find the spec i wanted. I searched for weeks, and was giving up until I told a buddy the spec i wanted and he found it within 20 minutes. I called the dealer, gave them the deal i was given by other dealers and they agreed to match it. I was ecstatic, the car was the perfect spec, fully loaded 2017 Mosaic Black SS 1LE with PDR and pretty much every accessory you can buy.

Fast forward 9 days later, the car got into an accident and was unfortunately deemed a total loss. I was devastated, I just lost the only perfect spec 1LE in california at the time.

The 1LE platform was just too good to give up on, I ended up looking again. But this time i was really lost, couldn't find one at all that I liked. The only 3 available were a 2017 White one no options, a 2017 Gray One no options, and a 2018 Gray one again no options. I held off for a bit trying to find one with PDR and preferably black to no luck. So on August 17 2017, i ended up talking to the dealer of the 2018 and going to pick it up. Here she is day 1


I have never modified a car beyond cosmetics. So I started immediately doing cosmetic mods to the car. I own a vehicle wrapping company so within two days the car was wrapped, headlights tinted, lowered, new splitter, black tailights, and tinted.


She served me good for one and a half months. I don't know what got into me one night but i started researching performance modifications for the car. I came across several resources that showed these cars to make significantly good power with full boltons, cam and flex fuel. So that is what i opted to do, I started by talking to some shops and picked one who said they will spec out the cam and install it. I took their word, dont get me wrong they did great work but the cam was just not making power like some custom grind stuff from other shops. The cam install went smooth, car fired right up no issues, and i even drove it a couple days untuned waiting for my tune appointment.

After the cam, I did all the boltons you could do. Intake, throttle body, msd manifold, headers, flex fuel, etc. The car got tuned and made 499 hp but only 409 torque. This is all on a very popular mustang dyno in cali that reads extremely low. However that torque number was lower than simple bolt on cars done at that shop. My dyno graphs were also showing valve float around 6700 rpm which was strange due to the car having dual valve springs etc. Anyways we set the redline at 6500 and decided to change out valve springs see if our issue will be fixed. I ordered the new valve springs, and they arrived at the shop and no joke while driving the car to the shop to have them changed out, she decided to drop a valve and completely ruin the motor.

I started searching for replacement stock motors, and quickly came to the conclusion that it was better to spend a few grand more and buy the built short block instead. So I worked with my shop and got in contact with LME who quoted me out a 416 stroker with the specs above and I decided to pull the trigger. Took about 5 weeks to build, in that 5 weeks i bought new heads, oil pump, oil pan, and a D1SC supercharger kit.

At this point i wanted I wanted to get the motor put in, my impatience was blinding me and i did not do the right research into what shop should install the motor, I just wanted it done asap because i wanted my car back. As we will learn impatience did not pay off in my favor. I was contacted by a local shop who said they will go ahead and sponsor a free fuel system on my car if i went through them to get the motor work done, and this is where the lying began. They quoted me the same price as cunnigham motorsports and accelerated racing solutions (the two most known shops in socal), however the free fuel system made me go with them. My estimated completion date comes around, and I start getting the run around "we waiting for parts" "your car has more issues than expected" etc. I was patient and gave them time and come August 6th, they said my car was done. I go pick up the car, I can immediately see it not assembled correctly, stuff missing and not plugged in, total disaster. I take off my intake to install a new one and see they did not clean inside of the intake tube whatsoever, metal still in there from when the car blew. This was the most simple piece to clean, so i knew other stuff was also not cleaned. I decided to pop the heads off the car and check for any damage on the cylinder walls, pistons, valves etc. Boy did i find a lot...first of all, all retainers and wire management clips were broken, wires touching pullies and not plugged in, my main engine harness sitting on my header, and i realized that i paid for a lot of stuff like cometic head gaskets that were not even put on. Worst of all however was the same cylinder that failed originally now had a scored up wall and damaged piston.

I just wanted to put it back together, take it to a dodge dealer and trade it in on a hellcat. But I really didn't want to make some poor person get stuck with it knowing it wont last long, and I just love the 1LE platform. Also I didnt even get to enjoy my new motor. So I set out to fix it. I called everywhere, I researched all the shops making sure to get it done right this time. No expense sparred. I came across Accelerated Racing Solutions out in Rancho Cucamonga. Brandon and Tiana were very welcoming, their shop's professionalism and their knowledge about the sixth gen was absolutely unmatched. In fact they have a 440ci LME 2018 Camaro themselves. Their shop had several sixth gens and the reviews online proved they were the people to go to. I talked to Brandon and told him what is the best way to solve this, he said we could change the piston and pray thats all that was wrong or we can take the motor out and send it back to LME for inspection and to fix all the issues. I agreed to take it out and send it to Texas just so i am not paranoid again.

And that is currently where we are at right now. I wanted to do a twin turbo build, however after all this headache I really dont want another one. We went ahead and ordered a whipple kit, clutch, meth system, some fuel system parts, and a few other bits and pieces and am currently waiting for the motor to be completed. I will update this thread when we get some progress on it, and also when she hits the dyno. This was all in a year, and now that the car has a proper platform I cannot wait to see what is coming for it in the next year.

Last edited by ocautomotive; 12-04-2018 at 09:36 PM.
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Old 12-04-2018, 09:52 PM   #2
nightfallcamaro
 
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Drives: 2016 Nightfall Grey Camaro 1SS
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Florida
Posts: 31
Just wanted to say hello! Gonna follow this thread.
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LT4 Supercharger | Rotofab Intake | Ported Throttle Body | Stainless Works Exhaust | Flex Fuel

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Old 12-05-2018, 08:07 AM   #3
JCurry2885
 
Drives: Black 2018 1SS Camaro M6
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Tx
Posts: 29
That's some terrible bad luck man....I don't even want to know how much you have invested into this thing total at this point. Hopefully it all works out in the end, and the camaro will keep you out of a dodge!
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Old 12-05-2018, 12:23 PM   #4
cooper1965
Coopers Camaro
 
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Drives: 18 Flex Fuel LTG
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: St. Louis/Sullivan/Washington MO
Posts: 933
Sorry about all of your problems man, and I hate to derail that BUT,.. OMG!!
That wrap is absolutely beautiful!! What is it?
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Old 12-05-2018, 07:09 PM   #5
ocautomotive
 
Drives: 2017 ZL1 and 2018 SS 1LE
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Orange County
Posts: 567
Quote:
Originally Posted by cooper1965 View Post
Sorry about all of your problems man, and I hate to derail that BUT,.. OMG!!
That wrap is absolutely beautiful!! What is it?
3m satin dark gray
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Old 02-03-2019, 11:53 PM   #6
ocautomotive
 
Drives: 2017 ZL1 and 2018 SS 1LE
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Orange County
Posts: 567
An update, LME has completed my motor, it made over 650hp motor only on their engine dyno! That is crazy for a boost spec motor without boost in my opinion. It is shipped out and will be here this upcoming week. Can’t wait
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Old 02-04-2019, 07:49 AM   #7
hitmix300
2016 loaded 2SS
 
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Drives: Maverick X3 Turbo R
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: United States
Posts: 242
Subbing for turbo epiphany
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Old 02-19-2019, 06:46 PM   #8
Army165
 
Drives: Camaro SS
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Clearwater, FL
Posts: 17
Wow, thats some shit luck. I can't wait to see more progress on this.
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Old 02-20-2019, 09:55 AM   #9
Scottyz
2019 ZL1 1LE MY GOON
 
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Drives: 1980 Z28 Big Red.
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Stoney Creek
Posts: 2,061
Man I hate reading horror shop stories. What ended up happening to you D1SC?
Hope all goes smooth for you moving forward.
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Old 02-20-2019, 10:09 AM   #10
V8SS
 
Drives: 2017 M6 NFG
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 214
Wow you've been through a lot since I bought the cat deletes from you way back. I'm looking forward to your good days to come!
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Old 04-06-2020, 05:27 PM   #11
fueledpassion109
 
Drives: 2018 ss 1le
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Washington
Posts: 2
Hi Ocautomotive, any chance to get an update?
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