[Joshinator99]

So, nearly 3 and a half years after buying my 2017 2SS, I've finally decided that I have so much content and mod info, that I really need to get a build thread done. I'll start at the beginning and add posts that show what I've done to go from stock to 1230 horsepower at the crank ...and I doubt that will be the end...

It's August of 2018, and the horsepower bug is starting to bite me bad. I test drove a 2018 Mustang 5.0 A10 and liked it, so I decided to test drive a Camaro SS as well from my local Chevy dealer. I was just blown away by the power difference on the street! While the performance numbers were similar, the Camaro felt like a musclecar with the low end torque. I started shopping around, and found a leftover brand new 2017 2SS looking for some attention in a neat color combo: the rare Arctic Blue Metallic AND the Ceramic White interior package! It has the A8 transmission, Bose stereo (terrible lol), and all the standard 2SS trimmings. Several hours later, the deal was done! And that's where this craziness kicks off.

[Joshinator99]

With the car home, I quickly racked up 400+ miles in an attempt to get the break-in done. As I approached 500 miles on the odometer, I figured that was close enough! Mile 500 was done going down the quarter mile.

My mechanical contractor co-workers were a big reason for me getting the horsepower bug, so I decided to join them at the local dragstrip to see what this thing could do. Best run was 12.17 @ 114 bone stock, which I thought was pretty damn good. I remembered not long ago when low 12's was a fast car!

[Joshinator99]

So the idea of doing some mods crosses my mind and after doing a LOT of reading on this board, I realized tuning is key. So I buy HP Tuners and get a base tune from JRE. Unfortunately the car is 2 tenths slower and loses 2 MPH in the quarter (despite identical 60' times and slightly cooler weather). It goes to show that there's not a lot to be gained on a stock engine.

I decide that I don't like that a base Chevy Cruze has the same shift knob as me, so I decide to buy and install the Hurst shift knob for the A8 for some mad street cred (lol). A pretty humble mod experience compared to what most of the work on this car will end up entailing down the road...! The Hurst knob looks great and feels good in hand too.

[Joshinator99]

After a whopping 2 months of ownership, I can't stand the fact that the exhaust literally has no sound to it. I might as well be driving a Prius. So I decide to cut off the stock suitcase and bolt on the Magnaflow Competition Axle-back system. The midrange sound comes to life...along with substantial DRONE at nearly all cruising speeds. It's awful and doesn't stay on the car for long (as you will soon see).

[Joshinator99]

My first few months with the car were wrapping up and snow was in the forecast here in New England for November 2018, so I decided to buy some FlatStoppers to store the car on. My neighbor's big beautiful barn was empty to I decided to help him out by storing my car over the winter there. With heat and a top shelf dehumidifier, it's a great place for the Camaro to hibernate. I also took the time to add the GM OEM rear fender flares too.

[Joshinator99]

Spring of 2019 means it's time to start getting serious! I jump into the deep end by ordering up the Whipple 2.9L supercharger, springing for the optional white powdercoat job to match my car's interior. What can I say, I liked Miami Vice as a kid.

I decide to round up my first year of mods with an AWE Touring full catback with secondary cat deletes, Rotofab Big Gulp (overkill at this point but planning ahead), 95mm throttle body, and LT4 fueling (low side, HPFP, and injectors).

[Joshinator99]

Now time to install it! I end up going with NextGen Performance in Spencer MA. They do a ton of LS restomod work and were eager to give the new LT1 platform a try. Eric is a fantastic installer, and 3+ years later he is the only installer I use for major work.

So, he tore into it and took the front bumper off, and set off to work installing the new Whipple kit and supporting mods. We decided to add a FlexFuel sensor at this point too.

[Joshinator99]

Time to pick up the finished product! The install came out perfect. We brought it to a local tuner to make sure things were kosher and it put out 608 WHP and 610 WTQ on only E30 and 7 pounds of boost on his Mustang dyno. Much better!

[Joshinator99]

Despite still running the stock runflats, I'm anxious to get this newfound power to the track. My little brother's Z06 has been torturing me so I'm eager to show him what's up. Unfortunately, he started modding his car too. So nearly a year later and many thousands of dollars later...he's still a full second faster than me... Needless to say, the runflats didn't help matters. I ended up running 11.4 @ 123. Better, but I know I need drag radials.

If you look in the back of the second pic, my coworkers 700 WHP Mustang is broken down. A good launch twisted up his aftermarket aluminum driveshaft. Little did I know that a similar fate awaited me... So, my brother and I proceeded to make "Found On Racetrack Dead" jokes while helping him push his car back to the pits because we're such classy guys...

[Joshinator99]

After sending smoke clouds at the track with the stock runflats, I decided to pickup some Nitto NT555R drag radials to fit the stock wheels. The new tires are decidedly bigger than the OEM tires and do a nice job filling out the wheelwells too. Plus you get to see the new AWE exhaust and rear diffuser in these pics too.

After seeing the fate of my buddie's Mustang, I decide to pickup a BMR driveshaft safety loop. This proves to be an excellent decision not far down the road...

[Joshinator99]

With my traction issues hopefully addressed with the new drag radials, it was time to give them a whirl. I finally break into the 10's! 10.87 @ 128 is my best time that day. Knowing the cooler weather was coming, I decide to go back again on the last track day of the year to see if I can beat my brothers best of 10.6. Since he cannot make it that day, if I can edge him out I figured I wouldn't have to listen to him needle me about being faster all winter... My co-worker Dave shows up in his really nice Porsche 911 Turbo S with some bolt-on mods. He runs very low 11's...tough car to beat on the street with his AWD!

First run I am soft on the launch because of the very cold track temps, but I hooked. So the next run I'm determined to get things done! So I hammer it out of the hole and I hooked! A split second later the fun was over... I told AAA that I was at the track to visit my buddy while he was racing, but something was wrong with my car because it wouldn't move... The tow driver laughed his butt off and agreed to tow it anyway (after I slipped him a Ben Franklin). The OEM SS driveshaft sheared right at the carrier bearing. I ordered up a GForce 3.5" aluminum driveshaft to replace it. The new DS is smooth as silk on the street and supposedly cuts rotating weight too.

That closes out a pretty wild 2019!

[Joshinator99]

For 2020, I'm determined to step things up yet again! My brother's Z06 enjoys pawing my Camaro around, like a cat batting a mouse around for fun. So I really need to shut that thing up!

First up is a set of stainless steel 2" primary Dynatech headers that I decide to send off to be ceramic coated. Next up is a big one: Mast Motorsports brand new LT1 castings! Mast is a serious player in the LS world and they decided to launch their own US made casting based on a clean sheet design. With 385 CFM of intake flow at max lift, it's a serious contender. I'm in!

Next up is GPI's fully forged "drop-in" pistons, rods, and ARP bolts. I drop the compression ratio a point so that I can up the boost and still run 93 octane fuel. I bump up the throttle body from 95 to 103mm, add in a CamMotion custom blower cam with matching dual springs & titanium retainers, Johnson 2110R lifters, Cometic head gaskets, an AEM X-series wideband, BMR cradle lockout, and GForce Outlaw 1500 HP axles. We bump the lower pulley from 7.00" to 8.00" to get the Whipple working a little harder now too. We add the LPE high flow check valve to eliminate that restriction, and round it out with Katech's sexy VVT-delete and AFM-delete covers.

[Joshinator99]

Once again, it's time to get all this stuff installed! Back to NextGen it goes, where Eric proceeds to drop the drivetrain out of the car and tear the engine down.

As usual, Eric works his magic and builds a beautiful engine. He is OCD and literally documents everything. Everything gets measured and every clearance checked. Probably for the best given the beating that motor will receive!

[arpad_m]

What a droolworthy build yours is, Josh. Loved the little AAA story, too