Camaro "The Mighty Mouse" Update

[Wyandot Jim]

Well Guys,

I thought it is about time for an update on the Camaro/ "The Mighty Mouse".

I have been trying to schedule the restoration around Grandson's schedule now that he is in Corpus. Well that is a weeeeeeeeeee bit difficult since he is very evolved in school sports and keeps an A average. Plays Football, Track, and Baseball. pitches and has a 85mph fast ball and a great curve.

He spent Christmas, spring break and last week with me. At Christmas we started sanding and removing old paint. His name is now "Rubber Arm". At one point during the sanding he told me " Gramps I can't sand anymore because my arms feel like RUBBER"

We have now completed the paint and most of the major mechanical stuff. Still have to sand and polish out the clear coat a little.

Last week he and his Dad got to drive it up and down our road.

Son had not driven that car since 1990 when he went off to become a Naval Aviator. It was a GREAT DAY for both of them.

Will keep ya updated and let ya know when it leaves the hangar which it has been in for the last 23 years.

Jim, who is real tired of sanding and painting

 

[gunsbam69]

Now that is slick :!: I hope that young man is MUCH more responsible than I was at that age :mrgreen: Sure sounds like he is.

 

[doccash]

Jim, I love it. You have done a great job and I'm sure the boy appreciates every minute you have spent on Mighty Mouse. Dr.C

 

[Lee Martin]

Good looking ride. Tell us about your small-block.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Good looking ride. Tell us about your small-block.

Thanks Guys,
Between his Dad and me the Grandson is becoming a good wrencher.
Not just cars but also wrenches on our planes. Our motto has been if you want to have toys ya better know how to fix them because they will break :wink: :wink:

Lee,
Son and I built up the engine in 1986. That was the time that the 383 stroker was the thing to do. Would probably been cheaper to put in a 454 Rat, oh well. There is no substitute of CIs
So we went by Lingenfelter's shopping list. His made 425 HP on the dyno. We started with a 350 block bored +30 with windage tray and 400CI crank and rods, flat top pistons to give 10:1 comp to run on pump gas.
Heads are 76cc with 202, 3 angle grind intake and 194 exhaust, 282 Competition solid cam with roller rockers, performer intake with a 750 Vac. Holly. That's about all I remember It has been a bullet proof engine so far. Reaches max HP and torque at around 5500RPM so not a screaming Mouse Motor
The car would turn low/mid 13s with 9" slicks. The 383 makes a lot of low end torque and is hard to get to hook up with just traction bars. Times were good enough for Son. His goal was to take his 305 grocery getter and build a car to beat the rich kids with their Daddy bought new Mustangs. Mission accomplished.

 

[Lee Martin]

383 SBCs can easily build BBC power. My friend and I run a 15:1 alcohol 383 in our drag car.....



Turns high 9's in the quarter on motor alone.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Yea Now that's a race car. So guess we need to get some of those fat tires and thingies sticking out the back :lol: :lol: :lol:
Looks great Lee
Thanks,
Jim

 

[Anonymous]

Love all the braided lines under the hood!

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

Jim,
Great read and enjoyed the pic's!!!

Looks like your grandson has an inch or so on ole Dad!,, :wink:, they sure don't stay little long!
Terry

 

[WendyZXZ]

Very nice with both cars!

 

[RPM Enterprises]

Here is Pegs Camaro. I will have to get it out for some better pics but this was the only one I could find. 1969 RS/SS 350. The Jr. Dragster is what our son drove about 10 years ago.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

You got a nice one there.
We saw the Jr. Dragster at the Bremerton WA. Strip for the firs time. Looks like they would be a lot of fun.
I saw a VERY nice 69 RS/SS at the get together at A&W last Sat. The guy had just bought it from the restoration guys for $31,000
He told me it had the hood like yours but traded it for the Z-28 hood. It was the same blue as yours with black stripe.

 

[graygun]

I saw a 66 Nova at the local Fri night car spot last year that had a 4-speed Lenco trans. That's an unusual sight for the street. The owner was a middle aged latin guy who competes at the local track.

YT has a neat vid of a box Nova that ran a 6.95 at 209. It was on/in the Hot Rod event where you have to drive the car to the tracks and run...no trailering allowed.

 

[Lee Martin]

The guy that dynos our car had his twin-turbo '68 Camaro in that Hot Rod challenge. Drove from track to track and still laid down mid-7's at @ 190 mph. Amazing what these cars can produce these days.

BTW, my other Nova is this '64:



Street legal and I drive it on the road a lot. It'll turn 8's with a little help from the jug.

 

[PeteG]

Very nice

 

[doccash]

Some great old iron on display here Lee, Rick ,and Jim. :mrgreen: Dr.C

 

[Wyandot Jim]

OK This little dog is going to go hide under the porch
Very nice Lee, but can you go to the strip with the AC on Artic cold :wink: :wink: A must in Texas :roll: :roll:

Takes a lot of talent and bucks to run in the 8s.
"Dad I want us to build a fast car" " No problem Son. How fast do you want to go and how much money do you have"? " Well maybe we don't need to go realllllllllllll Fast"

 

[Lee Martin]

AC???? The car won't idle under 1,500 rpm and gets 4 miles to the gallon (110 octane or higher). With an 8 gallon fuel cell I can't go very far.

There are days where I wish it were more streetable. Your Camaro is a very nice ride. Plenty fast, looks great, and you can feed it with pump gas.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

AC???? The car won't idle under 1,500 rpm and gets 4 miles to the gallon (110 octane or higher). With an 8 gallon fuel cell I can't go very far.

There are days where I wish it were more streetable. Your Camaro is a very nice ride. Plenty fast, looks great, and you can feed it with pump gas.

Thanks Lee and Doc,
Lee I was just pushing your leg about the AC
Like I said a streetable 8 sec car ain't to shabby :wink: :wink:
So what Eng ya got in this one. Also sounds like you did a weeeeeeee bit more to your stroker than we did
Looks great.

 

[Lee Martin]

It's a 502 stroked to 540. 14:1 with a 250 hit on top.