1985 IROC-Z
The beginning.
So one day I was on FB marketplace searching for more project cars that I don’t need. We’ve all been there right? I’ve learned from my wife that if I didn’t need to spend money on something all I have to do is talk about how much of a discount or good deal I got and it makes the situation all better…right? Wrong! Well I am still trying to figure out if I’m cursed with project car-itis or if I have a superpower for envisioning what could become of such a heap of an old car lol. My “supposed” ADHD tends to lean toward the latter. Anyhoo, I inquired about this 1985 Iroc that had some mechanical issues. The car was about 4 hours away from me up near Abilene, TX so going to see it at full price was not an option for me. So I made a sight unseen, lowball offer and the guy called my bluff. So I hooked up the trailer and drove to “look at” the car. Sure would be unfortunate to have to turn around empty like a dog with my tail between my legs and NO IROC??? What! No way! The car was in good shape. By that I mean it was well maintained, looked like it had been kept inside most if not all of it’s life, interior had a new headliner, carpet, and dash pad but otherwise really nice light grey interior. The engine bay was fairly clean with original blue paint poking through the dust. It’s got the original 305 V8 with Tune Port Fuel Injection. I always wanted one of those intakes when I was a kid to put on my old Apache truck I was building (and still own today, view the build gallery HERE). Back then (late 90’s, early 2k’s) This was one of the most sought after engine setups you could slap into a hot rod. Now lets fast forward 30 years and take this 85 Iroc and slap one of the latest power plants into it to create a pure stream beast!
So here’s the plan; It all started when my buddy Kyle Cochran of Rustic Nail and Co. posted on IG that he had a low mileage TR6060 six speed transmission for sale. I slowly sent him a message wondering what am I getting myself into. I already had the car but wasn’t planning on getting started for a while as I was just too busy going to shows and running the shop. Plus I have another project in the works already, a 1967 barracuda notch back. Not to mention 8+ full builds going simultaneously in the show with 8+ employees and two buildings to manage. Time for my “supposed” ADHD super power to kick in!!!
I love the challenge. I love the build process. I love having the freedom to build something the way I want with no particular direction (other than I can’t afford myself nor the services we offer here at Hammer Fab). However, I hate being limited by aftermarket products that don’t achieve the look or performance I’m really wanting. The good news is I am willing and able to figure out better solutions where needed. If something is not available that’s to my liking I will try my darndest to create my own solution. I might even be willing to share some of those solutions with y’all. Some of them may be free, some of them may end up being a subscription type deal, or some of them may end up being a physical product that can improve your ride and build process.
Now for the parts that don’t need reengineered or redesigned I have chosen to stick with brands and parts that I know will work. I’ll be honest, I’ve never owned a third gen Camaro and am brand new to all information out there about them. I’m learning what work, what won’t work, but I also have a certain goal in mind. A stance, a look, an aggressive feel and experience that I want and look forward to enjoying with this car. I’ve never owned a manual transmission car my whole life and I feel like I’m missing out! I did get a ride in a Lingenfelter ZL1 Camaro a few years ago and that was eye opening! I’ve driven a 1200+HP mid 80’s Corvette (John Meany’s “Time Machine”) that i thought was going to come off the ground. I’ve ridden in the 1200 HP “Chicayne” build by my former employer Rad Rides By Troy on the 2003 Hot Rod Power Tour. I also realize with this kind of power comes many risks. I’ve had more hoods fly up in my face at high speed than I would like to say (two of them this year). But every one of those fearful events has been permanently etched on my brain and along with them, the thrill and desire to do it all over again. Not sure if it’s dopamine or what but I sure do love what I get to do for a living.
That being said, since I have the transmission I now needed to hand down a low mileage (reasonably priced) LT4 engine. A new crate motor would be cool and this is what I would recommend to all of my clients, but like I said, I can’t afford myself therefore I must look for decent, used equipment. I found just what I was looking for on, you guessed it, FB marketplace. The guy had a 2019 LT4 out of a ZL1 Camaro that i inquired about but he said a guy was coming to look at it the next day. But he also had a 2016 Z06 Corvette LT4 with about 37K miles on it for about 4K less! I asked a local LS/LT tuner what to look out for when purchasing a used LT4. Luke from Peregrine Speed in Liberty Hill, TX had some good advice. He said, “take off the super charger belt and make sure it spins freely, take a large ratchet and socket to turn over the crank to verify full spin with no obstructions and compression/leakdown. Next he recommended removing the oil filter, cutting it open, and inspecting the oil for color and metal fragments. I would never have thought of that on my own. He was kind enough to lend me his oil filter cutter (like a can opener) and I purchased a new filter, small oil drain pan, and an oil filter plier set on the way to pick up the engine. When I got there the engine looked good. A little dirty, but intact and not abused. It still had a blue AC Delco oil filter on it and the belts weren’t cracked or rotted which tells me this car was probably regularly maintained by the dealership (do corvette owners work on their own cars)? After cutting open the filter (the guys were surprised by this action but encouraged me to proceed. I told them if it had metal chunks in it they could have my $15 new oil filter and keep the engine lol. The oil was fine! No metal whatsoever and the color was normal and viscosity seemed normal. Next I took off the super charger belt. The SC spun freely with no rattles in the bearings or binding. Next I used a large ratchet and deep socket to slowly turn the engine over. Compression seemed good and it didn’t lock up on me so that’s good lol. So we transferred the engine to my truck bed and off I headed back to Austin (from Houston), another 7 hour road trip for parts.
Ok so by now you know its getting al LT4/TR6060 swap. Well, that isn’t as easy as it sounds. There are several more things that need to be purchased to go along with this swap and then there are a few things that we “NEED” to make this a cohesive build from front to back and not just a used engine slapped in an old Iroc. Some of the other parts on the list are:
- 2016 Z06 LT4 with 37k miles
- 2019 ZL1 TR6060
- 2019 ZL1 1LE Brembo Brakes (all around)
- Big Brake Upgrades adapters and rear backing plates for 9” housing
- 2019 ZL1 1LE wheels (OEM 19×11, 19×12)
- Hawks Motorsports LTX engine mount and trans mount kit for third gen Camaro.
- Detroit Speed front suspension upgrades (all of them) with double adjustable struts
- Detroit Speed rear quadralink suspension (with Gear FX 9” housing)
- Detroit Speed frame rail connectors
- 2010 ZL1 console with gauges (gotta figure that out)
- Restored back hatch glass (found a good one without defrost)
- Ceramic tint all glass (rear will be one piece)
- PWR Third Gen to LT4 aluminum radiator with dual Spal fans
- PWR 1st Gen Camaro heat exchanger for LT4 (recommended for mounting options)
- Holley mid mound front engine accessory drive with hydraulic power steering pump
- PSI engine wire harness, pedal, and ECM (built to spec for my situation)
- Classic Industries third gen replacement clutch and brake pedal assembly
- Hawks Motorsports Z06 LT4 dry sump adapter with -12 AN fittings.
- Improved Racing remote oil cooler adapter and block off kit with thermostat.
There may or may not be talk of doing a subtle wide body thing. Overall I want the feel of the car to stay as much OEM as possible and for now, at least initially try not to repaint the whole car! It’s got a driver quality paint job on it with several flaws.
Please follow along as we continue to update this blog. I’ve never done a blog so if you have any input please feel free to tell us how to make this a better experience. We have already stared filming a YouTube series on what all will be done to this car. We will post links on here once they are live.
