Bought a Camaro

[rodan]

After the last, failed attempt at a modifying the ZL1 exhaust for 95dB track days, I started from scratch and fabbed up a new 'noise abatement' strategy today.

 

I cut off the stock tip, and welded on V-band flanges to re-mount it, then made a second 3" extended tip with a 90* turn for each side to re-direct the sound.

 

 

Easy to swap, and they can be rotated to change direction for different tracks.

 

I only bothered with the outboard tips, because that's where the exhaust goes (bypassing the muffler) in 'track mode', when the valve is opened up. Any gasses going through the muffler will be quiet enough that I'm not worried about the inboard tips.

 

Interestingly, the size of the actual stock exhaust at that point is 2 1/4"... my turnouts are 3".

 

I may shoot them with a coat of high-temp black paint, but I'll wait to see if they pass sound first.

[rodan]

Our first track day of the year was a wet one...

 

 

Fortunately, it dried out enough in the afternoon to do a sound check on exhaust 2.0...

 

 

And it passed, so we can now run this car at this particular track.

[rodan]

Long time since an update... haven't really done anything to the ZL1, 'cause it doesn't really need anything. Just enjoying it.

 

Finally got back out on track at INDE Motorsports Ranch in Willcox, AZ over the weekend with the Porsche club. Great weekend, though very windy, and a little rain on Saturday.

 

Definitely faster than last year in the ZL1, but still have room for improvement. The sensations in the car are very different from our Miata, so I'm not as consistent as I would like. This car has the power to produce extreme pucker factor...

 

 

Edited November 11, 2020 by rodan

[rodan]

Long overdue update...

 

As much as we really enjoyed this car, it was ridiculous on the street, and very expensive to track. We decdided to concentrate our track efforts on our Miata, and we sold the ZL1 in January.

 

We also sold our '92 Bronco backcountry rig, which we towed behind our camper, and bought a much more modern rig that could serve as my wife's DD, get us in the back country and still be towed behind the camper.... Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk.

 

 

The Camaro was an incredibly capable car, and I'm glad to have had the experience of owning one. That said, 4 months down the road, I don't really miss it all that much, and we've already had some great adventures with the Jeep.