LS7 in 1969 Camaro Results - Pics and Dyno Chart
01-15-2012, 04:26 PM
#1
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LS7 in 1969 Camaro Results - Pics and Dyno Chart
LS7 1969 Camaro results
First and foremost – GREAT JOB GREG – you built a car that is every bit the equal of many of the top builders in the country - congrats
We did some engine work fro Greg’s ’69 project car and completed the tuning last night….
Here are a few pictures and the dyno graph – the pictures are off my iphone and I hope Greg finds this thread and posts some of his pictures so you can see the beautiful job he did.
First and foremost – GREAT JOB GREG – you built a car that is every bit the equal of many of the top builders in the country - congrats
We did some engine work fro Greg’s ’69 project car and completed the tuning last night….
Here are a few pictures and the dyno graph – the pictures are off my iphone and I hope Greg finds this thread and posts some of his pictures so you can see the beautiful job he did.
01-15-2012, 08:43 PM
#8
Melting Slicks
That torque curve is f'in beautiful! 
01-17-2012, 05:53 PM
#11
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Co-winner 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
2018 Corvette of Year Finalist
2017 C4 of Year
2016 C7 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20
nice looking Camaro
01-17-2012, 10:38 PM
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St. Jude Donor '05
Real nice, man I love me a 69 Camaro!!
01-18-2012, 11:06 PM
#13
Thanks guys! I am very proud of how the car has really come together. My pics from the other night didn't come out that great but I have some other recent ones of the car. Before I post more pics - I wanted to say a big thanks to Charlie, Astin and the team at RPM. Here's my version of things....
Some time back I got with Charlie at RPM to build me an LS7 for my ’69 Camaro (still being built at the time). I had heard of Charlie and his reputation on this forum for building and tuning some stout LS motors. RPM are almost in my back yard at only a couple hours north of me and I insisted that my engine builder be “local” and be my tuner also. I arrived with an LS7 and a bunch of parts. Charlie sat me down and asked me what I wanted to do with the engine when done. I wanted to use the 427 LS7 as a base (paying homage to the original powertrain back in the day), it had to remain normally aspirated, sound like a muscle car if at all possible but without being an absolute pig to drive on the street. Plus torque was way more important than any peak HP numbers.
Charlie built the engine and gave me a base tune to get me started. They also built my T56 6sp in-house to match.
The car itself was recently completed and last weekend I finally got the chance to take the car back up to RPM to put it on the dyno for a final tune. I had been babying the car for the first few hundred miles as absolutely everything on the car is brand new. Every nut, bolt and screw. We had worked through some cooling issues and lately some fuel issues (all external to the engine) and I had barely been to 5,000rpm.
It was a busy Saturday at RPM with lots of tuning going on all afternoon after a morning Corvette gathering. Austin, Oscar and Charlie stayed well into the night to make sure the car got dialed in. Oscar helped take care of a few things on the car before we hit the dyno. Astin and I went for a drive to gather up some data. Then the fun really began. Under Charlie’s watchful eye, Austin pulled multiple runs on the dyno, tweaking here and there. He said the tune was pretty close to start with but he managed to tune out a couple small issues and find another 20+ hp. The car idles better and even sounds better! I got to hear what she sounds like at 6,800rpm!
By design, it’s not the super high horsepower mill that one finds in most of the cars populating Charlie’s shop but he built exactly what I asked for. It drives great, sounds great and goes like a bat out of hell when pressed.
Let me tell you what impresses me about Charlie – I recall our initial conversation where I pressed him for what he thought we could build given the criteria. With this dyno session the best part of 2yrs later - I can tell you he was right on the money! The guy knows his stuff and I have no hesitation recommending him and his team. Austin is quite the master tuner and does not hesitate to give a full and detailed answer to anything relating to these engines. Thanks for answering all my questions guys and the BBQ was a great wrap-up to the day (well, that and the ride back to the shop ;-))
Awesome job - Thanks guys!
Gregg
Some time back I got with Charlie at RPM to build me an LS7 for my ’69 Camaro (still being built at the time). I had heard of Charlie and his reputation on this forum for building and tuning some stout LS motors. RPM are almost in my back yard at only a couple hours north of me and I insisted that my engine builder be “local” and be my tuner also. I arrived with an LS7 and a bunch of parts. Charlie sat me down and asked me what I wanted to do with the engine when done. I wanted to use the 427 LS7 as a base (paying homage to the original powertrain back in the day), it had to remain normally aspirated, sound like a muscle car if at all possible but without being an absolute pig to drive on the street. Plus torque was way more important than any peak HP numbers.
Charlie built the engine and gave me a base tune to get me started. They also built my T56 6sp in-house to match.
The car itself was recently completed and last weekend I finally got the chance to take the car back up to RPM to put it on the dyno for a final tune. I had been babying the car for the first few hundred miles as absolutely everything on the car is brand new. Every nut, bolt and screw. We had worked through some cooling issues and lately some fuel issues (all external to the engine) and I had barely been to 5,000rpm.
It was a busy Saturday at RPM with lots of tuning going on all afternoon after a morning Corvette gathering. Austin, Oscar and Charlie stayed well into the night to make sure the car got dialed in. Oscar helped take care of a few things on the car before we hit the dyno. Astin and I went for a drive to gather up some data. Then the fun really began. Under Charlie’s watchful eye, Austin pulled multiple runs on the dyno, tweaking here and there. He said the tune was pretty close to start with but he managed to tune out a couple small issues and find another 20+ hp. The car idles better and even sounds better! I got to hear what she sounds like at 6,800rpm!
By design, it’s not the super high horsepower mill that one finds in most of the cars populating Charlie’s shop but he built exactly what I asked for. It drives great, sounds great and goes like a bat out of hell when pressed.
Let me tell you what impresses me about Charlie – I recall our initial conversation where I pressed him for what he thought we could build given the criteria. With this dyno session the best part of 2yrs later - I can tell you he was right on the money! The guy knows his stuff and I have no hesitation recommending him and his team. Austin is quite the master tuner and does not hesitate to give a full and detailed answer to anything relating to these engines. Thanks for answering all my questions guys and the BBQ was a great wrap-up to the day (well, that and the ride back to the shop ;-))
Awesome job - Thanks guys!
Gregg
Last edited by gandalf1969; 01-19-2012 at 12:30 PM.
01-18-2012, 11:07 PM
#14
Here's a few pics from the SEMA show in Las Vegas back in November. We were honored to be invited to display the car. As you can see - there's a heavy C6/Z06 influence here ;-)
And more recently the Good Guys show in Del Mar where we received a Builder's Choice award.
With friends - also LSx powered Camaros.
And more recently the Good Guys show in Del Mar where we received a Builder's Choice award.
With friends - also LSx powered Camaros.
01-19-2012, 08:44 PM
#17
Thanks guys - it really is a salute to you guys and your Z's. I had a friend take me for a ride in his (un-modded) '07 Z06 several years back and I was hooked immediately! Wanted the best of both worlds so here it is.
It doesn't show in the photos but it also has C6 suspension up front with tripple adjustable coilovers on all 4. Steering column is also C6 :-)
I've had a few messages saying you also own an older GM and asking who did the bodywork. All paint and bodywork was done here in San Diego by Best of Show Coach Works (www.bestofshowcoachworks.com). They do a lot of these Pro-touring style cars but also do restorations, older Porsches and classics. They even have a Duesenberg II in the shop right now! Great shop and great guys. PM me if you need more info.
G.
It doesn't show in the photos but it also has C6 suspension up front with tripple adjustable coilovers on all 4. Steering column is also C6 :-)
I've had a few messages saying you also own an older GM and asking who did the bodywork. All paint and bodywork was done here in San Diego by Best of Show Coach Works (www.bestofshowcoachworks.com). They do a lot of these Pro-touring style cars but also do restorations, older Porsches and classics. They even have a Duesenberg II in the shop right now! Great shop and great guys. PM me if you need more info.
G.
01-20-2012, 03:29 PM
#18
Melting Slicks
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I drove my 2004 C5 to RPM Motors to attend the Valley Vettes GTG last weekend. There was a unusual tapping noise coming from my A&A 402 super charged motor installed about three years ago at A&A Corvettes in Oxnard. I asked Austin if he could make a diagnosis on what was causing the noise. After looking at the valve springs and finding nothing wrong up top Austin put my car on the lift and removed the oil filter. After cutting the filter in half what he found wasn't good. I asked Charlie if they would operate on my cancerous motor and make it new again and the answer was (we will make it better than new). I have complete confidence that is what I will be getting at RPM Motors.
Last edited by frank dupuy; 01-20-2012 at 08:58 PM.
01-20-2012, 11:31 PM
#20
Team Owner
That is absolutely insane. I love it!