hot auto review

While spy shots, info leaks, and all sorts of other information has been flowing across the internet for months, GM has now officially released more details on the new Camaro, including base engine specs, optional colors, weight specs, and other info we've all been dying to know.

Download the GM relased spec sheet pdf by clicking here:

2010 CAMARO SPEC SHEET

Improve fuel economy by decreasing vehicle weight.

Putting you and your vehicle on a diet improves fuel economy. Empty out your trunk. Consider removing the backseat. Substitute aluminum, fiberglass, or evan carbon-fiber body panels for steel sheetmetal. Every 100 pounds shaved off the vehicle's weight should improve fuel economy 1 to 2 percent.

Have a fast LS-powered car? Check out the LSX Shootout in Memphis, Oct. 9-12.

Got a late-model Camaro, Firebird, Corvette or any other type of hot rod powered by an LS-series engine? Think it's fast? Then drag it out to Memphis Motorsports Park the weekend of October 9-12 and enter it in the LSX Shootout, a drag race for only LS-powered vehicles run in conjunction with the Nitto Tire NMCA World Finals. This will be the second year of the event, brought to you by GM Performance Parts and presented by our little sister mag, GM High-Tech Performance, and it is THE place to be for all GEN III and later fans. There are several classes so everything from 7-second race cars to total street drivers can play, and there are also some pretty serious cash and prizes available. There's also a huge LS car show to check out. Pretty much anybody who is anybody in the LS world will be in Memphis, and HOT ROD will be there covering the haps, so you should too.

Check out the NMCA's website, www.fasteststreetcar.com, for all the rules. See ya' in Memphis!

Reduce vehicle rolling resistance, improve fuel economy.

Previously we’ve touched on how proper tire inflation pressure can enhance fuel economy, but tire and wheel configuration as well as wheel alignment also have their parts to play. The bottom-line is anything you can do to decrease the vehicle’s rolling resistance should improve gas mileage.

Radial tires have less rolling resistance than old-school bias-ply tires.

Although not as cool (from a hot rodding perspective), skinny tires have less rolling resistance than “fat” tires.

Larger diameter (taller) tires also reduce fuel consumption because they effectively lower the numerical axle ratio, turning less revolutions on the pavement to cover the same distance as a shorter tire.

Then there’s making sure your wheels and tires are properly aligned. You want the tires to roll freely, not increase friction via excessive scrub and/or “dog-tracking.” The most critical alignment setting in terms of fuel economy losses is the toe-setting. Generally, the best front-end alignment toe setting for best fuel economy is 0-to-1/16–inch toe-in at static rest. “Toe-in” means that, viewed from above, looking towards the ground, the front of the tire/wheel points slightly in towards the center of the vehicle. Some slight static toe-in when the vehicle is at rest is OK, because as the vehicle cruises down the highway, the front wheels tend to splay out slightly and point straight-ahead (zero toe-in).

Another overlooked aspect of alignment is the rear-axle. If the axle housing isn’t centered in the spring perches or control arms, and/or one side is preloaded, the vehicle may “dog-track” down the road.

Carefully lowering lubricant fill levels can enhance fuel economy.

In some camps, running lower than recommended fill levels can result in greater economy, but it could also result in catastrophic failure.

Operating the engine, trans, and differential at less than their “full” fluid capacity can improve fuel economy by decreasing splash and windage effects. For example, if you’re not revving the engine or engaging in high-speed cornering maneuvers, run the engine oil level 1 quart below Full. An automatic trans can be run 1 pint below full, while a manual trans can be run ½ pint below full. Exercise caution!

Improve fuel economy by keeping your tires properly inflated.

You can improve gas mileage approximately 3.3 percent by inflating your tires to the manufacturer’s maximum recommended pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4 percent per every 1 psi drop in pressure at all four tires. Properly inflated tires last longer, too!

It's often been said that there are no new ideas-that any "hot new thing" is just a redo of something that was created years before. After all, is there a way to build a '32 Ford or a '69 Camaro that has not been done already? While we were brainstorming our now infamous AMC hoax ("The Return of AMC," Apr. '08) with Steve Stanford, the subject of different build styles with common cars came up. We began talking about the still somewhat affordable cars out there we thought could use a fresh take, and before he knew it Steve had another sketchpad on his plate. Some of these babies you could absolutely build at home in your garage, while others require Marcel DeLey's skill and a well-equipped fabrication shop. Of course, these are all just pie-in-the-sky bench racing ideas, but we're sure you'll find some inspiration for your next project.

DUSTERS

Dusters are still a little off the Mopar map, which is good because they give the Pentastar boys some relatively cheap fodder. We know a guy who rounded up a half dozen of them for a couple thousand dollars. That translates into little monetary outlay, cheap parts, and little guilt over dicing one up. Bet there's a little old lady in your neighborhood with one right now.

El Dustero

Ma Mopar never got into the car/truck scuffle between Ford's Rancheroand Chevy's El Camino, but what if she had? Just like Ford and Chevyused current production cars to create their utes, Plymouth could havedone the same with the Duster. Rancheros and Chevelles were born oftwo-door wagons, which the Duster was never produced as, so there'smucho metalwork to be done. With a bunch of creative cutting andwelding, a '68-'72 El Camino bed structure, tailgate, and roof would bethe right starting point. For a trick touch, Steve added Aussieute-style rear quarter-windows to allow more of a coupe-style flow tothe C-pillar. Wheels are 18-inch Wheel Vintiques Magnum 500s. Bed ortrunk, the two-tone paint really works with the body lines.

Led Sled Duster

Here's a look no one ever pondered for a Duster. Well, so we thoughtanyway. Steve actually modeled this '50s-style mild custom after aseries of Chrysler design studies done for show cars. Anyone remember'em? The most noticeable point is the Carson-style top, which for thisconcept is not actually a lift-off Carson top but a permanent alterationto the factory roof for simplicity's sake. Hats off to you if you go forthe full treatment. Factory bumpers will never cut it, so both wereshaved front and rear with custom roll pans and nerf bars taking theirplace. Wheels are custom chrome reverse steelies shod with wide whiteradials. Chrome bullet mirrors are utilized as a nod to the customaryAppleton spotlights.

Highboy Duster

Can you see the Duster? Look closely at the body lines--it's in there.The inspiration for this sketch came via some Ed Newton drawings ofmusclecars cut down into highboy-style roadsters. Could it actually bedone? Sure, we've seen an Edsel and a bullet-nose Studebaker cut downsimilarly, and fellow automotive artist Murray Pfaff has alreadythreatened to do the same to a Chrysler Imperial. So yes, it can bedone, but we've got no advice to offer on this bad boy except stock upon Sawzall blades or invest in a good plasma cutter. If anyone has thecajones to build this one, make sure to take lots of photos and shoot usan e-mail.

Fox Mustangs

OK, so Fox Mustangs aren't exactly overlooked, but despite an extremely healthy following in the aftermarket, racing, and magazine worlds, Fox-body Mustangs have remained well within the reaches of budget hot rodders. That's great news considering they're still one of the biggest bang-for-the-buck platforms out there for a hot street or track car.

Fox Bullitt

This one's obvious, and we're willing to bet someone out there hasattempted his own Fox-based Bullitt homage--but it's a good enough ideathat we wanted it on paper with a Stanford touch. One of the main issueswith Fox Mustangs is that it's nearly impossible to get the cheapfeeling out of them (blocky GT body cladding certainly doesn't help), sothe idea here was to strip off all the plastic junk we could and get itdown to the no-nonsense look that's a hallmark of the Highland Greencars since McQueen's. It's a simple recipe, really. Start with an LXhatch and fill in the depression in the body side molding for a moremodern, smooth appearance, lose any rear spoiler, lower it, and dowse inHighland Green. For the nose, go with a '93 Cobra grille minus therunning horse. Or for more of a rounded, open-mouth look, go with anarrowed '94-'95 centersection like Steve did. Argent-finish AmericanRacing Torq-Thrust IIs in 17 or 18 inches are readily available inoffsets for five-lug converted Fox cars, so this is one anybody coulddo.

Gasser!

This one started as a joke. But the more we thought about it, werealized that the Fox was one of the few late-model body styles thatcould possibly pull it off. After seeing it on paper, we want someone tobuild it! Rather than the '87-'93 aero nose, we went for the earlier'83-'84 four-eye front clip since it had more of the old-school feel,but we used the cleaner quarter-window treatment from the later aerocars. It's not a period-correct build, so there's a need to graft inleaf springs. We went with custom coilovers on a lowered perch andradius rods to mount the straight axle. Bonus points if you go for thespindle mount wheels. Rather than tubbing and tucking the big meatsinside the sheetmetal in the rear Pro Street style, we radiused thewheel lip and moved it up roughly 3 inches so the rubber could spillout. Power is your choice of evil small- or big-block Ford, but theinjection stacks (mechanical or EFI) and fenderwell headers are a must.

Mid-Engine Speedster

Steve calls this one the Hi-Ho Silver Speedster. Think of it as thepoorer man's homage to the Ford GT supercar. This radical roadster wasactually inspired by a part: the new high-horsepower-rated transaxlefrom Mendeola that's used in the GT. Right off the bat ya gotta lose therear seat and convertible well to make room so this one is a trueroadster, which will require significant structural bracing. The decklidwould be fiberglass to offset the weight somewhat with a clearcentersection to show off the Inglese-inducted 351 Cleveland. ThinkPantera meets Ferrari. The engine compartment is now the trunk, so leavethe radiator up front and run aluminum piping from the engine. Airinduction for the rear brakes or engine comes via scoops in the lowerquarter, replacing the factory GT ground effects. The custom headerlesswindshield is inspired by Foose's Speedbird, and the wheels are 18-inchPS Engineering Cobra wheels. It's no mean feat to create a mid-engineMustang, but you'd definitely have the only one!

T-Buckets

Buckets are often considered the entry-level traditional-style rod, since they're typically cheaper and easier to build than most other vintage roadsters. Unfortunately, they also carry a stigma in a lot of circles as being a little clich or pass, largely due to the way-over-the-top show buckets that came together regularly in the '70s and '80s. So how do we approach the T with a clean slate?

Sportbike Bucket

Since buckets are little more than a seat on a couple of framerails withan engine, guys often go for over-the-top cubic horsepower in front of acut-down '23 to '26 T body (or replica). For this one, we went theopposite direction and took notes from the sportbike world as well as '60s show rods (Can you see a little Roth in it?) to design thefiberglass body. We didn't sort out suspension specs, but ideally you'dgo for something responsive that made it stick a curve reasonably well.Think motorcycle tires on those crotch-rocket three-spoke rims. It's a Tthat you could drive in anger. Of course, our steering column anglewould need a revision for maximum driver control. For power, ahigh-revving small-block Chevy is the cheap and easy route, but for thekill, it should be packing something along the lines of a high-strungand high-revving four-banger or even a sportbike engine. Chew on that alittle.

Offy

This one's all about the engine. If you've never had the pleasure ofhearing the racy racket of a twin-cam, four-cylinder Offy engine inperson, it's hard to explain the appeal--but maybe its 24 wins at theIndianapolis 500 will give you the picture. Ours would be one of the270ci Indy-bred variants with as close to the race engine's 15:1compressions as we could get away with on the street. The tub itself isa standard cut-down '23, but to give the body more of a '27 roadsterlook, Steve had the idea of grafting on a custom trunk inspired by'35-'36 Ford humpback sedans. Given the engine's pedigree, the T needs alittle vintage, race car feel to it, so custom radius rods and trailingarms are drilled with lightening holes and rolling stock are 18- and19-inch Dayton tall and skinny knock-off wire wheels fitted with CokerExcelsior Racing Comp V tires reminiscent of those on the '35 HarryMiller-engineered Ford IndyCars.

C-Cab

Inspired by the Dan Woods-built '70s show rods, Milk Truck and Ice Truck(currently being restored, we hear), Steve wanted to take this C-cab ina more mild direction with an eye toward driveability. The paint couldgo as wild as you please, but we opted for a subtle silvery white andplenty of red pinstriping. If you're wondering why there's no radiator,another hallmark of show rods was unique or outrageous powerplants, sofor this street C we opted for an air-cooled, injected Corvair flat-six.With no hood, keeping it cool shouldn't be a problem. There's a rumorthat the mold for Dan's C-cab bodies still exists out there somewhere.Anybody have any leads?

First-Gen Monte Carlos

Perhaps it's their heft or the perceived Buickness of them as one reader once stated, but for some reason these cars have always stayed off most hot rodders' radar. It's too bad because as A-bodies, most of the '68-'72 Chevelle goodies in the aftermarket are applicable. And since it's generally cheap to get into one, there's more in the budget for upgrades.

Slo Touring Class

Elegance is a good way to sum up this build. Montes were designed to berefined, comfy drivers so we took that concept a few steps further andcreated a sumptuous, comfortable Slo Touring car, perfect for the dailycommute or Power Tour(R). Externally, the body is stock, but all theunnecessary flair gets the shave except for the lower rocker trim. Vinyltops are usually first on our list to remove, but the Monte's factoryvinyl roof with its trim along the driprails adds elegance. It doesn'thave to be black, but keep the body a solid color and stick to deep,classy hues. Any old-style wire wheels (not lowrider style) could beused, but we went with 15x6-inch '53 Buick Skylark wheels and spinnersfrom Motorspot (www.hobbycar.com) adapted or redrilled to the later GM5x43/4 bolt pattern. Inside, think miles of sumptuous black leather overeverything, with rechromed factory trim and bezels. Keep the engine mildand the exhaust low-key and deep sounding so you don't disturb the otherdiners when you valet at an upscale restaurant.

No Monte

Get out your English wheel for this one. As much as we tried, wecouldn't figure out a good roof donor, though a '68-'72 El Camino roofwould get the basic shape of the forward section of the cab. As for therear glass, it's plexi or a second mortgage for the real stuff. Sincewe're in full street rod territory here, wheels should be big billetbeasts tucked way up in the fenderwells. We went with Halibrand-inspiredwheels in 18- and 20-inch sizes.

Drop Top

This is one that GM really should have built. It even looks factory,doesn't it? Again, the body stays stock, rocker trim and all, but weditch the roof in favor of letting the sunshine in. So how to do it?Well, we'd start by cannibalizing a Chevelle or maybe a Cutlass to getthe windshield and convertible top mechanisms. It won't be a direct fitby a long shot, but since both cars are A-Bodies, it may help minimizethe requisite cutting, stretching, and alteration of the top frame.Don't forget to get the well for the top to recess into and all thehydraulics to make it work. Then again, if you live somewhere with anice, dry climate, you could just forgo all those headaches and make ita roadster.

Send It To Us!

Are you brewing up something equally imaginative in your garage? We'd love to see it so shoot some photos and a description over to HOTROD@hotrod.com. Who knows-you just might see it in Project Garage.

Improve fuel economy by freeing up the exhaust system.

With the U.S.A. experiencing severe gas pains, many hot rodders are interested in maximizing their vehicles’ fuel-economy potential. In the coming days, I’ll take a look at 20 things you can do to get better “mpg.” First up: exhaust systems.

A dual-exhaust system and low-restriction exhaust improve fuel economy. Generally, stock exhaust manifolds or small-tube headers (1?- or 1¾-inch primaries into a 3-inch collector) work best; bigger tubes over-scavenge the engine and may cause a mileage loss.

When it comes to automotive battery selection, cold cranking amps and reserve capacity are the most important criteria.

Modern batteries are rated in two ways:
1. The Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) rating determines how much current the battery can deliver for 30 seconds at 0 degrees F (–17 degrees C) without falling below 7.2 battery volts (1.2V per cell). Don’t be fooled by batteries that only advertise “cranking capacity.” The ability to function under cold-weather conditions is the true acid test (pun intended) of a battery.
2. The Reserve Capacity rating is the number of minutes a fully charged, 12-volt battery at 80 degrees F (26.7 degrees C) can be discharged at a constant 25 amps to maintain 10.5 battery volts (1.75V per cell).