Camaro Performers - Vintage Wheel Works

aRll-BEN:
TUNED PORT
STROKER: PART 3
::
4TH-BEN:
EXTERIOR MAKEOVER
I\IEED-TO-KI\IOW TECH
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Nothing stands out on this car. It looks pretty
stock until you start the engine . put it in gear.
and go sOlDewhere . PP -Mary Pozzi
hen guys utter the phrase
Mustangs, and even a real-deal Cobra,
"chick car," it's usually meant
before retiring in 1990. After hanging
cruising in a girlfriend's early second­
in some derogatory way that
up her helmet, Pozzi got into a hobby
gen finally sealed the deal on what she
W
High school memories of good times
implies slow or dainty. But what if that
that was even more expensive than
wanted to buy. "We did things with that
chick's car is capable of spanking your
cars-horses. "As a hobby, I can tell you
car that our parents never knew about,
ride at the track, leaving you with a view
that the quickest way to make a million
and hopefully never will. What happens
of quickly fading taillights-until she
dollars with horses is to start out with
in a Camaro stays in a Camaro,"
laps you. In that case, one would have
two million," remarked Pozzi. But even
deadpanned Pozzi.
to refer to Mary Pozzi and her '73 RS
during those years she never forgot her
Camaro with a bit more respect, respect
first love and the fun of going fast.
that's been hard-earned. You see, to
Fast-forward a few years and Pozzi
In early 2002, Pozzi found a '73 RS
in the local Auto Trader and made
arrangements to check it out with her
underestimate Pozzi or her ride would
was back out at the track and itching
husband. "The owner took us for a ride
be a mistake of epic proportions. She's
for a new ride. Pozzi admitted, "I'd been
in the car and then turned it over to me
been tearing up tracks and highways for
thinking about buying an early Camaro,
with instructions to be careful because
nearly 30 years. In her 20s she met her
but I really didn't know much about the
it had a very powerful engine. Dave
husband, Dave, at an autocross driving
different years, models, and body types.
laughed at that, as he's built engines
school where he was an instructor. Back
I didn't know an SS from a Z28, except
that displayed much more 'enthusiasm'
then, a big part of her life was vintage
they were both fast. Dave tossed some
under acceleration; this engine was
racing and autocrossing, where she
Camaro books at me with instructions
pretty tame by comparison," Pozzi said.
racked up 10 National Solo titles in a
to look at the pictures and read all the
The car was solid and the paint was
variety of cars, including Camaros,
info so I could figure out what I wanted."
decent even though it had been done
70
www.camaroperformers.com
in ghost f
keen on.,
for $5,200,
home to
on jackst(
During
was guttE
added, ar
a manual
up fromll
Global W
before thE
in ghost flames that Pozzi wasn't too
with the UPS guy. Once the engine and
Automotive of Salinas, California. This
keen on. A deal was eventually struck
transmission arrived, they were able
is actually the car's second exhaust
for $5,200, and the couple drove the car
to get the ride back on the road. Pozzi
system. The first one got them black­
home to Salinas, California, where it sat
learned to live with the ghost flames.
flagged at Laguna Seca for exceeding
on jackstands for the next four years.
During those years, the entire interior
The '73 sports an unmolested ZZ383
the decible limits, so something a
GM crate engine that supplies the 3,600­
bit tamer was needed. An AFCO
radiator with Flex-a-lite fans keeps the
was gutted and replaced, gauges were
pound Camaro with 371 horsepower and
added, and the console was readied for
415 Ib-ft of torque to the rear wheels.
Camaro running cool. while a 100-amp
a manual gearbox. Boxes kept showing
The spent gasses exit through a set of
Powermaster alternator provides plenty
up from Hotchkis, Baer, Summit, JEG's,
Hooker Super Comp 1.75-inch ceramic­
of jUice to fire the MSD 6AL ignition
Global West. and so on. It wasn't long
coated headers and into a Walker
system. Backing up the engine is a
before they were on a first-name basis
exhaust system fabricated by Willis
Richmond five-speed tranny with a
MAY 2008 CAMARO PERFORMERS
71
Hayes Powergrip clutch and a Lakewood
antisquat, and Howe "tall" ball joints
her lucky passenger firmly anchored
bellhousing. Out back, a worked-over
were installed. Dave designed and
in place. Auto Meter Phantom gauges
GM lO-bolt posi rear with 3.08 gears
fabricated an adjustable rear sway bar
track the stroker's vitals, and a Grant
transfers the ponies to the pavement.
using the existing Hotchkis bar. For
Formula-G IS-inch wheel lets Pozzi
maneuver the Camaro toward the next
By going with a simple crate engine
chassis stiffening, the couple added a
for motivation, the couple was able to
four-point rollbar and welded in some
apex. There's a stereo, but only because
spend more effort on the key ingredient
Detroit Speed & Engineering subframe
it came with the car. "It's hard to hear
of a hard-turning car-the suspension.
connectors. G-braces help increase front
music over the engine, so I don't pay
To fix the steering, they installed a Sweet
roll stiffness by almost a third, and lower
much attention to the sound system,"
remarked Pozzi.
power steering pump with a cooler and
control arm bushings were replaced with
an AFR fast-ratio 12.7:1 steering box. The
Del-a-Lum units. Rolling stock consists
stock front subframe has been treated to
of Vintage Wheel Works in 17x8-inch
the Camaro? To drive the hell out of
a host of aftermarket goodies, including
front and 17x9.S-inch rear wrapped in
it. of course. She recently won the C
Global West upper control arms and a
sticky Kumho tires in 24S/4SZR17 and
Prepared Ladies SCCA Solo II Tour class
Hotchkis TVS system with a two-inch
28S/40ZRI7, respectively.
in Atwater, California, so we guess the
drop. Adjustable OAI shocks let the pair
"Over time and experimentation, the
So what are Pozzi's future plans for
retirement was just a technicality. "I
machine. I
tune for different track conditions, and
car has evolved into something very
competed against much better prepared
skill make
Baer binders on all four corners bleed off
predictable and uncomplicated," Pozzi
Camaros and Mustangs that were
Pozzi's ri dE
speed in the blink of an eye. In the rear,
said. "At autocrosses and track days,
modified to the limit of the rules. This
and althoL
there's a Global West CATS system with
people take the car for granted i:md don't
included tube-frame cars that weighed
Camaroto
a I.S-inch drop and another pair of OAI
expect much. However, when they see how
as little as 2,600 pounds compared to my
plans topc
adjustable shocks.
well it does its job, they're quite surprised."
car's 3,600-pound weight. They also had
After all, tI
engines that put out more horsepower,"
richer tode
But it didn't stop there. The front leaf
The interior is simple, clean, and
spring brackets were modified per
functional. Corbeau Carrera seats with a
Herb Adams' specifications to increase
six-point harness system keep Pozzi and
72
www.camaroperformers.com
recalled Pozzi.
But racing is about more than the
back in 20(
engine wit
)
\
\,.."
-
J
TECH BOX
OWNER:................................... Mary Pozzi, Salinas, Calnomia VEHICLE: .. . ... ... . ......................... ................... 1973 Camaro .. .
.
.... .
.
REAR WHEEl DYNO: ........... ...... ................ ........................ .
.
.
371 hp @ 5,300 rpm and 415 Ib-ft @ 5,300 rpm
WEIGHT: .................... ........... .. 3,600 pounds without driver .
.
.
ENGINE
TYPE: ......................................................... 383 Stroker-ZZ383 BLOCK: .................................................................................. Iron COMPRESSION RATIO: ......................... . ..................... 9.7:1 BORE: .........................................................................4.00 inches STROKE: ........................... ........................................3.80 inches OILING: ...................................................... Canton 8-quart pan ROTATING ASSEMBLY: ........................... ..... GMPp forged CYlINOER HEADS: ............. GMPP aluminum "fast bum" CAMSHAFT: ........509/.428-inch lift and 2221230 degrees . .
.
..
duration @ .050 inch
INTAKE: ........................... Edelbrock dual-plane RPM Air-Gap CARBURETOR: ............. Barry Grant Speed Demon 750 cfm IGNITION: ......................................................................MSD 6AL EXHAUST: .............. Hooker Super Comp 1.75-inch headers, Walker mufflers
FUEl TANK: ....................... Rick's, stainless steel, 18 gallon DRIVETRAIN
TRANSMiSSION: ...... ............ . ................ Richmond 5-speed CLUTCH: .......................................... Hayes Powergrip-organic SHIFTER: .............................................................................. Hurst REAR AxLE: ............ GM 10-bolt with Posi and 3.08 gears. .
. .
Assembled by David Pozzi
CHASSIS
FRONT SUSPENSION: OEM spindles, Global West tubular
UCAs, GM LCAs with Del-a-Lum bushings
FRONT SPRINGS: ............. Hotchkis springs, two-inch drop REAR SUSPENSION: ....... Global West CAT5 system with 1.5-inch drop
SHOCKS: ........................................................ ... QAl adjustable CHASSIS STIFFENING: ..... Detroit Speed and Engineering
.
machine. It's a place where driver
or four-link rear suspension, fiberglass
skill makes all the difference. Besides,
hood, Ford nine-inch rear, mini-tubs for
Pozzi's ride is still a streetcar at heart,
wider tires, or possibly headers that have
and although she'll keep upgrading the
more ground clearance; Anything that
Camaro to stay competitive, she has no
reduces weight and gains performance
plans to part with her flamed second-gen.
would be entertained."
After all, the aftermarket is quite a bit
richer today for second-gens than it was
back in 2002. Pozzi said, "Perhaps an LS7
engine with a six-speed trans, a three-
If you think it's hard to keep up with
Pozzi and her Camaro now, just wait. •
subframe connectors
BRAKES: ....... Baer 13-inch Track system front and 12-inch Touring system rear
WHEELS & TIRES
WHEELS: Vintage Wheel Works, 17x9.5 rear (5.5-inch b.s.),
17x8 front (4.5-inch b.s.)
TIRES:
...... 285/40ZR17 rear and 245/45ZR17 rear Kumho
Ecsta MX
MAY 2008 CAMARO PERFORMERS
73