Mark's LS2 2nd Gen Camaro build by Marktainium

7 minute(s) of a 242 minute read

Got the replacement spindles and got one side together. Still need to do the brake hose.

11/20/2009

I am using a 1 1/16 bore master cylinder (manual brakes). It may be too big. I will report back on that after I drive it. It will be on the road this spring. Should be ready sooner, but the weather will make me wait...

1/9/2010

Got back into the garage today. Finished the front brakes. Pulled the rear diff cover off and pulled one side of the rear brakes apart. More on that tomorrow.
Here's a couple pic's of how it's looking now.

1/10/2010

I started working on the back brakes. As usual I was met with a hurdle. I need to replace my wheel studs. I am changing them from 7/16-20x1 and a bit to 1/2-20x1 3/4.(raybestos # 2673B). So as I had to pull my axles anyway for the swap, I am going to do the seals as well. I hope this rear end holds up to the abuse I have in store for it. Worst case I swap in a 12 bolt, as these brakes bolt right onto that axle as well.
I am also lowering the rear 1/2". I got the lowering kit Hotchkis recomended but was not happy with what they supplied. It's hard to tell in the pics, but basically they send you 1/4" shims that you bolt onto the top of the leaf stack in the amount that you want to lower the car. In my case 1/2" or 2 shims. thing is, they dont supply any shims for the side of the stack. So I guess you are supposed to put the shims on top of the leaf, then tighten the U bolts to whatever tourque is recomended and hope that the lower polyeurothane isolator doesn't squish out sideways. I built my own shims, out of 1/4 flat bar, to extend the side mount of the axle tube bracket. It worked perfectly and locates the isolator. Why didn't they think of that?

old brakes

1/13/2010

OK, more troubles... It seems even the simple jobs can take all day, or at least a good portion of them. Went to drill out the axles for the new studs and the drill bit I needed I didn't have. $28 later, for 1 bit, I get the holes done. Then the disks don't sit flush because the center of the hub has a ridge on it. Put the axle in the lathe, spun it and machined it down using a file. (didn't want to risk damaging the bearing surface of the axle with the lathe chuck, so grabbed it further down the axle and it was wobbly) OK got the disk to sit properly. Then pressed in the new studs. (Easiest part of this job) Then found the stud protrudes just slightly past the flange surface, so had to enlarge the holes in the brake disk to make em fit. Done! Yay!
Started the install.Was going well till I tried to centre the caliper over the disk. There is about .050 of axle end play... I need to figure out how to shim that down now. Can't have the disk floating left to right between the pads. It'll make for a soft pedal and unwanted drag on the brakes.

1/19/2010

I got a low mileage T56 out of an 04 gto. My 99 camaro t56 was popping out of reverse so it needed a rebuild anyway. I was doing the swap today, on my back, on jackstands in my garage by myself, holding the transmission with my hands and jacking with my leg. Sketchy... found out the bellhousing is slightly different in the starter relief area, by about 1/2". Incase anyone wanted to know, they don't interchange. I probably could have swapped the starter, but who knows. Lowered the tranny down, crawled out from under there, killed the power and inside for a drink. (some days are like this!!!)

1/21/2010

Success!! Got the MN12 transmission sorted out and installed. At the end of the day I had to swap the bell housing, hydraulic clutch bearing, shifter, and shifter ball socket thingy. (On the end of the transmission shift shaft). Used the 2 arms and 1 leg on back technique.
At the same time I installed a bulkhead insulated stud for my battery cable. It runs through the inside of the car to the trunk. I had run the cable through a grommet in the firewall but kept having visions of the whole thing going up in smoke. I've found that, with me anyway, if I think of something that could go wrong, it probably will, no matter how remote a chance. Not worth the risk.