Yesterday I was driving my 95 Z28 (360+ whp naturally aspirated) back to back with my Evo RS (~300 whp) and wishing that I could combine the instant torque and muscle of my Camaro with the low speed traction of my Evo -- and of course maintain a semblance of handling (i.e., not a truck). I was trying to think of anything that could be affordably built to have those characteristics and couldn't think of anything.

The only thing that I could think of was something like a 4WD S10 blazer with a Chevy V8 transplant (common swap) and a highly developed custom suspension with really big rubber.

Anyone have an idea for a project?

 

Audi makes a V8 AWD it is called the S4 ...

 

You can also look into the GMC Syclone..

I had done a Chevy Monte Carlo with an AWD setup from a GMC Syclone and a v8 engine a few years back.. My Malibu may get the AWD Syclone setup eventually if I pull it apart again with my new twin turbo banks setup I'm going to be building. But using a built GN turbo V6 was another option for me.

The chevy A body, and G body, share many front end components with the 2wd chevy S10 and therefore the front end mods were pretty straightforward. You will have to make floorpan modifications and transmission tunnel to fit the transmission and transfer case, also, the engine will have to sit higher and further back on the chassis, so you'll need a cowl hood and other mods to the firewall.

 

Do you mean you want an AWD V8 powered car - mostly for better traction and drag racing? Or, do you want to improve the handling of your Camaro?

You can significantly improve the handling by working on the suspension. I have a modded 95 Z28 track car (road course) and a stock 05 Evo. While you will not make the Camaro 'feel' like the Evo (it's too big), you can make it handle and corner very well. I have also dropped about 150 pounds out of the car which helps quite a bit.

Jim

 

I know about the S4, but that's why I put "affordable" in the subject line.

That's good info on the S10-A/G body compatibility. Sounds like you've got some cool projects in your past and future, Jack. Be sure to look me up when you get bored with them and are ready to sell

 

Too bad you're not in australia.
http://www.rsportscars.com/eng/cars/hsv_coupe4.asp

Yes, I know it's based on the Monaro aka the GTO but to my eye it looks much better.

 

My Z28 is fairly modded and handles well. Here are the mods:

http://www.mycar.net/mafb/registry/detail.cfm?id=455

It would be nice if it could hook up the power with 4.10 gears on the street. It isn't bad with drag racing tires, but then the handling goes out the window. It also wouldn't be tough to add a blower or turbo and then the traction problem would be even worse.

 

I think with 4:10s that traction will be a problem all right. Those look like CCW wheels - I have a set of Forgelines and run the standard 275/40/17 tires front and rear. A friend of mine runs 315s on the back. Maybe that would help with traction.

Jim

 

315s might help a little, but as soon as you start turning traction is all over again. That Holden HSV is pretty cool. Maybe I need a vacation to Australia so I can take one for a spin

 

Actually, it's called an RS6. The S4 is a bi-turbo 6 cyclinder.

 

The 2k4 S4 is a naturally aspirated 4.2 liter V8 pushing 340hp and its four wheel drive.

www.audi.com - top secret site with all the information


Scorke

 

04/05 have v8

 

^ yup this is true. The new s4's haul *** ive test driven one although it did feel a little heavy around the turns as opposed to the evo. I've yet to drive a car that handles better than my friend's evo. The rs6 is a hell of a car its a TT 8 cylinder pumpin out some major hp *around 600* but is also pushing some big $ too... somewhere in the 80k + range. So you want a car that gets off the line and handles like an evo and also has a ton of low end torque? Thats a tough one without spending a ton of money... You could try and try to put a sequential twin turbo setup on ur evo like the older audi s4 with one smaller turbo and one big one but now that i think about it that wouldn't be really smart financially either... **** you got me on this one.

 

For some reason I was thinking turbo AWD V8, my bad.

 

Ford 500, Chrysler 300C when they come out with AWD are options, although not especially 'sporty'.