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Project Bertone Sleeper

Bigbegum69

slab rider
Joined
Jan 14, 2004
Location
Dallas, TX
My first post on turbobricks was a few years ago. It was when I started this project. The car is a 1 owner 1980 Bertone that my parents bought brand new. In 2002 the headgasket blew and the car sat in our garage for a couple of years. Over its entire life it had been well maintained and driven on the weekends. It also recieved a cheap paint job around 1999.

I am taking care of this project in stages. Stage 1, the drivetrain is almost complete. It consists of

Chevrolet Gen II LT-1 engine (fuel injected 350 chevy, iron block w/aluminum heads)
Factory rating about 275hp and 300tq.
I have rebuilt it to stock specs.

4l60 transmission (4 speed overdrive automatic)

I have a massive fuel system because I will be adding forced induction or nitrous in the future.
16 gallon fuel cell
Aeromotive fuel pump, filter, and bypass regulator
-8 feed lines
-6 return lines

I started this buildup in my highschool shop class. All the body work and painting was also done there. I couldnt have done this project without the help of my teacher. He is a hotrodder himself. So when he found out what I wanted to do, he was on board. You will see some of his cars in the backround of my pictures from time to time.

hotrods.jpg

Can you spot the real hotrod?

So the first thing I did was pull the old motor out I cleaned up the engine bay, shaved the battery tray, and put down some fresh black paint.

FrontalShotUnpainted.jpg


batterytray.jpg


bumper.jpg


clearance.jpg


driversmount.jpg


passengermount.jpg


driverpainted.jpg


passpainted.jpg

I think the paint turned out great. I also had a buddy paint the flag under the hood.
 
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So the progress kept on progressing. I worked on it for a ton of hours. about 12 hours a week for about a year. I used block hugger headers that cleared the steering shaft. PCMs for less did the computer programming. I slapped a new optispark and water pump on it. Used a corvette radiator, as recomended in the JTR book. For a fan I used a dual 12" flexalite slimline fan. I had to chop it up a little, like the entire car but it fits.

EngineDriver.jpg


swaybar.jpg


ypipe.jpg


Tank.jpg
 
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Now I am working on parting together all of the suspension parts. So far all I have are the bilstiens. I am about to build some coilovers, urethane bushings, sway bars, build some subframe connectors and detail the undercarage. I also want to get all the kalpenhein racing parts. sorry about the spelling. I also want to put the new style dashboard in it with a new heater core and blower motor.
 
Sounds good, I've been in a stock (save for rust repairs on the russian steel roof) 82' Australian spec 262C with a 355 holden v8 stroker making 500hp or so and the tubs have been worked to fit 255/55/17 rims I beleive, having a 262C ain't subtle, the roof does that quite well, but they are awsome.
 
Right on. I love 262C Bertones. Not sure I agree with your engine choice, but you've put in a lot of work, and I'm sure it will be a beast! Good luck with it man ;-)
 
Looks fantastic. I hope the optispark treats you better than 99% of the people out there. It's a funny looking sway bar you've got, is that a Bertone thing? It's fat like my IPD bar but the droop is so much narrower...

Edit - blah, that's your motor mount.
 
So the car is running right? Have you dyno'd it? A stock LT1 with no tune, headers/exhaust and a 6spd will put down around in the 270s for HP.... Depending on where you are I know of a place where you can get the car dyno-tuned and get it tuned right ;D (where i work ;) ).

Anyways beyond the thread jack I'm a fan of the car. It's definately a sleeper. Have you been able to weigh the car with that motor setup? I'm sure its quicker than a camaro with the same motor/setup.
 
The computer has a pcm for less program on it. Headers, no cat, 150 degree t-stat, cold air intake, no egr, a few free mods, alternator and crank pully. I havnt dyno'd it yet because I am having to tweak out the throttle cable. I can take it to about 8/10ths throttle right now. it hauls anyways.
 
can i see the link? was it for ricekiller.com?

I am gunna slap some 17's on it so I will need spacers.

I am about to update everything. I am having the tranny rebuilt right now with art morrison parts and getting a hughs 2500 stall. should be pretty neeto.

later
Ryan
 
Well i got the tranny worked out. New additions are...

87+ dashboard
Autometer guages
Bilstien HDs all around
Ipd v6 25mm front sway.. (i need a rear ipd bar if anyone wants to sell one)
cut v6 springs in the front
ipd wagon overloads
virgos with 205/50/15 falken rt615s

I handles much better but is very stiff to say the least. coilovers are coming soon and a less stiff rear spring.

I made it out to the 1/8th mile track and the falkens didnt do to good. I was expecting that. everyone was looking at me funny when i did huge burnouts from one tire.

for the record i was spinning all the way down the track...

a few times

(best et)
.6639 -- reaction
2.2399- 60 ft
5.9624- 330ft
9.0922- 1/8th
77.83 -- mph

(best mph)
.5560 -- reaction
2.3938- 60 ft
6.1603- 330ft
9.2804- 1/8th
78.58 -- mph


Once i get some drag radials and a locker its going to be a lot different. And once I can put a decent 60 ft. im going to add nitrous.


pics are coming soon..... SORRRY!
 
Ok so here are some pictures that others took from our little mini meet.

I have blacked out the front end
installed a newer dashboard
added autometer guages
graphite virgos with 205/50/15 falkens rt615s
cut another coil off the front v6 springs
added wagon overload springs (cut 2 coils)
bilstien HD's all around
v6 ipd 25mm front bar

http://www.filelodge.com/files/room13/314531/meet timeline2.jpg

http://www.filelodge.com/files/room13/314531/meet time line.jpg

http://www.filelodge.com/files/room13/314531/meet whole car.jpg

http://www.filelodge.com/files/room13/314531/meet rear end.jpg

http://www.filelodge.com/files/room13/314531/meet interior.jpg

http://www.filelodge.com/files/room13/314531/meet front end.jpg


how do you like it. I think it has a nice rake going on. I also have two 15x7 multispoke wheels that I am going to mount 235/60/15 m/t drag radials on. I also just ordered a tru track for it. anyways I want to know what you guys think. Thanks to the TX VS guys for taking the pictures and vids.

Heres a little video. It is kind of distorted.
exhaust video
http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b19/BtownVolvo/?action=view&current=MOV01068.flv
 
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