Category Archives: Cam’s Cars

What can I say? I love cars (and trucks). This section of my blog contains all the posts about my favorite hobby.
If you want to view posts by vehicle just click on the link below to visit Cam’s Car Index

The First Aftermarket Additions!

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When you see the picture you’ll realize this is a totally silly post. Whenever I get a car I  change out the floor mats and I put a sticker on the vehicle. So, voila!

The mats are made by Lloyd’s. Two in the front and a trunk mat. I love the red stitching- it’s a great highlight. And then I put on a Benchmade and an Autobot sticker (I have a thing for stickers).

I am actually in the process of getting several “real” upgrades done (exhaust, interior lightning, tinting, new rims, etc) but I’ll save those blog posts until the projects are finished.

Camaro 2012 SS Impressions

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I’ve had my car for more than a week now and I thought I’d take a moment to write up some of my thoughts. In a way my perspective is slightly skewed, since I’m coming from a Z06 Corvette that many people might consider “better.” However, at this point my Z06 is so modified that it’s almost uncomfortable and the Camaro is a welcome change.

First off I think the 2012 Camaro represents a great value. After looking at some 2010 and 2011 models I got a new SS with the RS package. For what you pay you get a well engineered and executed muscle car that, in my opinion, lives up to the hype. The car is stylish, drives well, has plenty powerful and comes with a lot of features I wouldn’t have expected in this price range.

Styling Exterior: I love the way the new Camaro looks. I think it does a great job of channeling it’s predecessors while evolving into a modern street machine. The angular lines of the car give it a very aggressive look and it seems to turn a lot of heads. I like the wheel design, but I’m not a big fan of the stock silver color or the way Chevy gouges you for OEM alternatives. I got the model with no sunroof (more on that later) and I think the reverse mohawk (not present with a sun roof) is a great look for this car.

Styling Interior: The 2012 interior has been updated a bit. Online it seems like people complained that Camaro interiors seemed cheap, but the 2012 SS interior seems excellent. The leather first rate and everything flows smoothly together in a comfortable way. The sun visors are a little silly, but that’s really the only thing. I like the design elements like the lighted doors and retro gauge cluster. The HUD looks great too- super bright and clear.

Comfort:

The seats are very comfortable. They are power adjustable in pretty much anyway you can think of (the exception being lumbar support) and they hug the contours of the body very well. There is ample room in the front, although the back seats would be cramped for adults (since I plan on carting my kids around back there I’m not too worried about it).

Speaking of space-  As I mentioned I opted for a model without a sunroof. While I prefer the look with no sun roof I was interested in getting one. However with a sunroof I didn’t fit !  Even with the seat all the way down my head hit the roof liner (I’m 6′ 4″ and I have a long torso). Without the sun roof I fit comfortably in the car and my head plenty of clearance.

I feel like the controls (temperature & radio) are all well designed and intuitive (the iPod interface, while not perfect, works well and I love seeing the song name in the HUD). The steering wheel controls work well too (I rarely use them in the Vette, but have used them quite a bit in the Camaro).

The updated 2012 steering wheel feels good, but possibly a little on the high side (you can move it down, but then it covers the speedometer & tachometer). I don’t know what the 2010 & 2011 steering wheels were like (seems like people didn’t like how they felt), but I preferred the look of them.

Driveability: The car is very quiet both at a stop and while driving (keep in mind that I’m coming from an 800hp ear splitter). The short shifter is very crisp and the transmission engages nicely. The clutch release is light and tightly sprung (it pops up too quickly for my taste), but the pedals all have a good feel.

The Camaro handles very well. Steering is responsive and it corners with a good amount of control and stability. The 2012 model has the FE4 suspension package (different from previous models) and the ride is smooth and even. You can still get good sense of the road but becoming “one” with this car seems like it may take a bit of work.

Performance: The SS has a 436 HP LS3 V8. Power-wise this is pretty substantial but coming from an 800HP Vette the Camaro almost feels underpowered. Acceleration is quick and consistent (and the engine sounds great) but you can feel the weight of the car (at almost two tons it is a heavy car). Don’t get me wrong- there’s plenty of power but it’s it’s less than I’m used to. Not to worry though- I have plans to make the car much faster :).  The LS3 engines lend themselves very well to upgrades (think “forced induction”).

The brakes are very good, but stopping distance is longer than I’m used to and I can feel the weight of the car when braking. The car may benefit from some and upgrade, but the Brembo disc brakes perform admirably and I’m perfectly happy with them for now.

I’m quite impressed with the Boston Acoustics sound system in the SS. It won’t blow your head off and it’s slightly muddy, but it does a good job with sound range and there is very little sibilance at high volumes. Everything seems mixed well and the balance is excellent (sound seems to come from in front of me). Chevy offers the option of an MTX subwoofer system, but I’m working on my own JL audio based sub (more on that soon). The ability to hook up my iPod to the stereo is also very nice (although there seems to be as issue and sometimes the music intermittently crackles).

Features: I have mentioned a few already, but I’ll just recap here. Love the leather power seats- very nice (also seat heaters- not a big fan personally). I think the HUD is a good addition and is well executed. I like the integrated auxiliary inputs for the stereo. The steering wheel controls are great. The backup camera and proximity warning system is really cool (useful? don’t know yet). Really cool gauge cluster beneath the stereo. The short shifter feel really good (the throw is longer than I expected though). And then there’s tons of standard options too – auto dimming mirrors, ABS brakes, high intensity headlights, integrated garage door opener, etc.

Conclusion: Super happy with the car! As I have said I think it’s a superb value and it’s very well executed in almost every regard. I’m really excited to drive it more (just putting some personal touches on it before I “debut” it to family & friends).

 

The King and Queen

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Yes, right now I have two cars. It’s not a crime. Sure, maybe it’s a little decadent. But both cars are actually very different. The other night it occurred to me that the Camaro and Corvette were like a King and Queen from a chess set. Both part of the same game, important, similar but with stark differences.

The Corvette is simply known now as Nemeis (goddess of divine retribution). With her sleek curves and light build the Corvette is clearly a woman. Like her chess counterpart she is smaller than the King, much more powerful and very aggressive.

The Camaro will be known as Chronos (the god of time). Chiseled, heavy and imposing the Camaro is obviously a man. Like his chess alter-ego he is larger than the Queen, slower than she is, yet in his own way a more powerful presence.

I feel like these two cars compliment each other very well. I wish they could have babies. A boy and a girl: Corvaro and Camette. Yeah.

My New Camaro SS

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If you know me, then you know I’ve been in love with Camaros for a long long time. One of my fondest memories was taking a green ’95 Camaro for a test drive. The salesman had me put it in second gear going 60 MPH and I was so impressed that I nearly wrote my name on the purchase contract he pushed in my face.

When I was much younger I was certain that the future held an IROC-Z for me (3rd generation) but that never panned out. Later I became enamoured with the F-body models (4th generation) but they were discontinued in 2002. When I finally reached a point in my life where I could afford a sports car the Camaro had been out of production for nearly five years. In 2007 I decided to get a Corvette, a current production model and another car that I had admired for a long time.

Later that year (2007) I learned that the Camaro was headed back into production. The Transfomers movie featured Bumblebee as a 5th generaion Camaro and although I didn’t care for the yellow color I thought the design of the car was remarkable. The Camaro models went on sale in spring on 2009 and I went to my local dealership to gawk. Right around that time however I had upgraded from a coupe Corvette to a Z06 and there was no way to justify the purchase of a Camaro- it would have to wait.

For the next three years I modified my Corvette and had a blast, but the Camaro was always in the back of my mind. In March of 2012 I started car shopping (I swap cars about every 2-3 years) and the Camaro was at the top of my list. Initially I looked at used models but quickly discovered that that depreciation was minimal; there was not much price difference between a used 2010 model and a new 2012 model. On April 7, I purchased a brand new 2012 black Camaro SS.

I have waited a long time to own a Camaro and I am thrilled. In one of my next posts I’ll do a Camaro review and give some of my impressions of the car and talk about some of my plans for it. More to come soon!

And to answer the question everyone asks me – “Are you going to keep your Corvette?” –  for now, yes.

Cam Hughes, April 14, 2012

Corvette Z06 Tires & TPMS Sensors

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I just had a crazy realization. I haven’t gotten new tires for my Asanti rims since July 2009. It’s been almost three years!

Anyway, with my current set of Michelin PS2’s worn down to the belt it was time for new tires. I headed over to Discount Tire in American Fork. They recently got a new tire machine and, as far as I know, they’re only place in Utah county where I can get my 325 25/20’s successfully put on (these are bigger tires than a stock Z06).

When I get my rims from West Coast Corvette I bought a set of tires and TPMS sensors from them. They told me the only way to get the sensors in the rims was to band them in. I’ve never had any problems with the bands, but the guys at Discount were disgusted.

With aftermarket rims it’s typical to have a valve stem that bends 90 degrees (left). A normal TPMS sensor can’t fit in a rim like this. What a lot of aftermarket rim manufacturers do is add an additional valve on the back of the tire that TPMS sensors can go in (right). My Asanti rims came with this extra valve but West Coast Corvette had opted to forgo its use (there may have been a reason but it’s been so long I don’t recall).

Discount Tire wanted to put the TPMS sensors in the “right way.” They said bands added unnecessary weight, have a tendency to slip and that my bands weren’t installed particularly well. I had them make the switch and so far there are no issues. I like having things done the “right way.” and I’m actually excited to have them do my front tires at some point. A big “thanks” to the AF Discount Tire- they have always been awesome.

Also for the record- having new tires is amazing. My car has so much extra grip (I had forgotten was it was like) that it makes me drive a little crazy. The ride is smoother and the handling is vastly improved as well. I don’t know why I waited this long! Oh yeah… maybe it’s the cost 😉

Cam Hughes, April 2, 2012

Cars That Make Me Go Ohhh!

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I confess, I still look at cars. Well, anyone who reads this already knows that (remember the 1978 Corvette?). And why not? It’s fun, free and usually it makes me really appreciate what I’ve already got. But in March of this year I started to get serious about buying a new car (I do this about every 2-3 years).

In the course of shopping I ran into a few things I fantasized about pulling the trigger on… something like this:

I love the Lamborghini Gallardos. But deep down I’m an American muscle kind of guy and I think these Italian super cars are beautiful but overpriced (this one was a fairly good deal, but it was a 2005 model and, in my opinion, a power downgrade).

And then I decided to take the practical route- something with a back seat. Back in 2003 I had decided that one day I would own a Porsche 911 Turbo S. Seeing this gem rekindled the desire for a German 911 masterpiece. I think the red interior is stunning (although there may be a little too much red).

Again my preference for American vehicles (and my common sense) won out. Plus this model wasn’t an “S”. I was still obsessed by the idea of a backseat though. Sure I flirted with the Lambo and the Porsche but in the end I knew what I was actually going to get.

And that’s when I found this beauty:

A 2011 Chevrolet SS Camaro. All black with some yellow exterior and interior accents. Whipple supercharger (680 HP!), manual transmission, ground effects kit, like new condition. And best of all it had a backseat and it was half the price of the other two vehicles that I had considered (in other words, “realistic”). Ever since I was a kid I have dreamed of owning a Camaro (heck, my name is in there!). I was sold!

Unfortunately the car was sold too. Literally ten minutes before I made the decision to buy it someone else did. I think it was a killer deal and I’m super excited for the new owner (I actually sent multiple messages to the seller to contact me if the buyer backs out). If it was meant to be then it would have been (or will be). Here are some more pics:

I do think a Camaro is in my future (soon, even). I’ll have to keep an eye out for another amazing deal. And next time I will be like the cars I love- faster!

And for all you lucky Camaro owners our there: don’t get any ideas about being UtahCamaro (www.utahcamaro.com goes right back here). Zing!

Cam Hughes, April 1, 2012

Replacing the Corvette Clutch Pedal Return Spring

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The other night I was getting gas and decided to shake out my floor mats. As I pulled driver side mat out of the car I noticed part of a coil spring was nestled comfortably near the back. I drove back home, pulled out a flashlight and discovered the clutch pedal return spring had snapped. I pulled the remaining portion of spring out (super easy if your spring has snapped: just push the center portion of the spring over the groove on the back of the clutch pedal and twist it out). A quick Google search revealed this was a pretty common occurrence.

I have no idea when my spring broke. I don’t recall noticing a change in the feel of my clutch pedal but I have noticed that shifting gears is sometimes tricky (I chalked this up to the new ACT clutch).  My guess is that the spring has been broken for a year or more.  A lot of people seemed to advocate swapping out the C6 spring with a C5 spring or leaving the spring out altogether. I’m all for innovation, but I decided to just replace the spring with the original part (10376347 for anyone curious).

Installation is super simple (with some help). First you need to put the ends of the spring into the two white bushings (above). You can put one end in first and then compress the spring and put the other end in (make sure you have the spring facing the right direction). Now you need to press the pedal all the way down (this is a where it’s nice to have a friend). With your hand behind the clutch push the U shaped portion of the spring over the catch groove on the back of the clutch pedal (lift and pull it toward you- it will slide up, over and in with very little effort).

That’s it- your new spring is in (I borrowed the picture above-right  from The Clevite Kid on CorvetteForum.com – great clean pic of the installed C6 spring).  Remember to grease your new spring! I drove the car around for a bit to see how it felt. There is a definite difference in the feel. With the spring the compression takes less effort. I almost want to say it’s spongy, but that seems negative and there’s nothing bad about the clutch feel, per se. People seemed to complain about uneven tension, but I didn’t notice anything like that. Overall I think it’s an improvement from no spring.

Posted by Cam, March 26, 2012