***coty 2007***

[0rion]

This is the official COTY thread. Please read my other post before voting.

[0rion]

September: SuperSport

Every Car has a story…

This starts as a sappy one. I was ready to pop the question to my girlfriend of 3 years and wanted a slick ride to drive to her the beach to ask her at sundown. A friend worked for one of the big rental car companies set me up with a green ’97 V6 convertible Camaro. After a weekend with that car, both my fiancé and I were hooked. After 11 years, my ‘87 V6 Grand Am coupe was done. Just out of college, I couldn’t afford a new Camaro convertible, but the rental car company I rented the green one from also sold cars from their fleet. A few phone calls and I had two ’97 red V6 verts to choose from with full service records and factory warranty. I picked what I thought was the best of the two and I was a Camaro owner at the end of ‘97.

I loved the car. After a few years, I had been thinking of stepping up to a V8. Then the official announcement came out in '01 that '02 was the last year, it was time to make my move. I hit the web message boards (including this one) and did my homework, and I spent a month staring at the ’02 brochure to pick out my color combo and options. This was going to be my first brand-new car, so I was going to have it exactly the way I wanted it. I was looking to put together a Camaro that showed how classy a ride it could be. I wanted to bust the mullet wearing "up on blocks" stereotype.

I love the SS styling and the opened up option list it provided. It had to be a convertible. Already had red, so time for another color. Pewter just is such a rich and warm color, and I knew it would be easer to keep than black or NBM. For the seats, leather. Ebony was the safe popular choice, but I wanted something different, so I opted for the Neutral. The stock front grille would not do, so SLP SS grille was on the list. My Father-In-Law talked me into the chrome 10-spoke wheels and I am glad he did. The car was ordered in Oct of 2001, and I took delivery on Dec 26th, 2001.

From there, the obsession and mods began…

Exterior Modifications:
Painted calipers w/ brushed aluminum decals
Color matched Smoothlock door and trunk lock covers
RKSport CAMARO rear fascia debossing emblems
Custom SLP Engineering decal on rear fascia
SS chrome/red logo tire stem caps
OEM 'YELLOW' rear side markers to replace the traditional 'RED' markers
8" ZO6 "shorty" antenna
Gloss Black and clear painted SS Hood scoop grille
Silverstar headlights
FormulaONE window tinting on sides and rear windows.
Polished AC evaporator
Gloss black painted front radiator support
OEM 35th anniversary badging under hood
brushed aluminum decal for shock tower brace
Magnaflow dual polished exhaust tips.
Corvette Fuel Rail Covers.
Finish protected by Zaino Bros. products

Interior Modifications:
Oris Windstop convertible wind deflector with SS badging
SS spec embroidered neutral floor mats
Custom SS console badging
35th Anniversary badging door sills
35th Anniversary embroidered rear decklid cover
Custom SS Billet Aluminum Pedals from DynoPro
Silver Gauge Face Overlays w/ LED lighting and Trans Am Gauge bezel

Performance:
Dual-outlet Magnaflow cat-back performance exhaust system
SLP Smooth Bellow
Donaldson Blackwing High Flow air lid and filter.
Crane Cams PowerTune tuning
Suspension/Chassis:
SLP Bolt-On Sub frame Connectors.
Shock Tower Brace.
SLP Bilstein/Eibach Shock/Spring Package

Drivetrain:
Crane Cams PowerTune Transmission tune

Some of the Stats:
Build #3988
ONE of only 88 Pewter SS Convertibles with an A4 built for 2002.
Statistically, possibly only ONE of 7 or fewer in this interior/exterior/model combo

Showing Off
Some recent Awards: - 1st place 2007 Chevy Winter Nationals 2/07.
- Awarded Platinum certification (999 out of 1000) by Worldwide Camaro Association 2/07.
- 1st place in class, Beat the Heat Longwood, FL car show 4/07.

[0rion]

October: Third_Shift_Studios "the Phoenix Risen"

It's an honor to be an Ls1 sponsor and now to be Car of the Month makes it even more honorable. Consider this biography a thanks to the members who voted for me and also those who have supported my emblem design efforts through the years. It's a real thrill to place my mark on the ls1 world like this.

My love for the Firebird TransAm started when I was 16 years old. I was working for my brother's landscaping company, mowing yards. I went to pack up the trailer and looked up to see a Torch Red 1998 ws.6 driving toward me. It was the first time I'd ever seen a new Firebird and my jaw bounced off the ground! The car was love at first sight so it became one of my life goals to achieve; I must own a Firebird.

Once I graduated from art/design school in Pittsburgh, I moved to Cincinnati where I began my career for an advertising agency. At the time, I was driving an 01 cavalier but realized with a full time career, I could finally make my dream car a reality! So I bought my first TransAm. A beautiful Navy Blue Metallic 2000 ws.6. I owned the car for 3 years before it's untimely demise in March, 2007: an unfortunate accident rendered me emtpy and barren. I missed that car so much, I NEEDED another adrenaline boost–nothing around me mattered, my wedding, my job, a house, nothing would fill the void that losing "the Batmobile" created.

It took months to find, I was searching "vehicles for sale" sections on here and 'tech as well as AutoTrader. I don't think an hour of any day passed by without me combing through sites to find new listings. I starting thinking about getting a Vette, but knew that insurance and monthly payments would be difficult especially with a wedding in the near future as well as a house to follow. Plus a Vette isn't a ws.6. The bold curves and prowling demeanor of a ws.6 can't be topped. I would consider Bullrun on Spike TV a major catalyst during my search. Mike Alsop's inspirational ws.6 beat one task after the next-I wanted my next TransAm to be that capable. So I made contact with Mike, and made a handshake-deal "you build me up a TransAm and i'll build you a website." A long time passed and Alsop's group just couldn't find a good build car to start from without exceeding the budget cap. It was aggrevating, to say the least. I just wanted something at this point of time....

Out of the ashes of torment I found a new lust; B L A C K. Seductive...ominous...evil...nothing is more intimidating or classy than a jet black ws.6. I did, one last "AutoTrader search" before I called Alsop to agree on the car they found and there it was, just 20 miles from my house-a sleek, black on black ws.6. I called the dealer and said "is that car still there?" they said, "yes!" So I took a look at it; the car was worked on...lowered...tuned...LOUD! It was the solution to my craving. Dubbed "the Phoenix Risen," is my current 2000 triple black M6 ws.666 [a slick play on words, and a more fitting title as my ongoing suspension mods make it more "Sick and Twisted"]. Current modifications are:

17" ZR1 Grandsports
Eibach Pro Kit
Suspension Techniques 35mm Solid Front Sway Bar
J&M Double Adjustable Panhard Bar
J&M 2-Point Tubular Subframe Connectors
UMI Tubular Lower Control Arms
UMI Bolt-in LCA Relocation Brackets
SLP Lid w/ K&N filter
Hedman Headers
Custom Y-Pipe
Corsa Pro Cat Back with polished tips
Dyno Tuned

[0rion]

November: SSwt00SS: “The Wicked Witch”

First off, I would like to thank everyone who voted for me to represent not only Ls1.com but also the entire LSx-based community as November’s Car of the Month. It is truly an honor.

My love affair for Camaro’s started even before I was born, and has been passed down to me through my parents, who married in 1975. It was my mother who had at the time a nice 1969 Camaro SS 396 convertible. This same car has been in my family for longer than I have been around. The first generation of Camaros, is by far the most beautiful car I have ever seen. I grew up with the blood of a gearhead made possible by my father. I can’t even begin to count the number of cars I have either seen and or helped my father work on. Those cars range from a 1943 Willy’s WWII Jeep for an American Legion Post, to a frame off restoration of a Ford Model T for the Kansas City History Museum, my 1969 Impala 427 coupe, my late Uncle’s Chevy truck, a 1956 Nash Metropolitan, and even the ’69 SS herself.

Like so many, I had to work my way up the car ladder before I could get the car I have always wanted. I started w/a 1969 Impala 427 Coupe, to a 1988 Mustang 5.0 GT Hatchback. Those went the way of the dodo for my first Camaro, a 1995 Z28 that got me through college. It was my move to Dallas for my job that I was finally in a position to get the car I have always wanted: a sleek, smooth, sexy black-on-black Camaro SS. While looking on EBAY, I came across a clean, 1 owner, completely stock, low mile (21,675mi), black-on-black, 6spd, T-top, all optioned 2000 Camaro SS. She sat there staring back at me. I found my car, this WAS my car, and I had to have it. I called the dealership in Holland, MI., and came to a very fair price on the car and bought it. Four days later, I got to watch the car back off the transport truck, and the keys were given to me. The car has been mine for only 2 short years now and I have enjoyed every minute of ownership.

I am proud to follow in the footsteps of my father who, with his unlimited knowledge and colorful vocabulary while working on cars growing up and still to this day, has really shown me how enjoyable and just how frustrating our hobby can be. All the while, being able to take great pride in the work done and the sacrifices made to mold one’s car into something you can truly call your own. I have been lucky to able to pick the minds of fellow members, combined with their knowledge and additional personal research, I have transformed my car into exactly what I wanted: one mean street machine. I would like to dedicate the honor of COTM to my father because without his knowledge, influence, sacrifices, and support I would not be where I am today.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I introduce to you: ”The Wicked Witch”


PERFORMANCE MODS:

SLP Lid
SLP Bellow
FAST 90/90 Intake (ported)
Patriot Performance Ls6 “Style” 59 cc Heads – 2.02” Int/1.57” Ext
Comp Cams 224 – 224/224 .581/.581 @ 112 LSA
Ls2 Timing Chain
Ls6 Oil Pump (ported & shimmed)
“XS” Stainless Steel Long Tube Headers
TSP True Duals w/SLP Loud Mouth Resonators
HP Tune

A.I.R. Delete
E.G.R. Delete


APPEARANCE MODS:

Clear front corner lenses
Smoked side marker lenses
Stainless Steel “CAMARO” inserts
Exterior Trim Removed
Eibach Pro Kit – Lowered 1.5” Front/1.5” Rear
Painted FAST 90/90 Top Shell (Gloss Black)


SUSPENSION MODS:

Spohn Lower Control Arms
Spohn Adj. Pan Hard Rod
Spohn Strut tower Brace













My Family’s 1969 Camaro SS 396 Convertible, and 1996 Camaro SS Convertible:

[0rion]

December: Rare98Ragtop

I would like to thank LS1.com and it's members for this opportunity to introduce "Jezebel" to the world. I nicknamed the car this early on, because she loves to be driven hard, and does not mind being left out in the cold afterwards...LOL. I bought this car from a middle aged couple in the fall of '03. It was stock down to the paper air filter. Here is a pic from the day I picked her up.
She has came along way since then, and looks quite a bit different now. The day I got her, I ripped out the stock grille and replaced the fender badging with those from a '69 Z28 and replaced the shift knob. That was the beginning of the mod bugs infestation.
I had a '94 Z28 for about 4 years that was pretty heavely performance modified. I looked for almost 2 years to find this one, as I wanted a six speed convertible to cruise and do the local shows in. This is why this car has not strayed too far from stock in the performance area. The car currently has over 140,000 miles and has never been torn into. When the time comes, it will be replaced with a mild LS2, but the way it runs, that might be quite aways off into the future. This one is pretty rare also, only 71 Cayenne Red Metalic Z28 convertibles were built in '98, and with the factory options this one has, it's really a lot lower production than that (figured in the low teens-confirmed by Scott Settlemire). This car was ordered with the M6, no traction control, and the non-monsoon radio/tape player with the six cd changer in the trunk. On to the mods:

Performance mods:
Aftermarket Air Lid
K&N Filter
Polished Throttle Body
Custom Tune
BMR Strut Tower Brace
Spohn Subframe Connectors
Spohn Lower Control Arms
BMR Adjustable Pan Hard Bar
Sportline Springs
Bilstein Shocks
Drilled and Slotted Rotors
Lou's Short Stick

Appearance Mods:
2002 Factory SS Hood and Spoiler
SLP Bowtie Grille
1969 Z28 Emblems
Hurst Badge
Stainless Camaro Inserts
Berger Panel
Real Carbon Fiber Interior Trrim Pieces
McEwen Silver Faced Guage Overlays with T/A Bezel
Flameball Shift Knob
Widstop Wind Screen from Afterthoughts Auto
Trans Am Seats with Custom Headrest Embroidery

[djvaly]

bravo to all the COTM winners! COTY is a neat idea...

[ApexVIII]

bravo to all the COTM winners! COTY is a neat idea...

yea!

[Sarge]

All great looking cars no doubt. I gotta go with muscle myself.

[third_shift|studios]

they're all muscle cars, had to go with the show stoppa.

[SSwt00SS]

this is hard with just the 4 cars in the running. i can only imagine next year when there will be 12 to choose from...

i cant vote at the moment, to many great shots and detail that each car has to pick on so fast. its the right amount of 'touch' that sets each car off from the other...

[basballny2]

close but i got mine

[440 rwhp trans am]

great job brian!!! all the cars are great looking!!!!

[FuhBreezeE]

Power about does it for me
Plus that is one VERY well kept Wicked Witch.

SSwt00SS

[djvaly]

great job brian!!! all the cars are great looking!!!!

who's Brian?




























yep, nice jobs everybody!

[eddielb]

kewl pics guys !

[xinthenight]

I had to vote for Rare's. That color, is simply amazing.

I'm hoping to get the money put into my car and finally do the modifications(performance and cosmetics) and have my car up for next year.

Pearl white and lots of interior modification, here I come! *as soon as it's not below 40 outside so I can actually do some work*

[Y2KPewterSS]

Tough decision, all worthy

[LETHALxLS1]

I love all of em but Rare98Ragtop has my vote.

[SENN13]

For the simple fact of WS666! He has my vote!

[SuperSport]

tough choice...