I've been researching, planninng, collecting, and buying for over a year now and finally . . . FINALLY!!! . . . I'm building in January, 2002. Using the in-house build program at Lone Star. Installing an EFI (the bulk of research and planning) 396 stroker with AFR 185's and a host of other hi-po goodies (should provide lots of low and midrange torque and somewhere between 450-500 hp at the flywheel). TKO w/ Steeda close-ratio Tri-ax shifter. Lots of Finish Line and Lokar beyond the Lone Star norm. Its gonna be a comp kit with a ceramic coated 8.8 rear sporting 3.55's and the four-link/panhard setup. Full chrome rollbar (protection for the wife and myself). Boyd Coddington Smoothie II's (these have a smooth lip and smooth rim unlike the regular Smoothies by BC): 17x10's and 17x8's rear and front respectively w/ BFG KDWS 285/40's and 255/45's. Using Autometer Cobra replica gauges (mechanical). Aeromotive, FMS, SVO, Russel, Ididit, MAC, March, Lecarra, Bosch, K&N, Anderson, Simpson . . . all a host of others. The only thing I can't claim to have come to a conclusion on is the color: solid yellow/black int or blue/white Lemans/black int. I guess I'll figure that out after the build.
Finally . . . FINALLY!!!, it's together and sitting at Lone Star as I write. Soon the car will be off to paint where David Brady will work his magic and transform black gel coat into candy grand blue w/ pearl ghost stripes. The build went well w/ the Tremec TKO giving way to a Richmond 6-speed which required notching the frame to make room for the shift linkage which sits outside the trans housing. So the hood would fit, the EFI 396 stroker required being lowered 1.75" and the body raised by .5". This maneuver necessitated cutting and reshaping the trans tunnel to allow for correct shifter throw. Did I mention the Canton shallow sump
oil pan? Anyway, it's official. I'm a Lone Star owner.
