Next-Gen Gems – DSE’s Third Gen Camaro – A Furious Track-Ready F Body
The next gen evolution is upon us and DSE’s third gen Camaro project is a testament to the new wave of American muscle. First and second gen Camaros have been done every which way as have 60s and 70s Mustangs. The next logical progression in the GM line is third gen Camaros. Fox body Mustangs are also on the horizon. Are you ready? You should be. You can build a bad ass next gen Pro-Touring car for $30-35k. You can grab basket cases all day long on the internet for cheap. In fact, this car, a V6 model was snagged for $500 on Craigslist. Spend $30k on performance parts, install everything yourself and you’re home free. Granted, this example is obviously north of $35k in superior mods but you get the idea of what’s possible.
Detroit Speed is one of the first big shops we’ve seen build a serious next gen Camaro. When it comes to new product lines and R & D, Kyle Tucker and the team at DSE have a proven method. They engineer parts, set up their cars for the track and flog them hard for months making sure the new pieces perform up to spec. They have done this since their humble beginnings. They have built an incredibly successful business with this track-proven approach and their new F-Body product line continues the lineage.
Their new test mule, the “DSE-Z” 1987 Camaro is a nothing short of a monster. They successfully took all of the ugly out of it modifying every aspect of the car. Body, interior, suspension and engine/drivetrain have all received the DSE makeover.
The body lines remain factory but the DSE team installed a Stinger Fiberglass front bumper, Trackspec Motorsports hood louvers, and plenty CRC Powdercoating treatment before final fit & finish. It was then painted in house at DSE using PPG Bright Blue Poly to match the factory offering. The special “DSE-Z” graphics, made with the famed IROC-Z font are the final touch.
The suspension is DSE’s full F-Body package with rear QUADRA-Link, meaning it rips the road featuring a 4” drop from stock ride height. The front end includes their weight jack kit along with the DSE/JRi front strut kit which includes DSE’s tubular A-Arms and JRi’s double adjustable shocks. The rear QUADRA-Link conversion kit eliminates factory torque-arm configuration and utilizes double adjustable coilovers. As you can see, the stance is spot on! The 18×11” Formula 43 RAD-5 wheels look great in black with polished hoops. Baer brakes and BFGoodrich Rivals round out the handling package.
Putting all that grip to good use requires serious power. Out with the factory 350TPI and in with a hopped up Mast Motorsports LS7 giving the driver all the might he can muster. Topped with MSD’s Atomic Air-Force intake manifold and Holley’s Dominator EFI kit, it literally screams to the tune of 723rwhp with 538lbft of twisty torque. A Bowler six speed Tremec T56 trans and Centerforce twin-disc clutch ensure rapid forward motion. Custom exhaust and Stainless Works mufflers provide the thunder as you will hear in the video below.
Robert McCarter stitched up the 6-point roll cage-equipped interior featuring Cobra LeMans seats, AutoMeter gauges and a Max Papis Innovations steering wheel among other subtleties.
Our hats are off to the entire DSE crew and everyone at their Mooresville, North Carolina facility who had a hand in this build. Seventy-five percent of what you see here on the DSE-Z Camaro can be ordered direct through their website. They have taken all of the guess work out of the third-gen Camaro equation. The rest is up to you!
-Photos Courtesy of Detroit Speed
