2011 Camaro

[GUMP]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

I agree with your idea Fred. They need to take it a step further, and open up their parts bin.

They need to put together trim and interior packages, at a very steeply discounted price (dealer wholesale) available only to the people who purchase a new body.

Then they need to do the same thing for engine parts. If you buy a BIW, you should be able to buy all the GM parts used to build an engine for it at 5% over cost or less.

And the same thing for all of the front suspension, and the rest of the stuff to put the car together. They know every piece that is needed to build the car, they should offer packages for all of it.

They need to make it really affordable to build a car. Anything a person who purchases a BIW from GM needs that GM can supply they should sell at 5% over cost, or less.

Alan,

This exactly the kind of thing that GM needs to hear. This project never died, it was just put on the back-burner for obvious reasons. Nothing is written in stone, but I can tell you that there are people at GM that want to see this happen. I have started getting contact information from racers and collectors. I will forward everything to GM along with my suggestions on how they should proceed.

Take Care,

Daren

[GUMP]

Originally Posted by BowtieFroggie

It was not put on back burner it was killed.

It doesn't seem to be dead at the moment. You seem to know a lot. How about sharing. Please start with your name.

You are $25,000 off on the high and low prices.

I got those numbers directly from GM two weeks ago. This is an open forum. All new information is appreciated.

nJust look at the body in white price $3,000 + over the FORD and that is just a start. GM is still not set up to sell Direct to the Racers like FORD, so dealer still gets to set final price and his mark up.

The body in white price is a little more than I really wanted to pay.

It will never be as cheap as the ford. GM can not mess up the production at this plant for few cars! They have just announced that they will also build Buicks at that plant.

I'm really not sure how much of the car (if built) would actually be done at the factory. My guess is that it would be pulled at some point and finished at another location (like the Ford).


Do you have interest in one of these cars if they are built?

[GUMP]

You have a PM.

[SPS]

It's safe to say that I've built more body-in-white drag race cars than anybody, so I can say with first-hand experience that Froggie's numbers re- body-in-white costs is quite correct. And that's not the major cost anyway as buying the trim from GMPD will make the build cost astronomical.

Besides, at present, you aren't really buying a body-in-white, but a partly finished body that didn't pass.

All our past body-in-white build programs involved planning and corporate support re-special builds, supplies of trim and glass, storage, shipping, etc.

Froggie is also correct in that the plant is busy (running 3 shifts) and will get busier as the new Buick comes on line there.

Would I like to see a "proper" build program?
Yes, of coarse, and I'd be willing to help with input if there was the interest and desire to do it right, but at the present time, I don't believe that is so.

FJ

[GUMP]

FJ,

Thanks for the input. Honestly, I think that this is exactly the kind of input that GM needs. I feel that I said basically the same thing to FB yesterday when he called me.

I appreciate that you are not afraid to use your real name.

Take Care,

Daren

[GUMP]

This thread has been up for several weeks now and I have had a bunch of PM's and phone calls. Some have been positive and some have not. All are welcome and appreciated. I have a new request for anyone that would like to participate. You can send your answer by PM if you don't like posting in open forum.

If GM were to build a Camaro in 2011 what would be your perfect package. Please include as much detail as possible, including level of completion,etc.

Thanks,

Daren

[Fred Lee]

Daren has a very good idea here. Instead of focusing on the cost and whether this can or cannot happen lets have ideas that are going to get this project accepted by NHRA and IHRA for Stock class.
If Travis Miller could tell us the steps that Ford and Chrysler used to gain acceptance for several motors and the "solid rear axle" conversion, this process could began for the first couple of Camaros. Daren and and others already have these body in white cars just sitting on trailers.
Everybody has some idea of how we can get these cars into racers hands. What about racers that actually own or are at least employed by GM dealerships ?
My first idea would be the physical size, mostly width of these cars so doesn't come to pick up a body and not have it fit in their enclosed trailer. The pallet framework that these bodies in white are shipped on look cumbersome. It would be so much easier if there could be some realistic way to have these Camaro bodies in "rolling condition from the factory.
There are a lot of smart racers out that could help out here with your ideas. Let's all put our heads together to make this a 3 manufacturer race. Fred Lee

[GUMP]

Originally Posted by Fred Lee

There are a lot of smart racers out that could help out here with your ideas. Let's all put our heads together to make this a 3 manufacturer race. Fred Lee

Thanks Fred!

(The new Camaro just looks wide. My BIW 2010 is about one inch wider at it's widest point than my 1998 Formula!)

[Pvt Parts]

I don't know what Chevrolet's interest is today but here's what happened to me. Back in the late 80's the manufacturers were aggressively using NHRA as a promotional platform for their cars. The manufacturer's cup points were awarded in Pro Stock, Super Stock and maybe other catagories as well. Oldsmobile was very aggressive and you could say Chevrolet was "active". Bruce Allen's brother (If I remember correctly) was the person in charge of the Chevrolet "promo" deals and Arlen Fadely (Who's former SS and Drag Illustrated SM Maverick was taken to the Modified World Championship by Mike Edwards) was the Olds rep. I had been in contact with Arlen on a number of occasions and as usual, their program was difficult to get into. However, after I won the Southern Nationals in SS/B with a 67 L88 Corvette, I called Mr Allen who basically told me that they weren't interested in any kind of sponsorship with a SS car. Arlen called me two days later and told me that my body in white Calais was ready for pick up in Lansing. Shortly thereafter I received a number of boxes with all the additional "street stuff" like headlights, door handles, tail lights bumpers etc.

That was after I had just handed Chevrolet a National Event win the one of their original limited production muscle cars. And I wasn't asking for money, I just wanted the same deal offered by Oldsmobile.

As already mentioned here, Chevrolet's (or GM's for that matter) current state of affairs may put a damper on any "factory" sponsored racing activities. Hopefully, the new Z28 will be a step in the right direction. There are a lot of SS racers who would jump on a free BIW camaro.

[GUMP]

Originally Posted by boster58

Gump,I will take one now if you have it. If not put me on the list.


Bo Kenney

Cool. I will work on getting some kind of update.