GRM Camry at the challenge

ZOMGWTFBBQ?

Mid-pack at the autocross on dry-rotted 600-treadwear tires?

A half-second behind a 2012 V6 Mustang at the drags?

Can someone help me with some perspective here? Was "mid-pack" heavily influenced by the team who pushed their car around the course? Or did a lot of modifications not work as well as planned, in the making-the-car-faster department?

I know a half-second isn't nothing at the drags, but still...

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/project-cars/1999-toyota-camry/baselining-our-camry-2012-challenge/

In reply to ransom:

At least one team was running in the 16's at the drags using only 2nd gear, because that was the only gear that still worked :-(

I wouldn't call the car fast as it was present at the event, but outright slow, it certainly wasn't.

Plus whomever was beating on that poor thing around the autox course knew what the berkeley they were doing.

sporqster wrote: In reply to ransom: At least one team was running in the 16's at the drags using only 2nd gear, because that was the only gear that still worked :-(

And another couldn't rev the 280Z past 4k...

I was pretty happy with how it ran. As a baseline, it was pretty impressive and shows good promise for our planned track match-up when it is done later this month.

But whew...what an adjustment coming from the BMod LeGrand.

I just looked at the results on the challenge page...23 out of 34 in autocross and about the same in drags. So maybe not technically mid pack...2/3 pack?

Throw a set of "free" V710s on it and see what happens.

I'm feeling 315/35/17s.

I thought I saw one in the pictures thread. Apparently it was GRM's. I wholeheartedly approve. I'll be watching the build closely, as I happen to be a fan of something people call "the ultimate appliance" being turned into something really fun.

Per Schroeder wrote: I just looked at the results on the challenge page...23 out of 34 in autocross and about the same in drags. So maybe not technically mid pack...2/3 pack?

I feel somehow relieved.

Given the pressures of the kind of thrash involved, I'm guessing that a significant number of the 11 cars trailing the Camry weren't in proper working order.

I just hated the idea that for all that work, it would turn out that there was so little point to it, and that a stock Camry would become The Answer...

It beat our STF Fiesta, too!

Tom Suddard wrote: It beat our STF Fiesta, too!

Now that's embarrassing!

Actually, no, it was about a second back from the Fiesta. Although If it had the Fiesta's tires....

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: Throw a set of "free" V710s on it and see what happens.

I'd like to see pictures of the resulting body roll. Will "the rocker panels scrape the pavement" be hyperbole or literal?

Oh, sorry. I missed the later runs.

Matt, we're actually going to track the car on more 'normal' around 200 UTQG treadwear tires. We could "cheat" with R-compounds, but this will be very streetable from start to finish.

MadScientistMatt wrote:

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: Throw a set of "free" V710s on it and see what happens.

I'd like to see pictures of the resulting body roll. Will "the rocker panels scrape the pavement" be hyperbole or literal?

Likely this...

Turns out the answer to "how do I make a Camry suck less of my soul to drive?" begins with a 6cyl 5sp example. It's the one to have of course, but a pearl of great price in a sea of 4cyl autos.

conesare2seconds wrote: Turns out the answer to "how do I make a Camry suck less of my soul to drive?" begins with a 6cyl 5sp example. It's the one to have of course, but a pearl of great price in a sea of 4cyl autos.

and that was the question i asked a long time ago. all y'all said it couldnt be done. i disagree, but then again, im kinda warped.

anyone want the one that startd this? il let it go for just over challenge price......

There's another V6 5-speed on our local craigslist...this one with leather!

http://orlando.craigslist.org/ctd/3244643372.html

conesare2seconds wrote: Turns out the answer to "how do I make a Camry suck less of my soul to drive?" begins with a 6cyl 5sp example. It's the one to have of course, but a pearl of great price in a sea of 4cyl autos.

I hear ya, but the thing is here... the V6 5spds are NOT terrible hard to find, and they don't cost anything, because the people actively shopping for a Camry just want boring appliances, so the 4 cylinder autos sell faster.

So starting with a V6 5spd if you want an appliance to suck just a little less makes sense.

Otherwise, the suspension stuff they're going to do is largely the same if you ARE stuck with a 4cyl/auto.

http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/3271658682.html http://houston.craigslist.org/ctd/3265865130.html

or even better the Solara (needs clutch work but drives) for $2000 http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/3278225140.html

is it sad that i'm very tempted to sell my volvo wagon for a freaking camry?...

My 5spd V6 Camry (a 92) did everything well, never broke, and was completely and thoroughly anonymous. Have fun folks . . . they are a sleeper muscle car.

V6 Camrys with a 5 speed are not terribly hard to find?

This past weekend, I went through the Jacksonville CLs for Camrys AND Solaras...and found 1 V6 Camry with the manual transmission. That was out of a few dozen 4 cylinder/auto Camrys in the years '99-'01, like the GRM Camry. Actually, the Camry I did find was a "twin" (at least in color) to the GRM car. I'm not sure I'd say they are not terribly hard to find. I did find that looking at the same generation Solara that I had a slightly better chance of finding a V6 with manual transmission. I found two or three including one that I may buy with 98K miles for under $3,900 asking price.

One available at any given time in any major city means not hard to find. Hard to find is can't find even one within 200 miles over a 3-month period. I could name a few cars that are actually hard to find.

integraguy wrote: V6 Camrys with a 5 speed are not terribly hard to find? This past weekend, I went through the Jacksonville CLs for Camrys AND Solaras...and found 1 V6 Camry with the manual transmission. That was out of a few dozen 4 cylinder/auto Camrys in the years '99-'01, like the GRM Camry. Actually, the Camry I did find was a "twin" (at least in color) to the GRM car. I'm not sure I'd say they are not terribly hard to find. I did find that looking at the same generation Solara that I had a slightly better chance of finding a V6 with manual transmission. I found two or three including one that I may buy with 98K miles for under $3,900 asking price.

I googled this:

site:jacksonville.craigslist.org camry speed v6

I got this:

http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/ctd/3292995285.html

V6 5 speed Camry in Jacksonville for $3k. Took me 15 seconds to find one in YOUR hometown. I'd call that easy to find, especially compared to unicorns I'm usually trying to find.

Bryce