The Challenges, The Build, And The Victories

When Project 899 was initially discussed, it seemed like a project with achievable goals, but the possibility of coming up short was definitely something to consider. To get everyone up to speed, we decided to partner with Big 3 Racing and attempt to build a complete car in just nine days. That alone would be an accomplishment, but we doubled-down and added two additional stipulations. The car would have to make more than 899 horsepower at the rear wheels and make a quarter-mile pass in less than 8.99 seconds. Project 899 proved to be challenging, but more importantly, it showed what is possible when a top-notch team of people executes a thoroughly thought-out plan.

Putting A Plan Together

Any project should have a plan to follow to avoid major issues along the way. Project 899 was no different, and once we had our goals established we began making list after list of things we would need to pull this build off. First, an inventory of what the car had and didn’t have needed to be made. Project 899 is a 1969 Camaro that we received as a rolling chassis. Fortunately for us, the Camaro’s body was in great shape so there would be no need for any bodywork or paint during the build. This made it easier for Scott Bollinger of Wrapped By SB to apply the awesome graphic wrap. The car also had an 8.50-certified roll cage in it which meant one less thing we would need to fabricate and install.

With a solid rust-free foundation to build off of, we coordinated with the all-star crew from Big 3 Racing to figure out what parts were needed to complete the build. The big components were obvious, we would need an engine capable of 1,300-plus crank-horsepower, a transmission, a rearend, and suspension. Additionally, we needed a complete fuel system, cooling systems for the engine and transmission, an ECU, and a complete wiring harness. Not to mention all of the little components that often get overlooked during a project of this magnitude like fittings, catch cans, and other miscellaneous items. For the majority of the parts, we relied heavily on the huge inventory at Summit Racing. Being able to source so many parts from a single location made life on this project much easier.

With the shelves lined with parts and major components sitting in crates, we were ready to start the stopwatch and find out if Project 899 could be accomplished within the nine-day goal. The build team consisted of Street Muscle Editor Brian Wagner, Power Automedia Director of Content Brian…