lasater

After a year of planning, dreaming and fabbing, I am ready to do the LS1 V8 HHR conversion. The original idea belongs to Unique and YearOne for which I am very thankful. I am basing some of my build on the posted photos of the YearOne car and some ideas of my own.

Here are the basic parts I am using: the donor car is a complete, running wrecked 2001 Camaro Z28. I am using the LS1 engine, the 4L60E 4 speed auto trans. the drive shaft and torque arm, the complete rear axle (highly modified) and the entire wiring harness with computers.

The receiver car is a 2008 Chevy HHR Panel with 256k miles on it.

Some of the additional parts I will be using are Moon Speedmaster 7x17 wheels with 245/45/17 Dunlop tires in the front. The rear wheels were widened to 8 1/2" by Eric Vaughn with 275/55/17 Dunlops.
The front struts are AirLift air struts with an AirLift WirelessONE remote and compressor. Front brakes are off a Cobalt SS with drilled and slotted rotors.
The Camaro rear axle was stripped of all mounting tabs and new tabs & brackets were fabricated. The axle was narrowed 9". Camaro rear disc brakes with drilled/slotted rotors were retained. The rear shocks are Aldan Eagle coil-overs. The fuel cell is 16 gallons.

The main item in this build is the custom made sub frame. I will post many pictures of this with measurements for anyone to duplicate/improve on.

LawDog88

NASTY! (in a good way.)

whopper

For those interested in the work that has been done previously on a "mule", as a lead-in to this project, here is a link to lasater's initial project thread:

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/general-hhr-4/rwd-hhr-works-43834/

That thread has been closed, and the project continues with this thread.

Best of luck lasater!!!

Ron S

That is going to be sharp

Oldblue

very cool , lov'en the choice of wheels!!

lasater

Got the rear axle back from powder coat. Taking it to Sutton Ent. tomorrow for assembly. I am posting some close up pics of the brackets and hangers on the axle. The narrowed axle now measures 50 3/4" from flange to flange.

Also a pic of the sub frame in the sandblast booth.

prod

One question, what steering gear are you using, from the camaro or the hhr? I forget which was which, but each of those V8 builds used a different setup.

843de

Funny, but I don't think of HHR's as being especially small, but seeing an LS-1 with attached 4L-60E stretching from the headlights to the front door handles, does make one think.

Keep up the good work lasater, it's gonna be amazing when you're done.

victweezy

Looks great! Would you be willing to clone that frame, and rear axle set up? Maybe some prints? This made it to my Bucket list reading your last thread. I'm red with envy.

EX JUNK

I also agree on the choice of wheels.

Jim