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Hey everyone, my name is Nick Rouwhorst. I am 22, originally from Holland, still live there this summer, and am currently a student at WMU in Kalamazoo, GO BRONCOS!! I am studying Mechanical Engineering, so if any of you go there too, hit me up.
I am actually on my second F-body. I had a 1984 Trans Am that I bought a couple of years ago with a built up 350 swapped into it. I loved that car, but three weeks ago I was going to go golfing with a buddy and a young girl on her cell phone blew a red light and totaled it for me, awefully nice of her. So after that I had been looking for a new toy. I considered many options, even a couple of mustangs but settled on a 1998+ F-body Convertible, Red with a Black Top. This weekend I happened upon a 1999 Z-28 Convertible in Kalamazoo with only 48K miles on her, and I couldn't pass on her. So now I'm the proud new owner of her, she has a few flaws but the main thing is the body is great and the drivetrain is in incredible condition with that low mileage. It's bone stock right now (at least I'm pretty sure it is, only minor stuff if anything, I'm still gotta get the contact info for the past owner). After getting her, I started looking around on the internet for mods to start doing, and that is how I ended up here.
My intention is to turn her into a show car eventually, but that will be a few years down the road at least. I would like to build her up to around 400 hp or so with chassis and suspension to handle it, maybe a 1" drop or so, not too much, with a custom interior, sound system, the whole works pretty much. After reading a little bit, I think my first step is going to stiffening her up. I'm thinking at least sub frame connectors, strut tower brace, and a torque arm at first, does that sound like a good way to go? What all should I consider on top of that for the chassis, and then suspension? My second step (or possibly my first step, and then the chassis and suspension) is audio. If anyone has any recommendations for good shops, both mechanical and audio, in West Michigan near Holland, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo areas that like us F-body guys, then please let me know. I don't really have access to a lot of the necessary equipment, or the time to do it in for that matter, so I would like to find a place that will do great work for me, and I can get to know the people there a little.
If you have any questions/opinions/comments please feel free to post them. Also let me know if there are any meet and greets or something like that coming up soon. I would absolutely love to see some of the rides on here in person. Mine is still a little dirty right now, but I will hopefully get some time this week to give her a bath, and then I'll post some pics after that.
Nick
I am actually on my second F-body. I had a 1984 Trans Am that I bought a couple of years ago with a built up 350 swapped into it. I loved that car, but three weeks ago I was going to go golfing with a buddy and a young girl on her cell phone blew a red light and totaled it for me, awefully nice of her. So after that I had been looking for a new toy. I considered many options, even a couple of mustangs but settled on a 1998+ F-body Convertible, Red with a Black Top. This weekend I happened upon a 1999 Z-28 Convertible in Kalamazoo with only 48K miles on her, and I couldn't pass on her. So now I'm the proud new owner of her, she has a few flaws but the main thing is the body is great and the drivetrain is in incredible condition with that low mileage. It's bone stock right now (at least I'm pretty sure it is, only minor stuff if anything, I'm still gotta get the contact info for the past owner). After getting her, I started looking around on the internet for mods to start doing, and that is how I ended up here.
My intention is to turn her into a show car eventually, but that will be a few years down the road at least. I would like to build her up to around 400 hp or so with chassis and suspension to handle it, maybe a 1" drop or so, not too much, with a custom interior, sound system, the whole works pretty much. After reading a little bit, I think my first step is going to stiffening her up. I'm thinking at least sub frame connectors, strut tower brace, and a torque arm at first, does that sound like a good way to go? What all should I consider on top of that for the chassis, and then suspension? My second step (or possibly my first step, and then the chassis and suspension) is audio. If anyone has any recommendations for good shops, both mechanical and audio, in West Michigan near Holland, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo areas that like us F-body guys, then please let me know. I don't really have access to a lot of the necessary equipment, or the time to do it in for that matter, so I would like to find a place that will do great work for me, and I can get to know the people there a little.
If you have any questions/opinions/comments please feel free to post them. Also let me know if there are any meet and greets or something like that coming up soon. I would absolutely love to see some of the rides on here in person. Mine is still a little dirty right now, but I will hopefully get some time this week to give her a bath, and then I'll post some pics after that.
Nick
you got a 6 speed or an auto there?
Sounds like a cool car, post up some pictures! 
357ci LT1, cammed, stalled, and driven. 
, and a 16 Foot Snipe Saliboat 
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