Projxauto's Firebird Conversion for 5th Gen Camaro Illuminates 2013 SEMA Show

SEMA featured 2010 Chevy Camaro with Z/TA Firebird conversion kit

Legend has it that a firebird has golden feathers and eyes like crystals. She is a powerful source of light and a single feather will illuminate an entire room. There was a time you could spot one on the hood of a Pontiac Trans Am, but the Firebird has been extinguished. Yet its legacy lives on thanks to Projxauto co-owners, Doug Street and Lowell Kiester. The two business partners designed the Z/TA package, a Firebird conversion for the 5th Gen Camaro, which received a great deal of attention at the 2013 SEMA show.

Projxauto Z/TA package includes a K&N cold air intake system as shown at SEMA 2013

"When the 2010 Chevy Camaro came out, we were eager for the sister car the Firebird, but that obviously did not happen," remarked Street. "We felt that there was a need for a Trans Am conversion to satisfy true Pontiac enthusiasts. And we wanted an OEM look and feel to the car with simple, modern-day muscle, and iconic styling cues that honor the rich heritage of the Firebird. Through the SEMA org, we were able to get much of the C.A.D. data for the new Camaro, and with that we proceeded to design our conversion package."

Projxauto is a design and engineering company located in the Detroit area and they first and foremost provide design services for the automotive suppliers in the Detroit area. "We have been in business since 1994," said Street. "We specialize in automotive Class 'A' surface development, body design, and interior and exterior trim."

The Pontiac Trans Am legacy lives on through Projxauto’s Z/TA package, their Firebird conversion for the 5th Gen Camaro.

"We set out to make a modern day Firebird with styling cues from the past. Our goal was to create a conversion package that looked like it came off the showroom floor, we wanted to have an aggressive Pontiac look, yet we did not want it to look aftermarket. We also wanted a body package that could be installed by virtually anybody. Our conversion package has been completely designed and engineered just like the Camaro panels. Basically you remove the Camaro panels, paint the new panels, and then re-install them. This is not some fiberglass kit!"

Projxauto also produces injection molded bumper covers, grilles and tail lamps. They use new OEM fenders and re-stamp them to get a flush fitting air extractor. And the "crown jewel" of their package is an all aluminum hood.

This was the 3rd year Projxauto displayed their Z/TA package at SEMA

"I believe we have to be one of the only aluminum hoods on the aftermarket," said Street. "Our entire conversion package is manufactured here in the Detroit area by automotive suppliers. This was our 3rd year displaying our Z/TA package at SEMA, and we believe the show went well, it's always a little hard to judge, it takes a little time, but after a while we get many orders from people that saw us at SEMA."

A few years ago Projxauto displayed an innovative cargo management system for pickup trucks. They struck a deal with Dodge and they sold their system through Mopar to the Dodge dealers. "Until Dodge actually stole our idea and created their own," Street adds, "Even though we had patents and grounds to fight them. They ended up going through bankruptcy and we did not have the legal funds to challenge them. So we decided to build another product and that is our Z/TA package."

One of the interesting options to their Z/TA package is the functional shaker scoop, like the ones on the early Trans Am, which had a functioning flapper door that pulled cold air into the carburetor.

"Our shaker scoop also opens up under heavy load via electric solenoid and vacuum switch and pulls outside air in through the shaker and then ducts it to a K&N cold air intake system," Street explains. "When you are sitting behind the wheel of the car looking out over the shaker and you step on the gas, the shaker lifts up and rolls to the right, the door opens, and then you hear the nice throaty sound of the engine that gets greatly enhanced with the K&N cold air intake system."

"We chose to offer our package with the K&N system because of the brand name. We know that K&N is a well engineered product, and that offering our functional shaker system coupled with the K&N cold air intake was the way to go. We had to engineer and manufacture our own heat shield so that we could have our duct open and push air into the K&N filter. Also with our unique hood, we wanted to make sure that we made a good seal when the hood is closed. We feel the system is well engineered, and while our car looks great with the hood closed, when its open and you see that shaker scoop sitting on top of the engine, and a blow molded duct connected to a great looking K&N system, you can see right away that this is no dummy scoop, it actually is functional! Just like the early TA cars."