It�s a sickness I tell you. When I bought my �68 Camaro I was just going to do a �few� things to it and then enjoy the ride. But, you can file that away in the cabinet under �good intentions�. Actually I should have known that I have no self control, but the car just looked so right. I loved the color, loved the wheels and just got sucked in by the overall vibe of the car. Once home in my garage the thoughts of how I could improve the car began.

When I think back about it I should really blame the last car I built, the blue �69 Camaro. That car came out nice, too nice. Actually it wasn�t that it was too pretty it was more that the car�s performance didn�t live up to what I wanted in my weekend warrior. It was more street rod than street fighter and in the end I realized that my tastes had changed during the build. It was sold, Penny was bought, and I haven�t looked back.

The first step in the rehab of my �68 was ditching the 468 big-block engine for something a little more streetable. The 468 was lucky to get 4.5 mpg and it required constant tuning and valve adjustments. It was just too much work. What I wanted was LSx power! Of course since I was replacing the engine it was a great time to address the front suspension. That meant the fenders came off and what the hell, we might as well smooth the firewall. It�s a lot like how an avalanche starts. Next thing I know the car has a C5 �Vette based front subframe installed replete with huge Wilwood binders. With the front suspension tricked out I started to talk with Mark Majors, of Lateral Dynamics, about the rear suspension. The Camaro came to me with a home-built four-link deal and was more for show than go. Several of the brackets were already bending and we decided it wasn�t up to the task of being pushed hard. In its place went a Lateral Dynamics three-link with a Watt�s centering device. This meant the Dana 60 was for sale and I was shelling out cash for a Strange Engineering center section and axles. What the hell, might as well add matching rear Wilwood brakes to the mix, what�s another thousand dollars between friends. And that�s how the car progressed, one change �forced� another and before long she was ready for the road and I was broke. Hey, at least I didn�t have to repaint the whole car, yet.

Yet happened on Cinco De Mayo, that�s May 5th to us gringos, while many were swilling down margaritas some guy driving behind me was concentrating on his morning coffee instead of the stopped �68 Camaro in front of him. Tires screeched, metal buckled, and my hopes of a Camaro summer were trashed. I had the Camaro dragged right back to Best Of Show Coachworks in San Marcos, CA. They had just finished the car two weeks earlier and I think they took the carnage of my crashed ride worse than I did. Luckily the guy who hit me had good insurance and $34,652 later my �68 was ready for the �07 SEMA show in Las Vegas. Since then I�ve been working out the little bugs that pop up after such an extensive build and soon I hope to have Penny ready for some track testing and a few open-track days. This is the first car I�ve ever done where I don�t think �I wish I would have...� Everything is exactly the way I envisioned. It�s a car that�s nice enough to take to a car show yet not full of un-necessary chromed out widgets. It�s a ride that looks like wants to be driven. Hard. And if I can keep the coffee-swillers and cell-phone jabbers from mowing me down that�s exactly what I plan on doing.



Specifications
�68 Camaro
Rear wheel power: 440 HP @ x 6,500 RPM and 397 lb-ft. @ 4,600 RPM (91 octane)
Weight: 3,280 lbs. � with fuel
Color: 2002 Plymouth Prowler Orange (code YVF)
Paint by: www.bestofshowcoachworks.com


Engine
Type: Gen IV LS2
Block/Displacement: Aluminum / 6.0 liter / 364 cubic inches
Compression Ratio: 10.25:1
Oiling: Ported stock pump
Rotating Assembly: Stock crank, Stock rods, GM Hypereutectic pistons
Cylinder Heads: AFR, 2.02/1.60-inch stainless steel valves
Camshaft: 232/234 112 LSA COMP
Valvetrain: Comp Cams hardened push rods, stock rockers and lifters
Throttle Body: 90mm GM fly by wire
Intake: 90mm FAST polymer intake with FAST fuel logs and 36 lb. injectors
Fuel Pump: Bosch mounted in tank
Fuel Tank: Fuel Safe 18 gallon racing cell
Ignition: Factory coil on plug with Katech mounts and valve covers
Headers: 1-7/8 stepped long tube headers by 21st Century Street Machines.
Exhaust: Custom system with Magnaflow mufflers and x-pipe.
Wiring Harness: Custom Speartech harness with programmed E40 GM computer.
Cooling: AFCO LSx specific radiator with Meziere electric street water pump.
Balancer: ATI SFI certified Super-dampener
Engine Machining: Don Lee Auto, Rancho Cucamonga, CA


Drivetrain
Transmission: Tremec T56 six-speed from Classic Chevy 5-Speed
Bellhousing: McLeod SFI certified scatershield
Clutch/Flywheel: McLeod 500 series 11-inch clutch and SFI aluminum flywheel
Rear Axle: Strange 9-inch, 3.70 gears, 31-spline Strange axles, Detroit TruTrac posi
Driveshaft: 3.5-inch aluminum by Inland Empire Driveline


Chassis
Steering: AGR 16:1 power rack with Turn One Steering pump and pulley
Front Suspension: 21st Century Street Machines subframe with C5 suspension components
Rear Suspension: Lateral Dynamics three-link with Watts-link centering device
Stiffening: DSE weld in subframe connectors and subframe bushings.
Brakes: Front Wilwood 13-inch rotors with 6-piston calipers, Rear four piston Wilwoods


Wheels & Tires
Wheels: Forgeline WC3 three piece wheels, 18x9 front, 18x12 rear � titanium bolts
Tires: 255/35/18 Toyo R888 competition tires front, and 335/30/18 Toyo R888s rear