Frame Off Built Camaro Pro Touring LS1 6 Speed

In the world of pro-touring, there are cars which have great street presence, and then there are cars like this badass 1969 Camaro that simply belong on a race track! With its built LS1 V8, smooth 6-speed transmission, and cutting edge custom suspension, this killer F1 is the perfect combination of vintage good looks and modern technology. At RK Motors Charlotte, it's pretty rare that we find a build which defines the term 'pro-tourer' to its fullest extent. But nothing is simply 'adequate' about this car; it's an exceptionally well-done performance machine which provides some of the nastiest track muscle your money can buy. Who doesn't want an old school American muscle car that can accelerate, turn, and stop better than pretty much everything on the road? With this awesome Camaro you can whip most classics AND eat factory fresh performance cars for dinner!

After spending most of its life prowling the streets as a run-of-the-mill '69 Camaro, this rock solid F1 was purchased 19 years ago by its current owner and fully restored into a bright red street cruiser. Naturally, the owner was happy with his newly christened muscle car; but like most gearheads, he suffered from a burning desire for perpetual improvement and eventual perfection. It wasn't long before a quick engine swap moved from the planning stage into a full blown execution. And before the owner knew it, he was well on his way to completing a six year build which resulted in the high quality muscle car you see today. The second trip through the body shop began with a fresh pile of NOS sheet metal that included new Rally Sport front fenders, new door skins, full quarters, a new upper and lower front valence and a new tail pan. Once all those factory GM parts were bolted up, the original hood, decklid and cowl panel were completely re-worked; and the cars entire body was aligned and block sanded to better than new condition. When it came time for paint, much waffling through the color spectrum finally resulted in a hair raising coat of Viper Yellow urethane which was battle dressed in traditional black hockey stripes, sealed in a glossy clearcoat shell and buffed to a glare inducing shine. And finally, in late 2008, the car debuted as a fantastic culmination of top notch automotive expertise and no expense spared components which create a first class pro-tourer that has SERIOUS track credentials!

With its classic pony car proportions and modernist body panels the first generation Camaro is already an inherently good looking design. And with today's vast aftermarket support, it has become an excellent canvas for skilled builders to create bona fide trophy winning show stoppers. At the front of this slick '69 pro-tourer, a stainless trimmed Rally Sport grille hangs Crystal H4 headlights and electronically controlled Detroit Speed headlight doors above an arrow straight chrome bumper, billet Marquez Design parking lights and an optional D80 SCCA style front spoiler. At the top of the car, a familiar “Camaro by Chevrolet” emblem sits in front of a familiar Super Sport hood; and like-new glass, which is framed by dent-free stainless trim, rides between correct chrome mirrors, new chrome drip rails and stainless Detroit Speed Selecta Speed windshield wipers. At the back of the car, a traditional D80 decklid spoiler rides above a second show worthy chrome bumper that comes complete with correct vertical guards; and a gloss black rear valence hangs billet trimmed, flush fit tail lights at the sides of a pristine white “SS” emblem. In traditional pro-tourer fashion, the sides of this awesome F1 are devoid of most extraneous baubles and bolt-ons. Form comes courtesy of familiar RS rear fender louvers and pristine “Camaro” and “SS” front fender emblems. And function is provided by slick Marquez Design marker lights and obligatory chrome door handles.

Now that all the basics for a solid car are present and accounted for, it's time to talk about what really sets this Camaro apart from lesser pro-tourers: it's hardware. Packaged neatly in the car's clean, custom engine bay is a rebuilt and re-tuned LS1 Generation III V8 which cranks out a dyno proven 425 horsepower and a broad and flat 385 lb./ft. of torque straight to the rear wheels! That lightweight aluminum engine is fed a steady stream of cool air thanks to a custom aluminum air tube which pipes wind from the front driver's side wheel well into a Nick Williams 90mm throttle body and a F.A.S.T. 90mm intake manifold. A GM electronic fuel injection system sends 93 octane dino blood through aluminum and anodized silver fuel rails to factory fuel injectors. And fully ported and flowed TEA 5.3 stage 1.5 heads ready the engine for some serious combustion. Like clockwork, high efficiency spark is supplied by LS7 coils which send fire through high performance MSD Super Conductor plug wires. Compression comes courtesy of Diamond forged pistons that are pushed by Compstar H-beam rods and a stock LS1 crank. And power is generated by a custom ground Comp Cam with a .597/.598 lift. Finally, that high compression combustion is cooled by a heavy duty Ron Davis aluminum radiator which sends water past two quick spinning Spal electric fans. And subsequent spent gases are evacuated through custom ceramic coated long tube headers which flow into a custom ceramic coated true dual exhaust system. In front of the engine, a modern serpentine system spins a polished alternator next to a fresh power steering pump that has been outfitted with both a billet pulley and braided hoses. And behind the engine, a smoothed firewall hangs a seven speed Detroit Speed wiper motor next to a custom twin master cylinder set-up which features a balance bar and adjuster. Aesthetically, this Camaros engine bay looks good enough to be an OEM quality build from a slick aftermarket company. And everything from the custom aluminum inner fenders and Katech valve covers to the complete set of ARP fasteners and body-matched and aluminum shrouded radiator support is clean and exceptionally well done.

This is usually the point in a pro-tourer breakdown where passive optimism has turned into nail biting enthusiasm. And unfortunately, that excitement is sometimes dampened a bit by statements like “a stalwart TH400 transmission” or “a familiar GM 12 bolt rear end”. Not so with this first class Camaro! Its owner's crystal clear vision of eventual perfection has culminated in a completely custom suspension which is chock full of high performance hardware and modern drivetrain components. Behind the killer small block V8 you'll find a fresh Borg Warner T56 6-speed manual transmission that has been equipped with both a Stage II Monster clutch and a billet flywheel. Smoother than an old school Muncie rock-crusher, and much easier to repair and maintain, the stout T56 sends power to a Moser full floater 9 inch rear end which has been equipped with a Detroit Trutrac Posi-traction differential and stuffed with track ready 4.11 gears. At the front of the car, a 21st Century front sub frame utilizes a Corvette C5 suspension, a custom valved ARG rack and pinion, a Speedway 1.25 inch diameter .188 wall splined sway bar and custom valved Bilstein six way adjustable coilover shocks, to provide exceptionally responsive handling. At the center of the car, integrated Detroit Speed subframe connectors parallel a custom mandrel bent and ceramic coated three inch dual exhaust system which has been completely tig welded and equipped with great sounding stainless Magnaflow mufflers. And at the back of the car, full tubs which accommodate both the rear tires and exhaust system, hang over a 2011 Jake's Hotrod Shop torque arm rear suspension which includes a watts link, Bilstein coilover shocks and, with fabrication costs included, totaled $30K. Stops come easy thanks to a Wilwood billet Super Lite four wheel disc brake system that wraps six piston front and four piston rear calipers around 13 inch two piece vented rotors. And power flows to the pavement through a sweet set of 18 inch front and 19 inch rear HRE C21 wheels which spin sticky 275/35 front and 335/30 rear Nitto NT05 radials around powder coated centers and polished hoops. Naturally, the bottom of this Camaro is just as clean as its top featuring spotless Viper Yellow floors that were ordered fresh from Goodmark during the restoration. And a full set of stainless hardware, stainless fuel lines, a custom stainless fuel tank from Rick's Hotrod Shop and a Walbro 225 fuel pump round out the high quality details.

Inside this cool Chevy, a series of well-planned and professionally executed custom accents gel together with restored traditional pieces to provide a thoroughly updated appearance without smothering the cars vintage essence. The seats are custom upholstered racing buckets which wear familiar houndstooth covers between adjustable lumbar supports and Pro Series four point racing harnesses. At the front of the car, a cool looking Detroit Speed dash insert hangs Auto Meter gauges and a Vintage Air control panel above an MP3 compatible Pioneer Premier CD player and billet accessory knobs. In the middle of the car, a custom console holds a modern Pro 5.0 shifter between a satin finished shift knob, a brake adjuster and a traditional chrome emergency brake handle. And at the bottom of the car, new black carpet frames a sturdy Detroit Speed eight point roll cage which features removable door bars. In front of the driver, a polished Flaming River D-wheel steering wheel spins above billet stalks and a polished Flaming River tilt steering column. At the sides of the driver, custom door panels mix attractive '69 Camaro trim with slick billet aluminum door handles. And behind the driver, a fully restored trunk, which includes a fresh Goodmark trunk pan, holds an Optima gel cell battery in an attractive billet tie down. The smooth nature of this car's LS1 engine makes for a docile ride when cruising. So the owner decided to throw in a world class sound system to optimize ride time. The afore mentioned Pioneer head unit controls a Massive Audio NX 5-5 channel amp which feeds two JL Audio four inch speakers that are located in the center of the dash, 5.25 Memphis audio separates that are located in the car's kick panels, 5x8 JBL speakers which hang in the rear package tray and an Image Dynamics IDMAX10 D2 10 inch subwoofer.

Included with the sale of this awesome Camaro is a stack of build receipts, a few CDs of build pictures, various component manuals, an official dyno sheet, and an April 2009 copy of Camaro Performers magazine in which the car had both a cover feature and an eight page spread.

With a beefy small block V8, a modern 6-speed transmission and a completely custom suspension, this killer F1 pro-tourer combines explosive horsepower and excellent handling with classic muscle car appeal. If you' re looking for some stunning Detroit metal which has the muscle to back up its killer good looks, this 1969 Camaro is your car!