Words: Clive Branson Car Owner: Jim Calombaris
It came close to being called the Panther, but prevailing minds vetoed that choice, preferring names beginning with ‘C.’ I’m talking about the Camaro, Chevrolet’s answer to Ford’s Mustang. By 1969, Chevrolet wanted to compete in the prestigious Trans Am Championship against the big boys; however, the rules required that Chevrolet had to build 1,000 suitable cars ready for sale to the public to homologate the car for racing. The result was the Z28, a track car for the road. The ’69 Camaro Z28 marked the last of the first generation, and arguably the most popular, of the Camaro family.
Speaking of racing blood in a car’s veins, have you ever experienced blood drain from your knuckles, knees and nose? This gives you an idea of the acceleration at which Jim Calombaris’ Z28 hinted. And that was just backing out of his driveway. A touch of the throttle and suddenly the tachometer’s needle pointed upwards as the car transformed into some Herculean typecast. It’d already had dual exhausts, special suspension, a heavy-duty radiator, quick-ratio steering and 15×7 inch rally wheels. But to control this raging testosterone-packed machine, Jim garnished the Camaro with Vertec heads, a 12-bolt, 4:10 geared posi-traction differential and a 5-speed Tremec transmission – all this for a 350 powerplant.
“The original engine was not in the vehicle when I purchased it,” confesses Jim. “I have modified it with gear-drive timing chain, Edelbrock RPM, aluminum cylinder heads and an Edelbrock E-Street electronic fuel injection. But the most dramatic change to the engine was the addition of the heads and the EFI system. I couldn’t believe the change in response and bolstered to a 5.7 liter kick. If someone didn’t know what I did to the engine, you would think I dropped a big block into the car.”
All the mechanics, blood, sweat and tears are attributable to Jim. The effort Jim puts into his car is a reflection of his commitment. He owned a 1969 Mercury Cougar when he was 16 years old and didn’t get rid of it till he was 32.
“I remember as a youth that I could never afford a Camaro,” Jim recalls, “so I no choice but to bury it in the back of my mind. But a few years ago, I saw an opportunity to look for this specific car since the market for muscle cars had dropped considerably.”
In the fall of 2011, Jim started his search for the perfect 1969 Camaro Z28, but anticipated a long haul. Three weeks later, the car was in his driveway.
“I found it on Kijiji’s website. The pictures were too good to be true and the price was very reasonable. I spoke to the owner several times before going to see it. We bantered a lot of questions and I probed him to see how flexible he was in his asking price. At the end, I had a good feeling I could negotiate with him. So I found out that the car was about 30 minutes away from a cousin I have in the Toronto area. I called my relative and asked if my wife and I could spend the weekend with him and go look at the vehicle.”
Jim continues the story as we drive off to photograph his car. “The three of us drove to Stouffville to see the car. I had to decide very quickly whether I wanted the car or not since the Licence Bureau closed at noon on Saturdays. We arrived two hours before. The owner directed us to the front of his garage door. When it opened up, there it was on a four-post lift. Instantly, I had to keep my jaw from dropping open. The colour was stunning. It was as good, if not better, than the pictures on the website. So I kept my composure and, being an auto and aircraft mechanic, checked out the car as meticulously as possible. I asked a few more questions about documentation, genuine parts and restoration. Next came the test drive. It had clocked 75,000 miles and my initial reaction was dubious. Not because of the mileage, but I was off put on the handling of the vehicle. The problem was that I was comparing the driving capability of a 50-year old car to the smoothness of today’s cars. It’s extreme. We haggled back and forth until I made a final ultimatum. He hesitated momentarily and then said, ‘Okay, deal.’ The rest is history!”
Seven years later, and Jim professes that his Z28 is still his favourite ca. Four car show awards are a testament to his dedication.
“It is not difficult to drive, but it does not have the handling of a modern sports car like my Nissan 350Z.” Jim is no stranger to high-performance cars and has amassed a 2003 Nissan 350Z that has been heavily modified, body and mechanics, including Lambo ‘gullwing’ doors, supercharged engine, as well as a 2016 Corvette. But to Jim, the Camaro represents a throwback to the muscle era when, in Jim’s words, power was a measure of pride.
“When I hear that engine rumble, it brings out so many emotions. How can I put it, it’s raw. Raw power and it’s like music to my ears.” He pauses as he reflects a moment. “I always get different reactions, like thumbs up and the double-take from the public. Many people have a great reaction to the colour, saying, Wow, the colour! It was green when I bought it, but I repainted it a 2006 GM Electric Blue. Most people’s first comment when first seeing the vehicle is the admiration for the colour.”
A smile crosses his face. “The most dramatic story was after the car was damaged by a flying tent causing paint damage. The car was repainted and after finally getting the car back, I showed up at a show with the words “The Blue Deuce is Back” in white shoe polish written on the back windows of the vehicle.”
I ask Jim if the car has changed him. “No, not really.” He then hesitates. “But then again, it has, for my appreciation for my car and other restored muscle cars has grown considerably.”
But with this in mind, what is the future of the great muscle cars from the past? “I believe when our generation dies, the connection that we have for these cars and, in particular, the muscle cars, will sadly die as well. Within the next 50 years, we’ll be driving around in electronic, automated cars. I won’t like it. I enjoy driving, but the youth won’t know any different. To me, the satisfaction of owning and driving something I’ve always wanted is priceless. How can you get that satisfaction from a car that drives itself?”
