Words: Tommy Parry
Chris bought this simple beauty back when it was completely stock, and it served him well in its untouched form for three years. Soon after the third year, the natural tinkerer in him piped up and urged him to improve the interior.
With a set of Procar rally seats, he could enjoy all the bolster without disrupting the classic aesthetic inside. After retrimming the headliner, he installed a Pioneer Bluetooth CD player, an OER dash bezel, Lokar pedals and Polk Audio speakers. Now Chris had a very comfortable cabin to enjoy while autocrossing or cruising.
Spurred on by his new driving environment, he thirsted for a little more under the hood. He built a 350 SBC with an Edelbrock Performer RPM Hydrolic Cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM Heads, GM Performance Head Gaskets, Summit Steel Tip Roller Tip Rocker Arms, Edelbrock Hardened Steel Pushrods, March Serpentine Pulleys, an Edelbrock Performer Dual Plane Intake, a Holley 650 Double Pumper Carburetor, a Billet aluminum HEI Distributor and a 2.5” Flowmaster dual exhaust with an H-pipe. This surges through an M21 Muncie four-speed, which sends power back to a 3.73 posi rear end.
With this impressive powerplant, Chris quickly grew hungry for a brakes and suspension which could handle the grunt, starting with LS1 Camaro rear disc brakes, Pro Touring F-Body Comp suspension with frame connectors and solid body mounts. Then he installed a front sway bar brace, Addco front and rear sway bars, Edelbrock IAS shocks, U.S. Wheels and Bridgestone tires. With a solid drivetrain and impressive suspension, he was well on his way – but there was more to come.
The classic front wheels measure 17×8″ with 4.5″ backspace and wear 245/45-17 tires. The rears are 17×9.5″ with 5.5″ backspace and wear 285/40-17s. Though they fit well, Chris wanted a slightly more athletic stance and pushed out the track slightly with ¼” spacers in the rear, then rolled the rear fender lips to accommodate them.
Next, Chris modified the front end with a set of upper control arms and a bumpsteer kit with 9” sleeves, as well as a set of brakes from a ‘98-‘02 F-Body. Without question, this was the most challenging part of the build, since it required hours of research and fabrication.
With the footwork largely sorted out, Chris went for a few more aesthetic upgrades – namely a set of halo headlights, an AMD 2” cowl hood and a new black grille. The exterior was nearly completed, but he had a few more touches to make.
The next visual upgrade came in form of an extended rear wing, which is a stock piece with the center removed. And with that, this stylish and menacing Camaro was ready to turn heads.
Though it’s already immaculate, Chris isn’t quite done. Its future holds a possible four-link rear suspension, some scratch cleanup and a new coat of paint. Chris also plans to get fiberglass front and rear bumpers to trim a little heft, and to help him compete at the sharp end of the pack, he intends to add a built 383. Good looks, a comfortable interior and an impressive powerplant – what’s not to like?
