*Stellar Home-Built 1969 Chevrolet Pro Touring Camaro *
#1
04-03-2016, 05:07 PM
*Stellar Home-Built 1969 Chevrolet Pro Touring Camaro *
Stellar Home-Built 1969 Chevrolet Pro Touring Camaro
Ramos Rolls His Own: No excuses, no trailers, no regrets, I love it !Member's, do you like it ?
Ro McGonegal Apr 1, 2016
Credit: Super`Chevy
View Full Gallery
In this rude season of entitlements, it does a heart good to see someone taking control of their situation … and the responsibility for its outcome. No help wanted; no one to do it but him. If he didn’t know how to do something—major acts like welding and painting—he learned it on the fly. It was a matter of pride, and at the very least, a sign of respect for his parents.
Had Tony Ramos been able to pony up for everything, we still think he would have done the beautiful chore himself. He likes the intimacy of working with his charge, putting hands on everything twice, maybe three times before deeming it worthy. And luckily, he found a willing accomplice. Seems that his wife, Nicole, is a trooper, too; helped him install the heavy items … and then camped out by the car and water-sanded the body for three days running on just bread and water.
2/19
3/19
Tony’s statement out front: “This car was built entirely by me. There were no checks given out to professional shops to build the car. It was built and painted by me in my garage. This car isn’t a trailer queen. I drive it to every event.” Which is to say the ’69 wasn’t built to a particular discipline; it includes notions and equipment from several different categories that reflect Tony’s desires. Most of all, it was built as a driver, one that Tony could actually drive to autocross extravaganzas.
“Having never done a restoration before, I knew I wanted to do everything myself,” he offered. “After taking my plain Jane ’68 Camaro to a show, I saw a stunning black Pro Touring ’69 and knew I had to have one.” He bit down hard and bought locally, a rolling, rotting atrocity for $4,000. Then the fun began.
Tony never imagined that he wouldn’t be able to do it. He tore the thing down to nubbins, but had never touched a welder in his life, so he got one and learned how to use it to renew the floors, the quarters, and the rocker panels. With the car so disposed, he erected mini-tubs and modified the fenders and quarters around them to accommodate the wider wheels that danced in his mind’s eye.
4/19
5/19
The mechanical recipe was a lot simpler. Tony secured an LS6 and had it hopped up a little at Rolling Thunderz (Toronto) with a Howards cam, the preferred 243 cylinder heads, and a brace of Stainless Works headers trailed by a 2 1/2-inch MagnaFlow stainless steel system. As grand touring and lots of highway miles would be the plan, Tony would abide nothing less than a clutch pedal and a double-overdrive transmission.
To mow through the autocross course and avoid grazing those pesky point-penalty cones, he brought the suspension down to basics. The RideTech TruTurn steering kit (2-inch drop spindles, steering arms, drag link bracket, and tie-rod assemblies) was combined with Speedtech upper and lower control arms, RideTech air springs, adjustable shock absorbers, and a 1 1/8-inch antisway bar that operates in concert with a Speedtech torque arm fixture, RideTech coilovers, and a Panhard rod. With this setup, total body drop is 3 inches. Good for the stance and even better for bringing the center of gravity that much closer to the ground. Adjunct to this, 275/35 and 335/30 BFG KDW stickies ride on 18x10 and 18x12 Rushforth Fuel light rims.
6/19
7/19
Tony didn’t need anything more than the basic interior layout but he departed from the norm with a fabbed instrument panel and—get this—BMW M3 Vader bucket seats. He made the mounting brackets and set them in, then looked behind him and decided to customize some more BMW buckets for the rear so that the interior would be proportional. He joined both pods with an artful custom console.
“I figured since I could learn how to weld, I would be able to tackle the paint. I looked at a few tutorials and videos online and decided to buy what I needed. I went to Home Depot and got $40 spray gun. I had to make a spray booth in my garage by putting up sheets of plastic and flooding the floor to keep the dust down. Considering it was my first time and that I did it with a cheap spray gun, the paintjob turned out great!” Well, of course it did.
“I take it on long trips across Canada and the U.S. After attending a Goodguys event three years ago, I got hooked on autocross. I’ve been to the Motorstate Challenge three times; the Optima Faceoff at Road Atlanta and Daytona; the Commerce, Georgia, Chevy High Performance Nationals; and the Muscle Car Challenge in Aurora, Ohio.”
8/19
9/19
Anything cool happen along the way? “One of the most memorable times I ever had in this car was at the CHP Nationals when Brian Finch jumped in the driver’s seat and we went around the autocross a few times. The other was driving the high banks of Daytona under the lights!”
What would you do differently were there a next time? “I would definitely have a Detroit Speed subframe, a 315/30 front tire, bigger brakes, and Forgeline wheels,” he said. “The car has never let me down. It is more reliable than any other car I own. In conclusion, my dream was to build my car from A to Z and not write a check to get it done. I am fulfilling the dream by driving my car to all events with no trailer and not have to worry about anything going wrong. After all, I have touched and worked on every component. It would be easy to fix.”
10/19
11/19
.heading .section {Tech Check Owner: Tony Ramos, Toronto, Canada Vehicle: 1969 Camaro Engine Type: GM LS6 Displacement: 346 ci Compression Ratio: 10.5:1 Bore: 3.90 inches Stroke: 3.62 inches Cylinder Heads: GM 243 castings, 2.00/1.55 valves Rotating Assembly: Nodular iron crankshaft, powdered metal connecting rods, hypereutectic pistons Valvetrain: Stock 1.7:1 rocker arms, pushrods, and timing gear Camshaft: Howards Max Torque hydraulic (0.550/0.550-inch lift; 216/224-deg. duration at 0.050-inch) Induction: LS6 intake manifold and injectors, Walbro 340 in-tank fuel pump Ignition: Stock Exhaust: Stainless Works headers with 1 3/4-inch primaries, 2 1/2-inch stainless MagnaFlow system and mufflers Ancillaries: C5 Corvette accessory drive, DSE wiper motor, Ringbrothers hood hinges Output (estimated): 450 hp at 6,000 rpm, 420 lb-ft at 5,000 rpm Machine Work/Assembly: Rolling Thunderz (Toronto, Canada) Tuner: Rolling Thunderz Drivetrain Transmission: Tremec T-56, LS6 clutch and flywheel, 4-inch diameter NASCAR driveshaft with 56 yoke by Tony Ramos Rear Axle: 9-inch, limited-slip differential, 3.70:1 gears, 31-spline axles assembled by Bear’s Performance (Oldcastle, Ontario, Canada) Chassis Front Suspension: RideTech 2-inch drop spindles, Speedtech upper and lower control arms, RideTech springs and single-adjustable shock absorbers, 1 1/8-inch Speedtech antisway bar Rear Suspension: Speedtech torque arm assembly, RideTech coilover shock absorbers, Panhard rod Brakes: Wilwood 13-inch vented rotors, six-piston calipers front; Wilwood 12-inch rotors, four-piston calipers rear; C6 Corvette brake booster and master cylinder Wheels & Tires Wheels: Rushforth Fuel 18x10 front, 18x12 rear Tires: BFG KDW 275/35 front, 335/30 rear Interior Upholstery by: Tony Ramos Material: Leather Seats: Modified BMW M3 Vader, front; modified 3-Series BMW buckets, rear; Sparco belts Steering: Stock, tilt-feature, Momo Tuner wheel Shifter: T56 Dash: Stock with custom instrument panel Instrumentation: Auto Meter Sport Comp 2 gauges Audio: Alpine 900bt head with CD/DVD, Alpine 6-inch front speakers, Audiobahn amp and 10-inch subwoofer HVAC: Vintage Air Gen 4 Exterior Bodywork by: Vintage Air Gen 4 Paint by: Tony Ramos Paint: Axalta Black basecoat and clearcoat Hood: Stock Grille: Stock Bumpers: Stock
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Ramos Rolls His Own: No excuses, no trailers, no regrets, I love it !Member's, do you like it ?
Ro McGonegal Apr 1, 2016
Credit: Super`Chevy
View Full GalleryIn this rude season of entitlements, it does a heart good to see someone taking control of their situation … and the responsibility for its outcome. No help wanted; no one to do it but him. If he didn’t know how to do something—major acts like welding and painting—he learned it on the fly. It was a matter of pride, and at the very least, a sign of respect for his parents.
Had Tony Ramos been able to pony up for everything, we still think he would have done the beautiful chore himself. He likes the intimacy of working with his charge, putting hands on everything twice, maybe three times before deeming it worthy. And luckily, he found a willing accomplice. Seems that his wife, Nicole, is a trooper, too; helped him install the heavy items … and then camped out by the car and water-sanded the body for three days running on just bread and water.
2/19 3/19Tony’s statement out front: “This car was built entirely by me. There were no checks given out to professional shops to build the car. It was built and painted by me in my garage. This car isn’t a trailer queen. I drive it to every event.” Which is to say the ’69 wasn’t built to a particular discipline; it includes notions and equipment from several different categories that reflect Tony’s desires. Most of all, it was built as a driver, one that Tony could actually drive to autocross extravaganzas.
“Having never done a restoration before, I knew I wanted to do everything myself,” he offered. “After taking my plain Jane ’68 Camaro to a show, I saw a stunning black Pro Touring ’69 and knew I had to have one.” He bit down hard and bought locally, a rolling, rotting atrocity for $4,000. Then the fun began.
Tony never imagined that he wouldn’t be able to do it. He tore the thing down to nubbins, but had never touched a welder in his life, so he got one and learned how to use it to renew the floors, the quarters, and the rocker panels. With the car so disposed, he erected mini-tubs and modified the fenders and quarters around them to accommodate the wider wheels that danced in his mind’s eye.
4/19 5/19The mechanical recipe was a lot simpler. Tony secured an LS6 and had it hopped up a little at Rolling Thunderz (Toronto) with a Howards cam, the preferred 243 cylinder heads, and a brace of Stainless Works headers trailed by a 2 1/2-inch MagnaFlow stainless steel system. As grand touring and lots of highway miles would be the plan, Tony would abide nothing less than a clutch pedal and a double-overdrive transmission.
To mow through the autocross course and avoid grazing those pesky point-penalty cones, he brought the suspension down to basics. The RideTech TruTurn steering kit (2-inch drop spindles, steering arms, drag link bracket, and tie-rod assemblies) was combined with Speedtech upper and lower control arms, RideTech air springs, adjustable shock absorbers, and a 1 1/8-inch antisway bar that operates in concert with a Speedtech torque arm fixture, RideTech coilovers, and a Panhard rod. With this setup, total body drop is 3 inches. Good for the stance and even better for bringing the center of gravity that much closer to the ground. Adjunct to this, 275/35 and 335/30 BFG KDW stickies ride on 18x10 and 18x12 Rushforth Fuel light rims.
6/19 7/19Tony didn’t need anything more than the basic interior layout but he departed from the norm with a fabbed instrument panel and—get this—BMW M3 Vader bucket seats. He made the mounting brackets and set them in, then looked behind him and decided to customize some more BMW buckets for the rear so that the interior would be proportional. He joined both pods with an artful custom console.
“I figured since I could learn how to weld, I would be able to tackle the paint. I looked at a few tutorials and videos online and decided to buy what I needed. I went to Home Depot and got $40 spray gun. I had to make a spray booth in my garage by putting up sheets of plastic and flooding the floor to keep the dust down. Considering it was my first time and that I did it with a cheap spray gun, the paintjob turned out great!” Well, of course it did.
“I take it on long trips across Canada and the U.S. After attending a Goodguys event three years ago, I got hooked on autocross. I’ve been to the Motorstate Challenge three times; the Optima Faceoff at Road Atlanta and Daytona; the Commerce, Georgia, Chevy High Performance Nationals; and the Muscle Car Challenge in Aurora, Ohio.”
8/19 9/19Anything cool happen along the way? “One of the most memorable times I ever had in this car was at the CHP Nationals when Brian Finch jumped in the driver’s seat and we went around the autocross a few times. The other was driving the high banks of Daytona under the lights!”
What would you do differently were there a next time? “I would definitely have a Detroit Speed subframe, a 315/30 front tire, bigger brakes, and Forgeline wheels,” he said. “The car has never let me down. It is more reliable than any other car I own. In conclusion, my dream was to build my car from A to Z and not write a check to get it done. I am fulfilling the dream by driving my car to all events with no trailer and not have to worry about anything going wrong. After all, I have touched and worked on every component. It would be easy to fix.”
10/19 11/19.heading .section {Tech Check Owner: Tony Ramos, Toronto, Canada Vehicle: 1969 Camaro Engine Type: GM LS6 Displacement: 346 ci Compression Ratio: 10.5:1 Bore: 3.90 inches Stroke: 3.62 inches Cylinder Heads: GM 243 castings, 2.00/1.55 valves Rotating Assembly: Nodular iron crankshaft, powdered metal connecting rods, hypereutectic pistons Valvetrain: Stock 1.7:1 rocker arms, pushrods, and timing gear Camshaft: Howards Max Torque hydraulic (0.550/0.550-inch lift; 216/224-deg. duration at 0.050-inch) Induction: LS6 intake manifold and injectors, Walbro 340 in-tank fuel pump Ignition: Stock Exhaust: Stainless Works headers with 1 3/4-inch primaries, 2 1/2-inch stainless MagnaFlow system and mufflers Ancillaries: C5 Corvette accessory drive, DSE wiper motor, Ringbrothers hood hinges Output (estimated): 450 hp at 6,000 rpm, 420 lb-ft at 5,000 rpm Machine Work/Assembly: Rolling Thunderz (Toronto, Canada) Tuner: Rolling Thunderz Drivetrain Transmission: Tremec T-56, LS6 clutch and flywheel, 4-inch diameter NASCAR driveshaft with 56 yoke by Tony Ramos Rear Axle: 9-inch, limited-slip differential, 3.70:1 gears, 31-spline axles assembled by Bear’s Performance (Oldcastle, Ontario, Canada) Chassis Front Suspension: RideTech 2-inch drop spindles, Speedtech upper and lower control arms, RideTech springs and single-adjustable shock absorbers, 1 1/8-inch Speedtech antisway bar Rear Suspension: Speedtech torque arm assembly, RideTech coilover shock absorbers, Panhard rod Brakes: Wilwood 13-inch vented rotors, six-piston calipers front; Wilwood 12-inch rotors, four-piston calipers rear; C6 Corvette brake booster and master cylinder Wheels & Tires Wheels: Rushforth Fuel 18x10 front, 18x12 rear Tires: BFG KDW 275/35 front, 335/30 rear Interior Upholstery by: Tony Ramos Material: Leather Seats: Modified BMW M3 Vader, front; modified 3-Series BMW buckets, rear; Sparco belts Steering: Stock, tilt-feature, Momo Tuner wheel Shifter: T56 Dash: Stock with custom instrument panel Instrumentation: Auto Meter Sport Comp 2 gauges Audio: Alpine 900bt head with CD/DVD, Alpine 6-inch front speakers, Audiobahn amp and 10-inch subwoofer HVAC: Vintage Air Gen 4 Exterior Bodywork by: Vintage Air Gen 4 Paint by: Tony Ramos Paint: Axalta Black basecoat and clearcoat Hood: Stock Grille: Stock Bumpers: Stock
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Last edited by BeachBumMike; 04-04-2016 at 08:54 AM.
#2
04-04-2016, 08:54 AM
69, it was a good year 4-Sure
Here Is a No-Nonsense Big-Block-Powered 1969 Chevrolet Camaro
Color Me Gone: Grant Pasley takes a path less traveled towards Camaro Stardom
Nick Licata
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Some of the most memorable Camaros, or any muscle car for that matter, have been armed with big-block power. Heck, it’s a hot rodder’s right – even a time-honored tradition that every man stuff his toys with the biggest and baddest engine available. At least that’s the motto of Grant Pasley. He’s been a big-block guy all his life. “When I open the hood of my Camaro, I like to see a whole bunch of motor,” says Grant. “The engine bay just doesn’t look finished without a big-block eating up all the real estate.”
Grant came down a different path of muscle car discovery than most hot rodders. In fact, it wasn’t a path at all, it was a dirt road topped with a layer of muck. You see, for quite a few years his weekends were spent racing in the local mud truck circuit. As fun as it was, maintenance became a bit overwhelming. “I just got tired of spending so much time cleaning all the mud and crap off my truck every weekend,” says Grant. “I’ve always liked the look of the ’69 Camaro, so I started looking for something I could have fun with, only without the cleaning and maintenance involved with the trucks.”
Grant had known about the ’69 Camaro for about a year before making the purchase. In fact, the seller had plans of buying an LS6 off of Grant to put in the Camaro, but was never quite able to pull off the deal. Fortunately for Grant, the owner was going through the beginning stages of a divorce and needed to dump the car before his soon-to-be-ex-wife got a piece of it. Grant, always eager to help out a friend in need, took the car off his hands for $800 cash and an old truck engine.
2/15
The car was in pretty bad shape, and even though the price was right, the only salvageable parts were the roof, cowl, rocker panels, and firewall.
Hopped up on adrenalin and excitement, Grant and his buddy Josh Wallick got busy grinding, welding, smoothing, and sanding. After installing new sheetmetal and getting the car to resemble … well, a car … it was off to the paint shop for the final steps of auto beautification.
Since Grant took a relatively unconventional highway into the muscle car scene, he went with a somewhat nonconformist approach with the paint color combination as well. Most guys wouldn’t admit it, but Grant’s wife picked the color combo. Seems Melissa has an eye for color matching. She actually picked the silver from a Chevy van they saw parked on the street. “We left our phone number on the windshield wiper asking the owner to call us back with the name of the color,” said Grant. “We then took the red dashpad out of the Camaro and held it up to the silver and decided that would be a great color for the stripes.”
3/15
Their colorful paint scheme wasn’t so popular among their friends, or the painter for that matter. He told the two this combination couldn’t possibly work, and they were crazy for attempting it.
“I figured if it didn’t look good, I would just repaint the car again,” revealed Grant. “But when we saw the car painted, it just looked perfect. Everyone who warned us against going with the red stripes changed their minds once they saw the car.”
The Axalta Galaxy Silver basecoats the ’69 with a restful appearance, which is immediately overcome by the aggressive Flame Red stripes. It might not set the Camaro world on fire, but it commands attention and is a welcomed departure from the usual black or charcoal stripes more commonly found on silver-based Camaros.
7/15
Mike Downs took responsibilities for machine work on the big Rat, which relies on standard-bore and stroked GM iron heads. With 10:1 compression, the horsepower is estimated around 500 at 4,800 rpm and 525 lb-ft of torque at 4,600 rpm. The COMP Cams 292 Magnum measures in with a 0.550 lift and 292 duration on both intake and exhaust, giving off enough poise for the average burger stand employee to hasten a second look between flipping patties.
A Holley 1450 race-ready 750-cfm carburetor delivers the desired air/fuel to a willing Edelbrock Air-Gap intake.
Mike Downs also built the heavy-duty Turbo 350 and bolted up a Big Dog 3,000-stall converter for some extra zip off the line.
Grant went with street-friendly 3.00 cogs inside a 9-inch rearend complete with Strange components, including aluminum centersection, Street Axles, and steel 3350 yokes.
8/15
9/15
The tidy engine bay is rather reserved with just the right touch of style, including a Proform timing chain cover, air cleaner and valve covers, along with an attractive March Performance serpentine drive system.
Exit gases rely on Hooker 2 1/4-inch headers for speedy departure and a set of 3-inch Flowmasters essentially keeping the neighbors happy.
Stance and handling were crucial aspects of the build, so Superior 2-inch drop spindles occupy the front while Hotchkis 1.5-inch lowering springs got the rear down to acceptable height. KYB shocks at all four corners ensure a stable ride, and the addition of Detroit Speed Inc. subframe connectors keep the chassis in shape when Grant gets a little heavy on the skinny pedal.
Stopping a big-block car and its extra weight can be an issue for stock brake components at speed, so Wilwood four-piston caliper disc brakes were called upon front and rear to get the job done.
10/15
When it came time to purchase wheels, Grant’s wife, Melissa, once again had influence on the look. While browsing the pages of Chevy High Performance magazine she spotted a first-gen Camaro feature sporting Billet Specialties Street Star wheels and knew they would fit the look for their ’69 as well. In fact, so confident, they purchased the wheels, (8 inches front, 9.9 inches rear) well before the car was near completion. Once the BFG G-Force tires were strapped on all-four corners (245/40-R17 up front and 275/40-R17 out back) the car’s identity really started to take shape.
Generally fond of the classic Camaro styling, Grant kept the dash original, but couldn’t resist adding a performance touch, so Auto Meter Phantom gauges took the place of stock center console gauges, an Auto Meter tach was added under the dash, and the stock steering wheel was replaced with a black foam grip Grant GT.
11/15
12/15
With the cabin carrying a mostly period-correct look, the modern amenities are subtle in appearance, but the Electric Life power windows and Vintage Air Direct Fit A/C system are distinctively functional.
Although the car has yet to make its mark on the dragstrip, Grant promises a timeslip is the next bit of business at hand.
We’re with you all the way Grant, red stripes and all.
13/15
14/15
15/15
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Color Me Gone: Grant Pasley takes a path less traveled towards Camaro Stardom
Nick Licata
View Full GallerySome of the most memorable Camaros, or any muscle car for that matter, have been armed with big-block power. Heck, it’s a hot rodder’s right – even a time-honored tradition that every man stuff his toys with the biggest and baddest engine available. At least that’s the motto of Grant Pasley. He’s been a big-block guy all his life. “When I open the hood of my Camaro, I like to see a whole bunch of motor,” says Grant. “The engine bay just doesn’t look finished without a big-block eating up all the real estate.”
Grant came down a different path of muscle car discovery than most hot rodders. In fact, it wasn’t a path at all, it was a dirt road topped with a layer of muck. You see, for quite a few years his weekends were spent racing in the local mud truck circuit. As fun as it was, maintenance became a bit overwhelming. “I just got tired of spending so much time cleaning all the mud and crap off my truck every weekend,” says Grant. “I’ve always liked the look of the ’69 Camaro, so I started looking for something I could have fun with, only without the cleaning and maintenance involved with the trucks.”
Grant had known about the ’69 Camaro for about a year before making the purchase. In fact, the seller had plans of buying an LS6 off of Grant to put in the Camaro, but was never quite able to pull off the deal. Fortunately for Grant, the owner was going through the beginning stages of a divorce and needed to dump the car before his soon-to-be-ex-wife got a piece of it. Grant, always eager to help out a friend in need, took the car off his hands for $800 cash and an old truck engine.
2/15The car was in pretty bad shape, and even though the price was right, the only salvageable parts were the roof, cowl, rocker panels, and firewall.
Hopped up on adrenalin and excitement, Grant and his buddy Josh Wallick got busy grinding, welding, smoothing, and sanding. After installing new sheetmetal and getting the car to resemble … well, a car … it was off to the paint shop for the final steps of auto beautification.
Since Grant took a relatively unconventional highway into the muscle car scene, he went with a somewhat nonconformist approach with the paint color combination as well. Most guys wouldn’t admit it, but Grant’s wife picked the color combo. Seems Melissa has an eye for color matching. She actually picked the silver from a Chevy van they saw parked on the street. “We left our phone number on the windshield wiper asking the owner to call us back with the name of the color,” said Grant. “We then took the red dashpad out of the Camaro and held it up to the silver and decided that would be a great color for the stripes.”
3/15Their colorful paint scheme wasn’t so popular among their friends, or the painter for that matter. He told the two this combination couldn’t possibly work, and they were crazy for attempting it.
“I figured if it didn’t look good, I would just repaint the car again,” revealed Grant. “But when we saw the car painted, it just looked perfect. Everyone who warned us against going with the red stripes changed their minds once they saw the car.”
The Axalta Galaxy Silver basecoats the ’69 with a restful appearance, which is immediately overcome by the aggressive Flame Red stripes. It might not set the Camaro world on fire, but it commands attention and is a welcomed departure from the usual black or charcoal stripes more commonly found on silver-based Camaros.
7/15Mike Downs took responsibilities for machine work on the big Rat, which relies on standard-bore and stroked GM iron heads. With 10:1 compression, the horsepower is estimated around 500 at 4,800 rpm and 525 lb-ft of torque at 4,600 rpm. The COMP Cams 292 Magnum measures in with a 0.550 lift and 292 duration on both intake and exhaust, giving off enough poise for the average burger stand employee to hasten a second look between flipping patties.
A Holley 1450 race-ready 750-cfm carburetor delivers the desired air/fuel to a willing Edelbrock Air-Gap intake.
Mike Downs also built the heavy-duty Turbo 350 and bolted up a Big Dog 3,000-stall converter for some extra zip off the line.
Grant went with street-friendly 3.00 cogs inside a 9-inch rearend complete with Strange components, including aluminum centersection, Street Axles, and steel 3350 yokes.
8/15 9/15The tidy engine bay is rather reserved with just the right touch of style, including a Proform timing chain cover, air cleaner and valve covers, along with an attractive March Performance serpentine drive system.
Exit gases rely on Hooker 2 1/4-inch headers for speedy departure and a set of 3-inch Flowmasters essentially keeping the neighbors happy.
Stance and handling were crucial aspects of the build, so Superior 2-inch drop spindles occupy the front while Hotchkis 1.5-inch lowering springs got the rear down to acceptable height. KYB shocks at all four corners ensure a stable ride, and the addition of Detroit Speed Inc. subframe connectors keep the chassis in shape when Grant gets a little heavy on the skinny pedal.
Stopping a big-block car and its extra weight can be an issue for stock brake components at speed, so Wilwood four-piston caliper disc brakes were called upon front and rear to get the job done.
10/15When it came time to purchase wheels, Grant’s wife, Melissa, once again had influence on the look. While browsing the pages of Chevy High Performance magazine she spotted a first-gen Camaro feature sporting Billet Specialties Street Star wheels and knew they would fit the look for their ’69 as well. In fact, so confident, they purchased the wheels, (8 inches front, 9.9 inches rear) well before the car was near completion. Once the BFG G-Force tires were strapped on all-four corners (245/40-R17 up front and 275/40-R17 out back) the car’s identity really started to take shape.
Generally fond of the classic Camaro styling, Grant kept the dash original, but couldn’t resist adding a performance touch, so Auto Meter Phantom gauges took the place of stock center console gauges, an Auto Meter tach was added under the dash, and the stock steering wheel was replaced with a black foam grip Grant GT.
11/15 12/15With the cabin carrying a mostly period-correct look, the modern amenities are subtle in appearance, but the Electric Life power windows and Vintage Air Direct Fit A/C system are distinctively functional.
Although the car has yet to make its mark on the dragstrip, Grant promises a timeslip is the next bit of business at hand.
We’re with you all the way Grant, red stripes and all.
13/15 14/15 15/15MORE PHOTOS
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