1968 Chevrolet Camaro Pro Street

Description

Some guys like to make a grand entrance, but other guys, like the one who built this diabolical 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Pro Street, prefer to just kick the door in. If that's your style, then this is definitely your car, because it's anything but subtle, but the overall aggressive look still manages to be quite tasteful thanks to all the professional workmanship that went into this high-end build. And with a 600HP 454 LS7 V8 propped up with loads of performance goodies, a built transmission, and a tubbed and roll-caged chassis to plant it all down, this sinister street brawler has the race-grade equipment to back up those killer looks.

Dig the lowered and raked stance, the fully-stuffed wheel arches, and the high-gloss, jet-black paint – it's obvious this Pro Street wants attention. There aren't many cars that are more perfectly proportioned than the 1st generation Camaro, and the Pro Street treatment on this powerful pugilist only enhances what is already a slam-dunk design. Add that big 'ol, lift-off, fiberglass cowl hood – with its unique rectangular air-induction scoop and set of six hood pins – a blacked-out SS grille, RS hide-away headlights, deep chin spoiler, and that kicked-up ducktail spoiler out back and this 1st generation Camaro looks like it might take a swing at you if you looked at it the wrong way. Even with all those drag-strip style additions it thankfully never loses its OEM performance look, although this violent brute will definitely stand out, no worries there. The overall F-Body styling hasn't been radically altered from stock, and in fact, other than the fiberglass hood, the rest of the car is still All-American steel. The slick-black paint is far nicer than what you typically see on a Pro Street – a top driver-quality finish with only minor imperfections acquired in the scant 687 miles since it was built. Compared to most high-powered vintage cars, it's off-the-charts nice, and the second you get behind the wheel and feel that exhaust rumble through your body, you'll forget all about a minor paint chip or two. A silver, bumble-bee style nose stripe with a custom LS-7 fender insignia was cleverly continued up the hood to adorn the big scoop, and it was laid down the right way and buried under clearcoat to match the glossy presentation of the overall finish. Chrome bumpers fore and aft are in great shape and add some much-needed contrast, as does the subsequent brightwork around the car's glass, rockers, and lighting, and all the proper badges were returned to their factory positions. All the lighting was replaced during the build, including the RS-spec reverse lights mounted inside the rear valance, and the sporty SS gas cap and oversized kill-switch inside the tailpanel are uber-cool nostalgia racing pieces.

There's just enough race gear inside this brand-new interior to make the point that this is no garden-variety Camaro, but it remains very streetable despite the upgraded performance parts and full six-point roll cage. For example, there are beautiful stock black door panels at the flanks, plush and shaggy light-gray carpets topped with black Camaro mats on the floors, a taut headliner, and even a finished rear seat area that hasn't been completely taken over by the wheel tubs and roll bar. Procar buckets up front are performance-grade but still comfortable, and they come wrapped in gorgeous black leather that's continued on the reimagined bench seat out back. The stock dash remains in place as well, painted black to match the exterior and protected with a supple black dashpad, although it's been punched-up with custom carbon-fiber bezels filled with a full slate of upgraded AutoMeter gauges (including the cowl-mounted tachometer on the other side of the windshield) that keep a close eye on the organized violence under the hood. A leather-wrapped Grant GT steering wheel anchors the cockpit and dances with the B&M/Hurst shifter mounted inside the car's custom center console, practically taunting you to drive this Camaro HARD. She's not all rough-and-tumble inside though, as you also get a new Vintage Air A/C system, cup holders, and seatbelts for good measure. There's more performance gear in the trunk, which offers a race-grade 10-gallon fuel cell and dual relocated batteries, that easily fit despite the wheel tubs.

The burly 454 V8 under the hood is reported to be a 600HP LS7 big block with loads of firepower and a mountainous torque curve, and it'll pretty much shred the tires at will. Topped with a Holley 4-barrel carburetor atop an aluminum air-gap intake, it's been augmented with a noticeable cam, roller rockers, and aluminum heads, fires to life via an MSD ignition system, and breathes easy through a set of jet-coated Hooker headers at the flanks. The finished engine bay is an exhibition on the wonders of gloss-black paint and chrome, ready to be shown off with those Moroso valve covers, a serpentine belt system complete with billet pulleys, and a K&N air cleaner. Temperatures are kept in check thanks to the aluminum radiator and dual fans up front, and the Flowmaster dual exhaust system below composes one of the better soundtracks in our inventory. A built TH400 3-speed automatic transmission with a TCI 4200 stall convertor and reverse valve body handles all that power in stride, spinning a tubbed Dana 60 rear end stuffed with 4.86 gears. It plants to the road via a dual-wishbone front suspension and 4-link set-up in the rear, and power steering and power 4-wheel disc brakes mean you can actually drive this beauty home from the track. Polished Weld Racing wheels wear 205/75/15 Nexenss up front and 31x18.5/15 Mickey Thompson meats in the rear for the full Pro Street treatment.

Expertly built and fully sorted, this Pro Street Camaro is ready to rumble, and I mean RUMBLE! Call today!