This ’67 Camaro is 7 Liters of Pro-Touring Perfection

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2015 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by Zach Doell 

                               

 

Muscle cars of old had a one-track mind. Big power, off-the-line speed, but typically little in the way of cornering finesse. You know the crew…the Hemi ‘Cudas, Chevelle 454s, and Pontiac GTOs of the world.

 

Today these cars have grown to become icons, along with their sportier pony car cousins, but their evolution isn’t over. Thanks to the “pro-touring” movement, these aging performers now boast all the horsepower of the late ‘60s (and often more), combined with the suspension, drivetrain, and visual enhancements of today.

It’s a stirring combination of new and old, and this ’67 pro-touring Camaro is a prime example. Pumped up, powered up, and dressed to the nines, the heady pony car recently turned up on eBay, and unsurprisingly it has already proven quite popular.

Built by North Carolina’s HotRod Dynamics, the Camaro is said to have been inspired by the most athletic of the contemporary muscle and pony car breed—the iconic Trans-Am racecars. As such, its livery and hunkered-down look evoke substantial Trans-Am DNA, which it mixes with modern technology. The hood, spoilers, trunk lid, cowl, inner fenders, and door sills are all made of weight-saving carbon fiber.

Behind the scenes it’s all business as well. The Camaro now rests on a Detroit Speed subframe and fits adjustable coilover suspension at all four corners, along with modern (and massive) Chevrolet Corvette Z06 brakes. At the rear there’s also a traction-amplifying torque arm setup, helping to ensure this pony car brute can keep its power on the ground. And it’s quite a lot of power.

Get a load of that engine bay. The Camaro’s tumescent hood lifts up to reveal a monster of an engine—a tuned 7.0-liter GM LS7 crate motor, punching hard with 650 horsepower. A Tremec T56 six-speed gearbox is tasked with handling that might, which it shotguns to a limited-slip nine-inch rear and sticky Toyo R888 tires. Traction, this has it.

Inside, the cabin design is sleek yet spartan, reflective of the car’s fairly light 3,200-pound curb weight, nevertheless sound insulation, air-conditioning, and even a navigation system come fitted.

 Driver and passenger will find themselves lashed into a pair of Recaro sports seats, fitted with four-point racing harnesses, and looking out over a dashboard of you guessed it…more carbon fiber.

Purists may balk at the idea of giving an aged Camaro a new lease on life, but when they end up looking this good…well, they can get over it.