Words: Tommy Parry
With a painful itch to build a second-gen Camaro, Buddy put his restored ‘68 Camaro up for sale and started scouring the listings for something that could serve as a base for an immaculate sports tourer. He eventually ran across a ‘71 roller which, at first glance, looked smooth and straight. So a two-hour trip to Royal Oak, Michigan was made to check out the car, which was crammed in the back corner of a poorly lit garage and filled with car parts. A deal was made.
However, after getting it home, Buddy soon realized the car was the victim of shoddy workmanship. After a few profane words, he tore the car down, cut out the floor and trunk floor, sandblasted and installed a new floor and fitted a new full trunk floor as well as a new tail pan. With these issues addressed, it was ready for a comprehensive rebuild with a road course focus.
After scraping a few dozen pounds of unsightly bondo from the car, Buddy fabbed his own rocker panels and end closures to give the lower part of the car a “skirted” look. The metalworking experience is obvious, and that’s also evident with the flawless transmission tunnel made to fit a T-56 Magnum.
With the body up to snuff, Buddy put in an order for Detroit Speed’s complete subframe, subframe connectors, mini tubs and, of course, the Quadralink rear. Within that new rear suspension, he added a DSE 9" Ford housing and installed a Strange third member and MillerBuilt floater ends with C6 ‘Vette hubs. After loads of underbody metal work, he installed a six-point cage, the subframe connectors and the Quadralink bracket. Next, Buddy had the underside of the body coated with Line-X coating to act as a chip guard and sound deadener, as well as to provide a finished look.
Then came the time to consider the powerplant, and with a foundation this strong, it had to be appropriately excessive. Sending power back to the rear end: a Bowler Transmissions T-56 Magnum bought through Tom Farrington at TDS-Kreations. Helping control the power: a McLeod RST twin clutch kit and throwout bearing, as well as a Bowler billet shift handle. The engine, an LS3 with cam and valvetrain modified for an LSA supercharger, fits the bill.
At this time it was ready for paint. While waiting in paint shop limbo, Buddy finished off the trunk with a rear-mount battery and custom brackets/pads fabricated to hold a full-sized spare.
Then came the subtle tweaks that would make the package complete. Buddy rolled the front and rear fender lips for wheel clearance. With plans for 18x11/18X12” wheels, freeing up all available room was a must.
After installing the DSE Hydroformed subframe and getting the car back from paint, Buddy hoisted the engine into the freshly painted engine bay along with a C&R radiator. Once in place, Buddy added the intercooler, a front spoiler by D&Z Customs, and all the needed sheet metal.
Of course it wouldn’t be a proper car build if everything went smoothly, so after installing the hood with custom hood vents, Buddy found that the ZL1 supercharger lid was just tall enough to keep the hood from closing all the way. Luckily, all he needed to do was replace the ZL1 lid with a CTS-V lid.
The coat of silver paint contrasting some of the darker accents is undeniably smooth, and the build is only growing more attractive with every new facet. Complementing the paint are the gray C6 Z06 calipers mated to DBA 4000 series rotors.
The latest aesthetic touch thus far: a laser-cut rear spoiler to be finished in satin black. Forgeline GA3 wheels will be mated to BF Goodrich Rival-S tires in 315- and 325-sections, front and rear respectively. It’s an enviable combination of parts with style and plenty of performance, and we wait with bated breath to see where Buddy takes it. To watch the progress on this incredible build, you can follow it here.