No minimalism here, just understated...
No minimalism here, just understated elegance and the flavor of the original interior left pretty much intact. Note the custom console that is actually a stock console with a fabricated enclosure for a GPS/DVD center.
Controls for the Vintage Air HVAC system are barely noticeable. Visually, the audio system has been condensed to a discreet LCD screen on the console, which is also the nerve center for the DVD/NAV system. An Alpine head unit is teamed with Boston Acoustics amps and speakers, but you can't see any of that, either. On top of the steering post sits a Budnik Sport wheel, perfectly in league with the rest of the trappings.
If you look past the Camaro's distinctive end-all tires and wheels and the vibration of the Millennium Yellow, you find a street tapper of the first magnitude, ostensibly a chick magnet, a woman web, a car more at home with the canvas dropped on humid, twilight streets than slicing through a line of cones or around a road course-although it can do both exceptionally well. Therein lies the ultimate purpose of Year One's highly visible calling card: to push the boundaries of style and substance while inviting the promise of attainability to its customers.
To the casual observer, Year One's flamboyant flyer seems beyond reach of the skill level of the DIY enthusiast and beyond the means of sane wallets, but more critical eyes discover otherwise. From the Dynacorn's clean-slate appeal and ease of assembly, to the bolt-in, bolt-on status of the DSE hydroformed C6 suspension, DSE Quadra Link rear suspension, and GMPP LSX376 crate engine, this Camaro is not only within reach of the typical weekend hobbyist who purchases parts piecemeal, it's within his skill level, too. A similar result is easy to achieve over the course of two or three years of weekend wrenching, and for about the cost of a new 2010 Camaro SS-if it ever shows up! And when it finally does, which one would you rather drive?
Build One Yourself
Is building a muscle car from a kit the future of our hobby? Some people think so, while others like a more free-form, creative approach. If you're going to use a Dynacorn body as the basis for your project, however, it's probably a good idea to grab a copy of Year One's "Mail Order Camaro" build book-it will greatly simplify things. Look closely at the cover car. Is it familiar to you? Give up? It's actually the same car as the Millenium Yellow convertible featured in this story. The first time around, Year One gave the Dynacorn Camaro a pretty basic buildup with a stock-style suspension front and rear, a $3,000 350 crate engine, and a mostly stock interior. (The entire buildup took just 59 days the first time around.) The Year One build book details the process with many color photos, captions, part numbers, and chapters covering every phase of the project. Key chapters include: Subframe/Rear Axle Prep, Engine/Transmission, Steering Components, Fitting Sheetmetal, Engine Accessories, Engine Compartment Wiring, Hood/Bumper/Grille/Window Assembly, Cooling System, Convertible Top, Interior And Dash, and Final Details.-Johnny Hunkins
Screamin' Yellow * BuildUp Highlights
The decision to build a car for the SEMA show isn't one you take lightly, but when the opportunity came to put together a rolling display for GM Performance Parts' new line of affordable LSX376 crate motors, Year One gladly pulled the trigger with their partners in crime. For one, Year One knows that LS-series engines and first-gen Camaros are a marriage made in heaven-it's by far the most popular pairing of a new engine in a classic muscle car. In fact, Detroit Speed & Engineering even offers a hydroformed front subframe, complete with C6 Corvette suspension and rack-and-pinion conversion, designed specifically as a bolt-in kit for LS engines in first-gens. And by no coincidence, that's exactly the running gear Year One chose to showcase GMPP's LSX376. The SEMA project came up at the last minute, and the Year One crew had just six weeks to complete the transformation. Using the original blue Dynacorn crate Camaro allowed a convenient shortcut, but it wasn't a slam dunk by any means. Besides a complete repaint, the conversion required all the running gear to be upgraded (DSE for front and rear suspension), and the fuel-injected LSX376 powertrain needed to be installed. Adding to that, a new gut, seats, custom console, electronic conveniences, instrument panel, spoilers, LED taillights, and more needed to be either fabricated or installed. The coolest part? Year One has a history of taking one-off custom parts from their projects and turning them into real production parts you can buy.-Johnny Hunkins
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  After the Dynacorn body came...  After the Dynacorn body came back from paint, the Year One crew got to work installing the DSE suspension, the new LSX376 engine, accessory drive, wiring harness, and Stainless Works exhaust pieces. Integrating all these systems simultaneously is difficult, and requires competencies in many different disciplines. The Year One crew had this covered handily, but you may not necessarily be that lucky. The good news is that you can have confidence that Year One has the parts and the firsthand knowledge to make your project a reality. |  "We built the rear spoiler...  "We built the rear spoiler out of foam," says Year One's Keith Maney. "When we finished, we put tape on it to give it a solid look. We worked it into the shape we wanted, and then we made a fiberglass mold out of it. We actually molded the spoiler on our Forza car while the yellow one was in paint, so it didn't fit perfectly when it translated over to the SEMA car. If we decide to sell it, buyers will have to understand that it may need some tweaking." |
 The Year One crew designed...  The Year One crew designed the NAV system binnacle from a cardboard model, then the cardboard pieces were copied in sheet aluminum and TIG-welded together. Once the console was modified for the binnacle, the console was covered in leather by Henderson's upholstery in Buford, GA. |  "Our guy, Mark McDonald, fabricated...  "Our guy, Mark McDonald, fabricated the console plate out of ?-inch aluminum. It was cut to fit, bent on a metal brake, then grained with Scotch-Brite," says Year One's Phil Brewer. "The aluminum insert fit pretty well. It had to be bowed just a little bit because it's curved, but it fit really well. We just wanted to use as many stock parts as possible, including a reproduction console." |  Phil Brewer: "We custom-built...  Phil Brewer: "We custom-built the Camaro's instrument panel. We actually plan on making a production piece out of this soon. The hard part was getting the gauges to all fit inside the center of the cluster so that we could use a stock dashpad. The stock '69 dashpad has a point where it sticks out for the clock right in the middle, and space is at a premium. We want people to be able to use their stock dashpad, so that was a requirement. We made this out of sheetmetal, but the production one will be plastic or fiberglass, and the holes will be left blank so you can use either the stock controls and gauges, or aftermarket ones." |
 Year One built the Camaro's...  Year One built the Camaro's taillights out of a generic street rod LED taillight kit. LEDs are brighter than conventional incandescent bulbs, and they respond faster to input. Year One now offers an LED taillight conversion kit for '69 Camaros (PN LED2) for $79. |  The GM plug-and-play wiring...  The GM plug-and-play wiring harness for the LSX376 crate motor includes the mass air sensor and fly-by-wire throttle control. The kit requires that you fabricate the inlet tube out of 3.5-inch tubing so that the mass air meter fits and is correctly calibrated to the programming. "We bought a bunch of elbows and curves and cut them up to fit nicely," says Brewer. "We tacked them up, then welded them once we liked the fit." |  Just as with "real" '69 Camaros,...  Just as with "real" '69 Camaros, the Dynacorn body that Year One sells can be built with a stock leaf spring rear suspension, or with modern bits like the Detroit Speed & Engineering Quadra Link setup. The Quadra Link is a parallel four-link geometry with a Panhard link that eliminates all the compromises of the stock leaf spring system, while being a true bolt-in kit needing no fabrication. |
 |  We're suckers for big wheels...  We're suckers for big wheels done right. Mini-tubs (which are part of the Dynacorn's standard package) and a narrowed axlehousing position the heavily negative offset of the 12-inch-wide Budnik hoops. Try fitting those inside your ordinary '69 Camaro. |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |