1969 Camaro/Firebird * LaMont Mulligan * Ione, WA
We see people swap the nose of their '71 and '72 Chevelles to look as if they were actually '70 models, so why couldn't you change the nose on a Firebird? Well, we guess you can. LaMont Mulligan bought this '69 Firebird through eBay, and when he got it home, he realized that the paint was so thick, it would cost more to have it removed than to replace it. When shopping for the front end sheetmetal, LaMont realized the Camaro parts were actually cheaper. He loved the look of the Camaro nose, so he bought them and bolted them on.
| By The Numbers |
| Engine: | 383ci small-block Chevy |
| Transmission: | 700-R4 with 2,800 rpm stall |
| Suspension: | Air Ride Shockwaves, CPP control arms |
| Brakes: | 12-inch discs |
| Rear: | Moser 12-bolt with 3.73 gears and Eaton posi |
| Wheels: | Boyd Coddington Junkyard Dog (18-inch) |
| Tires: | BFG KDW |
1973 Camaro * Carroll Lanassa * Marrero, LA
After the destruction of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Carroll Lanassa was able to rescue two '73 Camaros. The first was an almost complete car minus the front seats, which he found though eBay for $600. Carroll writes, "Following my father's club members lead, I drove to Chalmette and there it was, a '73 Camaro with a ton of surface rust. I traced down the owner and asked if he would consider selling it. He said, `if you can get it out of the front yard, it's yours.' He offered all of his spare parts, which were stored in the attic, free of water damage. This cost $70 to get home. I now had everything to get this car together; a little elbow grease and some seat covers and I would be in business." The budget is $10,000, and Carroll's got a great start so far.
| By The Numbers |
| Engine: | 350ci small-block Chevy |
| Transmission: | TH350 |
| Suspension: | 1-inch lowered front, four-link rear |
| Brakes: | front disc |
| Rear: | GM 10-bolt |
| Wheels: | ralleys (15-inch) |
| Tires: | BFG Radial T/A |
1968 Torino * John Guess * San Diego, CA
"You see none of these cars around, and the ones you do are trailer queens. Torinos dominated the NASCAR circuit for a long time, making them look fast just standing still," owner John Guess says. John bought this Torino GT when he was 17 years old, and his father looked over his shoulder at the engine, seeing the long oval air cleaner for the dual-quad carbs, and said, "this car is going to get you in trouble son." It's survived the years, and John has given it a new paintjob, which he has been complemented on regularly, promising a good product when he's done. Unfortunately, his health and the economy are slowing the process, but he hopes to have it all back out at the car shows.