| By The Numbers |
| Engine: | 5.3L or 6.0L Gen III LS |
| Fuel: | liquid propane |
| Transmission: | 700-R4 |
| Suspension: | custom built IRS |
| Body: | custom lead work by owner |
| Initial price: | $2,500 |
| Prior car: | 1978 Z28 |
1969 Camaro * Jim Manfred * Humble, TX
The commercial tag line for some long-forgotten cosmetic line was: "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful." And if the '69 Camaro could talk, that is undoubtedly what it would say. As a soft-spoken Texan from Houston, Jim Manfred would say no such thing, mostly because he'd let his newest car--a '69 Camaro--do it for him. You may remember Jim's first '69 Camaro from our August 2005 issue, "Striking White Stunner." This time around, Jim is going the high-tech route. Instead of a carb on top of a small-block, he's going with GM Performance Parts new LSX376 crate motor and fuel injection. Because he got such great results from Detroit Speed and Engineering suspension parts with his last car, he's sticking with them for the new car too.
| By The Numbers |
| Engine: | GMPP LSX376 crate motor |
| Transmission: | 700-R4 |
| Suspension: | Heidt’s, DSE |
| Brakes: | Wilwood |
| Rear: | Ford 9-inch, 3.70 gears |
| Wheels: | Budnik, 19x8 & 19x11 |
| Tires: | 245/40R19 & 295/35R19 |
1969 Camaro * Pat Chumley * Granbury, TX
Those who have the financial wherewithal to build their projects in a professional shop get many advantages. For starters, a shop like Smoky Hill Restoration has a rock-solid bedplate as a jig for projects like Pat Chumley's '69 Camaro. The bedplate ensures perfect alignment of the frame and chassis components from start to finish, and allows different portions of the car to be built simultaneously, thus saving time by getting it right the first time. Pat is going state of the art with his Camaro, choosing to incorporate Chevy's top-shelf 605hp LS9 powerplant found in the new ZL1. By going with a production plant that has undergone extensive durability testing (GM gives it a 36,000 mile warranty in the Corvette), Pat has ensured many miles of carefree driving.
| By The Numbers |
| Engine: | Corvette LS9, supercharged |
| Transmission: | Tremec T-56 |
| Suspension: | Z06, Art Morrison |
| Brakes: | carbon ceramic discs |
| Rear: | Ford 9-inch, 3.73 gears |
| Wheels: | Forgeline ST3P |
| Tires: | Nitto 275/35R18 & 345/35R19 |