Body
Other than accepting the HTH mini-tubs, the Camaro was uncut and scar-free. Jeremiah at Studio Auto Body in Glendale, California, prepped the carcass by the book and blew on PPG Viper Red and '69 Z/28 black stripes to pick up the dusky interior.
Chassis
Though HTH has converted many cars to the truck-arm way, it's still not a mainstream modification, and therefore quite interesting. The narrowed 12-bolt centerpiece is connected to the longitudinal arms, and HTH coil springs replace the typical leaf bundles. And the HTH shocks have extra-long travel. The forward boxing plates (for the arm attachment) stiffen the stock chassis significantly, especially in a subframe vehicle. The arms and soft bushings allow one side of the car to be raised until stuff hits the frame, while the opposite wheel is still firmly connected with the ground. The long arms have a flat radius arc, which eliminates bump/roll steer, and the entire driving load is moved from the rear of the car to the center of the mass. Up front, HTH tubular lower control arms alter the stock geometry to complement the HTH coils and shocks. The upper control arms and the body itself are fixed with Energy Suspension bushings. A 1-inch Guldstrand bar captures both sides of the vehicle, but thanks to the truck arms, a rear antisway bar isn't needed. The steering box is a '69 Chevy quick-ratio blender.
Inside
B&N Custom Rods was responsible for the interior construction as well as all the custom and detail work under the hood. Black hides on the Sparco seats and complementing black carpet and panels go great with the red exterior swath and set the tone, but are magnets for dirt, light-colored odd bits, and the high desert's magnificent heat. The stock instrument nacelles hold a 140-mph COPO speedometer and tach, and Auto Meter Phantom gauges are ancillary. That Vintage Air HVAC system puffs coolness over Frank's bones while he groks the full-on Alpine audio. We're talkin' surround sound, DVD, big-ass amps, and Diamond speakers. Where are the cruise control and GPS?
Chassis
Though HTH has converted many cars to the truck-arm way, it's still not a mainstream modification, and therefore quite interesting. The narrowed 12-bolt centerpiece is connected to the longitudinal arms, and HTH coil springs replace the typical leaf bundles. And the HTH shocks have extra-long travel. The forward boxing plates (for the arm attachment) stiffen the stock chassis significantly, especially in a subframe vehicle. The arms and soft bushings allow one side of the car to be raised until stuff hits the frame, while the opposite wheel is still firmly connected with the ground. The long arms have a flat radius arc, which eliminates bump/roll steer, and the entire driving load is moved from the rear of the car to the center of the mass. Up front, HTH tubular lower control arms alter the stock geometry to complement the HTH coils and shocks. The upper control arms and the body itself are fixed with Energy Suspension bushings. A 1-inch Guldstrand bar captures both sides of the vehicle, but thanks to the truck arms, a rear antisway bar isn't needed. The steering box is a '69 Chevy quick-ratio blender.
Rollers & Brakes
The right wheels are quite critical to the Camaro's persona, and the Boyd Coddington New Wave rims are perfect frames for the big Wilwood discs. Frank chose an 8-and-10 17-inch combo and joined them with sticky 255/40 and 315/35 Kumho rubber. The Wilwoods provide 13 and 12 inches of energy-burning brakes.
Performance
This is a short list-a really short list. At this writing, Frank's yank-you-by-the-lapels red Camaro had been on the road for less than a month, still being sorted out. The motor's never been near a dynamometer, and the dragstrip is a little ways off (if ever), but he thinks it makes at least 500 hp.