Daryl Kallweit told us, “It runs low 11s at 120 mph, gets 16 miles per gallon, and has air conditioning.” Upon closer examination, we learned that this was not just another bench racer’s tale, but a very capable big-block Camaro outfitted with a centrifugal supercharger.
Living in Humphrey, Nebraska, Daryl spends half the year farming 2,200 acres of corn and soybeans. But when the snow comes, he spends his days cultivating horsepower and adding details to his orange ’68 Camaro. Originally, Daryl wanted to restore the Camaro, but then his street-rod–builder friend Dale Boesch got involved and the Camaro began a very serious performance transformation.
The duo decided to give the Camaro loads of horsepower based on a Pro Touring theme with a GM Performance Parts 502ci crate engine. But even that wasn’t enough, so they added a centrifugal ATI ProCharger supercharger. The D1 blower with 10 pounds of boost helps the Rat motor pump out an astounding 511 rear-wheel horsepower at 6,100 rpm. Even better, the torque is at an amazing 583 lb-ft. To harness these impressive numbers, Daryl added a 4L80E overdrive automatic from JET Performance Products and a Pro Torque 3,500-stall converter. For added acceleration and strength, the folks at Currie supplied a 9-inch Detroit Locker rearend outfitted with 35-spline axles and 3.89 gears.
Because Pro Touring cars need the right stance, the Camaro received 2-inch dropped spindles and special rear leaf springs. To improve stopping, Daryl and Dale added a full set of Baer four-wheel disc brakes and polished the effort with Colorado Custom wheels and Bridgestone radials. With all the performance attributes the Camaro had, it needed to look the part too. That’s when Dale took over and massaged the sheetmetal in just the right areas to make it different. First he filled all the body seams and shaved the door handles. Then to give the car a totally different look, he trimmed the driprails and mounted the windshield flush with the body. At the rear he narrowed the bumper and welded it onto the body. Finally, Dale squirted his own special mix of orange pearl all over the Camaro.
For cruising comfort, Daryl had The Recovery Room wrap the interior with chamois colored leather and tan carpeting. Where the factory gauges once resided, he installed a set of Dakota Digital instruments.
Daryl and his girlfriend Tonya love driving the supercharged Camaro through America’s heartland. His efforts demonstrate the Pro Touring philosophy applied in his own way. That’s what performance cars are all about.