1973 Chevy Camaro Project Car - Performer!

Major props go out to Intercity Lines for transporting our Camaro from Boise, Idaho, to Southern California. Seriously, these guys don't mess around and delivered our ride in a matter of days. The cost was a little over a grand, and we couldn't be happier with the service.

Motivating the beast is a rather potent small-block 350. From what we've been told, the short-block has less than 500 miles on it, and quite frankly, it has enough oats to spin the tires at will. Ultimately, we'll end up pulling this mill out and turning it into a dyno mule, but we're still debating between a stroker 383 and an LS powerplant.

The previous owners stored the car during the winters, which really helped keep rust to a minimum. The only rot we could find was on the passenger-side fender. We considered repairing it, but it's just as easy to replace the metal. (You can expect to see that in an upcoming issue.)

The interior is impeccable. This is exactly as it looked the day we took delivery. Looking at the trim plate: It originally featured a Chamois hue, but we definitely prefer the black.

While the factory buckets were in great condition, the sliders were frozen in place and better suited for someone short...

...Since we're planning for track duty, we went ahead and swapped them out for a set of Corbeau CR1s with the microsuede option and a set of mounting brackets. Prices start at $399 for the cloth and go up to $625 if you prefer leather. We should also mention that the basic CR1s will fit up to a 36-inch waist and the wide version will fit up to a 40-inch waist; expect to pay a few bucks more for the wider seat. And for those of you who want to know more about them, we'll have a complete Step-by-Step piece in the coming months.

Rally wheels from Classic Industries are a tough bargain to beat. Up front we used a set of 15x7s, while out back we went with 15x8s; both sets feature 41/2-inch backspacing. The good news is they can be had for just $69.95 each, or you can opt for the various Rally wheel packages, which include the ring trim, caps, and lug nuts for as little as $419.95. The options are endless, so your best bet is to check out the CI Web site and download a PDF of the catalog.

For tires, we went with a traditional set of BFGoodrich Radial T/As, P245/60R15 for the front and P255/60R15 for the rear. We'll perform the baseline performance numbers on these, but we've already made plans to test out BFG's line of performance tires once we get the new suspension installed.

The original wheel was a sticky mess; taking its place is this three-spoke Collector's Edition wheel by Grant Products (PN 1130). We especially like the real, hand-stitched leather and dig the finger grips for more of a controlled feel. It prices in at $240 and you'll also need to order the installation kit; in our case we went with PN 5196-1, which is the optional billet style with a polished finish at $74.34.