Chevy Camaro – Pulpaddict

‘67 CAMARO: PONYCAR WITH MAJOR MUSCLE

Chevrolet was three years late to the Ponycar Party, but the long-hood, short-deck ‘67 CAMARO: PONYCAR WITH MAJOR MUSCLE made up for lost time!

‘67 CAMARO: PONYCAR WITH MAJOR MUSCLE

When revealed to the public in the fall of 1966, the all-new Camaro could be ordered with engines up to and including the 350 cubic inch small-block V-8. Soon after the Camaro’s public introduction, there appeared a potent 302-inch small-block in Z28 trim and big-block 396 engines with up to 375 horsepower. And, if that wasn’t enough power, Baldwin- Motion (Baldwin Chevrolet), dana Chevrolet, Nickey Chevrolet and Yenko Chevrolet offered limited-production 427 Camaros in various states of tune.

GM’s F-Body twins, the ‘67 CAMARO: PONYCAR WITH MAJOR MUSCLE and Pontiac’s Firebird, represented the carmaker’s first venture into Mustang territory. Slightly longer, wider and lower than a Mustang, they introduced new levels of power. While Chevrolet and Pontiac shared a basic platform and much of the sheet metal, including front fenders, door skins and rear quarters, power choices and options were brand-unique. Pontiac relied on a peaked hood, split front grille and GTO-style taillights to set the Firebird apart. When it came to a rear suspension, GM engineers were penny-wise and pound-foolish. They utilized a less-than-desirable monoleaf rear suspension from the Chevy II parts bin.

After the initial ‘67 CAMARO: PONYCAR WITH MAJOR MUSCLE Public introduction, 302-inch Z/28 small-block and 375 horsepower 396 big-block engines were made available. Even though the Camaro and Firebird shared a common platform and some sheet metal, they looked and drove differently. When presenting the new Firebird, Pontiac took a page from the GTO playbook. Thanks to a myriad of performance, image and comfort and convenience options, buyers could turn a Firebird into anything they wanted.

‘67 CAMARO: PONYCAR WITH MAJOR MUSCLE

Everything you’ve always wanted to know about the ‘67 CAMARO: PONYCAR WITH MAJOR MUSCLE is available online at Over-Drive Magazine @ https://over-drive-magazine.com/2024/03/22/1967-chevrolet-camaro-fact-sheet/

For more information about Baldwin-Motion SS & Phase III 427 and 454-inch Camaros, check out https://www.amazon.com/Motion-Performance-Tales-Muscle-Builder/dp/0760355606/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493151743&sr=1-1&keywords=MOTION Performance, Tales of a muscle car builder

BALDWIN-MOTION & THE GREATEST CAMAROS

Joel Rosen, the dyno-tuning speed merchant from Brooklyn partnered with Baldwin Chevrolet, creating BALDWIN-MOTION & THE GREATEST CAMAROS.

It’s been more than four decades since Joel Rosen and the partnership between Baldwin Chevrolet and Motion Performance, Baldwin, LI, NY, built and delivered the last Baldwin-Motion Supercar – an L88-powered 1974 Corvette. Yet fans are still in awe of the Man from Motion and his outrageous big-block Chevys that set NHRA-AHRA national records and came with written, money-back performance guaranties. Back in the day, nobody – not Carroll Shelby, not Don Yenko, and not the folks at Nickey – marketed brand new 500-plus-horsepower specialty cars backed up by national records and a money back performance guaranty. Joel “Mr. Motion” Rosen did – and not a single Baldwin-Motion customer ever came back for a refund!

Baldwin-Motion built, raced and sold the most outrageous, low-volume, high-performance new-car-dealer-delivered Camaros and other Chevrolet models you could buy during the freewheeling Sixties and Seventies. Baldwin-Motion Chevys have since become highly prized, mega-priced collectibles that best define the Decade of Extreme Performance!

“Our evil, ground-pounding, adrenalin-pumping Baldwin-Motion Phase III 427 and 454 Camaros, supported by ‘in-your-face’ advertising and marketing, captured the hearts and wallets of those who believed that there truly was no substitute for cubic inches!”

“You can question hype, but you can’t argue with time slips,” said Rosen. “It wasn’t rocket science. We raced what we built, did lots of winning and record-breaking and sold many 427 Camaros. It worked for Ford during its Total Performance years, and it later worked for us on a much smaller scale.

And, we went one step beyond the competition. We guaranteed in writing that a totally streetable Phase III 427 Camaro, driven by a Motion-approved driver on an NHRA or AHRA-sanctioned drag strip, would run 120 mph in 11.50 seconds or better. If the car wouldn’t deliver, the customer could get his money back. However, that never happened!”

Built at Motion Performance in Baldwin, fine-tuned on Sunrise Highway (traffic be damned!) and validated at local drag strips, Rosen’s big-block 1967-1974 Camaros represented the birth of independent Chevrolet “tuner” cars. Baldwin-Motion Camaros were essentially build-to-order, killer street cars limited only by a buyer’s imagination and financial resources. Bragging rights came standard!

“Motion Performance has special significance to dyed-in-the-wool Chevrolet historians. It’s the famed company started by Joel Rosen that’s responsible for producing some of the most awesome, fire-breathing Corvettes, Camaros and Chevelles ever unleashed to the public during the late-1960s and early-1970s.” Miles Cook, Car Craft, November, 1996

Motor Authority’s Kirk Bell writes an excellent feature about the demise of the Camaro and the 12 greatest Camaros of all time, but somehow the 427 and 454 Baldwin-Motion Camaros, built from 1967 through the mid-1970s, fell through the cracks.

For the second time in its history, the Camaro is dead. Chevrolet killed the Camaro in 2002 after a 32-year run, then revived it again in 2010 only to kill it again after the 2024 model year.

Rumors say it will return as an electric performance car, possibly a sedan. Only time will tell, but if it does it will need to live up to the style and performance that have made the Camaro an enthusiast favorite since 1966.

Over its lifetime, the Camaro has run through six generations, and each has produced its special models that have increased an already high baseline for performance. From the initial SS models, to the malaise of the 1970s, to the revival of performance in the 1980s, to its return for two retro-inspired generations in the 2000s, here are the 12 best Camaros over the lifespan of this fabulous pony car.

Continue reading BALDWIN-MOTION & THE GREATEST CAMAROS @ https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1101740_the-10-greatest-chevrolet-camaros-of-all-time

BALDWIN-MOTION & THE GREATEST CAMAROS are showcased in https://www.amazon.com/Motion-Performance-Tales-Muscle-Builder/dp/0760355606/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493151743&sr=1-1&keywords=MOTION Performance, Tales of a muscle car builder

’70 CAMARO: COMING LATE TO THE PARTY

1970 was the storm before the calm. The war in Vietnam, racing budgets cut and diverted to safety & emissions engineering, Ponycar sales plummeting, plus parts delays and production glitches, resulted in the ’70 CAMARO: COMING LATE TO THE PARTY.

’70 CAMARO: COMING LATE TO THE PARTY

Eagerly awaited, the all-new ’70 Camaro (and Firebird) had been hyped by auto writers because of anticipated new platform, and engineering and styling changes. They did not disappoint. But there were production problems. When we evaluated 1970 GM cars in June 1969 at the Milford Proving Ground, the only Camaros and Firebirds were carryover 1969 models!

While Chevrolet design studios took the lead role in Gen-1 Camaro and Firebird styling, that was not the case with the Gen-II 1970 models. This time around and before he moved to Chevrolet, Pontiac General Manager, John DeLorean, lobbied to have Pontiac studios take the lead. He loved Italian styling – and his $12,000 Maserati Ghibli. And he wasn’t shy about letting Pontiac designers know that: “I want the new Firebird to be a $3,000 Ghibli.

Two very talented designers, Hank Haga and Bill Porter, were, respectively, the Studio Chiefs for Chevrolet and Pontiac. There was a lot of competition and political intrigue, but the result was two outstanding Ponycars with very different personalities and styling. Both incorporated European-influenced styling cues.

Built on a new 108-inch unibody platform, the long-hood, short-deck Gen-II Camaro and Firebird were longer, wider, and lower than their predecessors. Suspensions were seriously upgraded and ride and handling improved. They made the competition look old. The road-hugging, low-stance fastback Camaro and Firebird had distinctive looks and powertrains in keeping with each Division’s marketing philosophies.

There would be delays causing the ’70 CAMARO: COMING LATE TO THE PARTY. Officially still 1970 models; they were introduced to the public in late-February 1970. Available only in coupe configuration, many enthusiasts mourned the loss of the convertible. The Press was invited to drive new Camaros at Ontario Motor Speedway, while the track was still under construction. Rave reviews followed!

’70 CAMARO: COMING LATE TO THE PARTY The reasons behind the Camaro-Firebird delay were multifold. In addition to DeLorean flexing his muscles, there were parts delays from Fisher Body and glitches switching from Lordstown to Norwood assembly plants in 1969. The new Corvette was also delayed, primarily because of quality problems with the new fender flares. Chevrolet planted a potent 350/360 LT1 engine in the new Z/28. Thanks to a .030-inch bore increase, the new 396/350 and 396/375 big blocks actually displaced 402 cubic inches. Neither 396/375 nor 350/360 solid-lifter engines were available with AC but could be ordered with automatic transmissions.

Chevrolet showed us the new Camaro at a special drive program at Ontario Motor Speedway. We drove small and big-block models, but Chevy was really pushing its Z/28. It did impress. The new LT1 was a strong, flexible engine much better suited for street performance than its 302-inch predecessor. The Z/28 Camaro was the best-balanced and most fun to drive, especially on the slalom course.

The all-new Camaro, thanks to the availability of high-performance 454 big blocks available from Chevrolet, proved to be a perfect platform for Joel Rosen to create Act II for Baldwin-Motion Camaros. Rosen used the New York International Auto Show to debut a new Phase III 454 Baldwin-Motion Camaro with signature striping, a scooped hood, and Corvette side exhausts. Orders flowed in the first day and, seemingly overnight, Motion Performance was packed with Gen II Camaros from Baldwin Chevrolet receiving 454 big blocks.

’70 CAMARO: COMING LATE TO THE PARTY

Building the Second Generation Phase III 454 Camaro is covered in https://www.amazon.com/Motion-Performance-Tales-Muscle-Builder/dp/0760355606/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493151743&sr=1-1&keywords=MOTION Performance, Tales of a muscle car builder

For complete ’70 CAMARO: COMING LATE TO THE PARTY facts, figures, and specifications, please visit Over-Drive Magazine @https://over-drive-magazine.com/2024/06/21/1970-chevrolet-camaro-fact-sheet/

RINGBROTHERS’ RADICAL ’69 CAMARO SS

Thousands of hours of meticulous labor and cutting-edge manufacturing details resulted in this 1,010-horspower, carbon-fiber-bodied RINGBROTHERS’ RADICAL ’69 CAMARO SS!

Ringbrothers, the world-renowned custom car builder and parts manufacturer, has unveiled its latest custom creation, STRODE at SEMA 2022. A thorough reengineering of iconic American muscle, this ‘69 Chevy Camaro is a complete, ground-up build utilizing extensive carbon-fiber construction and components merged with a modern drivetrain, chassis and suspension. With only two parts of the original Camaro used, RINGBROTHERS’ RADICAL ’69 CAMARO SS took over 6,500 hours to complete and is a testament to its high-end design, engineering capabilities and rigorous build quality.

Much of that labor involved meticulously constructing a bespoke carbon-fiber body. Not just a reproduction of the Camaro’s original body, Ringbrothers widened the new carbon-fiber version by five inches. The rocker panels are lowered, the center of the roof recessed and a new lengthened and reshaped hood helps push air into relocated intake vents. Further carbon-fiber touches include custom fender scoops, tucked front and rear bumpers, diffusers, valances and a spoiler all covered in BASF Glasurit Ghost White paint. Modern comforts and conveniences come from a fully custom interior by Upholstery Unlimited appointed with a JL Audio sound system, Dakota Digital gauges and a Vintage Air Gen IV climate control system. A hand-fabricated roll cage protects the occupants while a rear seat delete sheds additional weight.

“We wanted to push the limits of what we can do and showcase our capabilities with STRODE,” said Ringbrothers co-owner Mike Ring. “It is a radical rethink of the original Chevy Camaro, expanding its dimensions and levels of performance. With its one-off carbon-fiber body and thousands of hours of custom work, there has never been another Camaro like it. Of course, we must thank our partners Motul, HRE Wheels, BASF, Miller Welding, Flowmaster and others for helping to make STRODE something even Michael Myers can’t catch.”

“The build process of STRODE shows what can be accomplished using cutting-edge techniques, painstaking levels of detail and imagination,” added Ringbrothers co-owner Jim Ring. “We digitally modeled the original Camaro body and rendered a more aggressive version of it in carbon fiber. Custom 3D-printed and billet-machined parts were also manufactured and paired with advanced components to make STRODE extremely capable and comfortable.”

Backing up the newfound aggression of RINGBROTHERS’ RADICAL ’69 CAMARO SS is a modern drivetrain, chassis and suspension. A Wegner Motorsports LS3 topped with a Whipple supercharger provides a healthy 1,010 horsepower with a Holley Dominator EFI system mixing fuel and air. Spent gases exhale through hand-built headers and Flowmaster mufflers. Helping to put the power to the ground is a reworked Bowler Tremec T-56 Mangum six-speed manual transmission and a John’s Industries 9-inch rear end. A Detroit Speed Engineering hydroformed subframe attaches to Roadster Shop FAST TRACK independent front and rear suspension damped with QA1 MOD Series coil-overs. The front wheels are moved forward three inches for improved stance and handling. HRE Wheels Ringbrothers G-Code Edition wheels wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires provide grip, while Baer Brakes bring RINGBROTHERS’ RADICAL ’69 CAMARO SS to a rapid stop.

For details about RINGBROTHERS’ RADICAL ’69 CAMARO SS, custom builds and products, please visit https://www.ringbrothers.com/