Modern Rodding FEATURE
e could start this story out with any number of story lines but here’s one 1969 Chevy Camaro SS/RS that will be hard to miss with its 705 dyno-proven horsepower and 684 lb-ft of torque. This first-gen belongs to Jerry Reynolds of Arkansas and we should tell you up front he’s retired from a job all of us at one time or another have dreamed about. Rodders enjoy a mutual “love” of hot rods–and tools! He retired from Snap-on–yes, that tool company. Really, does it get any better? Amazing tools and an amazing and brutally powerful 1969 Chevy Camaro SS/RS.
To listen to Jerry, he will tell you that “This 1969 Camaro was found in the weeds beside a shop in Fayetteville, Arkansas.” It represents the makings of a lifelong dream to own a first-gen, especially a potent one. Over the course of time he enlisted the help of many of his friends, including Gary Angel, Mark Alexander, Andy Porter (deceased), Kenny Barr, Matt Bigellow, Mike Jones, Rick Pearce, and Gary Hagar (owner of the H.A.C.K. Shack).
We mentioned in the opening about the brutish power this first-gen packs, so how about a little more to explain just what resides underhood. The 555-inch big-block Chevy—and we do mean big-block—is based on a Dart Big M iron block (4.56-inch bore and 4.25-inch stroke) that features billet steel four-bolt main caps and dual bolt patterns fitting standard and notched oil pans. From here JE forged 10.00:1 pistons are used along with an Edelbrock roller cam and aluminum heads topped with Billet Specialties valve covers. Pat Musi Racing performed the machinework, which includes balancing the rotating assembly. Other Edelbrock components include a Victor Jr. intake, Pro-Flow II 1,000-cfm EFI (topped with a Billet Specialties air cleaner), and engine management system along while the high-octane “go-juice” supplied by an Aeromotive A1000 fuel pump mounted in the polished Rock Valley 17-gallon tank. You will also find ACCEL Extreme 9000 ceramic plug wires as well as a Mallory distributor and coil firing the “load.” Making sure the water pump, alternator, power steering, and A/C compressor are all in sync falls to the efforts of a Vintage Air Front Runner (serpentine belt system) pulling these jobs together.
Getting all of this horsepower to the rear wheels falls to a TREMEC TKO 600 five-speed operated by a Hurst shifter while the power is moved through a combination of a billet flywheel and a McLeod dual-disc clutch. Finishing off the transfer of power is an Inland Empire Driveline driveshaft linked to a Chris Alston’s FAB9 rearend housing filled with limited-slip Richmond 3.73 gears and Strange 31-spline axles. Since a Camaro is a “frameless” car Jerry used a Detroit Speed hydroformed subframe, rear QUADRALink suspension and subframe connectors, and then welded them into position and performed the necessary bodywork to make it appear as a complete frame. Up front there are plenty of Detroit Speed goodies in the form of front spindles, sway bar, steering (with an ididit column hooked to it), and coilovers. Moving to the rear you will find more Detroit Speed coilovers as well as a sway bar and a Panhard bar. Look through the five-spoke Rushforth Super Spoke design wheels and you will see a combination of Wilwood 14-inch drilled-and-slotted rotors with six-piston calipers all operated by a Wilwood master cylinder. The polished wheels measure up 18×8 in front and 18×12 in back, all wrapped with Michelin rubber; 335/30R18s in back and 255/35R18s in front. To accommodate the massive wheel-and-tire combo, Detroit Speed wheeltubs were welded into position.
Well, there you have it. A first-gen 1969 Camaro SS/RS that has the looks and the power.