1969 Camaro is Built to Shine on the Track or at Car Shows

Camaro has been restored from the ground-up, including a 400 horsepower LS2 engine.

If you have been saving money to buy a classic Chevrolet Camaro that can be enjoyed in just about any automotive setting, you might want to get your checkbook. This 1969 Camaro was discovered by the folks at RK Motors in Charlotte, North Carolina, and it is one of the meanest looking first generation Chevy muscle cars we have ever seen. Best of all, in addition to being drop-dead gorgeous on the outside, the interior has been modernized and while the drivetrain, suspension and braking systems have all been upgraded to make sure that this murdered-out Chevy performs as great as it looks.

Menacing Classic Camaro

While this 1969 Camaro is far more than just good looks, it is the black-on-black exterior that will draw crowds at Cars and Coffee. The body is coated in two-stage gloss black paint and all of the Rally Sport features, including the grille, headlights and other trim bits, are also black. In fact, other than the bright red Wilwood brake calipers, the chrome-trimmed bowtie on the back end and the taillights, literally everything on the outside of this muscle car is black.

When combined with the custom bumpers, hood, wheels, trunk lid, spoiler and quarter panels, this classic Camaro Rally Sport offers a unique look without departing from the recognized form. In some cases, when a shop begins making changes to the body, the original lines can be lost, but in the case of this old school Chevy, it wears the custom upgrades without losing the classic feel.

The exterior of this 1969 Camaro is sharp enough that if everything else was restored to stock, this car would turn heads everywhere. Fortunately, the build didn’t stop at a gorgeous exterior.

Race-ready Interior

The interior of this 1969 Camaro has been modified to present the race-ready look without sacrificing cruising comfort. A set of Cipher Auto bucket seats wrapped in leather and suede are fitted with five-point racing harnesses and while the rear seat is an original-style bench, it has been wrapped in the same materials and also outfitted with harnesses.

Next, a Grant steering wheel, Auto Meter gauges, and a roll bar complete the racy look, while a fifth generation Camaro center console, a Vintage Air air condition system and a Kenwood sound system provide comfort for cruising. Of course, the interior also features items like a custom dash board, aftermarket door panels and billet pedals, leaving nothing untouched during the thorough restoration.

Modern High-performance

Under the hood, this 1969 Camaro is powered by an LS2 engine, built by Cook Performance, delivers 400 horsepower. This engine features ported 823 cylinder heads, Dynatech long tube headers, MSD electronics and a high volume cooling system. Power is sent towards the rear wheels by means of a Tremec T-56 6-speed manual transmission and a GM 12-bolt rear axle, with BFGoodrich rubber putting that power to the ground. This car features g-Force Rivals measuring 275/35 up front and 335/30 out back, all of which are mounted on 18-inch BC Forged wheels.

Finally, this Camaro was built to do more than just go fast in a straight line, so a revised suspension system featuring tubular control arms, modern coil-over-shocks and a Detroit Speed QUADRALink rear section. Helping to get it stopped is a set of Wilwood brakes with massive 12-inch rotors under all four wheels.

If you are have been dreaming of buying a classic Camaro that will fit into any car show while also performing like a modern sports car, look no further than this beast from RK Motors. At $139,900, it certainly won’t fit into everyone’s budget, but for a car that is so well built, this Camaro Rally Sport is hard to beat for the money.

Photos: RK Motors

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com