Catfish Camaro SS Evolves From Daily Driver to 1,200-HP Monster
Over the course of 16 years this once bone stock 2002 Camaro SS transformed into a drag car thanks to a turbocharged LS motor.
Justin Myatt had been looking for a fourth-generation Camaro for a while. So, when his buddy spotted this 2002 Camaro SS sitting at a local used car dealer lot back in 2007, he knew he had to have it. The car was neglected by the previous owner, but the bones were good and that is what Myatt was after. He has owned the car ever since. However, the car has gone through a remarkable transformation over the last 16 years. When Myatt bought the car, it was bone stock. To say the car is no longer stock would be an understatement. The aluminum 6.0L LS has a fat 85mm turbo feeding it 29 pounds of boost good for 1,200 horsepower. That is a bump of nearly 900 horsepower on top of the original LS1.
The folks from the Hot Rod Heaven USA YouTube channel recently caught up with Myatt and his Camaro. Not an easy thing to do with a car this fast. The 16-year build process is covered in detail. We get to see how the limits of the car were pushed further and further during that time. It is a fascinating tour of what it takes to build a car that dominates both the street and the drag strip. And if that is not enough to pull you in Myatt also talks about the emotional connection he has to the car. It is like one of his children. When his daughter was born money was tight, but he never considered selling the car. He was determined to make it work and he did. He now takes his daughter to the drag strip in this very car.
Power
This turbo LS motor has all the fixings. Myatt lists all the specific upgrades in the video, so we won’t repeat them here. Just know that there are a LOT of them. It is enough of them for the car to pull 1,202 horsepower on the dyno. And it is not just about power either. Myatt wanted that forward facing turbo look. But he also wanted this to be more than just a racecar. He wanted something he could drive on the street. So, he found a way to fit in an air-to-air intercooler and a radiator. Now he can drive the car to the track. Set a blistering time. And drive back home.
Street Driving
At the end of the day this is still a 2002 Camaro SS. A lot of the original creature comforts are still on the car. There is a mostly complete interior. The radio still works. The power windows still work. This is a car that could still be used as a daily driver if you were so inclined. And Myatt says that when he drives it the car attracts all sorts of attention. People stop to chat with him at gas stations all the time. We suspect that with this engine, gas stops are fairly frequent. Not that there is anything wrong with that. And when he dips into the power a little bit it is enough to push you deep into the seat.
Inspiration
This is another one of those inspirational builds. It all started with a 2002 Camaro SS that was bought for about $13K. And then it just slowly evolved over the years. The owner had a vision and did a lot of the work himself. It shows that you don’t need to have crazy deep pockets to build a crazy fast car. You need to have a goal. You need to have some patience and a willingness to work hard. Stick to what you set out to do and you can make it happen. This 1,200 horsepower Camaro is proof of that.
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