I have always been a car guy. Back in the day when I first started driving, I always new I would always be a car guy. My father is a car guy as well. He always had cool cars when I was growing up, and would never let me drive them. Well, I did drive them, but he didn’t always know. In high school he had a first generation Rx-7 that I liked because of the light weight and new-style look to it. It was an easy car to drive. Later on my dad had a Porsche Carrera turbo targa. He never let me drive that car either, but I knew where he kept the keys. On days that I didn’t go to school I would take his car and a buddy and go driving around in it. I really learned something that year…Porsches were tail happy. I figured that out quickly as I spun the car, but was able to save it from hitting a curb (which would have ended my living status at my dad’s house).

Later I finally got my own car – a first gen rx-7. I drove the heck out of that thing while fixing it up and learning how to drive it correctly. I started to race the car in S.C.C.A and N.A.S.A organizations. I got to be pretty good and moved up to road racing for a few years. I never had the car set up properly, but still remained very competitive was able to win a few road races back in the day. I didn’t have the money or desire to keep racing so I quit, but I was still always a car guy.

Years later after I had my own electrical company, I had the opportunity to get back into the hobby again, but this time with a much better car. I have always loved the Camaro, and almost bought one in high school, but at the time my dad said that it was too much car for me. He was right, but now in my mid thirties the time was right, and my father was right there in my corner. My dad and I started searching the internet and car shows for a suitable car for me to buy and build up.

After about a month we found a car on Ebay that seemed to be the logical choice. The price was right, the pictures looked clean, and the write-up claimed that nearly everything on the car had been upgraded or replaced. I made a bid and won the car. It was winter time, so the transportation companies at the time were hard to deal with. It was nearly a month later that the car was finally shipped here to California from Illinois. As soon as it came off the truck we realized that it was a complete mess and nothing at all like it was described. We were mad, we knew we could not be able to resell the car like it was or we would take a loss. Plus, I was too honest to resell it “as is” to someone else.

I took it to a few local shops to see what they could do to make this car decent. Some were too busy to take on the project, and some just could not do the work. I started going online to see who might be able to do the work that was relatively close by. I got in touch with Jason at Gearhead Garage in Sacramento, California. After talking to him a few times I was absolutely convinced he was the man for the job. The project started out as a transmission, engine, brakes, and suspension change. After they got deeper into the car, they found out that it needed more work than I originally thought. At that time my business started to take off, so I said “go ahead and do what you need to do.”

Jason started emailing pictures of the car’s progress and I was starting to become a regular on Lateral-g.net picking up ideas left and right. Well then after the car was mocked up with all these new “go fast” “look good” parts we decided to paint the car. I saw Steven Rupe’s 69 camaro and was hooked on the color combination. Blue and silver were always my favorite colors, so I asked him and he was nice enough to supply the color codes for this car. I also wanted a color that was easily available in case something happened. These colors are off the shelf, which was perfect.

During the long body work and painting process, I was able to get a few final touches that would finish off the car nicely. American Auto Wire supplied the trick LED rear tail lights. Marquez Design supplied the new ‘67 tail light housings. Detroit Speed and Engineering provided many high quality parts, and Gearhead Garage was able to make everything mesh perfectly. They even designed the interior, which is top notch. The car is now back at home, but it’s still not completely done yet. I have a DSE 4 link planned, mini tubs, DSE front clip, and either a Prodigy supplied supercharger system or some LSx powerplant.

I’m going to enjoy the car for a while before I have it upgraded again. Life’s too short not to drive it around, and to hang out with my wife and father at the local car shows.