'73 Camaro (Replica)

This is a replica of my real car with all the visible features that make it unique. I bought it 35 years ago this month, but it didn't look like this back then; this is how it looks currently.
It is a '73 Rally Sport with a healthy '70 Camaro engine I put in it. It has the original LT-1 manifold and a Holley 750. It also has aluminum heads and cast valve covers. I put a 700R4 transmission from an IROC in it back in '86 and a C4 Corvette monoleaf front suspension in it in '88. Oversized sway bars, sub-frame connectors and custom made traction bars are just like on the real car too. The interior is appointed exactly like the big one down to the driver's seat & harnesses, Wink mirror and fire extinguisher and "modernized" to '73 factory passenger seats (with patterned velour), and console (with Hurst shifter and graphic equalizer). Floor mats and Auto Meter gauges were made to match as well.
The paint is the same GS Admiral Blue (toned by undercoat to look more correct in scale) and the stripes are decals I made to match. The wheels have the proper offset and knock offs.


WIP Thread: http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=1140826


https://i.imgur.com/2huPVyp.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Ne3TsRB.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/3DdfynD.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Q25bmNP.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/C9uhs1p.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/MqK7mt5.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/pVIHfzu.jpg

Very cool. Any pix of the real car for comparison?

I love Camaro's and I love this build!!.

Looks cool!

Fantastic car, also I would like to see the real baby there

that's awesome, always nice to have the full size handy to replicate.


Paul

both look fantastic

Truly an outstanding build, and to have the real deal as well. Now that's really special. Is it your daily driver, or just for when you want to go out for a cruise?
Joel

Thank for the kind words everyone!

It used to be my daily driver. It is nearing 300,000 miles on the odometer.
But I bought something a bit newer about ten years ago that gets better mileage and I don't have to worry about where to park, so the Camaro is more than a weekend only car, but it is now my secondary driver.

Thank for the kind words everyone!

It used to be my daily driver. It is nearing 300,000 miles on the odometer.
But I bought something a bit newer about ten years ago that gets better mileage and I don't have to worry about where to park, so the Camaro is more than a weekend only car, but it is now my secondary driver.

Beautiful Mark.

Thank for the kind words everyone!

It used to be my daily driver. It is nearing 300,000 miles on the odometer.
But I bought something a bit newer about ten years ago that gets better mileage and I don't have to worry about where to park, so the Camaro is more than a weekend only car, but it is now my secondary driver.

300,000, and it's still running like a charm! How may times have you rebuilt the motor & Transmission?

Joel

I replaced the original motor at about 120K with the current 1970 block. I was already building the engine (for my Vega) when I bought the Camaro. (I probably would have killed myself if I put it in the Vega.) Since then I rebuilt it once and took it from 355 CI to 385 CI about 8 years by stroking and boring it.

I broke the drum in the original 3 speed transmission in '84 or '85 so I put a 700R4 into it, as far as we know it was the first 4 speed auto conversion done on the west coast. I broke the 700R4 4 times racing and once when the internal trans cooler in the radiator got a hole and mixed with coolant. Made a lot of what looked like Pepto Bismo. Lowered the shift point by a few hundred RPM and stopped racing it and it is holding up just fine.

And yes it runs very well and as smooth as can be expected with a cam lift of .625 and 278 duration.

I replaced the original motor at about 120K with the current 1970 block. I was already building the engine (for my Vega) when I bought the Camaro. (I probably would have killed myself if I put it in the Vega.) Since then I rebuilt it once and took it from 355 CI to 385 CI about 8 years by stroking and boring it.

I broke the drum in the original 3 speed transmission in '84 or '85 so I put a 700R4 into it, as far as we know it was the first 4 speed auto conversion done on the west coast. I broke the 700R4 4 times racing and once when the internal trans cooler in the radiator got a hole and mixed with coolant. Made a lot of what looked like Pepto Bismo. Lowered the shift point by a few hundred RPM and stopped racing it and it is holding up just fine.

And yes it runs very well and as smooth as can be expected with a cam lift of .625 and 278 duration.

That trans must have one heck of a high stall converter in it with that cam.

3500 RPM stall. Has a Corvette (C4) governor and 7 instead of 6 clutch discs. Lock up is manual and only for 4th gear.