Transition Camaro

[MX145]

Since it’s customary to name a car project I’ve been thinking about what I would name mine. Growing up with a drag racing family in the 70’s and 80’s I saw a lot of awesome cars with cool names and cool drivers like Don the Snake Prudhomme and Shirley Muldowney. Although I admit, as a kid, I was drawn to the Jolly Rancher wheel-stander fire truck as much as the top fuel cars. I’m sure it had to do with the candy they threw out to the crowd! I’m not creative nor am I witty so I’ve chosen Transition Camaro. The name seems to fit as I move on from motocross (R.I.P. MX145) and loss of my best friend and brother to a new chapter.

I’m really excited to get back to wrenching on cars and seeing the fruits of my labor. Thinking back Its hard to believe my dad trusted having his boys working on his race car. I don't know how he had the patience to teach us and keep an eye on us while he was thrashing to make the next event. Luckily the worst thing I did was forget to plug in a harness and burned up an ignition box. But still, we had the motor and tranny out of the car all the time to tear down and refresh for the next event. He kept the extra critical stuff for himself but I remember being a school kid with his guidance finishing assembly, putting the intake on, setting valve lash, or whatever else my dad would let us get our hands on.

As luck would have it I ended up buying a 68 RS from a nice family in Sandy OR last October. This happens to be the same year my brother was born which makes it even more fitting. The car was in decent shape but has a long way to go to be resto-mod worthy. It’s originally a California vinyl top car but sat outside for a number of years on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington before making its way to a enclosed shop in Oregon. Still has the original CA plates. The roof was so rusty I had to pull off the freeway twice to remove pieces to keep more from flying off. The rest of the car wasn’t to bad other than the front floor boards, bottom rear window and windshield cowl area.

My plan is for a garage built big brakes, upgraded suspension, nice driving car that I can hopefully autocross and take to events to hang out with my dad with his 62 Corvette. I ultimately would like a LS motor and T56 but it’s not in the budget. I’m keeping it in mind as I make modifications to hopefully make things easier for a later upgrade. Initially I’ll be putting in a 383 with Vortec heads and a Super T10 connected to a Ford 9”.