My lateral-g.net screen handle is �PTAddict�, and a pro-touring addict I certainly am. Since getting the religion from Mark Stielow�s Red Witch buildup in Hot Rod in �96, I�ve done five increasingly ambitious Camaro builds, plus a �55 Belair for my wife. This is it for me, the car I�ve always wanted to build, my personalized vision of the perfect �69 Camaro.

The vision was to build something like a C6 Z06 �vette in �69 Camaro clothes. The car had to have a clean, muscular aesthetic. It needed to have modern creature comforts for long road trips and regular Summer driving. The street driving experience needed to be crisp, responsive, and trouble free.

Most of all, the car needed to work well on the track. My friend and car builder, Steve Heino of Modern Classics Automotive, got me hooked on track days back in �05, and we run as many track days a year as we can comfortably do at Portland International Raceway and the spectacular new Oregon Raceway Park in north central Oregon. Building a car that works well on the track is much more difficult than you might think. Engines and transmissions overheat, brakes fade, wires and hoses melt or boil, fuel tanks starve, differentials puke lube, axle bearings cry �uncle�, aerodynamic lift competes for control. But get it right, and there�s no more thrilling experience than dicing with the track-prepped Vettes and Porsches for 20 minutes at a time in your old Detroit iron.

The car started as a running but rough 327 Powerglide out of Oxnard, CA. After Steve and I stripped the mechanicals, Darrel Baumer at DB custom had the car media blasted. Darrel welded in $5K+ worth of NOS sheet metal to fix all of the bad panels, and also installed the DSE mini tubs. Steve and I then fit all of the major mechanical systems.

The most crucial system, the chassis, was an easy choice for me. The DSE subframe, Quadralink, and subframe connectors were my pick. Kyle and Stacy are engineers, who know what they want to achieve and how to get it. They put hundreds of hours into track testing their setups, and are delighted to pass the accumulated setup knowledge on to customers like me. And they have the best customer service in the industry, IMO. I sourced the Baer Extreme brakes, booster, and master from DSE for the same reasons.

I liked the look of the Forgeline WC3 wheels on Steve Rupp�s Bad Penny, and picked those as my street wheels with Michelin PS2 providing good wet and dry traction (indeed, it does rain in Oregon).

Motivation comes from a GM performance parts LS7. A mild custom Comp cam, Katech/PSI beehive springs, and FAST LSXr intake increase power and durability. I picked a MAST M-90 ECU because it�s the only aftermarket controller which combines wideband O2, DBW, and (most important) knock sensing. The engine is dressed in carbon fiber valve covers and Earl�s Pro-Lite plumbing, a clean look I picked up from Scott Gulbranson�s build. A T-56 with Viper internals, and the ubiquitous 9 inch are the heart of a bulletproof drivetrain.

Stewart-Warner gauges in a DSE dash keep tabs on engine vitals. Sparco seats and G-force harnesses keep my butt in place. Saul at Saul�s interiors fabricated a storage compartment where the back seat used to be, and covered everything in superbly fit and stitched carpeting. I love the fine-grained control and heat/cooling output of the Gen4 Vintage Air system. Extensive sound and heat treatments keep the interior quiet and comfortable.

Steve fabricated a full cage to stiffen the car and protect me if (when?) I do something stupid. All of the forward bars are removable via rigid, interlocking joints, making it much easier to work inside the car.

When it came time for Darrel to paint the car, I�d spent two years going round and round on the color. I wanted orange, but solid orange like Hugger comes off a bit flat to me, while the metallics tend to be too bronze for my taste. Also, I wanted a 2-stage rather than 3-stage paint, to make the inevitable touch-ups and repairs easier. Finally, I saw pictures of the late model Challenger in Hemi Orange; a visit to the local Dodge dealer to see it in person clinched it. It looks even better on my car, probably because of Darrel�s glassy smooth paint, color sanding, and polishing job. Black tail panel and wheel centers accent an orange/black/shiny color scheme that�s simple and clean, but still stands out.

The car�s first big shakedown, even before we had installed the interior or side glass, was an August track day at PIR. The g-forces and 140 MPH air gusts had leftover media blasting grit flying everywhere! Kyle and Stacy were their usual helpful selves in helping sort some minor teething issues with brakes and rear suspension. Fuel starvation below � full is still a problem; perhaps one of those new Ricks tanks with CarlC�s fuel system is a future upgrade. Major flex in the Anvil hood at high speed led to the subsequent installation of locking hood pins. We didn�t get outside shots of the car at that event, but a brief bit of in-car video can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYd1axARp30

With the car complete, the first big public event was at SEMA, where Brandon Ott at Vintage Air generously gave us one of their feature car spots. We scored a terrific location in front of one of the main entrances, and it was great to see Steve and Darrel�s work appreciated by so many people. Although we didn�t get one of the coveted spots in the Optima Challenge, I did get to drive my prize home � in sun, rain, and even snow. I loved the drive, and the car. That�s what it�s all about.

Detailed Specs

Primary builder: Steve Heino, Modern Classics Automotive, Lake Oswego, Oregon

Paint and Body: Darrel Baumer, DB Custom, Newberg, Oregon

Chassis: DSE front subframe and suspension, remote reservoir DSE shock. DSE Quadralink rear suspension, remote reservoir DSE shocks, DSE adjustable sway bar. Forgeline WC3 wheels, 18x9.5 front, 18x12 rear, Michelin PS2 275/35-18 front, 335/30-18 rear. Track wheels and tires are CCW Classics and BFG R1 in the same sizes.

Braking: Baer Extreme 6 piston front and rear brakes, DSE booster/master, Carbotech street and track pads. Custom brake cooling ducts integrated into front bumper mount openings, feeding LG Motorsports spindle ducts.

Engine: GM Performance Parts LS7. Peterson dry sump tank and breather. Comp Cams cam, FAST intake, Mast M-90 WBO2 DBW ECU. Carbon fiber valve covers. Earls Pro-Lite hose and fittings throughout. DSE stainless tank with integral EFI pump. DSE accessory drive (NLA � similar to Vintage Air Front Runner). Remote mount coils with brackets fabbed by Steve.

Drivetrain: D & D T56, Viper internals, micropolished. Quicktime scattershield, Textralia OZ700 Z-grip flywheel and clutch, MGW shifter. PST carbon fiber shaft, DSE/Moser 9 inch rear, 3.70 gears, Truetrac diff.

Cooling: Ron Davis radiator with integral engine oil cooler. Separate trans and power steering coolers. Independent temp sensors for engine, trans, and diff, interfaced via 3-way switch to single oil temp gauge. Tech AFX Bottom Feed Air kit.

Exhaust: ATS headers, modified for ground clearance. Steve Heino-fabbed 3 inch exhaust with 18� Magnaflows, very tightly fit for ground clearance. Dynatech V-band clamps for easy removal. Quad stainless exhaust tips adapted from leftover merge collectors.

Body: Anvil hood, locking hood pins from hoodpins.net. RS conversion parts from Ricks, DSE RS headlight motors/controller. Fiberglass front bumper. Marquez front and side running lights, and taillights. NOS fenders, door skins, quarters, and tail panel. DSE mini tubs. DSE subframe connectors. 2009 Dodge Challenger Hemi Orange paint. Metrosoft weatherstrip.

Interior: DSE dash, Stewart Warner Maximum performance gauges, Ididit tilt column, Momo wheel. Sparco seats, G-force 6 point harnesses. Vintage Air Gen4 climate control. Alpine stereo. Gentex mirror with compass and air temp. Custom storage box in rear. Stock style carpeting, side panels, and headliner. Specialty Power Windows. Damplifier, Firewall, and Heat Wave sound and heat treatments from Second Skin Audio.

Electrical: AAW wire harness. Digi-tails LED taillights. DSE intermittent wipers. DSE bright driver headlamps. Optima yellow top battery. Flaming River battery shutoff switch.

Safety: full interior cage. 2.5 lb. Halon extinguisher. Firewall between trunk and interior.

Miscellaneous Track Prep: Numerous custom airflow blocking panels, to reduce underhood aerodynamic pressure and lift. Heat shielding on any plumbing or wiring within 2 inches of exhaust. Special diff venting. Special fuel venting. Custom removable trailer hitch, to allow for towing of tire/tool trailer. Integral mounts for Traqmate and in-car camera.