1969 Camaro

From the June, 2000 issue of Southern Rodder Magazine
Author: Wyman Norris
Photography: Jim Greer

Rik King, of Street Rod Concepts, called SRM and told us about a '69 Camaro he was just finishing for Randy Whitman of Kingwood, Texas. We started by talking about the wild early Vette style dash they had fabricated and installed. With the wild dash comes a pretty sophisticated frame and engine package. The Camaro has a 2" x 4" tubing chassis married to the Camaro sub frane. The chassis was narrowed to accept the Ford 9" rear end. 4:10 gears were installed in a Auburn Locker differential. Comp Engineering supplied the ladder bars and Hal coil overs were used to suspend the body. 4 wheel disc brakes help bring the car to a safe sure stop. Randy's Driveshaft, in Houston, built the driveshaft.

Rik and crew than turned their attention to the engine. 4A 06 cubic inch Chevy now propels the Camaro. Prior to installing the engine, the firewall was smoothed and the inner fenderwells had excess holes filled and smoothed.

The small block Chevy was equipped with Dart II heads with 2.02 intakes and 1.60 exhaust valves. An Edelbrock new design "Gap" intake is mounted with a 750 cfm vacuum secondary carb. Crane supplies the camshaft and the valve train components. Roller rockers are used to open and close the valves. M.S.D. ingition and Taylor wires carry the spark! Hooker Full Comp headers were installed and are connected to a stainless "Big Bore" exhaust system. March Serppentine belts and pulleys are used as well. An AFCO giant aluminum radiator keeps the engine runing cool. Haywire supplies the 14 fuse electrical harness.

To put the power to the road, Randy chose a modified 700R transmission. It has a shift kit and uses a B&M Hammer Shifter for gear changes. A giant tranny cooler, also made by B&M, keps the transmission running cool.

For wheels and tires Randy mounted Weld Pro Stars with BFGoodrich Radial TA's.

The body was cherried and shot in DuPont High Glamour base coat clear coat. Black was Randy's color choice. Prior to this the floors and the new wheel tubs were installed. The reconfiguration of the new narrowed chassis demanded new sheet metal. The only external body modification that is visible is the lower rear valance where the exhause now extends through the valance. The neatest shot of the Camaro is a straight on rear...the rie size tells on-lookers there's something big lurking under the hood.

The interior is done in two tones of gray leather and tweed. The wild dash holds Auto Meter gauges, and the Vintage Air/Heat controls and the A/C vents. A b&M shifter rides between the custom bucket seats. The interior was stitched by Louetta Auto Upholstery of Houston, Texas.

Randy's Camaro is done right. Classic good looks with great street machine mechanics make this Southern rod a perfect feature car for SRM.

Data File 1969 Camaro