1968 Chevy Camaro SS - a Team Sundown Russia build

[G_skillz81]

So, I've been reluctant to post this here as we still haven't got to the car audio portion of this ride, but following Steve's Chevelle thread really got me excited to share what we have done so far.

I've been a huge fan of muscle cars in all shapes and forms ever since maybe 12 or 13 after seeing what I think was a 1971 Dodge Challenger... I was hooked...had all the magazines from Classic Car Restorer to the Car Craft, Hot Rod and Chrvy High Performance stuff. Obviously having moved back to Russia I had to put the actual purchase of something so rare (in Russia) as a 60s or 70s muscle car on the back shelf of things so to speak. Getting my degree, working and finally having started my own business and bringing it to a comfortable level of stability - all that came first. But finally, in the end of 2012 I decided to fulfill the dream and actually buy something.... Now as always, the cars available on the Russian market are greatly overpriced vs US due to the huge customs fees for imported vehicles, so the cars are either really, really nice restored collector items or basically bare hulks rusted to the ground which are only worth the paperwork on them (as it can be used to register a newly imported vehicle of the same make/model/year without the huge customs fees) .... So finding a solid start for the project proved tough. I was actually pretty set on buying something in US, getting it to Russia as showroom exhibit item (legally You can't register it and drive it, just take it on a flatbed to shows) and then finding a solution for legal paperwork. And the choice was down to either a 70-72 Chevelle or a 67-68 Camaro - both being my favorite cars of all time. That being said, I was not after an original numbers matching car or even a close original restored ride. I wanted a solid driver that would be modified for handling and performance (the Pro-touring movement that was being pushed by Chevy High-Performnce in the early 90's really stuck to me)

And then I found a 1968 Camaro SS in Russia....already modified with Willwood brakes, a Tremec TKO, and a bunch of other goodies...with Russian plates and all the proper paperwork. Only thing it needed was a fresh paintjob

what it had:

- 406ci small-block built by AR Racing (aluminium heads, 12.5 to 1 compression, forged bottom end, high-rise intake, a really bad-ass cam....said to make 544hp)

- Tremec TKO 5speed

- Fab9 rear end with a locker and 4.88 gears

- Willwood disk brakes with 4 piston calipers all around

- Vintage Air

- Dakota digital dash

- roll bar and subframe connectors

- QA1 coilovers upfront and QA1 shoks in the back

it was being sold by a local speed shop specializing in Hot-Rods and what not - http://zz-garage.ru/

(these guys are building a Buick for Bonneville right now, should over in US pretty soon - Support Gibbonz ftw! https://www.facebook.com/ZZGarage

)

So we negotiated a deal and my guys picked up the ride

here's how we got it

and yes, we had to do a vid

[hip]

Badass car! Can't wait to see what you do to it. The video editing was great!

[G_skillz81]

first thing on the list was paint, and taking care of some minor bodywork issues. At the same time I wanted all the chrome gone or blacked out, the side marker lights and emblems removed and the holes filled

here are a few shots when it rolled into the paint shop

[G_skillz81]

more from the shop

door jambs come first ))

inner doors and front end panels

[rocking.that.eclipse]

I've seen this on your facebook a little bit and damn it looks good

[G_skillz81]

in the booth

[G_skillz81]

out of the booth for polishing

[G_skillz81]

assembly

[G_skillz81]

And this it how it all came out )))) first roll out of the season early in April

back in our shop

[basshead5280]

I'm a huge mopar fan myself. Been trying to find a 68-69 challenger that I can restore and seeing this made me jizz a little. That is a sexy car right there!