Ever since its inception, the Chevy Camaro has been a potent car. But what if you wanted not only more power, but also a build that likely nobody else has done? If you’re Dennis McCarthy, that means giving your Camaro a NASCAR-spec engine and gearbox.
McCarthy’s 1968 Camaro build started life as a shell, which subsequently had its paint and bodywork restored and a roll cage installed. The idea for the NASCAR swap came when a late model asphalt car came into the shop with a full drivetrain. The V8’s power is in the high 500 hp (507 PS / 373 kW) range according to McCarthy, and redline comes in at a high 7,000 RPM. Attached to that engine is a Jericho WC4-4 NASCAR Cup-spec transmission which features straight-cut gears and dog ring engagement for clutchless upshifts.
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For suspension, the Camaro rides on JRi triple adjustable coilovers in the front, and leaf springs with lowering blocks out back. It also has Detroit Speed control arms as well as Hotchkis sway bars, and behind its 18″ Minilite-style wheels lie manual Wilwood disc brakes. As for work done to the interior, the roll cage was painted black, a custom battery box was made, and pedal covers were installed just above a Line-X coated floor.
Moving on to the driving experience, it can be simply summed up in one word: wild. The car is at its best when it’s being wrung out, and the characteristic whine of straight-cut gears overtop a high-revving V8 combined with the clutchless upshifting provides an experience second to none in a road car. To see McCarthy’s Camaro in greater detail, you can check out the car in AutotopiaLA’s video below.