When Greg Parton found the 1968 Chevy Camaro RS in 2007 it was in a bad state, needing complete restoration from the ground up. So Greg set about bringing the old canary-yellow Chev back to life by stripping it down to bare metal. He sent the shell off to Clark & Kent for a lick of iridescent deep metallic emerald green paint that makes the car shimmer in the sunlight.
While that was being done, Greg ordered a shipping container load (quite literally) worth of parts from the USA for the build like the engine, suspension, wheels and accessories. Every single part that could be substituted by something better was replaced. But it was important to Greg that the overall character and spirit of the Chevy was not lost in the restoration process.
OWNER: Greg Parton
BUILDER: Royce Munnery
Over the next two years the Camaro lay in the capable hands of Royce Munnery who assembled the car and transformed it into the masterpiece that it is today. Up front we have a Chev 350 small-block V8, which has been beefed up with the addition of an Edelbrock Performer RPM package. The kit consists of aluminium heads, performance carburettor, intake and cams, resulting in an impressive 435bhp. Which is enough to leave most modern sports car owners red in the face. The engine also looks the part with the help of a Billet Specialties pulley set.
Another item from the Chevy sports from Billet Specialties is the exquisite wheels that you’ll find tucked snugly beneath the massive wheel arches thanks to an air suspension setup provided by Air Ride Technologies. The arches were flared which allows the bagged Camaro to get within inches of the ground, much to the delight of admiring bystanders. The aforementioned wheels are 20-inch fronts and 22-inch rears and they give the car an almost toy-like demeanour, only adding to the brutish good looks that the Camaro had to offer. They sit in front of a set of Baer slotted-and-drilled rotors and performance calipers that ensure that the car now stops as well as it drives.
The interior is a much nicer place to be with the old seats chucked in favour of comfy, big-bolstered seats re-upholstered in black leather. While all the gauges have been replaced by Auto Meter Pro-Comp units. The original steering was also a bit long in the tooth and this was replaced by a striking custom steering wheel that complements the rims beautifully.
The package as a whole is something truly special. So special in fact, that the year the car was completed (2009), it claimed top honours at the Street Rod Nationals held in Joburg. Since then the Camaro gets driven every now and then and remains the centrepiece over at Greg’s Garage.
TECH SHEET:
ENGINE: 350 Chevy V8, Edelbrock Performer RPM package, Billet Specialties engine dress up pulley set, MSD
SUSPENSION: Air-Ride Technologies suspension
WHEELS: Front 20-inch, Rear 22-inch Billet Specialties wheels
BRAKES: Baer performance brakes
INTERIOR: Bucket seats, custom steering wheel, Auto Meter Pro-Comp gauges
COLOUR: Emerald green
PAINTER: Clark & Kent
