SA’s First LS Swap: 1968 Chevy Camaro
Photos By Joe van Zyl
Owner: Nick Vernon
Nick Vernon, the proud owner, picked up this beast about four years ago from Custom Classics in Cape Town. But the credit for this masterpiece doesn’t belong to them. To uncover its history, we travel to KwaZulu-Natal, the stomping grounds of Mike Egan, a legend among SA’s V8 enthusiasts. If you’ve ever been blown away by the roar of a proper horsepower V8 in SA, chances are you’ve encountered Mike’s work.
This Camaro’s journey began with Mike, who snagged the shell for a mere R6,500 (ah, the good old days). What he acquired was little more than a blank canvas—just a shell. Determined to breathe life into it, Mike imported new doors and front panels and began the rebuild from scratch.
First on the agenda: a full roll cage. Not the flimsy bolt-on types you find online, but a serious structure welded and bolted to the subframe. The suspension got a significant upgrade too, featuring a 9-inch diff, coilover springs, subframe stiffeners, and Bilstein shocks. With plans for a monster motor, Mike equipped the Camaro with Corvette ventilated and slotted disc brakes all around to ensure stopping power matched the go-power.
When it came to aesthetics, Gus Panelbeaters in Westmead transformed the Camaro from its original yellow-and-green to the sleek black-and-silver we see today. Later, Martin from Custom Classics refined the paintwork, giving it a polished look worthy of its performance.
Under the Hood: The Nuclear Power Plant
Mike’s pièce de résistance was the engine. He started with a 5.7L Chevy LS1 sourced from a damaged Chevy Lumina. Not one to settle for stock, Mike stroked the engine to 383 cubic inches (6.3 liters), opting for a Lunati stroker kit with a steel crank, forged connecting rods, and ceramic-coated forged pistons. Stainless steel roller rockers, updated valve springs, and pushrods joined the mix, alongside gas-flowed heads and a Competition Cams camshaft. A Tremec T56 6-speed gearbox channeled the power to the rear wheels.
When first dynoed, the motor pushed an impressive 411hp (306kW) to the rear wheels at just 5,000 rpm. Despite efforts to get an accurate reading—including tethering the car to a Range Rover and loading two people in the trunk—wheelspin remained a challenge. Mike’s ultimate goal was a fiery 500hp (373kW) at 6,500 rpm.
Nick’s Upgrades
In recent years, Nick has made some updates to keep the Camaro running strong. After the camshaft and valve springs gave out, he enlisted Ferrolli Performance to replace them. A fresh dyno session yielded 336kW at 5,300 rpm, but Nick’s still chasing that magical 500hp mark.
The Camaro’s footwear also saw a change. Mike had initially fitted 17-inch Simmons Racing wheels, which Nick swapped for American Racing Shelby wheels. While stylish, they didn’t fare well under heavy cornering. The solution? American Racing 5-Spoke wheels: 8x17 with 245/40/17 rubber up front and 10x17 with 305/35/17 at the rear. The result? A perfect blend of function and form.
Life on the Edge
Nick doesn’t believe in garage queens. This Camaro lives for the track, tearing up corners and straightaways at every opportunity. It’s built for pure, unadulterated fun—a car that thrives on going sideways and roaring like a demon unleashed.
Driving this Camaro is an event unto itself. The torque is mind-bending, and planting your foot means holding on for dear life. Get it wrong, and you’ll have a hard time explaining to the ER nurse how you managed to bite a hole in the seat.
Thanks to Nick for an early morning spin. There’s no better way to greet the day than laying down elevens while the sun rises. This isn’t just a car; it’s a living, breathing testament to the art of muscle car engineering.
