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Nick Relampagos of Castro Valley, California, was on a roll. He was just finishing a 1970 Chevelle SS and one would think all was good with the world, but there was a problem. You see, the big-block that Nick finished wasn't really what he wanted to end up with. Yeah, it had a TREMEC five-speed manual and a decent suspension, but the heavy 454 mill and large 19- and 20-inch rollers made it a pig, especially in the corners. As Nick told us, "I completed the build in 2012 and it was a great cruiser that we could take to car shows and cruises. But I never thought it was a Pro Touring car. It was more of a restomod car." Again, that wouldn't be a big deal except that Nick had been following the action at events like the Optima Ultimate Street Car deal and was getting an itch to get in on the action.

If he was going to be competitive he needed a whole new plan of action. "I went to the first event in Laguna Seca and was really impressed that there was an event that judged your car based on driving performance first and looks second. I knew my Chevelle wouldn't be competitive unless I completely rebuilt it to handle well. About the same time, my friend was selling a 1970 Chevy Camaro he had stripped down but never found time to work on. I bought the car and came up with a game plan on how the car should be built: lots of horsepower, big brakes, six-speed transmission, mini-tubs for some wide 12-inch Forgeline rear wheels, lots of weight reduction, and safety gear like a rollbar," recalled Nick.

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Work began on the Camaro and first up was grafting in a set of Detroit Speed mini-tubs. Nick had never done them before, but after going through the directions and a few online videos, it was a walk in the park. From there, a call was made to the folks at Speedtech and, before long, a shiny new front subframe and rear torque arm suspension system was sitting in the shop and waiting installation. The front sub was an easy-peasy bolt-in deal, but the rear system required welding in the upper mounts along with trans tunnel mounts for the torque arm. Again, Nick was able to knock this out himself. For brakes, he went with tried-and-true GM Corvette pieces, and a quartet of JRi double-adjustable shocks rounded out the track-ready suspension.

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Track time is all about the driver becoming one with the car, so the interior is just as important as the rest. Recaro Expert M seats keep Nick in place while a custom 1 3/4-inch rollbar, fabricated by Tobias Motorsports in Hayward, California, adds a bit more chassis stiffness along with a whole lot more safety. A 13-inch Driven steering wheel handles the directional changes while AutoMeter Pro-Comp Ultra-Lite gauges track what's going on under the Anvil carbon-fiber hood. The custom stitchwork, including the mods to the Recaro seats, was done by DJ Designs in South San Francisco.

Originally, the Camaro was Hugger Orange and Nick wanted to stay with that hue but with a modern twist so Grand Collision in Hayward, California, shot the ride in PPG 2012 Chevy Inferno Orange. No body mods were done and Nick kept all the factory brightwork in place with the exception being the carbon-fiber bumpers. The extensive use of carbon fiber (hood, nose, wheelwells, radiator closeout panel, trunk lid, rear spoiler, and rear upper filler panel) knocked around 200 pounds off the Camaro and, as a bonus, gave it a unique look. Hey, there's no rule that says you can't go fast and look good doing it!

When our 2017 Classic Industries Super Chevy Muscle Car Challenge Presented by Falken Tires was shaping up Energy Suspension was looking for a ride to represent them in the challenge and Nick's track-proven Camaro was a perfect candidate. He was running a host of their polyurethane parts and the car embodied Energy Suspension's feeling that cars should be driven—preferably hard. As for Nick, you can find him running at the Optima Ultimate Street Car Series and as many autocross and open track days as he can find time for.

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What Makes It Handle Engine: Type: 6.2L LSA from Chevrolet Performance Power-Adder: GM 1.8L Eaton-based blower intercooled 15 psi Comp cam, upgraded ARP head studs, Lingenfelter forged pistons, Stainless Works long-tube headers Estimated Power: 682 rwhp at 6,500 rpm and 665 lb-ft Drivetrain: Transmission: TREMEC Magnum six-speed Clutch: Centerforce DYAD dual-disc, Quicktime bellhousing Rearend: Speedtech 9-inch with 3.73 gears and WaveTrac posi Chassis/Suspension: Chassis: Speedtech Extreme front subframe with high-clearance framerails Front Suspension: Speedtech Extreme Spindles: ATS Extreme T7075 forged aluminum with C7 hubs Shocks: JRi double-adjustable coilovers Sway Bar: Adjustable, splined Brakes: Corvette C6 Z06 with Power Stop Track Time pads and 14-inch rotors Rear Suspension: Speedtech torque arm system, Articu-link lower control arms Shocks: JRi double-adjustable coilovers Sway Bar: 7/8-inch three-way adjustable (138, 170, and 215 lbs) Brakes: Corvette C6 Z06 with Power Stop Track Time pads and 14-inch rotors Wheels and Tires: Wheels: Forgeline VX3C 18x11 front (6.5-inch backspacing), 18x12 rear (8-inch backspacing) Tires: Falken Azenis RT615K 315/30ZR18 front and rear Cost of Chassis/Suspension/Brakes: $14,000 Weight (pounds): Total With Driver: 3,409 LF: 902 RF: 966 LR: 794 RR: 747 Percentage F: 54.8% R: 45.2% Show All

How'd It Stack Up? Slalom Average Speed 420-ft 100 Yard Dash Road Course Lap Time Energy Suspension 1970 Camaro 48.4 mph 5.24 seconds 1:18.66 2017 Camaro SS 46.6 mph 5.41 seconds 1:22.15

The Energy Suspension's Camaro held its own in the testing portion of the Muscle Car Challenge, finishing near the top of the heap at the end of the day. The car's owner, Nick Relampagos, drove the car to 48.4 mph through the 420-foot slalom course, besting our benchmark 2017 Camaro SS by 1.8 mph miles per hour. In the 100 Yard Dash, the second-gen managed to edge out the modern, LT1-powered Camaro. On the road course, Nick managed to turn in a great lap, besting the '17 SS by 3.5 seconds. Chalk up part of this to Nick's Camaro being so well sorted and part to all the time he spends tracking his Inferno Orange F-body.

Overall, Nick's times show what's possible when you combine the right mix of performance parts with a whole lot of seat time. It also shows that a ride can be track capable and still be able to hang at any car show.