Frank Bostic's 1968 Camaro
(from Volume 26, Issue 314)

story by Frank Bostic, photos by Michael B. Kelly

 

“I just love it when a plan comes together”. That is how I felt at the completion of the 5-1/2 year build on our 1968 Camaro. I had a vision of what the finished project would be at the very beginning of this build and was very pleased with the result.

Many years back, at which time I was dating my wife Maude, I purchased a 1968 RS SS big block Camaro. I really loved that car and had many great times in that hot rod. Also at that time I owned a 1933 Chevy Coupe with plans to build a killer hot rod, but as we all know all to well, sometimes plans change as we go through this life. Needing money to get married, I decided to sell the coupe and start a new chapter in life to which there are no regrets!

Not long after getting married, along came the big gasoline crunch/shortage of the early 70’s. This caused me to sell the beloved Camaro as well. However, at that time I vowed to someday get back into the hot rod scene which included another Coupe and a ‘68 Camaro.

As with most young couples it took both of our salaries to have the necessities of life. Our hard work and dedication was rewarded and we had two beautiful daughters making us a very happy and proud family. We were blessed and got both of our daughters through college and off to become professional adults and they continue to make us proud.

Now it was time to play again. The first order of business was to build a street rodded 1934 Plymouth Sedan. Next, was another street rod: a 1941 Willys Pro Street with the 502, which was the big offering from Chevrolet crate motors at the time. This was truly a fun car but I still yearned for that ‘68 Camaro. I found a project car in my hometown and the fun times began. Never being one to “patch,” the car was completely disassembled and every body panel, except the roof panel, was replaced. Three bottles of Argon, and a few miles of wire later, I had a great totally rust-free body.

By hitting vender booths and catalog shopping I kept the UPS guys busy for a while. As with any project, the foundation is a very important part of the process. I chose Detroit Speed for all the frame and suspension needs front and rear. Baer brakes do a super job stopping the 18-inch Foose wheels from turning.

The business part of the build includes a built LS engine followed be a Tremec T56 six speed coupled to a 9-inch Ford with 3.89 gears and 31 spline Moser axles. Dakota Digital instrumentation keeps me informed of what’s going on and Vintage Air does a great job keeping us cool. American Autowire keeps the lights on and Haywire provides engine control. Other creature comforts include NuRelics power windows, power seats, contour buckets (front and rear), and a full length custom console.

Appearance is critical for any hot rod and I called on my friend and body shop owner Jim Shope at “Wreck-A-Mended” Paint And Body to ensure I did not miss the mark in this area. We chose DuPont Shenandoah Sunset as the primary color and Rallye Black for the secondary. Every part of the car was painted separately after many hours of prep. All the covers in the engine bay were hand made by myself to get a clean and uncluttered look.

Body modifications include shaved gutters and door handles, filled cowl vents and all the weld joints on the body were welded completely and worked to be invisible. Both bumpers were replaced with new ones, but had chrome removed, shortened, extended in some areas and tucked in close to the body after a coat of body color applied. The windshield and rear window were bonded in with urethane to get more body strength and a smooth look. Custom rubber molding was applied on both.

All the inside panels are custom-made including headliner and trunk panels. These are all covered with Ultra Leather, along with the floors and trunk for that comfortable feel.

This is an extremely fun car to drive and probably my all time favorite. We have three fine grandsons and they love it when “Poppy” takes them for rides in the Camaro. CN

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