Hard Body Customs Delivers A Twin Boosted ’67 Camaro Built for Fun and Excitement
With the whine of two turbos and the rumble of more than 1,000 horsepower under the hood, you’d be hard pressed to call Phil Johnson’s ’67 Camaro subtle. But the subdued hue and lack of chrome or bright graphics does make it downright stealthy. It’s a street beast hiding in plain sight.
The understated Camaro is an example of all show and all go – the perfect recipe for securing the final Griot’s Garage Muscle Machine of the year finalist spot in Fort Worth. The car tastefully blends modern body modifications and underpinnings designed to perform at the highest level. That combination is exactly what Phil had in mind when he turned to Hard Body Customs for the four-year build.
“I had two non-negotiable must haves,” Phil says. “First, performance had to be exhilarating, and second, the cool factor had to be over the top. I think we achieved both.”
The performance begins with the 5.3-liter Chevy LS V8 from Lone Star Horsepower that anchors the front of the Roadster Shop SPEC chassis. Twin Precision 76mm turbos flank the Trick Flow heads, while Stainless Works headers feed exhaust waste through Hooker pipes. A Tremec T56 manual transmission guides power to the 3.73 rear gears, while big-inch Baer disc brakes are situated behind 19- and 20-inch Forgeline wheels wrapped in Toyo tires.
The Camaro sheet metal modifications include shaved drip rails, a deleted front bumper, and a custom grille, front spoiler, and LED lights. The rear bumper is molded into the body while exhaust exits through custom outlets in the rear valance. Front and rear glass has been flush fitted. Under the hood, the firewall was smoothed, and custom inner fender panels were formed, along with other custom piece. The custom-mixed silver finish with darker gray stripes was done in-house at Hard Body Customs.
The custom interior work was also handled by Hard Body Customs and combines creature comfort with enhanced safety features. A roll bar and four-point seat belts keep two passengers protected in Recaro seats. A custom console holds power-window controls, the Billet Specialties shifter, and cup holders. A Sparc Industries steering wheel tops the Ididit column. Black leather covers most surfaces, including custom door panels and a modified dash housing Holley digital gauges. Vintage Air and Kenwood audio gear keep the passengers cool and entertained, while a keyless ignition system brings the engine to life with the push of a button.
Phil’s Camaro is not just a showpiece. He drove the car hard during the Muscle Machine Reliability Run day, and says he plans to log upwards of 1,500 miles a year. It will definitely be a fun ride.
Photos by: Damon Lee
