hat does one do to improve a ’69 Camaro in “good condition”? Well, if you bring said Camaro to Nostalgia Hot Rods (NHR) in Henderson, Nevada, for a makeover it’s fairly certain that 9-12 months later that car will emerge looking and driving light-years better than it did upon arrival. Dustin Hacker, the owner of NHR, is a proficient fabricator and car builder who has assembled an equally skilled team of fabricators and painters, uniting them under one roof to showcase their expertise and to produce some of the most exceptional muscle cars on the planet. Their strong work ethic contributes to the shop’s ability to build incredible muscle cars garnering awards at SEMA and countless events nationwide. Unlike many show cars, Dustin’s builds are meant to be driven, prioritizing horsepower, driveability, and comfort, ensuring his customers leave the shop with a muscle car put together with highest-quality components, ensuring an extreme level of performance and reliability.

Dustin’s rides are anything but average so for this ’69 Camaro an above-average engine was mandatory. It was decided to go LS but not just any LS would do, so Dustin hit up Nelson Racing Engines (NRE) for one of their 427ci Pro Touring Series twin-turbo beasts. It starts with a Dart LS Next block featuring a 4.125-inch bore and 4-inch stroke and relies on 9:1 compression to comply with the twin NRE 72mm mirror-image turbos. The combination belts out 1,100 hp on pump gas (1,600 hp on race fuel) creating an absolute pavement annihilator, while at the same time a car docile enough to cruise hundreds of highway miles with ease.

The engine boasts an intimidating aesthetic adorned with all-black hardware that includes a Shaun’s Custom Alloy intake and billet valve covers. At the forefront, a Billet Specialties accessory drive system adds to the aggressive look. Further elevating the badassery, Anvil Auto carbon-fiber inner fenders, a custom closeout panel from NHR, and hood hinges from Eddie Motorsports accentuate the overall scene.

NRE also crafted the exhaust system that starts with a set of custom-built headers expelling waste to 3.5-inch straight pipe ensuring the Camaro meets the aggressive tone requirements common with high-horsepower vintage muscle cars.

A Detroit Speed QUADRALink rear suspension system resides out back along with Strange coilover shocks and springs. Up front a Detroit Speed Hydroformed subframe features tubular control arms, 1.5-inch sway bar, and Strange coilover shocks. C6 spindles give it the proper stance and performance geometry along with a Detroit Speed rack-and-pinion steering system for tack sharp turning.

Braking duties were handed over to Wilwood discs positioned at each corner and sit behind a set of HRE wheels—18s in the front and 19s in the rear. All four wheels are equipped with Nitto NT05 rubber to ensure optimal asphalt-gripping performance.

The interior adopts an all-business ambience adorned with numerous carbon-fiber details. NHR created a sleek all-black arrangement featuring carbon-fiber elements in the door panels, center console, doorsill plates, and dash. Engine vitals are monitored by a Holley EFI 12.3-inch Standalone Pro Dash, while the climate is managed by a Vintage Air HVAC system.