FEATURE
Images by Luke Munnellhere’s not much left to be said about the brilliant design of the 1969 Camaro that hasn’t already been touched on. To some the car remains perfect in stock form but first-gen Camaro owners continue to collaborate with car builders devising fresh ideas to give these legendary muscle cars a personality that fits the owner’s needs in looks and performance. Take this gorgeous Pro Touring–flavored ’69 owned by Ty Montoya, for example. Ty’s relationship with the car started over 20 years ago when he was living in Texas and bought the car from a young man who needed cash for a down payment on a home. That enabled Ty some bargaining juice to get the ride for a great price. The car was rust-free and the paint was in good shape, so he and his buddy Randy Garrett set their sights on some engine upgrades.
“At this point, the car got plenty of attention and had decent power, but I wanted to take it to the next level,” Ty says. “I was looking to do some modern upgrades, so I stockpiled a bunch of new parts, including some carbon-fiber pieces from Anvil Auto, but I also wanted to give the car a color change.
Fast-forward a few years and Ty and his wife packed up their life and, of course, the Camaro and made their way to Lake Havasu, Arizona, for a fresh start. While hitting a local car show in their new town, a 1969 Camaro on display with just the right stance, color, and attitude caught Ty’s attention. He spoke with the car’s owner to get more info on the attractive ride, while at the same time meeting Monique McKay, co-owner of the shop that built the car, Lakeside Speed and Shine in Lake Havasu. That conversation led to Ty inquiring about bringing his Camaro to Lakeside for some freshening up. “I showed Monique and Jim McKay some photos of my car and what I wanted to do with it. Jim agreed to work on my car while also offering some great ideas to make it really stand out,” Ty goes on. “I instantly respected Jim’s input and was on board with his direction to take the car. I also appreciated how he allowed me to be part of the build (short of turning wrenches) by taking my input into consideration, making the project a collaborative effort. It’s kind of funny that I was initially just looking to have the car painted a different color and how quickly that turned into a total custom build.”
Underhood, the Lakeside crew enhanced the engine bay by smoothing the firewall and adding Anvil Auto carbon-fiber inner fenders and header panel prior to dropping in a Chevrolet Performance LT4. They replaced the stock supercharger lid and valve covers with custom-painted MPI versions to match the carbon-fiber upgrades and the car’s exterior color. The result is a striking display that combines modern performance with classic style.
Wilwood binders on all four corners include 14-inch rotors and six-piston calipers, providing exceptional stopping performance while looking pretty damn impressive behind the set of black Schott SL65 wheels cloaked in Michelin Pilot Sport rubber.
Ty took a one-stop-shop approach to the business center and dialed in the interior with an impressive array of TMI Products upholstery, including black carpet, black covered seats, door panels, dash, and a TMI-modified center console, all accented in red stitching for dazzling eye appeal. The vintage horseshoe shifter confirms the Camaro’s classic lineage while the Kicker Audio head unit, combined with the Kicker speaker system and 12-inch sub offer a killer modern sound system that cranks out Ty’s favorite Spotify playlist. The dash houses a Gray Area Steel insert containing a Holley 12.3 LCD next to the Dakota Digital climate-control panel. The Flaming River tilt column and Sparc Industries steering wheel combined with the Lokar pedals continue the interior’s cohesive appearance.
Ty mentions that once he was ready to bring the Camaro to Lakeside he was met with a six-month waiting list before they could touch the car. However, he confirms the waiting period along with the 1½ years it took to complete the project was well worth the wait. “When I saw the quality of craftsmanship performed on other Lakeside projects in the shop, I knew my car was in the right hands.
“Driving this Camaro is now an absolutely amazing experience. The massive power and outstanding handling make this vintage Camaro do things I thought only new cars could do,” Ty says, “Due to the trust level I have with Jim and his crew I wish I’d have brought the car to Lakeside sooner so I would have had more time to do other projects with them. My wife, Carolyn, and I have developed a great relationship with Jim and Monique, making the experience with this project that much better. It’s one of the things that make the muscle car hobby so cool.”
Vehicle: 1969 Chevy Camaro
Type: Chevrolet Performance LT4
Displacement: 376 ci
Compression Ratio: 10.0:1
Bore: 4.065
Stroke: 3.622
Cylinder Heads: A356-T6 rotocast aluminum
Rotating Assembly: Forged steel crankshaft, forged powdered-metal steel connecting rods, forged aluminum pistons
Camshaft: Hydraulic roller
Induction: 1.7L Eaton R1740 TVS supercharger
Exhaust: BRP Hot Rods 1⅞-inch headers, custom stainless 3-inch exhaust, Varex tunable mufflers
Assembly: GM
Valve Covers: MPI, custom paint by Lakeside Speed and Shine (Lake Havasu, AZ)
Supercharger Lid: MPI, custom paint by Lakeside
Accessory Drive System: Street Machine Works
Ancillaries: Entropy aluminum radiator, Powermaster alternator, Spectre air cleaner
Output: 640 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque
Transmission: GM 4L75-E
Driveshaft: QA1 carbon fiber
Rear Axle: Currie 9-inch, 3.55 gears, Truetrac limited slip posi, Currie axles
Chassis: TCI subframe
Front Suspension: Wilwood spindles, TCI rack-and-pinion steering, TCI control arms, Ridetech coilover shocks, 1⅛-inch sway bar, Ridetech springs
Rear Suspension: TCI torque arm system, 1-inch sway bar, Ridetech coilover shocks, Ridetech springs
Brakes: Wilwood 14-inch rotors, six-piston calipers, Wilwood master cylinder and proportioning valve
Wheels: Schott SL 65 (black with red line) 19×8.5 front, 20×12 rear
Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport 245/35R19 front, 335/30R20
Upholstery: TMI Products
Installation: Lakeside Speed & Shine
Seats: TMI
Door Panels: TMI
Steering Column: Flaming River
Steering Wheel: Sparc Industries
Shifter: Modified Horseshoe
Console: TMI modified by Lakeside
Dash: Stock with Gray Area Steel insert
Instrumentation: Holley 12.3 LED
Pedals: Lokar
HVAC: Vintage Air
Climate Controller: Dakota Digital
Entertainment System: Kicker head unit, Kicker speakers, Kicker sub
Stereo Installation: Lakeside Speed & Shine
Wiring: American Autowire
Bodywork & Paint: Lakeside Speed and Shine
Modifications: Side-exit exhaust, custom-fabricated aero kit, flush-mounted glass, 1968 Camaro gas fill, smoothed cowl, Kindig It front spoiler, Anvil Auto rear spoiler, Anvil Auto door handles, Roadster Shop billet side gills
Paint: Matrix Porsche Chalk, PPG clear
Hood Hinges: Eddie Motorsports
Grille: Factory
Front Bumper: Anvil Auto
Rear Bumper: Anvil Auto
Headlights: Dapper Lighting
Taillights: Eddie Motorsports
Side Mirrors: Rectangular Billet Rides