Francisco Murillo built this as a shop car for his custom shop called Metal Brothers Hot Rods in Theodore, Alabama. Metal Brothers handles all types of fabrication, suspension work, engine work, paintwork, and final assembly, and threw the gauntlet at this killer third-gen. The idea for the build came when Francisco bought a ’92 Camaro that had an LS3 swapped in place of the original 305. He got caught in a rainstorm and wrecked the car, but the seed was already planted. The balance was good, the horsepower was great, and he knew he could improve the whole package with a clean slate. So, he found a buildable ’88 Camaro and set forth on a complete Pro Touring build.

After stripping the car down to the bare bones, Francisco and crew laid out plans for the full Detroit Speed treatment underneath. The front suspension includes tubular control arms, adjustable struts, and a bigger sway bar. Another upgrade is the Detroit Speed caster/camber plate kit, a bolt-on part that allows a wide range of adjustability. Out back, the Detroit Speed QUADRALink system offers JRi shocks, custom springs, and another big sway bar. All this is mounted to a 9-inch rearend with GearFX internals, 3.50:1 gears, and Moser axles. As Francisco prepared the car for the new components, he also tied the chassis together with Detroit Speed subframe connectors and a four-point rollbar that he built in-house.

A big portion of the fabrication work came when the decision was made to move the engine back 5 inches. This modification provides even better weight balance than the original but it created a snowball effect, as the transmission and associated crossmembers had to move accordingly. Fitting the Bowler Transmissions–prepared T56 Magnum was a challenge, but Francisco was able to position the shifter in the appropriate spot in the original console. A QuickTime bell housing and McLeod dual clutch rides between the six-speed manual transmission and the stroker LS engine.

Francisco started his horsepower journey with a Chevrolet Performance crate engine; an LS376-525 to be exact. The engine served as a great starting point, but Francisco and crew took it to the next level with a Callies stroker crankshaft and I-beam connecting rods. They also converted the engine to dry sump with a Dailey Engineering oil system. The 416ci stroker is fed by an Aeromotive fuel system, which is plumbed into a modified original gas tank. The Hooker Blackheart stainless steel headers lead into a custom 3-inch stainless exhaust system with Stainless Works chambered mufflers.

Inside, you’ll find a mostly stock-appearing interior, with upgraded seating and instrumentation. Even though the Sparco buckets and Teamtech harnesses grip tighter than the original seats, sliding behind the wheel of this car still sends you back in time. Francisco eliminated the chunky original steering column with a Woodward racing column and a Max Papis Innovations steering wheel. Tilton racing pedals and master cylinders offer race-ready performance and reliability. When asked about the handbrake, Francisco said “it’s just for fun,” which truly sums up the purpose behind this incredible build. It’s a fun throwback to the ’80s, except this car makes three times the horsepower, has twice as much tire underneath it, and has details that ’80s GM engineers could only dream about. Francisco has been working the bugs out of his Pro Touring masterpiece and plans to autocross it on a regular basis. He had a lot of support along the way, and the finished product speaks volumes of the quality of work that comes out of the Metal Brothers Hot Rods shop. Now, it’s time to tune the Kicker audio system to some ’80s rock and hit the highway with this showstopping IROC-Z.