Quick Feature: Kevin Freeman’s 1967 Camaro

The sound of throaty roars and muffled rumbling recently filled the streets of Reno, NV, as participants from all around the world came to show off their rides at the 2019 Hot August Nights Show-n-Shine event. During the annual competition, various VIP representatives tour the area for a chance to make their personal selection for the best-of-show vehicle.

With their vote for the Summit Racing Pick, our friends at Summit Racing Equipment named Kevin Freeman of Roseville, CA, and his beautiful 1967 Chevrolet Camaro resto-mod as the event winner.

OnAllCylinders recently had an opportunity to catch up with Freeman to discuss his history with the vehicle and some of the modifications he made:

Q: “How long have you owned the Camaro?”

A: “I bought the car in 1996 from the original owner for $3,000. He had worked for a Chevrolet dealer in Oregon and ordered the car spec’d the way he wanted. It was a RS with a 275-horsepower 327 c.i.d. engine, 3-speed on the floor, 355 gears in the rear, and painted Granada Gold with a black vinyl roof. The car had 101,000 miles on it and ran like a top.”

Q: “What made you want to buy the car? Did you just always like Camaros?”

A: “I have always liked Camaros since I was 16 years old when I bought my first 1968 Camaro, and I have owned a total of five over the years. It might not have been my first choice of model year, having preferred the 1969 body style, but the deal was right and I ultimately liked the way it came out.”

Q: “What was your biggest challenge during the build?”

A: “Time and money are always a challenge when you’re doing a full frame off. It took me eight years to do the complete build, having finished four years ago now. It takes a lot of focus and perseverance once you realize that you completely disassembled a car and what it takes to see it though to completion.”

Q: “What work did you do to it?”

A: “I basically did all the work myself on the car, except the body painting, upholstery work, and some welding.”

Q: “Was the finished product what you envisioned when you started it?”

A: “I am happy with the outcome. There were a lot of Camaros built, but with all the parts and accessories that are available through the likes of Summit Racing and others, the sky is the limit as to how you can personalize your car. I get a lot of complements in respect to the Red Rock Metallic color and the more classy, older-guy approach I took to the interior design and color.”

Q: “What are you most proud of in regards to the car?”

A: “I really enjoy how people seem to like the car, especially the baby boomer crowd. I’d like to have $5 for every time a woman said that she dreamed of having a Camaro when she was in high school or a guy said he owned one and wished he still had it. It’s always great to trade stories with fellow ‘gearheads.'”