Photo: Finale Speed
Starting with the year 1966, the automotive world changed. It was then when Chevrolet introduced the Camaro, a fierce opponent for the Ford Mustang and a nameplate that would go on to dominate the dreams of car lovers, collectors, and custom carmakers for decades to come.
Given the appeal of the Camaro and its longevity, there have been many interpretations of it over the years, each trying to capitalize on at least one aspect of the vehicle people love, from looks to performance and everything in between. The one we have here plays the carbon fiber card, and with quite the intensity.
It’s called Viral, this 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, and it’s the work of a Yukon, Oklahoma-based crew going by the name Finale Speed. These guys describe themselves as new to the industry in this formula, but quite experienced when taken separately, and they specialize in carbon fiber-cladded muscle cars and restorations. And with the Viral, they seem to have gone overboard and cut no corners.
The car is described as the “world’s first exposed-weave carbon fiber 1969 Camaro,” and was shown on the sidelines of the 2023 Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. Its defining trait is, of course, the full carbon fiber body.
We’re talking about autoclave-cured carbon fiber, chosen for being extremely light while at the same time very strong. It is used on a body made to the manufacturer’s specification and is covered in BASF Glasurit Clear for shine and protection.
Design-wise, the exterior of the Camaro doesn’t stray all that much from the car’s original shape, but the LED lights up front quickly give it away as not being quite stock. And so do the black 18-inch Forgeline wheels shod in Toyo tires.
Inside, the Camaro reveals a richness of Alcantara on the doors and headliner. In front of the VXR seats, there’s a dash holding Classic Instruments gauges and an Old Air Products climate system. An Alpine head unit can also be seen there, controlling a sound system that comes complete with a Mosconi five-channel amplifier and Focal speakers.
The Viral can only accommodate two people, as the rear seat is no longer there, replaced by a carbon fiber panel and a four-point rollbar. These changes were made as this thing was not meant for grocery shopping: under the hood, there’s a GM LT4 engine tweaked into developing 650 horsepower and tied to a Tremec six-speed manual transmission.
Finale Speed says the Viral is already available for order, and it can come either as a roller body or a turnkey complete vehicle. Pricing may vary, but a quick look on the Finale website will quickly reveal you should expect prices to start at $429,000. Not for the faint of heart, this one...
It’s called Viral, this 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, and it’s the work of a Yukon, Oklahoma-based crew going by the name Finale Speed. These guys describe themselves as new to the industry in this formula, but quite experienced when taken separately, and they specialize in carbon fiber-cladded muscle cars and restorations. And with the Viral, they seem to have gone overboard and cut no corners.
The car is described as the “world’s first exposed-weave carbon fiber 1969 Camaro,” and was shown on the sidelines of the 2023 Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. Its defining trait is, of course, the full carbon fiber body.
We’re talking about autoclave-cured carbon fiber, chosen for being extremely light while at the same time very strong. It is used on a body made to the manufacturer’s specification and is covered in BASF Glasurit Clear for shine and protection.
Design-wise, the exterior of the Camaro doesn’t stray all that much from the car’s original shape, but the LED lights up front quickly give it away as not being quite stock. And so do the black 18-inch Forgeline wheels shod in Toyo tires.
Inside, the Camaro reveals a richness of Alcantara on the doors and headliner. In front of the VXR seats, there’s a dash holding Classic Instruments gauges and an Old Air Products climate system. An Alpine head unit can also be seen there, controlling a sound system that comes complete with a Mosconi five-channel amplifier and Focal speakers.
The Viral can only accommodate two people, as the rear seat is no longer there, replaced by a carbon fiber panel and a four-point rollbar. These changes were made as this thing was not meant for grocery shopping: under the hood, there’s a GM LT4 engine tweaked into developing 650 horsepower and tied to a Tremec six-speed manual transmission.
Finale Speed says the Viral is already available for order, and it can come either as a roller body or a turnkey complete vehicle. Pricing may vary, but a quick look on the Finale website will quickly reveal you should expect prices to start at $429,000. Not for the faint of heart, this one...
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