This Is Probably the Most Beautiful 1972 Chevrolet Camaro in the World

The Camaro is one of those few American cars whose long-gone examples still have a lot to offer to car lovers today. It's one of the pillars of the custom car industry in the country, and as a result of that they constantly come into the spotlight in new shapes and interpretations, some more insane than others.

This one is a second-generation Camaro, the one that rolled off the assembly lines for no less than 11 years, between 1970 and 1981. Just like the generation before it, but not so much as the one after it, it is a perfect canvas for custom talent to run wild.

And we've seen custom talent do that plenty of times before, but rarely to such an extent as on this example. And we have a customizer by the name of Jeff Richards to thank for it, and his decision to go for a no-expense-spared restoration with this one.

What that means is that only the best gear was fitted onto the car, but at the same time great care was taken to maintain as much of the Camaro's original styling as possible.

That's obvious as soon as the eyes fall on the car's body. All of the original lines and cuts are there, from the distinctive, pointy front end to the dropped and imposing rear. And not that they're only there, but they are also enhanced by the few custom touches that are visible from the get-go: the bulging hood at one end and the three-piece Z/28 spoiler at the other.

I have to admit I was a bit superficial when naming this Camaro the most beautiful of its kind in the world, because I only looked at its exterior shape and color to make that assessment. I mean, just feast your eyes on the shiny, glittering Hugger Orange that wraps all over the metal, offset in strategic places by silver pearl stripes and a decent amount of chrome.

Oh, and I'm pretty sure the light bathing the car and the camera used to capture it in stills played their part too. But despite these subjective aspects, you do have to keep in mind this Camaro is more than just a pretty face, but also a mechanical monster.

That long, sweeping hood moves out of the way on billet aluminum hinges to reveal a stunning beating heart, also in orange. It's a 509ci big block engine handled by BluePrint Engines, rocking aluminum heads, forged crank and pistons, and an Edelbrock aluminum intake.

The engine was dyno tested, and the numbers show a top power level of 650 hp and 605 lb-ft of torque. All that punch is sent to the wheels through a ten-bolt Positraction rear end, which in turn gets it in controlled bursts from a 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission made by Henderson Transmissions.

The wheels that turn all that power into motion are of the YearOne variety. Beautifully styled to fit the design of the Camaro Z/28, they are 17 inches in diameter and come wrapped in Mickey Thompsons.

Behind them a suspension system meant to handle the most adverse of conditions can be found. It comprises Heidts Pro-G front and rear (subframe and 4-link, respectively), tubular A-arms, coilover shocks, and dropped spindles.

Braking power on this gem is handled through Wilwood discs, while the breathing needs of the engine are taken care of through twin Flowmaster stainless steel pipes, sticking out on each side of the rear end.

The interior is no less impressive in terms of style and colors, and to these infatuated eyes it seems perfect despite some obvious signs of wear on the seats. In some respects, that's understandable, as the custom is not exactly new – the odometer fitted in the dashboard alongside a collection of other Auto Meter gauges shows 3,800 miles (6,115 km) of use.

Elsewhere in the cabin though there are many signs of new hardware and materials, as everything from the carpet to the headliner has been replaced. On the seat belts and seats themselves orange was used to make the connection with the exterior.

We found this fine example of old American muscle car on the lot of vehicles auction house Mecum is selling in Las Vegas at the start of next month. It does not come with a price estimate attached, but we do know it sold before, and looking at those numbers can give us a pretty good idea of what to expect.

As per Classic.com, the same Mecum sold this Camaro two times before, in 2017 and then again in January of this year. In this most recent sale, the custom managed to snatch almost $65,000. We'll see if this time it performs better.