This Mouth-Watering Camaro Garage Build by Jim Stehlin Is Full of Custom Work

We all love the classics. It's something about the lines or the body styles. Or was it about the sounds? Doesn’t even matter why we like these old timers, we just do. That being said, my question to you is what do you think about the 73 Camaro?

What we’re looking at isn't just any '73 Camaro, it’s a build by Jim Stehlin made in his very own garage. Jim is one of the guys that’s really into Camaros. A history in woodworking and cabinetry gave Jim the passion needed to continue working hand-on even when handling metals.

As the story goes, Jim got a phone call from his cousin about a '73 bog-find in Missouri that was in desperate need of attention. As Jim said in an interview, “It almost wasn’t worth rebuilding; however, there were so many new parts available that I was able to go ahead with it. I started the project 7 years ago. I built a rotisserie from scratch and put the Camaro on it. I replaced the floors front-to-back and put in new subframe rails, rocker panels, quarter-panels, and upper cowl. I also installed the roof from a 1979 T-top Camaro and custom-fitted the DSE suspension system.”

So what is it we’re looking at? A completely custom dream made by a man who knows how to manifest said dreams. After acquiring the car and finished the base, the ride sat in storage until 2013, when after wrecking a '68 he had built, this '73 took its place. That year he began working again and finished sheet metal work and mechanical. By the end of 2013, he had everything completed except the interior and hood treatment.

The front of this ride just screams fast. On it you’ll find a custom-built arrow and ground effects pieces, all Jim's design. The front spoiler and air splitter are built by D&Z Customs from Wisconsin. The entire assembly from the anvil carbon fiber clip to nose fenders, and even the custom aluminum heat extractor on the hood, was all done in Jim's garage. Unlike the '73 Z28, this crafted Camaro no longer has that lift on the center of the hood.

Even the interior is designed and assembled by Jim. Jeez! This Jim guy is everywhere. True, this is what happens when you custom build anything, your name is all over it. Interior panels, dashboard and a center console are all custom. However, the fiberglass door panels were provided by Marquez Design, but was that enough for Jim? NO! He went to town on those too, cutting them up to get the audio system he wants inside, which happens to be an Alpine head with Hertz 6-inch front speakers and Hi-Energy 10-inch woofers.

Two Corbeau LG1 seats with RideTech five-point harness ensure you and your passenger stay put. The upholstery is done by Riggs Brothers Auto Tops & Interiors and completed using faux leather.

A Wegner Motorsports 416 ci LS3 with no overbore, only a Callies Compstar crankshaft running with a 4.0 inch stroke and a compression ratio of 10.8:1. A Tremec T-56 Magnum, twin-disk clutch transmission runs the works. All this magic pushes out 465 hp at 5,900 rpm and 435 lb-ft at 4,600 rpm. Now I get why Jim put in the five-point harness.

All this power, however, does need to be held in check. To do that, you’ll find 12-inch Wilwood rotors, with one-piston calipers at the front, while at the rear Wilwood master cylinder with manual booster.

Front wheels are 18x10.5 Forgeline DS3s and the rear 18x12.5, also Forgeline. Grip is delivered by BFG g-Force Rival 315/30 on the front and 335/30 on the rear.

Even if I didn’t know all these goodies, my first impression when I saw this Camaro was that I want to go for a ride.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jim Stehlin's sick '73 Camaro with full @detroitspeed suspension, a 416ci LS3 and more! Photo by @superchevymag #Camaro #LSx #ClassicsDaily

A post shared by Classic American Muscle Cars (@classicsdaily) on May 31, 2016 at 3:04pm PDT