When you say “classic muscle”, the 1969 Chevrolet Camaro is one of the first silhouettes that come to mind. And, with the restomod industry booming these days, that iconic status is precisely what makes it so difficult to build a standout ’69 Camaro. One of the winning formulas is to reimagine the first-gen ‘Maro, polishing each and every detail until the finished result demands the kind of display you’d find at Tiffany’s. Or, better yet, the ongoing 2023 Grand National Roadster Show (Pomona, Ca, February 3-5), which is where the 1969 Fenix Camaro made its debut.
Yes, I used the term “reimagined” inspired by what Singer does with classic 911s, because this is what this reborn old-school Chevy feels like. This is a pro-touring build of the highest shine, and we’ll dive into its details below.
The name? We assume this is a mix between Phoenix, Arizona (this is the owner’s home state) and the phoenix bird, which is only natural given the reborn nature of the machine.
Unlike the very first exposed carbon-bodied 1969 Camaro that debuted last week, this is an all-metal build. However, the metal has been carefully reworked in many areas. For one, the front end and the posterior have lost all the imperfections you’d expect from a 50YO car. Up front, we have a sculpted and modern bumper that also integrates a version of the original design, RS-style hideaway headlights, along with a custom grille and hood. Moving to the other end, the chiseled taillights rival pieces of jewelry, but that’s not all.
For instance, various areas of the car were treated with a planishing hammer, which is why the already stunning silver paint on the vehicle now displays an even more standout finish.
And, before we move over to the tech details of the Chevy, let’s take a few moments to talk names. The styling was signed by Sean Smith, a California-based penning master that’s responsible for multiple high-profile builds, such as Kevin Hart’s Dark Knight 1987 Buick Grand National. The designer has worked with labels like SpeedKore, Saleen, Ringbrothers and others. As for the execution, the project was handled by Arizona-based Driven Speed Shop.
The specs of the Fenix Camaro
Motivation is no stranger to this project. That’s because it sports a Wegner Automotive-built 427 ci V8. And, thanks to a Whipple supercharger, the engine churns out about 1,200 hp, which are sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual—hey, this is just like the first manual-swapped Dodge Challenger SRT Demon we covered earlier this week.
Camaros have always been unibodies, but this one features plenty of custom suspension bits and has been lowered on HRE wheels shod in fat rubber, so it can carry all the speed through the corners. As for the stopping power, this is provided by hardware supplied by Baer Brakes. Besides, the Fenix Camaro sports a Roadster Shop-built Fast Track chassis, while its floors, wheel tubs and trunk were fabricated by Driven Speed Shop.
The cabin, which has been completely redone by Sew Cal Rods & Upholstery, hits you with a Holley 12.3-inch digital dash, which sports a custom bezel. Together with a center console-mounted touchscreen display, this reminds us we’re dealing with a restomod. And while the modern seats do the same, these are perfectly integrated with myriad custom details that seem to have no age.
Then again, if you check out the area surrounding the gear shifter, the traction control button once again reminds you the machine has come a long way from its factory form. And, given the said level of muscle, the clean look of the cabin is mixed with a half-cage.
The Instagram page of the Fenix Camaro tells us the vehicle is destined for Declan Shields, a nine-year-old off-road racer (think UTVs) from Arizona, who took home two titles last year. So now he’s all covered for the asphalt, too.
