ARDUOUS: A 1968 Camaro with Modern LT1 Technology Under the Hood

At this summer’s Goodguys Summit Racing Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, Revision Rods & Rides competed in the prestigious Street Machine of the Year category with an impeccable 1968 Camaro. The light-blue car is now powered by a Chevrolet Performance LT1 crate engine,* but the build named “ARDUOUS” started from almost nothing.

“It didn’t even come with the motor or anything,” said shop proprietor Tyler Nelson in Columbus. ”It was basically a shell, which was exactly what we wanted, because we basically cut the whole floor out to set it on a chassis. We didn’t need a whole lot of other stuff.”

Revision Rods & Customs is located in Rapid City, South Dakota, and the Camaro originally came from California – although the shop bought it from a gentleman in Nebraska.

The vehicle’s owners, Clayton and Mary Graham, have had Revision build two other Camaros for them. They  wanted a 1968 model so they would have one from all three years of the famed muscle car’s first generation.

“We knew we wanted it to have a modern look, but we didn’t want to take away from the ‘68 Camaro,” Nelson said. “So, we just kind of did our modern twist, which a lot of our builds have.”

Part of that modern twist is the LT1 crate engine. It utilizes a variety of modern technologies, including direct injection for more precise fuel control and variable valve timing to deliver just the right amount of air to the cylinders.

The engine is part of a Chevrolet Performance Connect & Cruise Crate Powertrain System and is paired with a SuperMatic 8L90-E eight-speed automatic transmission. The transmission features a 715 lb.-ft. torque capacity limit and is designed for both strong takeoff performance and cruising efficiency.

Each Connect & Cruise package is designed, calibrated and matched by Chevrolet Performance engineers for ideal compatibility and performance. Nelson believes this particular combination was ideal for the owners.

“For what they wanted and what we wanted on it, we just wanted to keep it simple,” he said. “That’s plenty for something you’re going to take on tours. That’s kind of where that all started from.”

Each Connect & Cruise system also includes the correct engine and transmission controllers, a torque converter for automatic transmissions, and all supporting installation kits.

“It definitely did simplify it,” Nelson said of using a Connect & Cruise Crate Powertrain System on the project.

The car is on an Art Morrison Enterprises chassis featuring an independent rear suspension. It is modeled off a fifth-generation Camaro for a smooth ride. The chassis also includes engine mounts for a variety of modern engines. In this case, the Revision team asked the Art Morrison group to leave the mounts tacked in so they could position the engine where they wanted. In the Camaro, the LT1 is pushed back a bit in the engine bay, allowing for a Billet Specialties serpentine pulley kit at the front.

The car started with an Eric Brockmeyer Design rendering; Nelson has been working with Brockmeyer for almost two decades. The goal was to maintain the identity of the classic Camaro but incorporate unique modern elements.

The engine compartment is entirely smooth with all wiring, nuts and bolts hidden. A custom-built engine cover further adds to the engine cleanliness. Outside, a custom cowl hood clears the engine cover. The body lines throughout the Camaro have also all been peaked for a more modern look, the front grille and bumpers have been updated, and flush-mount glass is found throughout the car.

The Revision team mini-tubbed the rear, making the tubs as wide as possible. They also took painstaking effort to make sure the car sits as low as possible. The Camaro rides on Billet Specialties wheels and Firestone tires.

The owners’ only request was the car be blue with a white interior. The result on the outside is a shimmering custom color called “Hail Blue Metallic.”

“We wanted to stay with a shade from the old Camaro or the old Chevy days, so we went with that more light blue,” Nelson said. “But then we threw a bunch of pearls and metallics in there just to get it to pop more.”

The interior meanwhile was hand-built from aluminum at the Revision shop. That way, when it went to the upholstery department, all that team had to do was wrap everything and provide final fitment.

The Revision Rods & Rides team does all the mechanical, body, paint and interior work on its projects, only outsourcing leather stitching to Salt Lake City-based Seams Impossible.

Nelson hails from Rapid City, South Dakota, and founded Revision Rods & Rides in 2018. Today, the seven-person business includes a full machine shop, 3D printing and scanning operations, and much more.

Nelson says he is “definitely a Chevy guy” and still has a 1969 C10 pickup that he and his dad restored when Nelson was in high school. However, he and his team of talented builders are true enthusiasts and work on a little bit of everything.

In addition to competing for Street Machine of the Year glory at Goodguys Columbus, their 1968 Camaro project was honored when it was chosen as a finalist in the GM Iron category of the Chevrolet Performance Builder of the Year program at the Goodguys Heartland Nationals in Des Moines, Iowa, the week before. The category recognizes a Chevrolet vehicle with a General Motors powertrain, and the victory makes the shop eligible for overall Builder of the Year honors in the fall.

The LT1-based powertrain is one of the standout elements of the car, and there are many to choose from.

“The sound, just the performance of it, it definitely rips,” Nelson said. “The eight-speed takes some getting used to. Obviously, we’re used to the four-speed with overdrives, and being an eight-speed, it’s a little bit different. But once you get used to it, it’s awesome.”

Keep watching The BLOCK for more Chevrolet Performance builds from Goodguys Columbus and other automotive events across the country.

*Because of its effect on a vehicle’s emissions performance, this engine is intended exclusively for use in competition vehicles. This engine is designed and intended for use in vehicles operated exclusively for competition: in racing or organized competition on courses separate from public roads, streets or highways. Installation or use of this engine on a vehicle operated on public roads, streets or highways is likely to violate U.S., Canadian, and state and provincial laws and regulations related to motor vehicle emissions.