Detroit Speed Creates Art from 1969 Convertible Camaro

Perfecting the Formula

In the world of muscle cars, few are as widely beloved as the 1969 Chevy Camaro. Here is a car that combines iconic styling with a number of tasty engine options, right off the showroom floor. But that didn't stop Craig Hardee from working to perfect that formula, as we discovered in this recent Hot Rod feature.

Photos Courtesy of Hot Rod.

Starting Early

Hardee's obsession with the '69 Camaro goes way back to high school when it became his very first car. He kept that hardtop for 15 years, only selling it after his growing family necessitated its departure.

Photos Courtesy of Hot Rod. 

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Simply the Best

Hardee went on to own a number of other cars, but he couldn't shake his dream of owning a '69 Camaro drop top. So once he was able to get one, he also planned on making it the very best he possibly could.

Photos Courtesy of Hot Rod. 

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Modest Beginnings

The build, however, started out rather modestly. “The car was originally purchased by me in 2013 to turn into a weekend driver that could be restored back to its original beauty, but I wanted a suspension that would hold up to today’s roads and to my tastes," Hardee told Hot Rod.

Photos Courtesy of Hot Rod. 

>>Join the conversation about this 1969 Camaro by Detroit Speed right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!

Show and Go

Hardee even thought about designing the car to use in Optima's race series. But those plans soon went down the drain in favor of doing a full-blown build capable of going fast and winning show trophies.

Photos Courtesy of Hot Rod. 

>>Join the conversation about this 1969 Camaro by Detroit Speed right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!

Change of Plans

This all happened while the Camaro was at Detroit Speed receiving a host of suspension parts. “I had the car for two years before sending it to DSE," Hardee said. "Originally it was for a complete DSE front subframe and rear QUADRALink, but after I saw their capabilities and some of their other builds, it turned into a complete restoration plus custom body panels and modifications that had never been done before.” 

Photos Courtesy of Hot Rod. 

>>Join the conversation about this 1969 Camaro by Detroit Speed right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!

Smooth Operator

Hardee was so impressed with the work thus far that he scrapped his initial plans and went full steam ahead making this Camaro a show car. As a result, virtually every panel and component of the car has been smoothed out, shaved, or custom built.

Photos Courtesy of Hot Rod. 

>>Join the conversation about this 1969 Camaro by Detroit Speed right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!

Impressive Insides

Even the interior, stitched up by M&M Hot Rod Interiors, is a real work of art. “The hardest part of the vision was the interior, so we gave somewhat free rein to M&M. They nailed the interior and the transitions from the custom NASCAR seats to the Shelby-style rollbar, and then DSE tied the top into the interior with a custom tonneau cover,” Hardee said.

Photos Courtesy of Hot Rod. 

>>Join the conversation about this 1969 Camaro by Detroit Speed right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!

Slick Power

Of course, a build this slick wouldn't be complete without a slick engine. And that's exactly why Hardee went with a 7.0-liter LS7 fitted with ARP internals, a Tooley racing cam, and FAST intake manifold. Altogether, the package pumps out over 500 horsepower.

Photos Courtesy of Hot Rod. 

>>Join the conversation about this 1969 Camaro by Detroit Speed right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!

Exceeding Expectations

Needless to say, this amazing '69 Camaro exceeded everyone's expectations, including Hardee's. And he's obviously got nothing but nice things to say about Detroit Speed as a result. “They are artisans at what they do, and their professionalism is second to none,” he said. And as awesome as this car turned out, who are we to argue?

Photos Courtesy of Hot Rod.

>>Join the conversation about this 1969 Camaro by Detroit Speed right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!

For help with service and maintenance of your car check out the how to section of LS1Tech.com.