photos by: The Block and GAP Racing
If there’s one thing we know about Tim Palazzolo and our friends over at GAP Racing, is that they’re always on point with anything they build. At one time having our offices based near their Houston, Texas shop, we had the pleasure of visiting GAP Racing on several occasions, even getting sneak peeks of cars that would ultimately go onto SEMA Show fame.
It’s been a few years since that time, but little has changed in terms of the quality and effort that GAP produces seemingly on a daily basis. One vehicle in particular, is this forthcoming project from the Houston boys, a ’67 Camaro convertible, that they’ve nicknamed, “Carma.”
Much like the LS9-powerd ’71 Camaro they’ve finished last year, and the ’69 Mustang from the year prior, every inch of the Camaro will be built to absolute perfection, not overlooking a single inch of the bodywork, drivetrain or interior details. In a recent interview with Chevrolet Performance’s The Block, Time relays some additional info on the car, and provides a bit of backstory on this mazing Camaro.
The BLOCK: When we first talked, you said you’re going for a 1967 version of a 2018 Camaro ZL1. Why?
Tim: When Mr. Snell came to us, he wanted a muscle car that handled and drove like a modern car. The new ZL1 is an amazing vehicle. We thought, what better way to modernize a 1967 than to incorporate the technology and styling aspects of the ZL1?
The BLOCK: Why a ‘67 Camaro?
Tim: Mr. Snell has had a few 1967 Camaros. The first one he sold when he was in college and he regretted selling it. The second one was destroyed during its restoration process due to a fire. I guess the saying “Third time’s a charm” applies to this one.
The BLOCK: Hmm, so why the name “Carma”?
Tim: Mr. Snell calls it Carma (karma) because of all the trouble he went through to finally get another ‘67 convertible. He was out of town on business and found this car. His wife was so excited about it. The entire family has been involved with the build. He just feels like getting the car done to this level at this time is all because of karma.
The BLOCK: Makes sense! And now GAP Racing has their hands on it, so we know it’s going to be good. So, we’re assuming you went with an LT4 since you’re modeling the car after a ZL1, but is there any other reason you went with that engine?
Tim: Yes. The 1967 will feature a Chevrolet Performance LT4 crate engine(link is external). We felt that with so much power in such a small and light package would be perfect for this project. Originally, Mr. Snell wanted to rebuild the original big block, but being able to just hop in and go anywhere without worry made the crate engine an easy choice for him when we presented the idea.
The BLOCK: What transmission do you guys have backing up the stout LT4? What rear end?
Tim: We backed the LT4 up with a Bowler Tremec transmission. They supplied everything from the twin disc clutch to the bell housing. For the rear end, it will have a 9” housing that was supplied by Roadster Shop.
The BLOCK: Tell us a little about the chassis.
Tim: The chassis is Roadster Shop’s SPEC chassis. It is a full frame that bolts into the car and did not require us to cut it up. It really is a bolt-in piece.
The BLOCK: Oh, we’re very familiar with those! We’ve featured a couple of Roadster Shop’s latest builds featuring their new SPEC chassis (read more about a ‘69 Camaro with that chassis here). What custom parts from GAP Racing can we expect to see?
Tim: We modified the rear end to allow for a deeper dish wheel, built a custom 3” stainless exhaust and made a lot of subtle modifications to the body. We are having a custom steering wheel made, a custom gauge cluster and a lot of detail items that should really make the car stand out.
The BLOCK: What other major parts are being fitted?
Tim: We are having a custom RS-style grille CNC’d, a set of taillights made to change the rear up, ZL1-themed exhaust tips, a handbuilt steel spoiler to replicate the factory, custom mirrors and a lot more.
The BLOCK: The exhaust tips were one of the first correlations we made between your car and a ZL1. Great work on that. What are you most excited about with this build?
Tim: Well, it’s a 1967 Camaro, which is the first year of the car and it’s also a convertible. You just don’t see a lot of those customized. Plus, Mr. Snell is trusting me to add some creative touches to the car. I really think him and I have the same end goal and vision.
The BLOCK: Anything else you’d like to add about this build?
Tim: Mr. Snell has not seen the car since it went into paint. The next time he will see it is when him and his family are at the unveil in Las Vegas. I’m really excited to see their reaction.
The BLOCK: That’s a great story! He’s putting a lot of trust in you guys. No pressure, right? Looks like you guys are building several vehicles? What are some other interesting Chevy powered projects?
Tim: We will have a 1969 “project” Camaro in the Thermo-Tec booth that has a Chevrolet Performance LS3 crate engine(link is external). Next year we will be unveiling the 1946 Cab Over project and a special 1969 Camaro we have been working on for a while.
The BLOCK: Tell all The BLOCK readers out there where/when the car will debut, and how they can follow along with the build.
Tim: The 1967 Camaro Convertible “Carma” will unveil on Tuesday October 31, 2017 in the Royal Purple Booth. We will also stream the unveil live on our Facebook page. (www.facebook/gapracingtx(link is external))
The BLOCK: Thanks so much, Tim! We hope to get over to the booth to see the car first along with everyone’s reactions. See you soon.
Rick Seitz is the owner and founder of AutoCentric Media, the parent company to Timeless Muscle Magazine, and has a true love and passion for all vehicles. When he isn’t tuning, testing, or competing with the magazine’s current crop of project vehicles, he’s busy tinkering and planning the next round modifications for his own cars.
