Modern Muscle

This Black RS may look like lots of other classics, but it’s equipped with Bluetooth, GPS Tracking, and a Geo Fence? And, that’s just the start.

Words And Photos: Cam Benty

Back in the heyday of muscle cars evolution, to go fast, drivers had to sacrifice every creature comfort in their quest for almighty horsepower.

For many of those legendary 1960s ultra-high-performance cars, heater and radio delete were common on the ultimate big engine machines. Air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, and the like were “upgrades” and true performance “luxuries” looked down upon by purists.

Today, muscle cars are completely different, and performance fans want power and comfort. Air conditioning, cruise control, 12-speaker stereo sound systems, seat heaters, and climate control are all available by checking a few boxes on the order form and coughing up some coin. The phrase having your cake and eating it too was never more appropriate.

For Virgil Castillo of Bakersfield, California, his ’70 Camaro RS is a labor of love. After discovering the aging F-body sitting in a field in nearby Mariposa, California, Virgil decided to make it something really unique. His pride and joy for more than 25 years, the car has gone through an inordinate number of changes.

The Plan

Castillo’s vision was to not only retain the cool looks of the classic split-bumper Camaro but stir in the creature comforts that were never in GM’s 1970 playbook. As Virgil is quick to say of his Camaro, “I drive it every day, show it, and experiment with new options and features all the time.” As has been the case for the last 25 years, this car is under construction with new things cropping up every day.

To start with the basics, Virgil did all of the bodywork, including laying on the acrylic black paint and classic Z/28-style striping. He added a factory front air dam, three-piece rear spoiler, and a two-inch tall cowl hood. As noted earlier, the car is daily driven yet immaculate, black and shiny most of the time. That takes dedication in the Bakersfield summer wind.

8The Camaro chassis is remarkably advanced with a full Heidts front end that incorporates front tubular A-arms. The front and rear brakes are disc-style, taken from a ’78 Pontiac Trans Am and more than able to slow down the sleek Camaro. Coil over Heidts-tuned shocks finish off the front end, which also sports a very crisp driving close ratio variable steering box.

In the rear, a GM 10-bolt Posi-rear end is used with 4.11:1 ratio gear for quick starts off the line. If you are scratching your head about the wheels, they are from a 1996 BMW 7-series, 18-inch tall, chromed, and wrapped with P245/45-18’s in the front and P285/40-18’s out back. According the Virgil, the offset is perfect.

While the last of the original Barnes Racing Engines 496c.i. Chevy big-block is just waiting in line to hop between the fender wells, the Camaro currently runs a plenty powerful small-block.

Virgil reworked the original 350c.i. engine, adding an Eagle crankshaft, stock rotating assembly, COMP Cams valve train including stud girdles, roller rockers and World Industries cast cylinder heads. A custom panel by Undercover Innovations, where Virgil works, fills the gap between the grill and the top of the core support.

Virgil topped the engine with an Edelbrock Performer RPM Air Gap intake manifold and Proform carburetor.

Hedman headers exit the exhaust through Flowmaster 2-chamber 40-series mufflers for a cool performance sound. A smooth shifting Keisler TKO 600 six-speed transmission, modified for a second Generation Camaro, controls the gear changes, along with a supporting cast that includes an 11-lb. flywheel and racing clutch.

High-tech Interior

The interior was restored to original look, but belies the hidden “additions” Virgil has incorporated. The factory seats are covered in black cloth and vinyl, while the dash-mounted Kenwood stereo, backed by a Rockford Fosgate amp and Polk Audio speakers, produce the perfect combination of sound and power.

Paddle shifters are positioned in a reachable point on the steering wheel to help Castillo handle all the shifting in a timely manner, and a full brace of gauges keeps tabs on the key engine operations. For the most part, the interior simply looks very original overall, belying the interior upgrades that make this Camaro truly unique.

From GPS tracking through his remote control to an auto lock system (that not only locks the doors but rolls up the windows), there are huge number of modern conveniences that have been adapted and engineered for this Camaro. A rear back up camera feeds video into a screen mounted in the rear view mirror, and heads up display from a Cadillac feeds the driver info as you roll down the road. And for that cool, final touch, when you close the door, the interior dome light slowly fades rather than just shutting down.

Virgil’s Camaro is one of a kind, and that’s the way he likes it. Unique in every way, we can only imagine what he has in store for the next modern muscle touches. Maybe it will fold up into a briefcase at the touch of a button like George Jetson’s space mobile? Don’t put it past him.

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