This LS3-Powered 1979 Camaro Is Built For The Street And The Track

There’s just something inherently cool about the second-generation Camaro. Even more alluring is a second-gen Camaro that refuses to pick a lane. Sure, building a dedicated track car is fun, and there’s nothing wrong with a comfortable cruiser, either. But why choose? It’s almost as if these cars were engineered to be both timeless classics and fire-breathing restomods from the jump. That’s why a car like Clementine, built by Brian Finch, is such a cool Marketplace find.

You might think fire-breathing is a bit of a reach, but one look at this F2’s engine specs will change your mind. Pop the fiberglass hood, and you’ll find a familiar LS3 that’s been stroked to 418 cubic inches. According to the seller, that stroker motor features a rotating assembly that’s capable of up to 1,000 horsepower, but the car currently dynos at a conservative 480 horsepower. A Holley HP ECU easily manages that power, and you’ll be happy to note that modern air conditioning is present and accounted for.

That world-class engine sends torque to a Tremec Magnum 6-speed, which is paired with a 12-bolt rearend that’s fitted with 3.73 gears and floater axles. Perhaps even more impressive is the suspension the drivetrain sails on. A hydroformed Detroit Speed front-clip leads a Speedtech torque arm rear-clip, both of which are finished with AFCO double-adjustable shocks. Braking hardware is equally serious, with Wilwood 6-piston calipers clamping 13-inch rotors up front, and Wilwood 4-piston calipers clamping 12-inch rotors out back. Great noises emanate from custom, NASCAR-style stainless exhaust.

One super cool aspect of 1979 and 1980 Camaros is how great they look as track cars. Clementine certainly doesn’t disappoint in that regard, even adding a few functional pieces to up the performance ante. The aforementioned hood is equipped with track-spec louvers. There’s a removable splitter, a removable diffuser, and an adjustable rear spoiler. The car even has high-intensity headlights for late-night drives back home.

Between the doors, a caged cockpit boasts BRAUM Racing seats with 4-point harnesses. A tilting column spins a removable Driven wheel. The driver monitors vitals through a 7-inch Holley display. Best of all, the whole package reportedly weighs just 3,150 pounds! If you’re keeping score, that’s almost 200 pounds below the lightest Camaro that left the factory back in 1979.

This awesome second-gen Camaro is the kind of classic that makes you wonder why anyone bothers choosing between a street car and a track car in the first place. It has the hardware to spend a weekend terrorizing a road course or autocross, but it hasn’t sacrificed the stuff that makes the ride enjoyable once the helmets come off. Anybody can build a car that’s really good at one thing. Clementine is considerably cooler because it refuses to pick a lane.