Judging by the current state of Dalton Hale’s 2013 Camaro SS 1LE, you would never guess that his obsession with Camaros—and massive amounts of power—started with very humble beginnings. In fact, Dalton has only owned three cars in his lifetime, all of which were Camaros. The first was a 2001 base model V6 car he purchased during high school. While the 3800-powered F-body may have been a decent car for a high school kid to get from A to B, it lacked the certain aphrodisiacal properties that are typically intrinsic to Camaros— in other words, it was no panty dropper.

This inspired Dalton to up his game soon after receiving his high school diploma. And up it he did. Not only did he choose to move to an LS-powered F-body, he selected a 35th anniversary Camaro SS— one of the rarest (only 3,000 examples made it into circulation in the United States) and best looking F-bodies to ever roll off an assembly line.

Dalton soon found himself putting his newly acquired diploma to work as he quickly landed a good-paying job. While he worked to pay down the F-body, he saved a little to modify it the way he had always dreamed. That was, until one day, his boss at work asked him why he didn’t buy something a little newer. Dalton quickly brushed it off telling his boss that the car was almost paid for and he would soon be able to turn those car payments into mod money. And though Dalton loved his 35th Anniversary, he began perusing the pages of Chevrolet out of curiosity.

That curiosity, however, quickly turned to lust. Dalton, using the build your own car options on Chevrolet’s site, discovered the 2013 Camaro SS 1LE and was officially hooked. He knew he had to have that exact car and became the proud owner a mere three weeks later.

“I saw the wheel option and clicked on it, which changed the whole package to the 1LE,” Dalton said. “From that point on, I just started researching and researching; there is absolutely nothing better bang-for-you-buck then what you get for that $3,500.”

1LE

The 1LE package Dalton selected for his fifth-gen does a lot more than just change the wheels and tires. If you’ve been around Camaros for any length of time, you’ve probably heard of the famed 1LE package that started with the third-gen Camaro—making its debut in 1989. In the late 80s, the package was similar to other secret option combos of yesteryear, such as the veritable COPO— although not nearly as potent. Only people in the know were aware of the option and the secret combination of boxes you had to tick to take one home. While GM wasn’t technically hiding the option from the public, it worried that the car would be too extreme for the casual customer and typically only built them for those interested in road racing them. Only 1,360 third-gen 1LEs were ever produced

Luckily for Dalton, these days, the 1LE package is fairly well known and very easy to order, but that doesn’t mean it is any less potent. 2013 was the first year of the 1LE package for the fifth-gen Camaro. Selecting the 1LE option meant a few things:

• Six-speed manual transmission
• Strut tower brace
• Different spoiler
• Matte black hood
• 20×10-inch front and 20×11-inch rear wheels wrapped in 285/35ZR20 rubber
• 3.91 axle
• FE6 suspension package featuring larger sway bars, higher rate springs, and improved shocks
• Suede wrapped shift knob and steering wheel

Bent On Destruction

And while the fifth-gen 1LE package is a potent one, it wasn’t enough for Dalton. Things started light with a cold air intake and exhaust but quickly escalated with the addition of an SLP TVS2300 supercharger. This provided the LS3 with substantially more grunt but was short lived as the engine bent a rod a mere 600 miles after installation.

The New Build

After the old motor self-destructed, Dalton turned to ADM Performance out of Lewisville, Texas for help. With more boost in mind, an LSX376B-8 engine from Chevrolet Performance was selected due to its iron-block construction and forged internals. The mill was paired with a Brian Tooley Racing P.D.S Stage III boost cam— which features 231/248 degrees of duration and .617/.595 of lift at .050-inches and a 120+5 LSA— as well as the accompanying valve train components.

The SLP huffer was re-utilized and is controlled via the stock LS3 throttle body. Injector Dynamics ID850 fuel injectors, fed by a ZL1 fuel pump, keep the mill fed with go-juice while a ceramic coated cold air intake from Cold Air Inductions Inc. keeps the powerplant flush with fresh air and features an insulated plexiglass intake box.

Stainless Works 1 7/8-inch primary headers, utilizing 3-inch collectors, whisk spent exhaust gases away from the mill and feed into a custom, 3-inch, mandrel bent exhaust system. A BBK X-pipe keeps things flowing and helps add to the growl of this force-fed brute.

Power is funneled into the TR-6060 six-speed transmission via a McLeod RXT Twin Disc clutch and shifting duties are handled by a MGW Flat Stick short-throw shifter.

Transferring the power to the ground is a stock differential aided by an anti wheel hop kit assembled by JDP Motorsports, which features mostly BMR tubular suspension components and subframe bushings— but also includes JDP rear upper control arms with brackets. While the differential may be stock for now, Dalton plans to upgrade to a ZL1 unit with G-Force axles in the near future.

“The main point of this build was to build a balanced car,” Dalton said. “It’s a daily car, I wasn’t shooting for a 1,000-horsepower track monster. I wanted something I can take out and be one of the fastest guys there but I can still drive here or there.”

The car recently made 623.25 horsepower at 6,690 rpm and 581.19 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,570 rpm on 10 psi of boost at the tire on 93 pump gas. We think it’s fair to say that Dalton has done an all around amazing job of making this one of the most versatile– and best looking– 1LEs you will ever come across. 

Check out the Snicker’s parody he made starring his 1LE below.