Classic Elegance Revived: 1968 Chevy Camaro SS

Stay updated with the latest news, in-depth features, and expert insights. Join our community of like-minded enthusiasts and elevate your automotive experience. Explore Stance Auto Magazine today!"

Order Your Printed Magazine Here!!

Derek Holsinger

1968 Chevy Camaro SS

Instagram: @Dereksz28

Photographer: Zack Hendershot

Instagram:  @iTwitchDaily

Classic Elegance Revived: 1968 Chevy Camaro SS

My name's Derek Holsinger and I drive a 1968 Camaro SS. I'm originally from Reedsville, Ohio and I reside in Belpre, Ohio now. I've lived here for, I think it's going on twelve years now, maybe thirteen. I'm forty-one years old, I'm happily married. I have a son named Parker, he's eight. We do a lot of cruising around in the summertime. We go to car shows, we drive just cruising up and down the highway, hitting back roads. We have a good time, he really enjoys it. I've worked as a chemical operator for twelve three years. Everybody I work with I've pretty much converted to car people as well. 

They started off not being into it, but now the more we do it, the more they get into it and they see what I build all the time and they really enjoy seeing the things I bring to work and I show them. We actually make stuff at work sometimes for my cars. I got several friends now that are all into the car scene here in the local area, and that's pretty much my fault that I've caused them to get into the turbo LS scene. I'm always building something, I'm always fabricating something. I get a lot of people who come around day to day. My father, he's always been kind of good at helping out, and he's really been a big inspiration for me.

What got me into cars was when my father would take me to the drag strip when I was young. Pretty much been going to the race track since I was in diapers. For several years, I mean we went for every year, every weekend, up until I was probably in my twenties and it passed the torch to me and now I've been going quite a bit as well but not nearly like we used to. I hope we can get back into it like we once were.

Why I chose this Car and Customised it?

The reason I chose this car to build, was because the first car I remember my dad having was actually a '68 Camaro. It was red, just a mild-built car. It had a big block Chevy in it and that car stuck with me through the years. I have all kinds of old pictures of it, there's a picture of me at about three, sitting in the front seat with the helmet on. I always liked the body lines and the way the car looked, and from that day forward I just knew that it was the car I always wanted.

What it feels like to own this car?

The way my car makes me feel when I drive it, the easiest way to describe it, makes you feel like a superhero. The braking ability, and the acceleration of the car, is truly second to none. I've never been in a car that reacts the way my car does. It's smooth and fast, and yet still quiet and no one would ever know. That's my favourite thing about the car.

What makes your car Unique?

The thing that makes my car unique I believe is probably the paint. It really took a long time, about four years to decide on the paint color. I've never really seen a car like it that's exactly the same color, I've seen some close, but that really does set it off. That and the stance of the car, the wheels, and the sheer power of the car.

The horsepower of the car is kind of unknown at the moment, but I do have some numbers. It was on the dyno at one time while I was first building it and I had a bit of an issue. An intercooler pipe blew off, It wouldn't make any more than 14psi before it blew the pipe off because I had an issue with the clamp I had and I didn't have a replacement with me. 

In fact, it hit the ground so hard when it flew off, it actually caved the pipe in and stamped a diamond plate into the side of it. I still have the pipe with me and you can see the dent in it. Definitely did a number on it that day, but we stuck it back on there and the best numbers we could make with it barely clamped without it blowing off was 887whp and that was only at 14 pounds. So, judging by the math, the car should be making around, just a rough estimate, around 1,000 and 1,200 wheels. 

What do you think of the Story?, leave your comments below Thank You.

Build List: 

Engine: 

• 370 LS
• Steel block
• Stock crank
• Compstar rods
• Wiseco pistons
• LS3 heads
• LS3 intake
• 92mm throttle body
• S476R turbo
• 304 stainless hot side and full exhaust
• Tial waste gates and blowoff
• Rossler 4L80E
• Pro-Torque converter

Interior:

• Recaro seats
• Sparco steering wheel
• Pioneer head unit w/backup camera
• JL components front and rear
• Rollbar
• Schroth racing harnesses
• Dakota Digital VHX gauges
• Traction control
• Greddy boost control
• Carbon fiber a-pillar w/gauge pods
• H3R fire extinguisher

Exterior:

• PPG paint
• Custom blue color
• Bumper delete
• LED lights
• Carbon fiber hood vents 

Wheels:

• Forgeline GA3 wheels 
• 18x9.5
• 18x11.5

Suspension:

• Detroit Speed Hydroformed subframe
• Quad link rear suspension w/Moser 9-inch rear end
• DSE subframe connectors
• Mini tub
• Stretched front inner fenders

Brakes:

• C6 Z06 Corvette brakes 
• 6 piston front
• 4 piston rear

The Work

The paint and body were done by a good friend of mine, Jason Mulligan of Jay's Premiere Paint Works. His skills are way beyond my own, I've painted cars in the past, but I knew I couldn't do what this car needed. I got with him and it took a little persuading, but I finally got him to come my way and we worked really well together and I'm glad we have done it. Hopefully, we'll get the build another car in the future together. But otherwise, every bit of the modifications or fabrications done to that car were completely done by myself. 

Future Plans

Future plans for the car are hopefully just driving it. I spent so much time building the car and engineering the car that I hope I don't have any problems. Not saying that's not gonna happen, things break all the time. I really hope that this car holds up for several years and I get plenty of good miles out of it without having to touch it and move on to something else working on other cars while I just drive this one.

Advice/Tips

If there's anything I can pass along to people building cars, I would say build your own stuff. Even if you fail and you have a stiff break, who cares? It doesn't matter, you should just do it for yourself and don't worry about what others think. I'll respect someone who has a $500 car that they built versus someone who has a $1,000,000 car that they bought. 

Shout Outs

Shoutouts I have are for good friends of mine who helped me along the way, of course with this interview, Zack Hendershot, who does phenomenal work. He's done some work for me in the past and I'm sure much more in the future. Jason Mulligan of Jay's Premiere Paint Works helped me with the paint and body of my car. Big shout out to my Dad, he helped me every step of the way. I had questions, he always had answers. My wife for being understanding to work on it all the time, cause I definitely spend a lot of time in that garage. 

My son for brightening my day by coming out to help me work on it sometimes here and there and sometimes just making me laugh while I'm out here. When it comes to people, there are a lot of people that have helped me here and there. I have several friends that have helped me with welding, including Kevin Logston. Shane Cogar, he's been a helping hand all along the way. Just really everyone in my family and friends that have really been a big help with getting things done and helping me do other things so I have more time to finish cars and stuff. I really appreciate everyone. 

The Scene

The car scene isn't for me anymore, I find myself getting older. I don't really get out to see everyone else and their cars anymore like I used to. On the weekend I used to go out and cruise and see people, street race, and all kinds of crazy stuff. But as time has gone, I just don't have any free time anymore. I work a lot, so if it wasn't for that taking up so much time I would probably get into it a little more. 

For right now I'm just focused on going to a little bit of car shows here and there and just cruising for me. I really don't see anyone else out hardly when I'm out, every now and then I'll catch someone. For the most part, I just enjoy hanging out in the garage and people bringing their cars over here and hanging out with me. That's pretty much the scene for me anymore, I'll hopefully get into it a little more this summer, but we'll see how things go.  

Dream Car

My dream car all my life since I was sixteen, I've had the car sitting behind me in my head ever since then. I've wanted to build it my entire life but never had the funds or the skills at the time. As I got older and honed my skills, and bought and sold the cars, I realized it was finally time to try and do it.

So I purchased the car, and it took me seven years to build it. I was working on it constantly. I probably had at least at a minimum, working on it every single week, at least twenty hours a week in it and that was for seven years. It really took a toll on my time and free time, but it was worth it and I'm really glad I did it.

Submit Your Story Here

Have your say, and leave a COMMENT BELOW, it helps the story get more views and reach the Printed Magazine, Thank you.

All Photographs are supplied and owned by the Photographer named, our Photographers can be found HERE!

Other Useful Sites To Check Out That We Have Partnered With

DIYLER.COM 

All of our Magazines can be found on Amazon, they Print and Deliver worldwide, Stance Auto can not be held responsible for the final print, and all complaints and returns must be directed to Amazon.

UKTM no: UK00003572459