| Details: |
Call 440-914-0000 or email [ email ] 1971 Camaro Brute Force Wow! This car exceeds the definition of pro touring! And the best part is it exudes craftsmanship and ingenuity! Description An ultimate Pro Touring build! Built LS7, T56, Detroit Speed chassis 657 hp at 6,700 rpm Massive amounts of subtle changes Multiple time magazine car Fresh and ready to race Check out this article from Car Craft : Remember those games in kids magazines where you try to spot the differences between two pictures? Bob Bertelsens 71 Camaro would be great for the car guys version of this game. Theres not a body panel on it that hasnt been re-formed, modified, or otherwise massaged, but most of the changes are so subtle, without a stock example sitting next to it, they escape the eye. That exemplifies what Bob does as a car builder. He works with the original design, and without trepidation, crafts it into the vision of how he sees the car in his mind. Bob is not a professional car builder, although he certainly possesses the ingenuity and capability it takes to be among the best in the business. Most importantly, he lacks that mental block that most of us have-the one that mocks us, saying, You arent capable of doing that! Take, for example, the roof of his Camaro. Bob wanted to integrate design cues of a fifth-gen Camaro into the car, including a 12-inch-wide recess in the roof panel. Most people who dont do professional metal-fab work would shun the idea, and even quite a few pros would be hesitant to launch into such an endeavor. Not Bob. He dove in, starting by rolling two 3/8-inch tubes and adhering them to the roof to create a basic structure and shape. He then cut out the 12-inch-wide section and crafted a new centersection. He didnt get the consistent arch he wanted the first time, so he modified his metal stretcher, welding a socket to the tool and using a torque wrench to modulate a consistent torque applied to the stretcher. He welded the recessed section into the roof for a subtle enhancement that looks so natural that many people dont even notice it. Bob had RPM Hot Rodding do the interior, starting with a clean slate. They fabricated a custom dash, door panels, and console that houses everything Bob will need for performance driving as well as hitting the open road. The unobtrusive rollcage was created by Bobs friend, Tom McKenzie. That design element continues as the air flows rearward over the decklid. An original spoiler would have looked disproportionate and clunky with the flush and smooth rear panel of the car. Bob created a new spoiler that is 3/4-inch shorter and 1 1/2 inches smaller (front to rear), incorporating the same 12-inch recess from the roof panel into the center of the spoiler. Another critical part of Bobs craftsmanship is functionality. This is true in the basic hardware, and also in the design aspects of the body. All of the ports and ducts carved into the sheetmetal of his Camaro-aptly named Brute Force-perform a purpose, whether its directing fresh air toward the engine, onto the rear brakes, or exhausting hot air from the engine compartment. Nothing on this car was overlooked, and every millimeter of sheetmetal was intentionally shaped. Even with his exceptional level of fabrication capability, Bob took the Camaro to Area 51 Autoworx when it was time to have the finishing bodywork done and the car sprayed. Choosing the color was an adventure in itself. His local paint store mixed a dozen or so variations of blue and sprayed them onto sample panels, but none of them were exactly what Bob envisioned. So he talked the paint shop into letting him do some mixing on his own. A dash of this, a drop of that. He was able to create a color he loved, but there was no formula for it. He sprayed it onto a panel and took the pieces to BASF. They scanned it and created a formula, complete with the name Brute Force Blue! A casual glance doesnt uncover the extraordinary craftsmanship in this car. What looks like an RS bumper is
|
