Clean, Mean Big-Block-Powered 1970 Z28 Camaro Street Machine

Part rejuvenator, part instigator, all specific

Though not a Camaro family by any means, we were privy to two of the great ones when they were new: a 1967 RS/SS (350ci) and a 1969 COPO 9561 (427ci). We loved the sleek symmetry and the oomph the extra cubic inches that the new 350 provided the first one and certainly with the low-production exclusivity and big torque of the other one, but we didn’t much care for its styling. Thought it was too far removed from the originator and never really got used to its lines.

We knew from nothing about handling strength, or the lack of it, which was probably a good thing. We didn’t become members of the OOC (out of control) club and wind up in the weeds upside down or something like that. We were too chicken to do anything but pound it in a straight line. Besides, racetracks with corners were for sporty car types who were then typified by a pipe, pimpy moustache, and newsboy cap, a stereotype we avoided like the Black Death. No, we flicked Lucky Strikes, wore ridiculous sideburns, and wore even more ridiculous plastic loafers.

But when the 1970½ Z28 came on line in the winter of 1969, we knew they’d gotten it right. Better ride, a stronger, torquier engine, and looks to go out and commit murder for. Overall, it was a very sweet dream.

Mike Fillipini had a similar out-of-body experience.

 

 

“I purchased a new Chevelle SS 396 in 1969. In 1970, I accompanied my brother-in-law to the dealer when he bought a new Chevelle. One of the cars in the showroom that day was a red ’70½ Z28. That image of that car burned into my memory. Thirty-five years later, I finally bought one,” said the union electrician. He found the car in March 2005, where so many of us do these days. It wasn’t the Want Ad Press, but in the comfort of his own home on eBay.

According to him, “It looked pretty good from 10 feet, and I was satisfied with it until the fall of that year. The car had a loud geardrive and a solid cam that I did not like. The motor had way too little vacuum so the brakes weren’t very good. The body had some issues that had not been properly addressed, so I disassembled it to have them fixed and to get the car painted.”

The project consumed about two years—a mere speck of time compared to others we’re intimate with—due in part to a squad of faithful family members and friends who donated precious time as well as moral support and a kindred spirit. The dedicated cadre included wife Mary Anne (moral support and understanding), Vince, Tony, and Dan Rolberg, and Luke Smith at Modern Carriage Werks in Bridgeview, Illinois (paint and body), Kevin Lawrence (a ton of advice), and nastyz28.com (for information imparted).

While the car was in various states of undress and its members easily accessible, Mike addressed the chassis with 2-inch drop spindles, 13-inch Baer discs, tubular upper and lower control arms, and QA1 adjustable coilover shock absorbers. He is most appreciative of the Hydra-Tech hydraulic brake assist system and even more of owner Paul (“he’s extremely knowledgeable and great to deal with”). At the rear, 12-inch Baers and slapper bars suffice until the coveted four-link and coilover suspension is put in place.

Since any car in our world is virtually defined by its engine, especially if you came from the muscle car era, nothing less than a big-block would ever do. By Mike’s good fortune, his Camaro already had one. Founded on a Chevrolet steel crankshaft, the Rat’s 427-cubic-inch short-block sports a balanced rotating assembly and 10:1 TRW forgings. ARP studs secure the ported, closed-chamber square-port iron cylinder heads. The basis of the oiling system is a Melling pump and a Milodon 8-quart sump.

Mike satisfied his camshaft jones with a COMP CB XE284H hydraulic roller (110-degree lobe separation, 284/296-degree duration at 0.050-inch, 0.574/0.578-inch lift) that jigs the valves with cigarillo-fat 3/8-inch pushrods. He put it to bed with a Cloyes double-roller timing chain, sealed it with a GM timing cover, and mounted a Weiand aluminum water pump directly ahead. Engine cooling begins with the Harrison four-row copper core.

For the upper respiratory system, Mike retained the Chevrolet aluminum intake manifold and completed the fuel system with a Holley electric pump, an 850-cfm Quick Fuel Q-850 carburetor, and K&N filtration. An MSD 6AL box, coil (both of them relocated beneath the dashboard), and Pro Billet distributor supply the fire. On the back end, ceramic-coated Hooker Super Comp headers with 2 1/8-inch primaries purge into a 3-inch exhaust system fixed with a crossover pipe and animated by Flowmaster 40 mufflers. Rather than running the pipes all the way to the bumper, Mike abbreviated it with turn-downs.

As it would have back in the day, the engine supports only a power assist for the steering and an 80-amp alternator. Air conditioning was not available on any Z28 and has not been retrofitted here, nor is there power-assist for the brakes. Power estimations are 525 hp at 6,500 and 500 lb-ft at 6,500 rpm.

Torque is processed by a TKO 600 five-speed and managed by an 11-inch Centerforce Dual Friction clutch assembly enclosed by a Lakewood blast shield. The complete swap kit included a 3-inch diameter driveshaft. And this piece just wouldn’t be right without a Positraction-equipped 12-bolt holding 3.73:1 gears and Moser axles.

What about the Camaro’s “face?” What did Mike do to individualize it? He says the unique feature of the Z28 is its paint. Modern Carriage Werks assumed the project, smoothing the skin and applying the Sherwin-Williams Spectra Red base and clearcoat. “It has a bit of diamond dust in the red that’s only noticeable under the sun or a street light. I get a lot of comments on it,” Mike replied. To bump up the go-fast image, Modern included a VFN fiberglass bonnet with a 4-inch cowl. Lo-Ko Performance Coatings in Oak Lawn, Illinois, did the powdercoating. When it came to the critical choice of wheels and tires, he accentuated the corners of the car and completed its perfect stance with 17x7 and 17x8 Torq-Thrust II rims and 225/50 and 275/60 Nitto 555s.

In the security of the cabin, Mike finds comfort, confidence, and support in vinyl-clad Corbeau buckets, ACC carpeting, and a Hurst shifter. A custom-built instrument panel holds Auto Meter Ultra-Lite gauges. When the sound of the engine has saturated him, he turns to the Pioneer Super Tuner head supported by Pioneer front speakers and coaxial horns in the rear.

 

 

Mike’s produced a careful, detailed package underneath the floorboards that’s just as clean, neat, and meaningful as the exterior. “I’ll be retiring in the next year or so, and it will be time for another build, but rest assured this Camaro will be with me until my grandson turns 16, and that’s not for another 11 years. For now, we take it to shows and cruise nights and just put miles on it. The car runs well, stops good, handles decently, and is a freakin’ blast to drive!”

Mike says that his most memorable experience wasn’t confined to one particular area of the car but rather building the whole thing. It has proved an excellent therapy for stress and might even be rejuvenating.

“I really have not done much work on cars outside of general maintenance for the last 20 years. I was surprised at how much I’d forgotten since I raced my Chevelle in the ’70s. It ran mid-12s, which was pretty decent in those days. Luckily, I have some smart friends. Best part of it all? When I’m in the garage working on it, I feel like I’m 21 again.”