By Nick Licata – Images by NotStock Photography
Ahh, the 1969 Camaro. It’s a car that features a sleek design and bold body lines that make it timeless well over 50 years after it first rolled off the assembly line. The car looks fast even while sitting still. That’s quite an achievement five decades later. There is no other vintage vehicle quite like it. The 1969 Camaro remains unsusceptible to trends and has the personality that makes it conducive to just about every build style—Pro Touring, Pro Street, Day Two, drag racers, street machine, lowrider, and even going gasser style should one want to go that route. We’ve even seen a ’69 Camaro built as an off-road vehicle with four-wheel drive and big, gnarly trail-ready tires.
Charlie Beis’ love for the first-gen Camaro started back in 1998 when he was just 16 years old. The Eureka, Missouri, resident has been spinning wrenches on cars since he was just 15, as he started out helping his dad work on and restore his own car. The first-gen Camaro was his first ride and has been his favorite muscle car ever since.
About three years ago he purchased the 1969 Camaro you see here. Charlie claims it was in decent shape, only it was maroon and came with an old big-block. “At first it was going to be a simple build,” Charlie states. “I was just planning to do an LS swap and paint the car black. But then everything changed when I decided to go the Pro Touring route and add a turbocharger.”
Once Charlie decided to go with a full restoration and Pro Touring treatment, he took the car to Griffin Automotive Design in Bonne Terre, Missouri, and explained the direction he wanted to take the Camaro. The Griffin crew works out of a state-of-the-art facility where every aspect of the build process takes place under one roof. That and their reputation for high-quality, award-winning builds is what lured Charlie in.
From the start, this wasn’t going to be some cookie-cutter resto. This Camaro got the full-tilt Pro Touring treatment, with modern performance parts meshed into classic American steel. The heartbeat of the beast is a Chevrolet Performance LS3 displacing 376 ci with a 10.7:1 compression ratio—healthy but still boost-friendly. It’s got a stout rotating assembly with a nodular iron crankshaft, powdered-metal rods, and hypereutectic pistons. It runs an L92-style aluminum heads with 68cc chambers and a mild-mannered cam pushing 0.551/0.522 lift—perfect for the big gulp of forced induction that’s strapped to the front.
That gulp? Courtesy of a 76mm Turbonetics turbocharger that takes the already-snappy LS3 and turns it into a 600hp street menace. The custom headers, 3-inch exhaust, and MagnaFlow mufflers make sure the soundtrack is equal parts throaty and sinister. Engine management comes via Holley’s Terminator X, a system that’s become the go-to for LS-powered builds.
Feeding that kind of power to the pavement means everything downstream must be bulletproof. Charlie opted for a 4L65E automatic built by Transmissions To Go mated to a Yank converter. Out back sits a Detroit Speed 9-inch with Truetrac posi and 3.55 gears—a combo that lets the Camaro cruise comfortably yet light up the rear tires with ease.
But what really sets this car apart is how it handles. It’s been completely reworked underneath with a Detroit Speed Hydroformed front subframe, complete with tubular control arms, custom spindles, rack-and-pinion steering, and JRi coilovers. Out back it’s the same story. DSE’s QUADRALink rear suspension keeps the axle planted, especially when Charlie decides to have a little fun bolting out of corners or mashing the pedal in straight-line situations.
Speaking of corners, the Camaro stops with the same authority it accelerates. Massive 14-inch Wilwood rotors with six-piston calipers live at all four corners. The hydroboost system gives an effortless pedal feel and plenty of bite.
The Forgeline GT3C wheels (18×10 front, 18×12 rear) wrapped in Toyo Proxes R888s give the car its aggressive stance and real grip on the street and track alike. And, let’s be honest, there are few sights better than a low-slung ’69 Camaro squatting on meaty 335s out back.
Inside, the vibe shifts from raw aggression to refined comfort combined with a sporty edge. The custom interior, handled by Griffin Automotive, is wrapped in Relicate brown leather that combines sports car performer with a luxury vibe. Fifth-gen Camaro seats keep things comfortable and planted, while the fiberglass-and-aluminum door panels and custom dash and console give the whole thing a purpose-built feel.
Instrumentation comes from Auto Meter’s Invision setup, while Dakota Digital handles auxiliary controls. A Flaming River column and Billet Specialties steering wheel keep Charlie in command, and Vintage Air HVAC ensures year-round comfort no matter how heated things get. As for the audio system, Charlie didn’t skimp there either—a full Audio Dynamics setup with amps, components, and a trunk-mounted sub ensures the cabin is filled with whatever tunes match his mood that day.
Visually, this car is both subtle and brutal. Axalta black paint by Griffin Automotive gives it a deep, sinister look, while carbon-fiber bumpers from Anvil Auto at both ends shave weight and sharpen the lines. The Detroit Speed mini-tubs in the rear make room for the fat rubber, and Holley headlights plus DIGI-TAILS taillights modernize the lighting without clashing with the car’s original form.
Even the details got attention. Cosmichrome plating from Griffin adds a trick finish to various trim elements, while Eddie Motorsports hood hinges and door handles clean up the small stuff that separates good builds from great ones.
In the end, Charlie’s Camaro hits the sweet spot between brawler and beauty. It’s got enough power to back up its attitude and the kind of engineering that makes it more than just a straight-line bruiser. “Taking the car to the next level was a fun process,” Charlie confesses. “I took input from my wife and kids, so coming up with the build style was a family effort. The crew at Griffin took our ideas and ran with it. It was a three-year gestation that was worth every bit the wait. I now have my dream car with just the right amount of style and over-the-top performance.
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
ACP
TECH CHECK
Owner: Charlie Beis, Eureka, Missouri
Vehicle: 1969 Chevy Camaro
Engine
Type: LS3
Displacement: 376 ci
Compression Ratio: 10.7:1
Bore: 4.065 inches
Stroke: 3.622 inches
Builder: Chevrolet Performance
Rotating Assembly: Nodular iron crankshaft, powdered connecting rods, Hypereutectic aluminum pistons
Camshaft: Hydraulic roller 0.551/522 lift, 204/200 degrees duration at 0.050
Cylinder Heads: Aluminum L92-style port, as-cast with 68cc chambers
Induction: Shaun’s Custom Alloy billet intake
Power Adder: Turbonetics 76mm turbo
Fuel Injection: Holley Terminator X
Exhaust: Custom headers, custom 3-inch exhaust, MagnaFlow mufflers
Valve Covers: Shaun’s Custom Alloy
Accessory Drive System: Vintage Air
Hood Hinges: Eddie Motorsports
Output: 600 hp
Drivetrain
Transmission: 4L65E by Transmissions To Go (Arnold, MO)
Torque Converter: Yank
Rear Axle: DSE 9-inch, Truetrac posi, 3.55 gears
Chassis
Front Suspension: Detroit Speed Hydroformed subframe, spindles, tubular control arms, and rack-and-pinion steering; JRi double-adjustable coilover shocks
Rear Suspension: Detroit Speed QUADRALink suspension system, JRi double-adjustable coilover shocks
Brakes: Wilwood 14-inch rotors and six-piston calipers front and rear, Wilwood master cylinder, Wilwood proportioning valve, hydroboost brake assist
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: Forgeline GT3C 18×10 front, 18×12 rear
Tires: Toyo Proxes R888 275/35R18 front, 335/30R18 rear
Interior
Upholstery: Brown Relicate leather
Installation: Griffin Automotive Design (Bonne Terre, MO)
Door Panels: Custom fiberglass and aluminum
Seats: Fifth-gen Camaro
Steering: Flaming River column, Billet Specialties steering wheel
Dash: Custom
Console: Custom
Instrumentation: Auto Meter Invision
HVAC: Vintage Air
Control Panel: Dakota Digital
Entertainment System: Alpine head unit, Audio Dynamics amplifiers, Audio Dynamics, speakers, trunk-mounted Audio Dynamics subwoofer
Installation: Griffin Automotive
Exterior
Bodywork & Paint: Griffin Automotive
Paint: Axalta black
Front Bumper: Anvil Auto carbon-fiber modified
Rear Bumper: Anvil Auto carbon fiber
Door Handles: Eddie Motorsports
Headlights: Holley
Taillights: DIGI-TAILS
Plating: Griffin Automotive Design Cosmichrome
Body Mods: Detroit Speed mini-tubs, custom carbon-fiber lower valance and chin spoiler
