By Nick Licata – Images by Wes Allison
“Illicit” is defined as “something forbidden by law, rules, or customs.” It also describes activities or behaviors that are illegal or disapproved on a social level. JR and Celeste Villarreal’s incredible 1969 Camaro carries the moniker Illicit, but it’s a car we approve of on every level.
So how did this incredible Camaro come to be? Well, it started when JR was on the hunt for a first-gen Camaro. He was torn between buying a fully completed car or starting with a solid base to build from scratch. “I heard about a 1969 Camaro for sale in San Diego [California] that was listed in good condition, so decided to drive down to check out. It appeared to be in decent shape,” JR recalls. “The body was shiny, looked straight, and the 350 engine sounded strong. Unfortunately, it was all an illusion. After purchasing it I discovered it had major rust issues and had filler throughout the body. I was shocked that I just dropped $35K on a pile of rust.”
JR learned about Jesus Lopez at Lopez Performance in San Bernardino, California, and was impressed with the quality of cars that had come out of his shop. He decided to take his ailing Camaro to Lopez and his crew to breathe new life into his vintage Camaro. Lopez Performance specializes in more than just restorations—they’re known for building high-end, award-winning hot rods and muscle cars. JR was all in.
Lopez called in Sean Smith to help design a Camaro that would involve unique features to make JR’s Camaro stand out from the plethora of all other 1969 F-bodies on the planet. Not an easy task, but this isn’t Smith’s first rodeo. His designs are known for transforming ordinary muscle cars into one-of-a-kind masterpieces, and in this case, still able to retain the 1969 Camaro’s attractive factory vibe. JR approved of Smith’s artistic approach, allowing Lopez and his crew to completely revamp the car inside and out.
Smith’s design included accenting the Camaro’s original features by incorporating custom carbon-fiber aerodynamic components, including splitters, rocker panels, a hood, and decklid. Before those elements became part of the build, Daniel Aguilar, lead fabricator at Lopez Performance, cut off the damaged panels and incorporated fresh metal to accommodate the numerous custom nuances. Lopez Performance’s Miguel Barajas and Aaron Martinez took over from there and prepped the body to perfection prior to spraying the shell with a custom mix of Glasurit pigment aptly named Solar Flare Bronze.
Ensuring the car carried just the right stance and performance handling, a Speedtech ExtReme subframe rides up front and employes JRi double-adjustable coilover shocks paired with their torque arm rear suspension out back, also dampened by JRi shocks.
Baer six-piston calipers and 14-inch rotors are utilized on all four corners while a Wilwood 15/16-inch master cylinder and Wilwood proportioning valve allow for excellent stopping power brought on by the Scott’s Hotrods pedal assembly. Accenting the brilliant paintjob are set of Brixton Forged VL4 Carbon + wheels with black centers and carbon-fiber outers wrapped in street-gripping Michelin Pilot Sport rubber. It all helps elevate the F-body to the highest level of driveability combined with exceptional performance.
With all the aero upgrades, high-performance brakes, and suspension in place, JR knew a powerful engine was essential. After a brief discussion with Lopez, they decided on a Dart LSX 427ci engine. Prior to installation, Aguilar fabricated custom one-off panels for the engine bay creating a stunning showcase for the potent powerplant.
Thompson Motorsports in Nevada, Texas, handled the machining while Lopez Performance took on the assembly process. They topped it with a Whipple 2.9L supercharger and let the ensemble breathe through a set of Ultimate Headers headers, custom 3-inch exhaust, and JBA mufflers. The system produces an aggressive sound that matches the Camaro’s visual personality.
A Bowler Performance–prepped TREMEC T-56 transmission, paired with a Tilton twin-disc clutch offers smooth gear shifts in a bulletproof package. A Currie 9-inch rearend stuffed with Eaton Truetrac posi, 3.73 gears, and 31-spline axles offer exceptional strength excellent power-to-the-ground performance.
The interior showcases a stunning blend of luxury and racing performance, designed by Sean Smith and brought to life by Lopez Performance and Gabe’s Custom Interiors. Lopez crafted a custom dash with an aluminum insert, complemented by a set of Classic Instruments gauges. Gabe’s followed through with Truffle Brown and black leather upholstery throughout the custom door panels, dash, center console, and floors. A pair of Recaro Sportster seats also received the custom leather treatment from Gabe’s while a Schroth Racing harness is secured to the Detroit Speed rollcage. That stylish steering wheel is a custom creation by Lopez, mounted on an Ididit steering column.
Climate control was left in the hands of Restomod Air while the entertainment system installed by the gang at Art of Sound in Upland, California, offers a high-quality audio experience thanks to the Alpine head unit along with strategically placed JL Audio speakers throughout the cabin and a trunk-mounted sub.
“Growing up my mom talked about how much she loved her old Camaro, and I instantly envisioned a powerful 1969 Camaro. Years later, I realized the Camaro she once owned was a 1979 model, but by that point I was already deep in love with the first-gen Camaros, particularly the 1969,” JR confesses. “With that said, I’m grateful for Lopez Performance coming to the rescue and doing a fantastic job of removing all the rust and giving us a foundation that is far superior to what these cars came of the assembly line with. Bringing in uber-talented car designer Sean Smith was an excellent decision. He was great to work with and helped make choosing a direction for the car extremely easy. His tasteful design elements totally make the Camaro stand out—way beyond my wildest dreams. I can’t thank [Lopez] and his team at Lopez Performance enough for doing such an amazing job of taking a wild vision and turning it into reality.”
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
TECH CHECK
Owner: JR & Celeste Villarreal
Vehicle: 1969 Chevy Camaro
Build: Lopez Performance, San Bernardino, California
Engine
Type: Dart LSX
Displacement: 427 ci
Machinework: Tompson Motorsports (Nevada, TX)
Assembly: Lopez Performance
Induction: Whipple 2.9L supercharger
Exhaust: Ultimate Headers, 3-inch custom exhaust, JBA mufflers
Valve Covers: Chevrolet Performance
Accessory Drive: Wegner Performance
Tuning: Westech Performance
Ancillaries: Taylor wires, Aeromotive fuel system with in-tank TVS brushless pump, Rick’s Tanks fuel tank, Ringbrothers hood hinges, SPAL fans
Output: 750 hp, 700 lb-ft of torque
Drivetrain
Transmission: TREMEC T-56 by Bowler Transmissions
Clutch: Tilton twin-disc
Driveshaft: ProMod carbon fiber by Aeromotive
Rear Axle: Currie 9-inch, 3.73 gears, Truetrac posi, 31-spline axles
Chassis
Front Suspension: Speedtech Performance front subframe, JRi double-adjustable coilover shocks
Rear Suspension: Speedtech Performance torque arm suspension, JRi double-adjustable coilover shocks
Steering: Sweet Manufacturing rack-and-pinion
Brakes: Baer 14-inch rotors, six-piston calipers front and rear
Master Cylinder: Wilwood
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: Brixton Forged VL4 Carbon + 19×10 front, 20×12 rear
Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 295/30R19 front, 345/30R20 rear
Interior
Upholstery: Truffle Brown/black leather
Door Panels: Custom by Gabe’s Custom Interiors (San Bernardino, CA)
Console: Custom by Gabe’s Custom Interiors
Dash: Custom by Lopez Performance and Gabe’s Custom Interiors
Installation: Gabe’s Custom Interiors
Seats: Recaro Sportsters
Harness: Schroth Racing
Rollcage: Detroit Speed, installed by Lopez Performance
Pedals: Scott’s Hotrods with Eddie Motorsports pads
Steering: Ididit column, Custom steering wheel by Lopez Performance
Shifter: Bowler Performance
Instrumentation: Classic Instruments
Wiring: American Autowire installed by Rene Davalos at Lopez Performance
HVAC: Restomod Air
Insulation: Dynamat
Entertainment System: Alpine head unit, JL Audio speakers, JL Audio sub installed by Art of Sound (Upland CA)
Exterior
Metal Fabrication: Daniel Aguilar at Lopez Performance
Bodywork and Paint: Glasurit Custom Solar Flare Bronze by Miguel Barajas and Aaron Martinez
Hood: Custom carbon fiber
Grille: Custom by EVOD Industries
Front Bumper: Custom carbon fiber
Rear Bumper: Custom steel
Headlights: Dapper Lighting
Taillights: Custom
Side Mirrors: Intek Otto
Glass: Custom by Eddie Kotto
