The Art of Understatement.
In a world where muscle cars often scream for attention with flashy exteriors and deafening exhaust notes, Chappel Sims decided to march to the beat of a different drum. His 1968 Chevy Camaro, a masterpiece of understatement and elegance, showcases that less can indeed be more—even when there's a supercharged LSA engine under the hood.
Learn where Bonnie and Clyde’s death car is today here.
AutotopiaLA gave car enthusiasts a sumptuous, 20-minute video tour of Sims' labor of love, a vehicle he's owned for three years. When Sims first acquired the Camaro, it was in the midst of a frame-off restoration and pro touring-style metamorphosis. Fast-forward to today, and the car is a head-turner in the most refined sense, thanks to Roman Performance and Fabrication in Illinois.
The exterior of Sims' Camaro is dressed in Cortez Silver paint with hints of Lime Green Pearl—a tribute to his adoration for the Seahawks. It's not just the color scheme that's impressive; the car stands on Billet Specialties wheels, specifically 18x9 inches in the front and 19x11 inches in the rear, fitted with 245 front and 305 rear tires.
As you step into the car, the cabin welcomes you with an ambiance of plush comfort, accented by blue TMI upholstery and Vintage Air A/C for those hot summer cruises. The interior also features Dakota Digital readouts, subtle puddle lighting in the doors, and a duo of 12-inch subwoofers discretely installed in the trunk.
Beneath the subtle elegance of the exterior lies a roaring beast—a supercharged 6.2L V8 LSA engine, the same power unit that you'll find in the fifth-gen Chevy Camaro ZL1 and the second-gen Cadillac CTS-V. Sims initially had an LT1 V8, but he decided to supersize his performance ambitions with the LSA. The engine bay aesthetics are so tastefully executed that they mirror the exterior. As for the soundtrack of this artwork? Spent gases flow through 3-inch pipes and MagnaFlow mufflers, ensuring that the car purrs rather than roars.
When it comes to tackling the road, the car is no slouch either. The Camaro's nimble handling is made possible with Global West components in the front and a Detroit Speed four-link setup in the rear. Wilwood disc brakes with six-piston calipers in the front and four-piston calipers in the back ensure that the car stops as well as it goes.
