With a 420hp rating at the crank, the hefty Borg-Warner six-speed transmission allows the F-body to reap the benefits of running 3.90 cogs in a Moser 9-inch rear end: smooth cruising on long-term highway drives that also work great on an autocross. Did we mention Rick likes to autocross this car?
Rick enlisted the co-op of Hedman Hedders and Flowmaster mufflers to make quick exit of spent fuel. “I like an aggressive-sounding ride, but not so obnoxious to overpower my Kenwood sound system,” informs Rick. “Even though this car gets driven on a regular basis, I don’t run big subwoofers; just a simple Kicker ZX Amp with a pair of their KS four-inch speakers in the doors and a K65.2 component set in the package tray. They sound great!”
We get it Rick, excess weight, like a cumbersome speaker box, equals slower times on the autocross.
The interior theme echoes the pre-meditated visual aspects as the engine compartment: simple, yet tasty. Gabriel and Sons in San Marcos, Texas installed the Classic Industries GM-style door panels and upholstery while Year One was chosen to supply the carpet kit. It’s tried and true and it works.
A one-off custom set of Classic Instruments gauges supply a performance garnish in the custom instrument panel and are a nice compliment to the Hurst Competition Plus shifter and midnight black Corbeau GT seats upholstered in stock Camaro style. Once again Rick wisely went with a less-is-more approach to captains’ quarters.
It’s always a plus to have friends around to help with a build like this and I wouldn’t have been able to get the engine compartment and interior looking this good without the help of George Packard,” informs Rick. Add in the expertise of Tom Group working on the brake system and this classic muscle car possesses similar stopping prowess of a modern-day sports car.
We first saw Rick’s car as he was competing in the Optima Batteries Ultimate Streetcar Invitational at the Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in Pahrump, Nevada, so we witnessed first-hand how he shows this car no mercy.
Even though the car has only been on the road for a little over a year Rick has taken home the hardware for winning the participant class in the autocross at the 2008 Goodguys Lone Star Nationals, but the biggest surprise for Rick was having the car chosen as a Finalist for “Goodguy’s Muscle Machine of the Year.”
With a 420hp rating at the crank, the hefty Borg-Warner six-speed transmission allows the F-body to reap the benefits of running 3.90 cogs in a Moser 9-inch rear end: smooth cruising on long-term highway drives that also work great on an autocross. Did we mention Rick likes to autocross this car?