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Trans Am Worldwide is back with a vintage-inspired Camaro rebody, this time paying tribute to the 1970 Chevelle SS.

575 views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  Dave S 
#1 ·
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If you’ve played Grand Theft Auto in the past two decades, you’re well aware that the cars in the game series usually resemble a bunch of real-life vehicles mashed together. Sometimes, life mimics art, and a shop hammers out something that looks totally unreal. That’s what I see when I look at the Trans Am Worldwide 70/SS, a modern-day Camaro dressed up like a 1970 Chevelle SS.



Game developers often want to feature vehicles in their games that evoke the image of a real car, but they don’t want to license the likeness of the real deal. When that happens, they take a car they like and change it enough to avoid legal issues. A famous example is how Rockstar Games takes multiple real-life car models and smashes them together for their license-free digital versions.

Trans Am Worldwide is best known for taking brand-new Chevy Camaros and customizing them to look like modern-day Pontiac Firebirds and GTOs. Now, the shop has released photos of the 70/SS, inspired by the 1970 Chevelle and looking like a Grand Theft Auto rendering made real.
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Photo: Trans Am Worldwide
The Chevrolet Chevelle ran from 1964 to 1977. It was available as a coupe, sedan, or station wagon, but the one that built the legend was the second-generation Chevelle SS. What if you want the look of a 1970 Chevelle paired with modern amenities and ridiculous amounts of power? That’s where the 70/SS comes in.

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Photo: Trans Am Worldwide
As Motor Authority reports, the 70/SS is a project seven years in the making. The proportions seem right from the side profile, but look at it from the front or rear, and you get the feeling it’s a video-game car. It’s certainly a striking tribute, for sure.

A rendering of the 70/SS. Note the factory Camaro windshield and convertible roof.Photo: Trans Am Worldwide
Things get properly bonkers when you pop open the hood. The 70/SS comes in three trim levels. The base model gets the 6.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 found in today’s Camaro SS, making 450 hp — the same power output GM claimed for the 1970 Chevelle SS, though that was gross horsepower, optimistic at best. Step up to the middle-rung 70/SS and you get a 6.5-liter supercharged V8 putting down 900 hp.

The mid-tier, 900-hp powerplant available in the 70/SS.Photo: Trans Am Worldwide
At the tippy-top of the food chain, and limited to just 25 units, is the 70/SS powered by a twin-turbo 7.4-liter big block LS6 claimed to put down 1,500 hp. Whichever variant you choose, you command your tribute car from an interior with some vintage touches and an automatic or manual transmission.
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Photo: Trans Am Worldwide
Prices start at $150,000 and go up from there. If you just want the looks, a real Chevelle SS can be had for far cheaper. But being able to lay down 1,500-hp burnouts from a car that looks like it came out of a video game does sound like some silly fun.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
One of the first cars I bought myself was a 1977 VW Scirocco..my brother had one, I thought it was the coolest car. I was so proud..I drove it off the lot, almost made it home and ..the clutch burned out! I learned a lot that day. I spent tons of time fixing it up and making it cool.
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Then...this happened
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I bought a 78 and swapped my motor in, had a huge cam...then threw a rod through both sides of the block(see above).

I was working at a mechanic shop/car lot. A very old gentleman traded in a 1970 Chevelle Malibu. It looked like hell, with dings in every panel. BUT..he had bought it brand new on April 24th, 1970..that was one day after I was born. Green with green interior. It had a 350/th330, single exhaust that smoked like mad and a one legger w/ 2:56 gears. I was in love! Bought it for $300.
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Thought it had a bad head gasket..turns out it had 1 bent push rod. Changed that and it ran killer, no more smoke. Eventually I installed air shocks to jack up the back(it was early 90s), some old school wheels with big tires, a noisy Pete Jackson gear drive and eventually I painted the hood with some left over teal paint from the boss race car and installed a way too big Moroso hood scoop!
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Eventually I sold the car for over double what I originally paid. I took the money and bought another 70 chevelle rolling chasis that was straight. The plan was to go pro street. I had an Art Morrison 12 point cage and rear frame rails, ladder bars, huge 17" wide tires(no wheels yet)..I had all the measurements and had started to cut sheet metal out in the floor. I was building a 406 small block(400- .30 over). I had bought every new or used part from friends at the drag strip that were left over from projects.

I had about $2300 in that motor. SFI flexplate, H beamed rods, flat top pistons, etc. I was making payments to the machine shop..like $100 at a time when I could afford it.

I had brand new Dart Heads I bought off Craigslist 64cc 202/160. Then I won a gift certificate at the drag race awards. So I had more work done to the heads..3 angle valve grind, etc.

Then...I got screwed! The machine shop basically stole my motor, I had gotten laid off, lost my duplex, had to move in with my sister. After loosing the motor and my garage, I was depressed and pissed off...sold everything cheap. Sold the Rolling chasis for $100! God do I still regret that to this day! It took a long time to recover and years before I was able to buy my 64 C10.
 
#4 ·
Mine was a 77..that was the first year of fuel injection. I knew a guy that had a VW shop and raced. He taught me lots of tricks..like a diesel tranny will bolt up to the gas motor and you have a short shift tranny. And there's a plastic plug under the gas pedal, take it out you get 10% more throttle. I had a redline throttle body spacer and larger weber throttle body.
 
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