Built to Drive - Battle of the 1969 Camaros - SPEC vs Stock

[@whoisthis4130]

I get that you guys are comparing an old stock muscle car to your new chassis, but listening to 2 grown men talk about being scared over taking a turn at 30 mph makes me shake my head. I want to get the spec chassis for my 65 mustang and i know its going to be a crazy improvement campared to stock with 4 drum breaks but it still makes me laugh how dramatic you're being lol.

[@Thumper68]

Original 1st generation cars actually don’t ride or handle that bad really. My 68 RS/SS Camaro is matching numbers car 350 with the Muncie 4 speed 115k original miles. It absolutely doesn’t lean or act like the car you’re driving. I can let go of the wheel and it will go straight down the road and I have no issues using my stereo whatever I know exactly what the car is going to do at all times.

[@garycunningham2032]

What the heck is wrong with that red car? I have a 69 that looks just like that and aside from Caltrac bars , split mono leaf springs and radial tires, it is a stock suspension car with generic gas shocks and it doesn’t go around a corner anything like that. Body roll is very minimal.

[@RoadsterShop]

I think what's wrong is that it is completely bone stock!

[@mrh3085]

Looks like the front shocks are clapped out with no sway bar.

[@crsp76691]

I think they pulled the front sway bar off for effect!!! And those GIANT 80 series donut tires murder any potential handling.

[@bryanr.4947]

Nope, the Camero's I've ridden in were a lot better handling than that red car. Yes, they all squeaked and rattled, but the suspension never looked like it was going to fall out from under the car.

[@mitchellsnider4198]

Did a pan through the comments section and I'm seeing some skepticism. Sales idea for you guys: Toss a 6 axis IMU and a datalogger and shock pots on an old camaro and a spec equipped model. I don't have any experience on how much those units track NVH-frequency vibrations so maybe a decibel meter too. Then toss the graphs on the screen and show off how much less body roll you've got throughout a course, do a skidpad test etc. - I see what you've done and I believe you've really accomplished something here. Show these guys with numbers how good these platforms are, and watch the orders roll in!

[@begin1ngofend5]

Videos like this tend to make me think that the race driver's back then were so much better than the drivers now.

[@LifeofnotBrian]

Very cool build! Had to get some cheese for all that whine, though :P

[@mgcarr61camaro91]

Did u guys disconnect the swaybar links to get that much roll ? Lol

[@RoadsterShop]

Right? Untouched stock car that had been recently restored. They really are that rough handling-wise from the factory.

[@ILYMAD66]

Somethings not right in that suspension . Unrestored doesn’t handle like that. It might be restored but that doesn’t mean somethings not right

[@SaneCayne]

The quality and engineering in these chassis kits is beyond reproach! I've spent hours drooling over the cars in the Gallery section of your site. My only qualm about most RS Shop conversions I see is the wheel offsets - mainly the fronts - but sometimes the rear as well. The wheel center sections are offset outboard so much that the dog dish caps (in this 69 Camaro's case) look goofy. Would it possible to somehow engineer the front suspension (spindles/hubs) to be 2"-3" narrower so as to allow "deep(er) dish" wheels? I guess this really only applies to cars with steelies. Newer/modern wheels can get away with the high-offsets and look decent - on the front anyway.

[@RoadsterShop]

Really depends on the car and wheel setup being used. The suspension is engineered for a specific track width, control arm length etc for optimum performance within a package. Larger vehicles like Chevelle's, C10's etc allow for a deeper front based on the parameters, Camaro's are a little less generous when it comes to available room to the fender. This forces a larger backspace, like you mentioned, not really a concern with most newer style wheels where a cap is not used. As far as aesthetics, really down to personal preference. We think they look great.👍

[@SaneCayne]

@@RoadsterShop So I could expect to be able to run a nice, deep dish wheel (front and rear) if I put this chassis under my big ol' 1968 Biscayne. ; )

[@RoadsterShop]

@@SaneCayne Very likely... we dont make SPEC as a production chassis for the Biscayne, but we have an awesome custom chassis program - give us a call and we can go over options for your Biscayne.

[@sergiotxolmenares2952]

What do you expect those stock tires are not meant for sharp turns

[@SuperAirsoft19]

Do you guys work with any companies that deal with financing? I was about to pull the trigger and order the chassis, but then I got caught up in all the options and realized I needed another 10k

[@bobs152]

Did you replace the 51 year old shocks and springs in the red Camaro? Nice to have a new SPEC-chassis, but be real.

[@RoadsterShop]

The red car was off a nut and bolt restoration. The bottom of the car was literally better than factory. Very real.

[@stephenloughman4135]

Definitely agree -- I had a new SS 396 Camaro in 69. Not at all like what they are saying. I ran that car hard on country roads and didn't have the problems they are talking about. Granted -- setting it up.with modern race suspension Is an improvement but the crap these guys are giving you is bull to sell their product.

[@ralphbain6840]

I daily drive my 68 for 15 years. Don’t remember it being as bad as that 69 looks.

[@mrh3085]

@@RoadsterShopyour product is light years ahead of anything built in the 60’s but my 69 SS 396 never leaned that much when cornering… ever. My Dads 68 Z/28 rs handled even better with the small block 302. Both cars on stock suspensions and wheels.

[@fogtown3027]

“Mustang guy hoppin the curb at cruise night” 💀

[@alexgolovchenko3791]

Had a '69 SS with 350 engine and 4 speed manual. It was mostly stock F41 suspension, good tires, and it handled awful. Just sayin' 😔

[@cooterbrown7681]

I wish you guys would have a giveaway with a chassis for a 69 Camaro or one of the winner's choice

[@flywmedave]

Love my spec chassis on my 68 Bird convertible

[@RoadsterShop]

Great to hear!

[@ej2civicb736]

OK was that a factory 6cly car that someone slapped a big block in and left the 6cly front suspension on because my buddy had multiple 69s one 68 and one 67 none of them had body roll like that and could take a corner way faster and better than that

[@bluesharp59]

Thumbs Up and Happy 4th of July.

[@simon.houseaccount4807]

Great video

[@xXcashXx3]

We will never see body lean like that ever again

[@6eightss]

Can this accommodate 315s at all 4 corners on a 68?

[@RoadsterShop]

Sounds like you might be looking for a full blown performance/track setup like our FAST TRACK chassis for 1st Gen. A 315 is pretty wide to fit in any 1st gen setup without modification to the inner wheel tubs or fenders. Our SPEC chassis is designed for street use primarily, with ease of install and road comfort/performance at the forefront. Give us a call and we can go over options for you setup.

[@6eightss]

@@RoadsterShop thanks!

[@junk496]

Bullshit. My 67 ss big block car is all original and dose not lean like that.

[@royfcjr]

Why does the person in the gray Camaro keep trying to pass? Is he wanting camera time?

[@shovington67]

Well at the very least, you know the cops in 1969 didn't have a better performing car. What year did radial tires come into existence anyway?

[@RoadsterShop]

That's very true. Came out in the late 60's but weren't mainstream until mid-way through the 70's.

[@danetaylor273]

The stock 427 needs the Guldstrand mod horribly or it'll suffer serious camber issues. The bias ply tires aren't helping either. It doesn't take much to make a stock 69 subframe/leaf car handle. That said this comparison is unfair to a degree.

[@RoadsterShop]

Stock vs Modified - it is exactly what we said it was. That being said we had considered trying to compare cars in various states of tune or modification but the options and variables are nearly unlimited and the donor car we had available was a bone stock restoration.

[@sharkcitywarrior5485]

Lmfao!! When I had a muncie in my camaro I was the only person that could drive it because It had a trick to shifting it to 3rd so you wouldn't lock up the linkage like that

[@RoadsterShop]

I'm glad someone else understands the pain - the trick for this one was to completely depress the clutch leaving 2nd. If you feathered the clutch thinking the gear lever would fall into 3rd after starting the shift - it would definitely not and then get stuck in 2nd.

[@Thumper68]

Then something was wrong

[@bernardbrooks2889]

whooo those are too hot dam can even choose

[@CeVillain]

Insane

[@crsp76691]

The had to have removed the front sway bar out of that red camaro. No way its leaning over that much!! Maybe if it still has the tiny stocker half inch bar. I have a 68 firebird with Hotchkis springs and front sway bar on 18's tires. Handles a lot better then stock with giant donut tires. But Yes, rides like crap on bumpy crap roads of california.

[@John1Brady]

Buy a RS chassis... a repop body... yeah, style with modern performance and ride

[@mrphiscal]

You lost me with the autotragic in your build car

[@olavofernandes7286]

You vs your carbon copy 😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆

[@mason5540]

The red car has no sway bars. So, duh

[@mason5540]

Also, you can easily add coilovers to the stock car for a drastic improvement