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GM and Hot Wheels go together a little bit like succotash and steak, so it is no surprise to see them joining up in several ways as we enter into SEMA. First, we caught a glimpse of the beautiful package the two put together that you can actually buy, the 2013 Camaro Hot Wheels Edition, and now we get to see a one-off collaboration between the two. Back when Hot Wheels first came out, one of its first cars was a 1967 “Custom Camaro” and that actually remains one of the most sought after Hot Wheels models to date. In fact, this 1:64 scale model of the Camaro goes for as much as $1,250 in its white enamel paint job. Now Chevy is prepared to pay tribute to the die-cast model by releasing a full-size variant. GM, of course, could not make the life-sized model look identical to the die-cast Hot Wheels car, as the proportions were not accurate and the overall styling would be really silly. So we’ll chock this up as a close rendition that pays tribute to the legendary kid’s toy. Click past the jump to read all about the 1967 Camaro Hot Wheels Concept. Exterior Unlike the Hot Wheels model, this life-sized version of the 1967 Camaro looks pretty much identical to any other 1967 Camaro you would see on the road, sans a few slight changes. The flip-around headlights, center body line, and swooping rear wheel arches are just a few of the things that made this generation Camaro one of the sexiest cars ever built. This fully restored 1967 Camaro comes painted in the same Kinetic Blue color that the 2013 Camaro How Wheels Edition will boast. Its door handles are shaved to eliminate any interruption of the Camaro’s stunning body lines. On the corners, it features custom aluminum rims with red-line accents, measuring in at 18-by-9 inches up front and 18-by-11 inches in the back. An interesting touch to the exterior is the “zoomy” exhaust exits out of the side of the car – under the rear part of the front fender. As expected, Hot Wheels decals are strewn throughout the Camaro’s body. Exterior Additions:
InteriorInside the 1967 Camaro, you get 2012 Camaro bucket seats with shorter headrests. These seats are wrapped up in white leather with blue accent stitching to better match the exterior. Also wrapped in leather is the steering wheel. The door panels, custom dashboard, and rear inner quarter panels are wrapped up in silver vinyl. Sitting in the custom dash are custom gauges to allow you to see what’s doing under the hood. Unfortunately, Chevy hasn’t released any interior images yet, but we do anticipate seeing plenty of them once SEMA kicks off. Interior Additions:
Engine and Drivetrain Speaking of “under the hood,” GM fitted this beast with its LS3 E-Rod crate engine that pumps out 430 ponies and 450 pound-feet of torque. The engine links up to a 4L65-E 4-speed automatic transmission. This setup is so awesome, because it allows buyers the opportunity to install an engine and transmission in a classic rod in as close to plug-and-ply fashion as it can be. It also has a CARB EO number, so it is compliant in California too – no more registering classic rods in other states (not that anyone does that in California…). Engine Specifications:
Suspension and BrakingUnder the body, the 1967 Corvette Hot Wheels Edition features a hydroformed subframe for added rigidity in the frame. The suspension consists of tubular control arms and adjustable coil-over shocks up front, and a four-link rear suspension with adjustable coil-over shocks. Rack-and-pinion steering also graces the undercarriage of this updated Camaro, giving it far more reliable and better-feeling steering. GM installed four-wheel disc brakes on this 1967 Camaro, and tossed four 6-piston calipers over the rotors to drag this classic muscle car to a halt. Suspension and Braking Specifications:
Conclusion We don’t really know which Hot Wheels model we like better, the new or old model. The new one is actually being mass produced, so we guess we could lean that way. However, the 1967 Camaro is, as we said, one of the sexiest cars ever built. And that Kinetic Blue paint job hugs its curves and arches so well that it’s tough to look away. We’ll call it a draw – how’s that? Maybe GM will, at some point, create a conversion kit to add this onto this generation of Camaros. Would you buy it if GM released it?  Oh that Kinetic Blue, we love you!
430-horsepower CARB LS3 engine
Interior sounds nice, on paper at least
Auromatic transmission, blah
No interior pictures
We’ll likely never see any conversion kit offered
Press ReleaseChevrolet Performance 1967 Camaro Hot Wheels® concept Forty-four years after its gleaming Spectraflame paint job, side-exit “zoomy” exhausts and red-line wheels launched playtime fantasies for millions of children of all ages, Chevrolet Performance has paid homage to the original Hot Wheels “Custom Camaro” toy with a full-scale tribute. It also introduces an all-new, emissions-compliant LS3 E-ROD Connect and Cruise crate powertrain system that matches the 430-horsepower LS3 engine with a 4L65-E four-speed automatic transmission. Translating a 1:64-scale toy car into a 1:1 real car is complicated, as the proportions don’t exactly match a full-scale first-generation Camaro, but the designers interpreted the original toy in a way that conveys its spirit in a realistic form. The concept vehicle painted Kinetic Blue, just like the forthcoming Camaro Hot Wheels® Edition production model. “A literal interpretation of the toy car would have been too cartoony – it just wouldn’t look right on a full-size car,” said Chevrolet Design Manager Dave Ross. “The stance and wheels of the concept vehicle are different, as well as some of the proportions the toy has, but the body lines and styling cues are all the same.” Additional vehicle highlights include:
In addition to the new LS3 E-ROD Connect and Cruise crate powertrain system, drivetrain and suspension components include a hydroformed front subframe with tubular control arms and adjustable coil-over shocks, a four-link rear suspension with adjustable coil-overs, rack-and-pinion steering and heavy-duty four-wheel disc brakes featuring six-piston calipers.
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