The use of carbon fiber is a proven method for saving weight in cars, but what if you built a car’s entire body out of the lightweight stuff? In the case of Finale Speed’s carbon-fiber 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, the curb weight is reduced to about 2,750 pounds, down some 750 pounds from stock.
Yukon, Oklahoma-based Finale Speed first presented the car, dubbed Viral, in January at a Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. Recently, it appeared on the “Jay Leno’s Garage” YouTube series. Finale Speed’s Chris Jacobs, a host of the former show “Overhaulin’,” was there to present the car.
The car features 32 carbon-fiber pieces, which are available for sale individually for buyers on a budget. The parts were developed so carefully the external measurements perfectly match the original Camaro body. Because of this attention to detail, room for wider wheels at the rear was made by tubbing the rear end instead of simply widening the rear fenders and messing with the original proportions.
Finale Speed sources the carbon-fiber pieces from Brothers Composites of Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, and also offers options for pretty much any Dodge. The company’s 1970 Dodge Charger body is among the most popular options. For the complete body, you’re looking at $199,000 alone.
The Camaro as a complete turnkey car will set you back $429,000, though in this case you also receive a LT4 supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 crate engine from General Motors, along with a Wegner pulley system, headers from Ultimate Headers, and additional exhaust components from MagnaFlow. The setup delivers a peak 650 hp.
The engine sends its power through a Tremec T-56 6-speed manual, as well as a 9-inch rear with a Positraction LSD and 31-spline Dutchman axles. Other components include front and rear sub-frames from Speedtech, coil-over suspension from JRi, Wilwood brakes, and 18-inch wheels.
After a spin on some of the roads surrounding the garage in Burbank, California, Leno is immediately impressed with the car’s lightness. He’s also impressed with the relatively quiet sound the car makes (except when he gets on the throttle), relieving him of the need to shout the whole time.
