Ed Capen’s Nomaro, an artful combination of ’69 Camaro and ’72 Nova, was a featured vehicle at this year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas. All photos from 69nomaro’s photobucket library

In a throwback to great innovation in car building, Ed Capen put together an amazing creation that was designed originally from the mind of Brian Stupski of Problem Child Kustoms. Picture this if you will, a ruggedly masculine ’69 Camaro and a petite ’72 Nova meet at a Grand Funk Railroad concert at the Tucson Community Center Arena on December 2, 1972. Sparks flew and 42-years later the offspring of that magical evening appears at the SEMA tradeshow in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This build actually started out as a 1972 Pontiac Ventura II.

We found details on this build through Classic Industries‘ new blog. If there is anyone that knows restorations and restomods, it’s the crew at Classic Industries.

Working with Drew Brothers Customs, Capen combined a 1972 X-body car with the front clip from a 1969 Camaro for an interesting mix of muscle. The team stripped down the donor X-body, which was actually a yellow ’72 Pontiac Ventura II,  and began added pieces of the Camaro, fabricating where the massaging needed to be done.

The ’69 door skins were grafted onto the Nova’s doors, which eliminated the wing window. At the same time the team replaced the wheel well with a Detroit Speed mini tub kit and a partial ’69 Camaro quarter panel. The Camaro F-body began to blend in with the original X-body. So much so that the car looked as if it was designed that way at the factory. Not surprisingly, that was Capen’s goal: to create a 70s era GM concept car.

The focus, according to Capen, was “blending the Camaro doors and quarters to make it all flow kind of like GM engineers would have done in the early 70s.” With the doors and quarter panels in place, and all of the sheet metal massaged the right way, the Drew Brother’s Customs crew painted the new creation with PPG blue topped with a white pearl Yenko stripe with “Nomaro” written on it. The rear bumpers were sectioned to tuck into the body better and Camaro tail lights were used in the rear.

The hound’s tooth bucket seats fit perfectly in the cockpit, surrounded by Classic Instruments, glass from Tri-Valley Auto Glass, environmental control by Vintage Air, and a host of parts from Classic Industries. The interior also blends together the two musclecar theme with Camaro seats, console, shifter, and houndstooth upholstery from the ’69 F-body period.

Total Cost Involved suspension system with Ridetech coil-overs and a Moser 9-inch rearend makes this car a threat on the AutoCross track. The car is outfitted with Budnik ICE wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich rubber.

When it came to the mechanical, the Nomaro features a newer LT1 engine with FAST electronic fuel injection, March Performance front drive and Ron Davis Radiator. A Hughes Performance TH350 automatic transmission hangs behind the Chevy mill, directing power to the Moser rearend. The exhaust is fitted with Flowmaster mufflers for that retro sound.

Far from being a Frankenstein monster, the amalgamation of two musclecars from the same company is a pleasant blending of the best of both worlds. It’s hardcore muscle up front with an all business backend. There’s a lot to like in Capen’s creation. It almost makes you want to turn back time.