Nestled in the heart of American muscle car culture, a special 1970 Camaro with a storied past sat quietly, gathering dust and memories in a suburban garage. This once-vibrant icon of Chicago’s bustling street scene lay dormant for more than ten years. The car’s story might have ended there, silent and unsung, if not for the passion and determination of Rick Mastro, who saw beyond the layers of neglect. This is not the tale of just a car, but a resurrection—a journey that transcends automotive restoration and touches the heart of classic American street racing heritage.

Split-bumper, big-block, and yellow traction bars—it doesn’t get more classic than this.

For over 12 years, Rick watched his dream Camaro sit in a garage and collect dust. During those years, the then-owner struggled with working on the car due to health issues, financial struggles, and finding the time to turn wrenches. With the Camaro sitting for so long, Rick was led to believe this Camaro wasn’t anything special to the world. Sadly, in 2020, the owner of the Camaro passed away, not getting to see the car move under its own power in the last decade.

After the owner passed, Rick was able to purchase the Camaro. There was hope of it again being roadworthy, hearing that big-block scream, and doing long-distance burnouts. Despite the rotted tires, being partially disassembled, and being filled and covered with junk, Rick fell more in love with the Camaro as it was pulled out of the garage. The car’s history was extracted along with it and he quickly realized it was built in an era of chrome wheels, a velour interior, traction bars, and big-block power.

With the Camaro in his possession, the story starts to take an unexpected turn. Rick started to memorize all the current features of his new Camaro.  The chrome wheel wells, red paint, stainless-steel firewall, and dual carburetors sitting on top of a tunnel ram intake are all prominent features of Rick’s Camaro.

One random night, Rick was reminiscing through his pile of old car magazines. He came across a “Popular Hot Rodding” magazine that featured a 1970 Camaro that shared all of the features he loved about his very own 1970 Camaro. After some more research, it was very clear that his Camaro was the same Camaro seen in the magazine. One of the key giveaways was the fact that the article had pictures of the Camaro at a Duke’s Drive-In, which was just around the corner from Rick. The article also mentioned “Oliver Kirk,” who just happened to be on some of the old registration paperwork that came with Rick’s Camaro.

This is when it clicked for Rick. His Camaro had driven many fulfilling miles, and Rick now had the privilege of being a part of its rich history.

Rick’s goal wasn’t to build a car that was unfamiliar with its roots but to rebuild it. The Camaro hadn’t been registered since 1989, so it had a lot of catching up to do. Rick and his brother wanted to get the Camaro ready for the Street Machine Nationals that took place in June 2021.

Rick made sure to keep big tires on the back.

Using the old magazines as guidance, they started the rebuilding process. They spent many hours going over parts already on the Camaro to see if they could reuse them or if replacements needed to be found. One key feature of this Camaro was its tunnel ram intake manifold. Rick couldn’t find its original tunnel ram, so he quickly tracked down a replacement. They touched up the paint, rebuilt the brakes, and replaced the windshield. With every nut and bolt of the Camaro being checked and tightened and the big-block having new bearings, gaskets, and a rebuilt oil pump, it was time for it to hit the road.

Of course, it has a chromed-out engine bay and yellow spark plug wires. It is an ’80s-themed car after all.

Everything was finished on the Camaro at 3 a.m. of the morning they were due to leave for the Street Machine Nationals. Rick’s build was well received at the event. Everyone made sure he knew to not alter the Camaro from its roots and keep it as an ’80s-style street machine.

From its initial glory days to its years of silent dormancy, and finally its resurrection by Rick Mastro, the car’s narrative is a powerful reminder of the timeless connection between man and machine. As the Camaro rides into the future, the open road awaits, and the heart of this 1970 Camaro beats on, timeless and indomitable.

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We love to see other enthusiast’s rides, no matter where they are in the build process, finished, or if you’re simply enjoying them in their current state. The best part is that all we need are a few photos and some information about you and your Chevy. That said, the more information and images you submit, the more we can show (and talk about) your car to the rest of our readers.

We’re looking forward to seeing what you are doing to keep the Chevy Hardcore lifestyle alive. If you want to see more cars built and owned by our readers, send us a few pictures of your car showing the engine, interior, and exterior, along with all the pertinent information, so we can include it in our Reader’s Ride section. You can send your submissions to [email protected].