T-Rex is an appropriate nickname for this Pro-Touring 1969 Camaro. It’s loud, overly aggressive, and stomps on anything that gets in its way. It was hand crafted by G3 Rods of Rapid City, South Dakota, and they built this Camaro to compete for Street Machine of the Year at the Goodguys PPG Nationals.

Though it may not have won, it did place in the top 5. The 1969 Camaro is one of the most iconic musclecars in American history, and it’s damn near impossible to make them look any nicer than the factory did.

G3 did the impossible, and gave this Gen-I one a hell of a face lift. They fabricated a new front bumper and grill, which gives the Camaro a meaner and more modern-looking front end. A new rear bumper with center-exit exhaust was fabricated, while a molded engine surround was fabricated for under the hood. Air ducts in the rear quarter panels send cool air to the brakes while on the autocross track.

The Lightning Rod shifter an interesting choice for an autocross car.

Further adding to it’s vigorous appearance is the military-inspired olive drab and black paint job. The interior was given a few modern touches with updated carpet, contemporary racing seats, a late-model center console, and a transmission shifted by a “Lightning Rod” shifter. These sticks usually aren’t effective in autocross, but they retain some of the 1969 Camaro’s drag racing heritage.

ScottieD describes T-Rex as “Over the top”, and he means that in good way. Not only did T-Rex prove its worth on the car show field, but it performed well in the autocross that was set up in the parking lot. It zipped through the straights and navigated smoothly around the curves. This high-tech take on a classic is a real winner in our book.