Indecision, they say, can lead to many things; mediocrity being possibly the worst. When deciding to launch an all-Chevrolet performance muscle car magazine, we bounced around a million different ideas for a project car.

Here at powerTV, we’re in no short supply of GM-built projects, including Swinger, a Pro Touring-style ’71 Nova, an over-the-top ridiculous 1,000-horsepower blown 555cui-powered ’66 Nova with full Detroit Speed suspension, and of course, good ol’ Grandma, our 8-second, fully-committed drag ’78 Malibu. While each of these have merit as project cars in and of themselves, none of them felt like they could be driven – or built, for that matter – by everyday Joes. They were, for lack of a better phrase, dream cars.

Yet, when it came to starting Chevy Hardcore, we knew we needed our first project car to be iconic. A legend. Something that is immediately recognized as a pillar of Chevrolet performance. No oddball cars. No convincing that an ’82 Caprice could be made into a cool car. No. We wanted to start it off right. We needed a ’69 Camaro.

Scouring the usual online auctions and classified haunts, we found a project car-in-a-box ’69. One of nearly a dozen other first generation Camaros, the owner simply ran out of energy and interest to piece the primered and patina’d Camaro back together (the above image is not our Camaro, in case you were wondering).

Thankfully, the car came complete – completely disassembled – but complete. In fact, it came with extras, including an extra grille, center console, door panels, and dash pad. What was missing was all of the running gear. But hey, we’re powerTV, and filling an empty engine bay has never been a problem before.

The problem wasn’t finding a Camaro, but deciding what to do with it. It’s sad to say, but nearly every imaginable thing that can be done with a Camaro has already been done before. We’ve built plenty of fully-committed race cars. 20-something-point cages, tin interiors and Lexan glass is an old hat for us. Street cars are cool, but when a stock Corvette can embarrass us at the street light, it can be pretty humiliating.

In fact, it’s the current ZR1 ‘Vette that’s provided most of our Camaro’s goal. First, this Camaro is going to look like a ’69 Camaro should look, meaning Hugger Orange and white stripes, black-and-white hounds tooth interior and chrome bumpers.

Next, we need to build a motor to make no less than the ZR1’s 640 horsepower on pump gas. Not 103 octane, but actual out-of-the-pump gasoline.

Next, this orange machine needs to handle, brake and idle through Southern California traffic with the air conditioning blowing and radio on. That’s right; if the ZR1 can do it, so should this Camaro.

To keep the weight down, we’re lining up a 500-inch all-aluminum RHS LS-block and heads capped with a FAST LSXr 102mm intake manifold. Behind the plant will be a Tremec 6-speed manual and a solid axle rear.

We’re still considering whose suspension to run as there are so many awesome systems out there to choose from. And of course, we’re going to need some serious stopping power and rolling stock to keep us glued to the autocross course.

Now, the questions of what to do with it come into play. We’ve taken plenty of cars to the drag strip. But how about Willow Springs? How about the Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational? Or the gnarly Spectre 341 Challenge? The options seem limitless. But how about a name? Right now, the name “Orange Crusher” has been bounced around. What do you think? Any suggestions?