CHAPTER 1
AN AMERICAN ICON
Name three American cars for me. Chanches are that you are going to say the following: ford Mustang, Cheverolet Camaro and the Dodge Charger. All three great cars on their own, but the have one thing in common. They all are muscle cars with big V8 engines. The Camaro was introduced in 1967 to the market. Cheverolet realized pretty quick that their
(very out dated) monza was never going to beat the mustang in sales figures. Very quickly they fitted bigger engines in the camaro to reach a broader adience. This eventually led to the creation of the Z/28. The highest performance level available. Rutger is the owner of this fourth gen Camaro Z/28. Also known as the ''catfish''. To quote rutger about the Z/28. ''Like the say about engines there is no replacement for displacement. The moment you start the 5.7 liter LS1 the violence of the cilinders is an instant reminder that this car has some potential for fun.''
''Like the say about engines there is no replacement for displacement. The moment you start the 5.7 liter LS1 the violence of the cilinders is an instant reminder that this car has some potential for fun.''
CHAPTER 2
THE OUTCAST
The ''catfish'' isn't the first choice among muscle car enthusiasts. And quite frankly, I can kind of see why. Let's be honest it does not have the same charm as the 1969 Camaro. But I don't want to start this story with a negative undertone. In my personal opinion, it's like staring fully focused at a painting. The longer you look at it, the more details you are going to see. And the more you start to appreciate it. The same goes for this car. Spending a day with Rutger and talking about his car makes you see something and understand why he bought it. To start with the engine. The 5.7 liter LS 1 engine is a beautiful engine on its own. The sound of an American V8 never seems to disappoint. The power output of this engine is a healthy 305 horsepower. Second, the car looks cool. It is a typical product of the '90s. Truth be told, the '90s weren't the best period for car design in general. But this looks just fantastic. It has that retro feeling to it that I quite like. Third, the cult status of the Z/28. The name, on its own, stands for something: performance. And just starting the car gives away that this thing can go fast. It is definitely worth the cult name.
CHAPTER 3
MUSCLE VS. MUSCLE
There is this saying that dogs look like their owners. Well, sometimes a car can reflect the same about its owner. In this case, it sure is. Rutger is training for the strongest man in the Netherlands. You must be pretty strong, especially to win a competition like that. So when Rutger was searching for his next car, he wanted something that perfectly fits his mentality. His first obvious step was to look for an American muscle car, but which car? After long consideration, the choice became a Z/28 Camaro. As stated in Chapter 2, the catfish Camaro is a bit of an outcast among enthusiasts. But for Rutger, this was working to his advantage. He can buy an LS1-powered muscle car for cheap; it still isn't cheap for a used car. But in comparison to 1969 Z/28, it is a bargain.
CHAPTER 4
DETAILS ARE EVERYTHING
Of course, Rutger couldn't leave the car stock. He wanted it to suit his mentality as best as possible. A muscle is there to be seen. So he fit the car with evo racing wheels. To quote him about the rims. ''The idea was to bring old and new styles together in a way that just works''. Furthermore the car is equipped with an SLP air filter lid for better flow to the engine. And a muscle car is nothing without a symphony of a revving V8. So to make the sound more noticeable, he installed a valve-driven cut-out section in the exhaust. And believe me when I say it does its job just so well. On the exterior of the car, he made some minor mods to make it more of his own. A small carbon spoiler on the back. Of course the Chevrolet racing strips on the right fender. He made the car his own, and I can certainly appreciate it. Watch the video below to see this American icon let his violent V8 loose on the road.
