IN THE GARAGE AT BARRETT-JACKSON: The Builds Teams Takes On A GT500, 1969 Camaro, Craig’s First Car And “Car 1”

July 7, 2022
Posted by Barrett-Jackson

1967 Shelby GT500 preped and ready to be sandblasted.

Barrett-Jackson Builds is a series predicated on the philosophy that the act of restoring a car is a passion project for all involved. Each member of the Builds team shares the passion for restoring and creating incredible machines.

Hard at work, the Barrett-Jackson Builds Team has been forging ahead on some of its groundbreaking projects.

1967 Shelby GT500 in the paint booth.

1967 SHELBY GT500 – GETTING THE RESTO-MOD TREATMENT Initially, the 1967 Shelby GT500 was brought in for repairs but plans quickly changed. The goal with the build is to create a premium Resto-Mod that looks original but can be driven hard. Consequently, it will retain its 1990s aluminum 427 crate engine and receive upgraded modern suspension components.

It’s important to note that the GT500 has lived a life of racing, and the Barrett-Jackson Builds Team has been hard at work repairing and remedying all the things that brings.

Currently, the GT500 is in its final primer stages with plans to be painted a traditional Wimbledon White. The body will be bolted back together to receive Guardsmen Blue LeMans stripes painted on, and then taken apart once again, to have the clear coat applied to each panel individually. This method means the stripes will be “buried” into the overall look, rather than the stripes sitting on top of the paint, as is traditional.

Prior to receiving paint, the Builds Team will test fit the engine and its TFX 6-speed transmission to ensure that no further body work will need to be completed.

Once the bodywork and paint are ready, the team will start fitting the Detroit Speed Aluma-Frame front suspension and a HEIDTS independent rear suspension.

1969 Chevrolet Camaro rendering.

1969 CHEVROLET CAMARO – DYNACORN-BODIED RESTO-MOD MAKING HEADWAY
The Barrett-Jackson Builds Team is also creating an incredible Grand Touring Resto-Mod: a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, which will combine classic muscle with modern performance.

The team started with a fully licensed 1969 Chevrolet Camaro body from Dynacorn, and has just received a carbon fiber rear decklid, rear spoiler, hood, windshield wiper cowl, the header panel that goes between the front fenders, and the front air dam from BlackTech.

As a result, the Camaro will have carbon fiber down in the middle of the car except for its roof.

As bodywork is wrapped up on the Camaro, installing the Connect & Cruise Powertrain Package from GM Performance, Baer brakes and a SpeedTech suspension is up next.

1966 Pontiac LeMans

1966 PONTIAC LEMANS – THE START OF A “FIRST CAR” STORY
Currently, a 1966 Pontiac LeMans – Barrett-Jackson CEO and Chairman Craig Jackson’s first daily driver – is at The Roadster Shop about to begin the first stages of what will become a complete Resto-Mod-inspired rebuild with an LT4.

The car was given to Jackson by his grandmother in the 1970s. In high school, Jackson spent the summers leading up to his junior year modifying and preparing the Pontiac to be driven. On the day Jackson received his driver’s license, he drove the Pontiac to the drive-in movies that night and the car became the first of his many daily drivers.

1934 Cadillac Model 370D V12 Fleetwood

1934 CADILLAC MODEL 370D V12 FLEETWOOD – PROGRESS REPORT ON “CAR 1”
Restoration of Barrett-Jackson matriarch and the “First Lady of Collector Cars” Nellie Jackson’s 1934 Cadillac Model 370D V12 Fleetwood continues its journey to concours.

The Cadillac, intended to enter future Concours d’Elegance events, is being painstakingly restored by hand as finding parts remains a constant challenge.

Currently, the front fenders are being re-created and handcrafted out of sheet metal using many traditional coachbuilding methods and tools like an English wheel, sandbag and mallets.

Once complete, the Cadillac’s misaligned decklid is next on the schedule.

All four of these builds are being chronicled, documented, and shared on Barrett-Jackson’s popular social media channels.

Keep up with Builds’ stories as they unfold by subscribing to the Barrett-Jackson YouTube Channel and follow @barrett_jackson_builds and #BarrettJacksonBuilds on Instagram for all the latest updates and a peek behind the scenes.

Watch all the Barrett-Jackson Builds progress HERE.