Ray Briggs’ Cherry ’69 Camaro Could Be The Perfect Cruiser

Briggs Camaro

In the minds of many fans of the Bow Tie brand, the Chevrolet Camaro is considered pure, all-American muscle. Sure, officially it is known as a pony car, but it still has the ability to throw around a lot of muscle. Let’s face it, the styling of the car is simple and straightforward, and it’s hard to argue that the car was designed for one thing – being quicker than anything else of the day on the road course or the 1/4-mile drag strip. The Camaro is one member of GM’s F-body family, which other than using a Nova

The Camaro is one member of GM’s F-body family, that, other than using a Nova sub-frame, was completely new for the 1967 model year. This basically all-new car was available as both a hardtop and a convertible, and could be had with either an inline six-cylinder engine, a 302, 327 or 350 cubic-inch small-block. The 396 cubic-inch big-block was a great option, too.

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Stance is everything when it comes to the proper look of a musclecar. Ray’s car is spot on.

One thing is certain about the Camaro, there isn’t a Chevy guy reading this that doesn’t hope to one day own a cherry, red ’69 model. Admit it, when one rumbles past you on the boulevard, your thoughts immediately shift, and you can envision yourself driving the car. Ray Briggs of Mulberry, Florida, is one such person. He used to dream about owning one, but not anymore. “When I first saw the car, I knew I had to have it,” he said.

Upgraded items like the LED taillights and halogen headlights not only give the car a modern look, they also increase safety when Ray goes for one of his many drives.

Locating The Perfect Cruiser

Ray says that when he located the car, it was sitting at a classic car dealership in Lakeland, Florida. The body had already been the recipient of a rotisserie restoration, and in Ray’s words, “It was a very nice driver-quality car,” which was perfect for Ray since it is exactly what he was looking for at the time. After hammering out a deal with the owner, he immediately started racking up miles on the odometer. Ray drove the car around town for the next couple of months, and then one day decided it was time to give it some upgrades that reflected his personal touch. There was nothing actually wrong with the car, he just wanted to make a few subtle upgrades.

Ray took full advantage of what the aftermarket has to offer when he started adding those touches. “One of the first things I did was add power steering and change the wheels,” he said. We all know how much of an upgrade the addition of power steering is for a driver car, but when Ray took possession of the Camaro, it also had very popular five-spoke wheels that were mounted on just about every car at the local cruise nights and car shows. Ray wanted his car to stand out from the crowd, so he decided to upgrade and upsize at the same time. To that end, a set of 18 and 20-inch Coys wheels roll on all four corners. Yes, the Coys wheels are still a five spoke design, but they are a real departure from the previous wheel design.

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When I first saw the car I knew I had to have it. – Ray Briggs

More Than Enough Power

Like we said, when Ray ultimately decided this was the right car for him, his plan for the perfect ride didn’t revolve around having a Pro Touring-style car or even a racecar. What he wanted was a car that he could get comfortable in while sitting behind the steering wheel, and enjoy on long cruises. For that reason, a high-horsepower small- or big-block was not a prerequisite, which worked out well, since one of Year One’s, street-friendly 350 cubic-inch Chevy crate engines was already under the hood.

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The seasoned, four-bolt-main block features a cast crankshaft, hypereutectic pistons, powdered metal connecting rods, and develops a 9.7:1 compression ratio. Covering the cylinders is a pair of Dart Vortec cylinder heads with 2.02- and 1.60-inch valves, and topping it off is an Edelbrock Air Gap dual-plane aluminum intake with a Holley vacuum-secondary carburetor.

The engine makes the perfect motivator for Ray’s cruiser Camaro, as it can run on premium pump fuel, and it delivers 400 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque. Ray reiterates, “I did not get the car to go racing, I enjoy cruising so much more. With the 700R4 transmission and 3.08 gears in the rearend, I can drive anywhere I want to, while traveling 65 mph at 1,800 rpm. That makes this combination perfect in my book.”

A Lokar shifter pops up from the console, and a Classic Dash gauge bezel with Auto Meter gauges are one of the first things that caught Ray's eye.

The Details Make The Ride

A car designed for enjoyable cruising needs a quality suspension, so everything under the front end was rebuilt using all-new factory-spec parts. Even the front disc and rear drum brakes are rebuilt factory units.

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The wheels are by Coys, and the brakes are all ’69 General Motors.

The interior was also complete when he bought the car, and according to Ray, “The Classic Dash and Auto Meter gauges are one of the first things that caught my eye.” Although the console was already installed, Ray figured that a good cruiser-style car needs cup holders, so he integrated them to the center console.

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If you are thinking that this looks like a great driver car, you would be correct.

You’re probably wondering how often Ray actually gets his Camaro out and drives it? Let’s answer that by asking ‘How often is the sun shining in Florida’? On any given day, no one in central Florida is surprised to see Ray sitting behind the wheel of his Camaro enjoying the drive around town. If you ask us, Ray’s cruiser Camaro just might have turned out to be the perfect choice.

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About the author

Randy Bolig

Randy Bolig has been working on cars and has been involved in the hobby ever since he bought his first car when he was only 14 years old. His passion for performance got him noticed by many locals, and he began helping them modify their vehicles.
Read My Articles

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