LAUNCH: The ’69 Camaro
Speedhunters Problems

It’s a sign of how busy things get around here during the summer months, that I’ve a backlog of cars and places going back three months that I still want to talk about and share with you. There’s a figurative mountain of content to get through, and picking just one to start with is always a challenge. A Speedhunters problem, if ever there was one, but a problem all the same.

Probably the highlight of my trip to Australia back in May and June, was the secret Fitted Friday x Speedhunters meet that probably shouldn’t have happened. But it did. It was an eclectic gathering which properly highlighted the variety and quality of cars in Australia, something our friends at Fitted Friday are constantly showcasing.

2016 Fitted Friday Launch Camaro by Paddy McGrath-31

To give the car its proper title, LAUNCH represented the American muscle side of the Australian car scene at this particular meet. Even when it was amongst a plethora of other muscle cars at Fitted Friday IV, the ’69 Camaro still stood out with its satin finish and less-than-perfect exterior posed with intention. Steve Grima, LAUNCH’s creator and owner, was a little embarrassed by the unrepaired battle scars, but the weather had prevented him from painting it before the event. Honestly, I kind of like a war wound or two; scars tell a car’s story.

2016 Fitted Friday Launch Camaro by Paddy McGrath-5

You’ve likely already assumed it, but yes, LAUNCH is a drag car which also just happens to be street legal too*. Steve insisted that we could have gone for a drive, only for the rain. I was a little thankful for the rain at that point. Just a little.

(*As it turns out, it’s absolutely not street legal at all and I’m an idiot – PMcG)

2016 Fitted Friday Launch Camaro by Paddy McGrath-12

A 540ci big block Chevy with an F2 ProCharger is the heart of LAUNCH, making somewhere north of 1,000hp at the wheels on E85. Mahle pistons, Oliver connecting rods and a Lunati crank are housed within a Dart Big M block. The goal is a 7-second pass.

2016 Fitted Friday Launch Camaro by Paddy McGrath-2

The car does typically run a ‘chute, wheelie bars and a wing when running in anger. It’s a full chassis car too with coilovers front and rear, although only the roof and quarter panels remain original. The rest of the car has been crafted by hand in composite materials.

The interior is very much race car specification, with the required safety devices and as little of everything else as possible. The shifter is connected to an Abruzzi Racing Pro Mod 2-speed Powerglide transmission, itself sending power rearwards through a chromoly 9-inch rear with 40-spline axles, and ultimately to the ground through 33×20-inch drag slicks.

2016 Fitted Friday Launch Camaro by Paddy McGrath-27

Something that initially passed me by was the interior finish. Steve wanted to try something a little bit different here, and he found what he was looking for in a brushed metal style vinyl. I absolutely do pity the person who had the misfortune of wrapping back here, but the work is exceptional. I’d never even considered wrapping a bare interior before seeing this, but it opens a lot of options.

2016 Fitted Friday Launch Camaro by Paddy McGrath-22

LAUNCH isn’t the last car you’ll read about from this particular visit down under. Hell, I’ve barely scratched the surface of what I saw and photographed during those manic few weeks! We’re just getting started…

Paddy McGrath
Instagram: pmcgphotos
Twitter: pmcgphotos
paddy@speedhunters.com

Cutting Room Floor

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1

I need to get a sticker for my Prius that says Fuck Your Camaro.

2
TarmacTerrorist

YES! I've been trying to convince my local wrap specialist that wrapping the inside of a car is a brilliant idea and much cheaper then paint... He seems to think it waaaaay too much bother :(
That's a beautiful Camaro, I don't believe it's Aussie built though as its not on Simmons.... ;)

3

nice

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5

Still want that NSX so bloody badly

6

Smiggins I genuinely laughed out loud reading that!

7

Title picture is corny. Luckily the car is cool.

8

why is this car named?  Ohhhh LAUNCH its so cool and purposeful and tough!

9

Why does it have Firebird rear lights? Is it truly a Camaro or a renosed Firebird? Otherwise, nice to see the street/strip pro-outlaw look is migrating overseas.

10

dadecode if you read all of it you would have read that almost the entire body is custom

11

ElijahHoward dadecode Not really, just some shaved bumpers. All the carbon body parts are made by Anvil Auto, and those tail lights are from Billet Specialties.

12

Very nice machine. But street legal? Bullshit. Registered maybe, but everything about this car is basically illegal in Vic/NSW (if its been engineered it would be a proper dodgy. Please PM workshop of said dodgy engineer so i can get my car done :P )

13

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Leroy P Hell yeah 5 seconds down the road and cops would be on it like white on rice.

16

Hey Leroy, as the owner of LAUNCH mate I never said it was street legal, I mean seriously, legal? Lol. I did offer the ride though. Oh and if you find that dodgy engineer make sure you pass on his number U0001f609

17

They're billet 69 Camaro RS tail lights and yes it's an original 69 Camaro shell with aftermarket fibreglass panels from VFN fibreglass fella's

18

@Steve Yeah, I definitely misunderstood that conversation. Still, I'm glad it was raining.

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22

Funny that a Prius would easily beat it on a twisted road.

23

Smiggins agreed.
so. stupid. It's 2016

24

An angry sticker on a Prius? You'd get a bag of tampons left on your hood in every parking lot. Every Prius drivers I've met are all try-hard types who yell at their mothers, and have never had a proper fistfight.

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26

@SW1 Smiggins It's a joke, relax.

27

Serge914 Yes, and this is faster on a drag strip. What's your point? Amazing how many people get their underwear in a twist over a sticker that's solely meant as a harmless joke.

28

Gee I bet you're fun at parties....
Relax, It's only a sticker that was put on by a mate as a laugh, wash the sand out of your vagina will you.

29

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30

why not "f your Tesla"? musk is against cars as symbols of individualism.

31

Paddy McGrath Serge914 Thats why I said that it was funny, mentally seeing this car racing a Prius .

32

f_ck_pat There are already a few Tesla tuning shops ...

33

Sick car.  The F-prius sticker is kind of very low hanging fruit, and at this point enthusiasts need to be thanking all the people who drive boring cars, as they are lowering the air pollution to a point where we can 'afford' to have these gross polluters as hobby cars :)

34

Funny thing is the battle scares Paddy mentioned in the article are actually from taking it around the racetrack, so are there any Prius's that want to have a crack at a few laps? Could do a top gear episode? Haha

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@Steve WOW! Quality Speedhunters material right here. You done good Paddy, way to find 'em!

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42

@Steve  I have a dodgy engineer but even this car is too far gone lol No harm in offereing. Ive seen the Queen St BMW drag car and MINCER Capri driven on the street. You could go kilometers... You may also last 1 meter.

43

Just a joke, harmless, wash the sand out of your vagina, never been in a proper fight... wow, what is this... DOUCHEHUNTERS? Same things people say to justify racism & chauvinism. Pretty annoying to see this here on SH. Looks like muscle car guys are d-bags in Australia too.

44

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46

I really don't get it. 

as Mike Garrett says, "Hey Car People, Let's Be More Positive"
http://www.speedhunters.com/2016/07/hey-car-people-lets-positive/


And yet Paddy McGrath chooses a lead photo to indicate otherwise.

But hey, it's just a "harmless joke"

and in the end we should all wash the sand out of our vaginas

SH Click Bait GOD-level status: achieved

worked on me! 
:)

47

earmenau Wow, that's a bit of a reach. From a casual joke about a car to racism?

48

@SW1 Paddy McGrath I'm not really sure what you're trying to achieve? Are you really that offended by a sticker on a car?

49

SeanStott Yes! LOVE this comment.

50

Paddy McGrath My 10pence: 
it's like any close-to-the-bone humour: if it really is just a joke made by a person who's heart is generally in the right place, that's totally cool … 

… but … 

I think the point that the sandy-vagina'd people are trying to make here is, without context, no-one can tell if it's that kind of joke, or (like a "harmless" racist joke) the kind that is used to hide a heart that's not at all in the right place.

… That's just the risk you run when you make a close-to-the-bone joke. So, if you wanna make that kind of joke, fine, but be ready for the consequences. And if you moan about the consequences, your foeskin/bellend gap is just as sandy the the vagina of the original moaners.


Nice car tho.

51

Paddy McGrath Paddy, you feature Prius' on SpeedHunters, no? Prius owners are a group of enthusiast's that love their cars and modify them just as any other enthusiasts. You want all of us to respect each other's rides. Yet you choose to feature a car with a sticker that says otherwise, even highlighting it by making it the leading photo!

I get that "it's a joke", especially between bros in private conversations. I'm sure the owner is a great person and is poking fun at the Prius. But is it really fit for "positive vibes" in the (online) community? 

Will your next feature car sport a sticker that says F*ck your GTI?  

Just asking for a little transparency and fairness, that is all.

52
TarmacTerrorist

Because: Australian. My dad gets this shit all the time.

53

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56

@SW1 I don't for a second believe this is what's got your back up. Instead, you got called out on your faux outrage and have had to go all in to defend your position.

If you're honestly and genuinely offended by a photo of a sticker on a car on the other side of planet, then the internet probably isn't the place for you. There are far more important things in life to be worried about and to put your energy into.

57

tenpennyjimmy Paddy McGrath Good point, well made, but is it really 'close to the bone'?

58

Paddy McGrath "Faux outrage"?
Alrighty then I guess! 

Why does it matter what part of the world the sticker is from? Do you support it? How do the all the Prius owners you've featured on this site feel? is it a "casual joke" to them? 
@Mike Garret  would you spotlight a car that featured this sticker, in light of your recent "let's be more positive article"?

59
JuanIgnacioGalardi

Car Fans should love Prius, electric cars, and every high mpg vehicle out there.
The less fuel they use on their boring A to B commutes, the more fuel its left for our fun cars.

60

JuanIgnacioGalardi Ive met a guy who race vintage F-1 race cars as a hobby, his daily driver is a Tesla.

61

@SW1 Paddy McGrath The only Prius owner here so far was able to take it and throw something back, which was probably the funniest response here.

62

Paddy McGrath tenpennyjimmy  To some people, i guess it is.

A sticker on a car is a small deal; anthropogenic climate change is a big deal. So i guess the deal-size of this conversation falls somewhere in between the two.

I'm a car enthusiast - obviously, otherwise I wouldn't read this great website religiously. I'm sure there is a way to be a car enthusiast without being a dick. I'm also sure that you Mr McGrath are not a dick - 'cos I read your stuff, and thank you for it. The same goes for your colleagues at SH. 

So no, I don't think that sticking that sticker on this awesome Camaro, or publishing a photo of it, makes anyone a dick ... it's just that it rides a line close to a sensitive issue, ie 'close to the bone', so don't' be surprised if you get reactions.

But to be clear, I'm not much concerned about the feelings of Prius owners. Eg, I'll come right out and say Pagani owners are living proof that money can't buy taste. And I'll say it with a ;) just so they know I'm only pulling their (fake-tanned) legs.

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The Prius is the anti car. The sticker is not about the owner of the car, but the car itself.

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