Roadster Shop Does It Again

Roadster Shop is an outfit that really should need no introduction. Any build that rolls out of their doors is guaranteed to be nothing short of outstanding, and at the 2014 SEMA Show the team unveiled Rampage, a car that to this day remains one of the most insane second-generation Camaros ever built.

It’s a purebred, purpose-built monster. If it had one flaw though, that would that it’s only at home on the race track.

After Rampage debuted it was only a matter of time before someone came asking, ‘Hey, can you do what you did with that, but with a full interior, and air conditioning?’ The result of that ask is Road Rage, a slightly more civilized member of the Roadster Shop’s Camaro family.

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Road Rage is a car that stops people quite literally in their tracks. I know this because I discovered it only after slamming into the back of another SEMA-goer transfixed by the car’s presence.

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Brief apologies later, we both agreed that the car is truly a sight to behold.

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Much of the car’s presence can be attributed to the Rampage-influenced aesthetic. Don’t just call them just flares – this a complete visual package that includes a lower front valance, side skirts, and rear diffuser. The one-off kit was brought to life by Roadster Shop’s 3D artist Chris Gray.

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Additional, more subtle body modifications include the flush-mounted windshield and aluminum rear window louvers.

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Housed within the BASF ‘Rage Blue’-painted flares are massive center-lock Forgeline wheels that sit over equally large Baer brakes.

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Without a proper power plant, following in Rampage‘s footsteps would have been impossible, so like its angrier sibling, Road Rage features a Texas Speed 454ci LSX V8. Dust settled and dyno rollers stopped, this is a 750 horsepower car.

The similarities between Road Rage and Rampage continue into the car’s underpinnings and onto the chassis. Roadster Shop’s Fast Track IFS adjusts the suspension geometry to allow for proper articulation of much wider wheels than the second generation Camaro was ever equipped with from the factory. With the coilovers flanking the motor the way they do, the push rod-based billet suspension also looks pretty trick.

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Out back, the IRS utilizes a cantilever design. This makes the rear seats unusable, of course, but I feel that’s a fair compromise.

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Custom components continue under the hood with an intake designed for visual symmetry and optimized for air flow. Under the Chris G.-designed intake is a pair of dual Kinsler individual throttle bodies.

Black, gold, and raw – I don’t think I’d be overstepping in saying it’s one of the best-looking engine bays at SEMA this year.

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Exterior, chassis, and motor sorted, the last thing left for Roadster Shop to square away was the interior. A stock interior was obviously never considered and a simple re-trim wouldn’t do either. Roadster Shop utilized the upholstery talents of Avante Garde to bring their interior vision to life. A shocking amount of CNC was used in its construction, and much of it is held together with magnets rather than plastic clips. I’m sure you’ve already spotted the wrapped cage that, aside from the door bars, is largely hidden.

With all the work that’s gone into the Camaro, I had to ask what the owner intends to do with it when complete. After it does a bit of a show tour I’m told Road Rage will have the wheels properly driven off it. Because you can only stare at something like this for so long.

Dave Thomas
Instagram: stanceiseverythingcom

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1

I have been anticipating pictures of this finished product for most of a year. They did a stellar job. I was hoping to see a little more "street car DNA", though.

2
Matthew Adam Berman

That attention to detail is mind blowing wow!

3

Totally agree...... mind blowing

4

Totally agree...... mind blowing

5

I can't belive I'm saying this, but I feel it's kinda too wide. Would take it over the Ferrari 328

6

that interior....holy moly.

7
Daniel P Huneault

a second gen camaro I would love to have in my garage - WOW!

8
Phlegm The Eskimo

Gawd I'll be happy when the monstrous fender flare trend has run its course.

9

I feel you man, I feel you..

10

Zora Duntov added flares to the '63 Grand Sport and Gulstrand's '66 race car had them too. The L88 Stingrays in the late 60's and early 70's all had them too!

I think the only way you can F-up a car's aesthetics with flares is if it clashes with the original lines.

Besides, for those guys at the RS, they're also showcasing their custom chassis and suspension fabrication capabilities, which requires widening the body. The only way to do that without flaring it would be to cut the car in half down the center and widen the whole entire car. What would look weird ...er??

11

There's a Corvette known as 'split ray' that actually was split right down the center, had about 3 inches added then rejoined. Actually looks really good but this is much, much wider than 3 inches.

Anyway ya flares are here for sometime yet.

12

I checked it out. Looks killer! The extra taillight is kind of goofy and interior is the worst thing I've ever seen. I love the factory looking wheels.

Thanks

Author13

No worries man, it's a super ambitious undertaking to do. Maybe next time I see it I'll spotlight it for scientific purposes.

14

You will be waiting awhile, we have been adding big flares to cars since the 80s.

15

It's ironic that the second gen camaro styling has become one of the freshest looks at SEMA. It's actual age doesn't even cross my mind. Great work!!

16

This thing is incredible!

17
Matthew M. Applin III

If i won the lottery, buying this car would be the first dollar I spent. Holy shit man.

18

Since I was a big fan of the track-only variant, I'm really happy to see that these guys were able to put together a road-going variant, too. It seems like a lot of the rod shops have a "shape-it-as-you-go" mentality, which basically prevents it from being duplicated.

The names, though, are a little much. "Road Rage, Ballistic Defiant Inferno Wraith Burner Demon!" It's sort of like the shop's way of saying, "This car may be stylish, but remember that we're badass metal fans with mullets."

19

Well, there's only one way to name this things, and it's the right one, remember, everyone building an old american car has some hillbilly inside.

20

I like this car a lot!

Now I gotta get one thing off my chest though. It applies to this build and also some others e.g. Ringbrother's Recoil. "Mind Blowing" attention to detail and such a crazy amount of creativity, skill, time invested BUT - You simply wont be able to see the instruments because there's a steering wheel rim between them and your eyeballs! Just mock stuff up before it gets designed on a computer, CNC'd, anodised and then wrapped in a hand trimmed leather housing.

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