Other than a lot of really bad haircuts, it's hard to imagine that the IROC-Z Camaro inspired much of anything. After all, it's just a gussied up third-gen F-body for cryin' out loud, right? In truth, although the demographic of the owners these cars appealed to-particularly on the second- and third-hand market-forever ruined their reputation, the machines themselves were actually ahead of their time. Even the elitist, import-humping mainstream car rags of the day loved their balance of acceleration, braking, handling, and afford- ability. As someone who had lived through both the glory days of the '60s and the smog-choked doldrums of the late 70s, Rocky Stephens openly admits to digging those old IROC Camaros. He dreamed of a day when he could integrate the modern technology and driveability of a late-model into a muscle car, and 20 years later, the aftermarket enabled turning his fantasy into a reality. Rocky's reward for waiting things out has culminated in a homebuilt, LS1-powered '65 Olds Cutlass that tears up the dragstrip and autocross in addition to knocking down 23 mpg. Apparently, inspiration can indeed come from odd places.
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