Having the newest car on the road will do all sorts of things for your image, not to mention cause a few traffic jams in the process.
Chase Levin knows what it feels like to be the center of attention. Stopping at intersections these days has become an exercise in affecting cool as curious eyes turn not to see the man behind the wheel but what he’s driving. Soon after Dodge debuted its Challenger, Chevrolet wasted no time in reintroducing the Camaro. The modern interpretation of this classic muscle car has opened to mixed reviews, but there’s no doubt that seeing one on the road will cause you to take a second look.
» Engine: L99 LS3 6.2L V8 automatic
» Horsepower: 442
» Performance: Hennessy cold-air intake, Noweeds exhaust diverter, GM Performance Parts exhaust upgrade
» Wheels: 20-inch polished
» Paint: Inferno orange and black
» Extras: Leather interior, tinted windows, automatic hideaway front license plate bracket, smoked taillights and side lights, and a Decepticons logo on the back.
Levin was among the first to take delivery on his 2010 Chevrolet Camaro in May 2009. He claimed his Camaro breathed excitement into a love for unique cars that had until then been starved by lack of opportunity. Anticipating a narrowing gap as more and more Camaros hit the street, and while aftermarket companies still scurried to prototype upgrades for the new sports car, Levin’s only thought was to stay ahead of the curve by adding customizations immediately.
“I wanted my car to stand out from all the other Camaros. Just like any hobby, having something different and spending a lot of time on something makes it very fun,” he said.
He made the first perfunctory step to have his windows tinted by LATint in Sterling. Next, he opened up the airways by installing a cold-air intake. Though Levin drew little inspiration from the popular “Transformers” movies, where a Camaro plays a prominent role, his transforming vehicle includes a few tricks of its own.
Levin’s front license plate frame works on a unique mechanized bracket. Because he didn’t want the dealership drilling holes in the front fascia, he had a hideaway bracket installed that allows him to display his plate when he’s driving or conceal it when he’s showing at local car shows. After adding a GM Performance exhaust system, Levin had an exhaust diverter system installed that gives him the option to change the exhaust tones depending on whom he wants to impress and how loud he wants the engine to sound. Both of these installations work through integrated key fobs with the press of a button.
Levin’s paintwork was courtesy of Gary Best Kustumz in Waldorf, which includes full inferno orange rally stripes running the length of the vehicle. Despite some initial concerns from Chevy purists that rally stripes on traditional Camaros would never dare cross a hood, Levin stuck to his creative liberty, as uniqueness was a goal from the beginning. Before he ever took the car into the shop, Levin, who knew his way around a computer, developed a computer-aided design in Adobe Photoshop rendering his own vehicle displaying the stripes so he could get a feel for how the finished product may appear. Best also repainted the emblems and engine cover in the orange.
Levin’s paintwork was courtesy of Gary Best Kustumz in Waldorf, which includes full inferno orange rally stripes running the length of the vehicle. Despite some initial concerns from Chevy purists that rally stripes on traditional Camaros would never dare cross a hood, Levin stuck to his creative liberty, as uniqueness was a goal from the beginning. Before he ever took the car into the shop, Levin, who knew his way around a computer, developed a computer-aided design in Adobe Photoshop rendering his own vehicle displaying the stripes so he could get a feel for how the finished product may appear. Best also repainted the emblems and engine cover in the orange.
Levin said he has many modification plans in store for his Camaro, one of which includes adding a supercharger. But until the factory warranty expires, he has no plans on voiding it so soon.
Why do you drive it? I drive my Camaro almost everywhere I go. It’s fun, gorgeous and starts up countless conversations with complete strangers. I try to treat it well by not driving it in rain and detailing it regularly. I plan on leaving it in the garage for most of winter so as not to damage it.
What makes this vehicle so special? This is my first new car. Its paint job is unique. I have a lot of time and money invested in it, so it’s very important to me.
What is your most memorable driving experience with your vehicle? A police officer actually pulled me over once to look at my car. He joked around, such as asking how fast I’ve gotten it to go. After complimenting it, he let me on my way. I’ve also had tons of thumbs-up, pictures taken, and even people causing traffic problems because they decide to get out of their car at a stoplight just to talk about it!
What was the first car you owned? The first car I owned was a used family sport utility vehicle, a Lexus LX.
What music are you currently listening to in your vehicle? I always listen to Rush. I also listen to some Metallica, Aerosmith and whatever else sounds good!
And your first ticket? What was it for? I have yet to get one! I hope that’s because I have a good-looking car.
