The Return of the Baldwin-Motion Camaro

[JJEH]

Found at summitracing.com too!

The Return of the Baldwin-Motion Camaro

What happens when a couple of semi-retired car guys get together for lunch? History gets made-all over again.

In 2004, enthusiasts Larry Jaworske and Joel Ehrenpreis had lunch with Marty Schorr. Schorr was one-half of the Motion Performance tuning shop that turned out the Baldwin-Motion supercars for Baldwin Chevrolet from 1966 to 1974. Schorr developed the marketing, branding, and in-your-face advertising program, and his partner Joel Rosen was the genius behind the Baldwin-Motion cars themselves.

Well known in New York gearhead circles for his tuning prowess, Rosen developed the infamous SS and Phase III Camaros, Novas, Chevelles, Biscaynes, and Corvettes-cars that were a well-balanced combination of horsepower, handling, and styling. In fact, Rosen guaranteed every Baldwin-Motion car would run the quarter-mile times he claimed or the customer would get his money back. Not one Baldwin-Motion owner ever made a warranty claim.

Back at that lunch table, Jaworske, Ehrenpreis, and Schorr decided if was high time to have a Baldwin-Motion comeback. “When I was in high school, I loved the Baldwin-Motion supercars," Larry Jaworske explained. “Joel Rosen was like a hero to me…he was Mr. Motion…and I wanted Baldwin-Motion to come back in a big way. We had to do it right."

Since it wouldn't be much of a comeback without Joel Rosen, the trio asked him to be part of Motion Performance. Instead of doing slavish copies of original Baldwin cars, the team decided to build “new" Baldwin-Motion muscle-producing cars like Rosen and Schorr would have if they had started Motion Performance in 2005 instead of 1966. The first model chosen was a 1969 Camaro, arguably the most popular of the first-generation Baldwin-Motion cars. The new Motion Camaro was dubbed the SuperCoupe, for reasons you will soon see.

The Motion team enlisted the help of Time Machines, Inc. to build the prototype. The car started as a gennie steel 1969 Camaro, which was promptly gutted to a bare shell. Underneath it went a 2" x 3" tubular steel chassis, independent front and rear suspensions, Baer Claw disc brakes with 14 inch rotors and 6-piston calipers, and Michelin Sport Pilot rubber on custom-made 18 and 20 inch Bonspeed wheels.

A SuperCoupe wouldn't be very super without a comfortable cockpit. The Camaro features a custom-designed interior swathed in “Cha-Cha" red leather, six-way power seats, a custom fabbed dash with Classic Instruments gauges, and a honkin' Sony Xplod audio/video system.

Then there's the Hemi Cam, a rear-mounted video camera that feeds into a dash-mounted LCD screen. “We call it a Hemi cam because that's where you'll see all those Hemis-behind you," explained Larry Jaworske. There's also a camera mounted behind the radiator and pointed toward the engine, and another mounted on a front brake caliper so you can watch wheel spin. Now that's entertainment.

Larry Jaworske gets much of the credit for the look of the SuperCoupe. “Larry has such an eye for detail," said Joel Epherenis. “He won't stop until everything is perfect, and his idea for the body turned out to be incredible, with the wide hips, extended [fender] eyebrows, and curvy shape."

“It was important to keep the original body lines and enhance them," Larry said. “We did it the hard way…since the car is all metal, each bend and curve had to be carefully worked over until it was perfect. Phil Somers (of Time Machines) did all of the bodywork for us and he did an excellent job. It turned out great." Details include a mesh covering over the original-style grille, a power-actuated L88-style hood, and functional brake cooling ducts.

You can't have a Motion supercar without horsepower. Bill Mitchell, head honcho of World Products and another alumnus from the old Baldwin days, helped craft the all-aluminum, 540 cubic inch big block. The 700 horsepower engine has a trick Kinsler cross-ram electronic fuel injection setup, and is backed by a Tremec TKO five-speed transmission.

If you think a Motion Performance SuperCoupe would look great in your garage, you'd better act fast-only 12 will be produced. Each car will be built to customer specifications, and will have Joel Rosen's signature on the headrest, paperwork, and certificate of authenticity. Because Motion starts with actual '69 Camaros, the cars will have valid VIN numbers to make registration easier.

Once the SuperCoupe program is completed, Motion will be building 25 “new" Phase III 1969 Camaros. The cars will have a stock-appearing body, but will get an enhanced chassis, a classy interior and of course, big horsepower. As the Official Parts Supplier of Motion Performance, Summit Racing Equipment will be participating in the Phase III project as well.

The Motion gang is considering making new versions of the other Baldwin-Motion “Fabulous Five." We're all for a world with more Biscaynes and Chevelles, big block Novas, and Shark-body Vettes that have been blessed with Joel Rosen's magic touch.

Chassis

Frame: 2" x 3" steel fully welded to the body, 13" engine setback
Rear Suspension: Fully independent with custom control arms and Dana 44 center section, custom axles, TNT Motorsports billet coil-over shocks, custom stabilizer bar
Front Suspension: Custom unequal length control arms and toe-in control links, TNT Motorsports billet coil-over shocks, custom stabilizer bar, Ididit rack-and-pinion steering Brakes: 4-wheel Baer Claw Extreme-Plus disc with forged, 6-piston Sport calipers and 14" cross-drilled rotors
Wheels and Tires: Bonspeed Intense wheels with Baldwin-Motion spinners (18 x 10 front, 20 x 12 rear), Michelin Pilot Sport tires (265/35ZR-18 front, 265/25ZR-20 rear)
Chassis Work: Phil Somers/Time Machines, Inc.

Engine and Transmission

Engine Type: Motion/Merlin 540 cubic inch big block, 700-plus horsepower
Block: Merlin/Motion aluminum bored to 4.50", decked to equalize lifter bores
Reciprocating Assembly: Eagle Specialties 4340 steel crank, 6.535" Eagle Specialties H-beam connecting rods, 10:1 compression Mahle forged pistons, Total Seal piston rings, Clevite H-Series bearings-assembly balanced and blueprinted
Camshaft: “Motion Grind" solid street roller by Comp Cams
Cylinder Heads: Merlin/Motion aluminum, 199cc chambers/350cc intake ports, fully ported and polished
Valvetrain: Comp Cams roller lifters, Comp Cams Hi-Tech pushrods, Comp Cams Hi-Tech rockers, Comp Cams dual valve springs, Comp Cams 10° retainers and locks, 2.30"/1.80" Manley stainless steel valves
Fuel Injection: Polished Kinsler Cross-Ram sequential-fire EFI with extruded aluminum high-flow fuel rails, inline Weldon fuel pump, 44 lb./hr. injectors
Ignition: Accel Gen VII+ ECU with sequential distributor

Cooling: Be Cool polished radiator, Be Cool electric fans, Edelbrock aluminum water pump
Exhaust: Hedman headers, Stainless Specialties 3" polished stainless dual exhaust and stainless mufflers
Transmission: Modified Tremec TKO 5-speed transmission, McLeod dual-disc clutch, McLeod pressure plate, McLeod 168-tooth aluminum flywheel, and McLeod bellhousing
Other Items: Tilton Super Starter, Billet Specialties 1-wire alternator, Painless Performance wiring harness, Motion cast aluminum finned valve covers and oval breathers, Billet Specialties True Trac serpentine pulley system, Russell stainless steel braided lines, ARP fasteners, Ricks Hot Rod Shop 24 gallon aluminum gas tank, Outerwear prefilters
Engine Machining: Bill Mitchell, Motion Performance, Steve Keech/Keech's Performance
Cylinder Head Modifications: Motion Performance and Steve Keech

Body

Modifications: All-steel body, fully tubbed with flared fenderwells, extended front fender eyebrows, extended power hood with L-88 style scoop, functional brake cooling scoops
Paint Color: Custom-mixed PPG “Motion Red"
Graphics: PPG “Motion Silver" Baldwin-Motion-style center stripe

Body Work: Phil Somers/Time Machines, Inc.
Paint: James/Time Machines, Inc.

Interior

Upholstery: “Cha-Cha Red" leather and carpet by Hoyt's Auto Upholstery
Front Seats: 6-way power buckets with Baldwin-Motion logo
Dash: Custom fabricated by Time Machines
Gauges: Custom Motion/Classic Instruments gauges
Other Items: Sony Xplod entertainment system (in-dash video unit, front and rear cameras, underhood monitors, 2-channel amps, and 10" subs), hand-built center and overhead consoles, Hot Rod Air air conditioning
Interior Work: Time Machines, Inc.

Special Thanks

Kris Horton for his fabulous renderings, Phil Somers at Time Machines, Steve Keech

Want More Info?

For more information about Baldwin-Motion, including a detailed history and product information, log on to

Official Baldwin Motion
















Proud papas Joel Ehrenpreis and Larry Jaworske standing next to to their creation. Motion Performance will make just 12 SuperCoupes, each built to customer specifications. The prototype car made a big splash at the 2005 SEMA Show, earning GM’s SEMA Excellence in Design Award. Then it was off to the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction in February 2006. When the gavel came down, the SuperCoupe’s new owner had $450,000 less than he walked in with.

Well, what can i say?

Nothing about

[Xplantdad]

Looks a lot like this!

[JJEH]

Yeah, hot - hotter - Motion

A really nice Camaro

[Xplantdad]

Those pics were taken at Barrett Jackson in 2006

[JJEH]

[ QUOTE ]
Those pics were taken at Barrett Jackson in 2006

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok, this is your outing:

That car is yours

[JRSully]

I would just like to have a " correct period looking" Phase III with a nice 500hp BB under the hood. You can keep the electrically operated hood etc. My .02

[1970Bluel78]

I'd much rather see a 2010 Car with Motion upgrades like Nickey will do

[JJEH]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd much rather see a 2010 Car with Motion upgrades like Nickey will do

[/ QUOTE ]

Indeed, thats very interesting too

[ORIGLS6]

Bruce,

What's the script above the vintage part of the MOTION badge?



And BTW, I'll raise Sully's ante to $0.04

[Xplantdad]

[ QUOTE ]
Bruce,

What's the script above the vintage part of the MOTION badge?


And BTW, I'll raise Sully's ante to $0.04

[/ QUOTE ]

Dennis...I don't know? I think it may say Baldwin...if I remember right???