Year One Cars
By Keith Maney

A big part of what makes the Power Tour so much fun is seeing all the cool vehicles. For the ’02 Edition, Year One had some really neat stuff, including longtime-employee Kevin King’s sensational 1969 Camaro convertible. We’ve put together a brief biography on each of the cars we took on tour this year. Scroll down to check ‘em out. Return to the intro-page to see more pictures of some of the more interesting creations that caught our eye on this year's Power Tour. Enjoy!

1969 Camaro Convertible
Owner: Kevin King
Engine: 1998 LS1
Trans: 1998 4L60-E
Rear axle: 1969 12-bolt, 4.10:1 gears.

What’s Cool About It: Kevin’s Camaro was built primarily for the Power Tour, and also served as a prototype for developing the components necessary to install a late-model LS1 drivetrain into early F-bodies. Many of the unique pieces used on the “Innovator”, as it’s called, will be available through Year One and Brewer’s Restoration and Performance. The car was a tremendous hit on the Tour, and will be featured in Hot Rod, Chevy High Performance, Popular Hot Rodding, Super Rod and Super Chevy. Hot Rod TV also did a piece on the car. Finally, at the 2002 Goodguys show in Columbus, Ohio, the Camaro was selected as a finalist for the prestigious Street Machine of the Year award. We have complete coverage of the car build-up on the Year One website.

2002 Year One Edition Black Bird
Owner: Year One, Inc.
Engine: 2002 LS1 with 380 hp upgrade
Trans: Tremec T56 6-speed
Rear axle: GM 10-bolt, 3.73:1 gears

What’s Cool About It: One of only six Year One Edition Black Birds built, this silver F-car is fun and exclusive. Late-model F-body fans are probably already familiar with the Black Birds, a line of specially prepared Trans Ams offered by Carl Black Pontiac. For those of you not aware, click here for more information on the cars. Year One and Carl Black teamed up to offer a few limited Year One Edition cars, and this is one of ‘em. If you’re in the market for a new F-body, though, check out the Carl Black Year One Edition Formula here.

2002 Year One Edition Formula
Owner: Year One, Inc.
Engine: 2002 LS1 with 380 hp upgrade
Trans: Tremec T56 6-speed

What’s Cool About It: Carl Black Pontiac and Year One got together to build a maximum of 50 WS6-enhanced Formulas for 2002. The WS6 option, which includes among other things the cool Ram Air system and specific suspension tuning, hasn’t been available on the Formula since 1999. By building these special cars, Carl Black and Year One are once again positioning the Formula model as the “hot rod” of the Firebird line. Additionally, this particular car has the 380 horsepower engine upgrade, optional on all the Year One Edition Formulas. For more information on the Year One Edition Formulas from Carl Black Pontiac, click here.

1969 Camaro Coupe
Builders: Mark Stielow, Kyle & Stacey Tucker, Detroit Speed and Engineering
Engine: 406 cubic-inch small-block Chevy
Trans: Corvette ZF 6-speed

What’s Cool About It: Originally built by ’69 Camaro wizard Mark Stielow for the One Lap of America, the car has been modified and upgraded by Kyle and Stacy Tucker of Detroit Speed and Engineering. The Tuckers have worked their magic on the suspension and drivetrain, and the overall package is very impressive. From the custom DSE-designed air cleaner system to the Fikse FM-5 forged wheels, the Camaro just oozes performance.

1971 Plymouth Duster
Builder: Steve Strope, Pure Vision
Engine: 360 cubic-inch small-block Chrysler
Trans: Tremec TKO 5-speed

What’s Cool About It: The Plymouth A-body line isn’t often chosen as a starting point for a road racer, but then car builder Steve Stropes, owner of Pure Vision, doesn’t usually let convention dictate his projects. The Duster, named Dust’ya, drips with high-tech features. The 360-inch small-block powerplant has been treated to a custom electronic fuel injection system, and is topped by a hand-fabricated air cleaner system. The many suspension mods, 5-speed tranny and eye-grabbing custom-mixed paint all add up to what is perhaps the most unique A-body Mopar in the country.

1967 Plymouth Barracuda Convertible
Builder: John Balow, Muscle Car Restorations
Engine: Mopar Performance 360 crate engine
Trans: A727 Torqueflite automatic

What’s Cool About It: Yet another Mopar A-body, although this neat Barracuda is done in a vastly different style than the Duster. Built by John Balow of Muscle Car Restorations, one of the best-known restoration shops in the country, the Barracuda reflects the clean style favored by the car’s owner. With the nostalgic 5-spoke wheels, the typical MCR attention to detail, and a retractable top, the Barracuda is a fantastic car.

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