Eddie Motorsports' 1971 Chevrolet Camaro
In the world of aftermarket car parts, a company’s reputation hinges on how well their products perform. But the question is how do you showcase them to get the attention they deserve and respect from the car community? Well, that’s where project cars come in. For parts companies like Eddie Motorsports, these rolling testaments to automotive passion are more than just eye candy – they’re vital tools for proving their parts work, and work well. Take, for instance, Eddie Motorsports’ 1971 Camaro. This stunning muscle car started as a way to develop new parts, but it ultimately became a tribute to the man behind the company’s success.
The story begins with the company itself. Eddie Motorsports wasn’t always building muscle cars. Their founder, Ed Borges, came from humble beginnings in Portugal. Fast cars weren’t even a dream back then. But after immigrating to the US in 1969, a love for speed ignited. This passion led him to found Eddie Marine, a company supplying parts for high-performance boats. Soon, though, classic muscle cars stole his heart.
Ed’s personal project became the first canvas for Eddie Motorsports’ parts. He meticulously restored a 1971 Mustang Mach One, showcasing their custom touches. Inspired by the creations of other shops, Ed envisioned a show stopping Camaro loaded with Eddie Motorsports parts. But unlike those builds, Ed’s Camaro would be different. And the parts on it would be affordable and easy to install, making them accessible to a wider range of enthusiasts.
Finding a suitable starting point, Ed and his team began restoration on a Camaro. The project hit a snag as the body wasn’t in pristine condition. They replaced the roof and rear valance due to rust, but otherwise, the body just needed some love to get its lines back. Builder Bob Frontino’s meticulous nature proved invaluable in managing the complex project. Luckily, having Eddie Machine and Fusioncoat (sandblasting and powdercoating) in-house simplified the build process.
The car was disassembled, soda blasted, and the chassis was prepped for a matte black finish, offering both protection and a clean aesthetic. Moving forward, the car received Classic Performance Products tubular control arms and Corvette-style drop spindles enhance handling, while QA1 adjustable coil-overs allow for fine-tuning the ride height and performance. In the rear, CPP multi-leaf springs provide a 1.5-inch drop, working in conjunction with CPP’s anti-roll bar and QA1 adjustable coil-overs for a balanced and responsive feel. Steering is handled through a CPP steering box and Ididit column, and CPP four-piston calipers clamp down on 13-inch rotors at all four corners, ensuring ample stopping power.
For a muscular heart, the team chose a Chevrolet Performance ZZ502 crate engine, a 9.6:1-compression big-block with a forged crankshaft and connecting rods. A custom COMP Cams hydraulic-roller camshaft and COMP aluminum roller rockers opened the valves. Eddie Motorsports added a touch of style with their cast aluminum valve covers in Citrus Green metallic paint and billet aluminum accents like the serpentine kit, along with a matching billet air cleaner atop the Holley 750 dual-feed carburetor.
Visually, the custom touches on this car are undeniable. Boze Tach wheels measuring 18×8.5 inches up front and 18×10 inches in the rear are wrapped in Nitto NT555 G2 tires for optimal grip. The stock dash was replaced with a reproduction unit from National Parts Depot, which features Eddie Motorsports billet components and AutoMeter gauges. Throughout, Eddie Motorsports parts – billet aluminum door handles, shifter boot, and bezel add unique touches that showcase the quality and design of their products.
The two-year build tested Ed’s patience. But despite the challenges, he wouldn’t trade the experience. The finished product wasn’t just a car; it was a rolling advertisement for Eddie Motorsports’ second-gen Camaro parts. It was loud, bold, and impossible to ignore. Though Ed Borges passed away a few years ago, his spirit lives on in the projects he built, like this iconic 1971 Camaro. This car, and countless others, are testaments to his passion for classic cars and his dedication to making high-quality parts accessible to everyone.
