Most cars with a parachute hanging off the rear aren’t expected to spend much time picking up groceries or cruising to a local Cars and Coffee. This 2019 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 apparently never got that memo.
Nicknamed “Nemo” after its Orange Crush paint (you know, because of the orange fish in the Disney Pixar movie), the Camaro belongs to Justin Keith, co-owner of Killer Performance. He bought it brand new in late 2018 and began modifying it almost immediately, installing a roll cage while the temporary tag and dealership paper floor mats were still in place.
The project eventually became one of the quickest sixth-generation Camaros around. At one point, Nemo held quarter-mile, eighth-mile, and 60-foot records for the sixth-generation platform, according to Keith, and it has completed over 200 quarter-mile passes.
None of that has stopped him from putting license plates on it and driving it around town. In a recent interview with the Magnacars YouTube channel, Keith explained that street usability has remained an important part of the build — even with roughly 1,800 horsepower going to the rear wheels.
From 650 HP To 1,800 HP
A stock 2019 Camaro ZL1 left the factory with a supercharged 6.2-liter LT4 V8 producing 650 hp. Keith initially chased records using the factory-style supercharger before eventually switching to twin turbochargers when he wanted substantially more power.
The current engine has an LT4 block that’s been sleeved and fitted with aftermarket cylinder heads, while the engine itself was built by Late Model Engines in Texas. Keith says it currently makes around 1,800 hp at the rear wheels.
The factory 10-speed automatic is gone, replaced by a three-speed Turbo 400. Keith also converted the Camaro from independent rear suspension to a solid axle, although he admits losing the factory IRS is one modification he occasionally regrets because of how well the car previously drove on the street.
Eight MPG And No Air Conditioning
Calling Nemo a daily driver requires accepting a few compromises. The twin turbos sit behind the front bumper, while three-inch exhaust pipes exit through the front fenders, and the air-conditioning system was sacrificed because the turbo plumbing occupied the necessary space.
Fuel economy isn’t exactly a strong point, either. The Camaro runs E90 ethanol from a 15-gallon fuel cell, and Keith estimates it returns roughly 8 mpg.
That gives it a theoretical range of only around 120 miles per tank. Highway cruising also means approximately 3,000 rpm at 65 mph thanks to that three-speed transmission.
Despite all that, Keith regularly drives the Camaro around town, takes it to shows, and cruises roughly 35 to 40 minutes to his shop. It even has its factory radiator, cooling fans, power steering, and several other original components.
1,800 HP Apparently Isn’t Enough
Nemo has previously run the quarter-mile in the 7.50-second range at over 180 mph while weighing around 4,000 pounds and still using its independent rear suspension. Keith says the Camaro was also the first factory-engine-platform sixth-gen to break into the seven-second range.
His next target is considerably more ambitious. A billet engine block and larger turbochargers could eventually push output toward 2,500 hp, with the ultimate goal of sending the Camaro into the six-second quarter-mile range.
That would make an already absurd street car even quicker. Keith’s philosophy is basically that if he can’t drive one of his cars on the street, he doesn’t think it’s as much fun.