‘ELE‘ELE — “When I was a kid on the south side of Chicago, we used to have guys in the neighborhood that worked on customized ‘50s and ‘60s cars,” Ray Blouin said. His early exposure to those custom classics from
‘ELE‘ELE — “When I was a kid on the south side of Chicago, we used to have guys in the neighborhood that worked on customized ‘50s and ‘60s cars,” Ray Blouin said.
His early exposure to those custom classics from the golden years of American muscle led Blouin to buy his own 350-cubic-inch 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Rally Sport.
Originally from Blue Island, Ill., Blouin has lived in ‘Ele‘ele for 32 years and has owned quite a few classic autos over the years.
“I’ve had a 1936 Ford three-window coupe, a 1938 Ford ‘woody,’ a 1951 Chrysler four-door with suicide doors, a 1955 Oldsmobile, and the list goes on,” Blouin said.
Blouin’s car is a first-generation Camaro Rally Sport that was driven regularly on Kaua‘i since the day of its purchase. The first owners, Lourdes and her husband Bobby Barros Sr., kept their car in mint condition.
Mrs. Barros only drove it a few miles from her Wiliwili tract home to her workplace. Over the years her son, Bobby Barros Jr., maintained the Camaro and Blouin said he was “fortunate to buy it right after Hurricane ‘Iniki and I’ve kept improving on it ever since.”
Blouin bought the present engine, a 350-cubic-inch four-bolt main truck block, from a friend on O‘ahu and had it bored out 30 over so it’s a 355 with an Extreme Energy Comp cam. It’s got aluminum Airflow Research heads on it and the original 327 block is still stored on Kaua‘i if there are any curious Camaro collectors reading this article.
“With 40-plus-year-old cars, there’s always something to do and by the end of the year I’ll be installing some tubular control arms and a new radiator system,” Blouin said.
With all the extra components added to the his Rally Sport, it seemed only natural that Blouin would take his platinum 355 out to the track at Mana and blow out all the carbon build up.
The Camaro’s best time is in the 12:40s and Blouin only races his classic once a year to be sure the platinum finish keeps its new look.
“My good friends Burt Hamada and Tyler Taba have helped me an awful lot on this car and Burt in particular made me some nice aluminum mud flaps so the stones at the track don’t hurt the body,” Blouin said.
Both Hamada and Taba were responsible for tearing the Camaro down and putting it all back together without any extra nuts or bolts.
Asked whether he would ever consider selling his ‘68 Rally Sport later, Blouin replied with his tongue embedded firmly in his cheek, “Well, I would think one of two of my sons would be interested in getting this car … eventually.”
To view a short video of Ray Blouin’s 1968 Camaro Rally Sport, click on the “TGI video” link at kauaiworld.com
Anyone wishing to share their classic auto may find out more information by contacting Richard Aki at 482-0688 or Harvey Maeda at 651-2813 or via e-mail at harveyskoi@juno.com.
Watch video footage online of this classic 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Rally Sport in action as part of The Garden Island’s recurring series on Kaua‘i’s Classic Car Club.
• Leo DuBois, contributor, can be reached via news editor Nathan Eagle at 245-3681 (ext. 227) or via e-mail at neagle@kauaipubco.com.
