When you’re 16 and you buy your first car, you probably don’t expect it to change your life. But for Phil Borris, that’s exactly what happened with his 1970 Z28 COPO Camaro. What started as a simple teenage purchase turned into a lifelong passion for restoration, a career as a Camaro historian, and a journey of rebuilding – not just the car, but himself along the way.
The Early Days: Love at First Sight
It all began when 16-year-old Phil spotted the Camaro along the roadside, a 1970 Z28 with the COPO 9796 aerodynamic package. Even though everyone insisted it was a 1971, Phil knew better. He bought the car from the original owner, who happened to be an Ohio State Trooper, and set off on what would be a long, bumpy ride – literally.
“I was young and dumb and didn’t even know the difference between a starter and an alternator,” Phil recalls. But that didn’t stop him from loving the car. After passing his driver’s exam, he sold everything he had – military relics, a Harley-Davidson, even a telescope – to buy the Camaro.
The Crash: A Life-Changing Mistake
Not long after buying the car, Phil made a youthful mistake that many young gearheads can relate to. Showing off in front of some friends, he floored the throttle, lost control, and crashed the car into a tree. The impact wasn’t fatal, but it was enough to severely damage the car and shake up Phil. “I had two choices – wreck into a house or hit the tree,” he says – and hit the tree he did.
But this wasn’t just a lesson in driving; it was a turning point in Phil’s life. His dad, after a sobering conversation on the way to juvenile court, told him, “Son, you’ve got a lot of sour music to face.” The crash became a moment of reckoning for Phil.
Learning Restoration: From Wreck to Rebuild
The bodyman who would help Phil rebuild the Camaro gave him a hard but necessary lesson: “You wrecked it, now you’re going to help fix it.” That was Phil’s introduction to car restoration. He learned to take the car apart, bag and tag the screws, and reassemble it. This hands-on experience sparked a love for restoration that would carry him through multiple rebuilds of the car.
- Key skills learned: Disassembly, bodywork, mechanical repair, and the importance of paying attention to detail.
The Second Restoration: Doing It Right
By the late 1980s, Phil realized that his initial restoration, while functional, didn’t meet his own rising standards. The muscle car restoration scene was booming, and Phil wanted his car to be among the best. So, he embarked on a full tear-down and rebuild – this time, with a focus on authenticity. Using NOS (New Old Stock) parts, including original 1970 factory-ordered components, Phil meticulously restored the car to its original glory.
- NOS hunting: Phil used a system called Parts Voice to track down discontinued parts, to the point that General Motors even launched an investigation into his activity!
A Car That Shaped a Career
This Z28 COPO Camaro didn’t just give Phil a crash course in car mechanics; it led him into a world of Camaro history and preservation. Over the years, he’s become one of the foremost experts on Camaros, writing books on the Norwood Assembly Plant and helping authenticate other rare models.
- Phil’s Collection: His collection has grown to include multiple Camaros, each with its own history and unique story, including a 1969 Indy Pace Car and the last Norwood Camaro ever produced.
Conclusion: A Camaro for the Ages
Today, Phil’s Z28 COPO Camaro is more than just a car – it’s a piece of history and a symbol of perseverance. It’s been a cornerstone of his personal and professional journey, teaching him not only how to restore a car, but how to find purpose and passion in the process. From a wrecked Camaro to a perfectly restored showpiece, Phil’s journey is a testament to how the right car, at the right time, can truly change your life.
If you ever get the chance to see Phil’s Camaro at an event like the Summit Racing I-X Piston Powered Auto-Rama, be sure to check out the display – it’s not just about the car, but the emotional connection that makes it special. And who knows? Maybe it’ll spark your own restoration journey.
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