You grew up in the home of muscle cars. What were your favourites?
I was always a big Mustang fan, particularly the fastbacks from 1967-69. The Boss and the Cobra were at the top of my list.
Most people’s first car is something pretty ordinary, but your first set of wheels was
a classic 1974 Camaro!
At the time, it was a real junker! This was 25 years ago. I paid $1,400 (Dh5,100) for it, and the body and interior were really shabby. The guy who sold me the car was a mechanic, who had put most of his investment into the motor. It had a 305-cubic-inch (5.7-litre) V8 with an Edelbrock intake, a Holley 650 CFM four barrel carburettor and headers. I added a 200-watt stereo and kept tinkering with the motor to keep it running. My fondest memory of it was being an overactive 16-year-old who wanted to race people up and down a main thoroughfare where I lived, and having to push the car out of the driveway and down the street before starting it on late evenings. The headers ensured the car could be heard half a kilometre away, so I had to get out of the house without my parents hearing me! My mum and I still laugh about it, when she tells me they would usually know when I was coming and going!
And now, you’ve got this 1976 Camaro...
A friend of mine in Iran found this and arranged to send it across to me. It was in decent condition but needed some cosmetic work to get it looking right. I replaced the wheels and tuned the motor, added Hedman headers, changed the radiator, repaired the alternator, replaced the front suspension and had the rear springs lifted. I am getting all the gaskets repaired next and then will look into refreshing the interior.
What’s the performance like?
It has a 305 cubic inch V8 with a TH350 automatic transmission. I don’t get any wheel spin as there isn’t enough horsepower — yet! The headers have made it sound good and it is zippier, but it needs a carburettor and intake to get it to smoke the tyres.
Do your wife and kids approve of it?
They are very supportive. In fact, my wife insists that I get working on the interior soon!
It stands out by a mile and must get loads of attention...
It sure does. I have had someone leave a note on the windscreen complimenting the car while others pull up and are keen to find out more about it.
If and when it goes wrong, who helps you repair it?
I trust two garages with it. Saluki Motorsports in Al Quoz for the complex stuff and Al Mirath in Umm Ramool for the little things. I have to import all the parts from the US as getting stuff here is difficult and expensive. But getting things imported has its own problems. For instance, I ordered my rims from Summit Racing and I was sent the wrong bolt pattern for the rear wheels. Fortunately, they later sent me the correct pair and didn’t charge me for the shipping. Now, that’s great service!
Where do you like driving it most?
I like cruising along Jumeirah Beach Residence, while the sound of the exhaust and aura of the vehicle makes me feel like I am 16 again.
These second-generation cars are extremely sought after. Would you ever part with it?
I have had offers, but this car helps me relive a great time in life. I am not keen to part with it any time soon, and actually hope to teach my kids all about these classics.
This isn’t your daily driver though, is it?
No, my daily driver is a V6 Porsche Panamera. I love its ride quality and performance.
I read your feature with the Turbo S and Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG (issue 349) with great interest! It’s a great daily driver with the right amount of zip. Maintenance can be pricey, but everything has its price.
Finally, what is your dream car?
It’s a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500. What a car. I have watched Gone in 60 Seconds many times just because of it. If someone has one in Dubai, I would love to check it out!
- Name Faruk Ali Bhagani
- Job Self-employed — consultant, family business advisory
- From US
- Wheels 1976 Chevrolet Camaro LT
- In the UAE 20 years
