[1]Photography: Fountain of Youth Photography
A son’s love for a father is the motivation that led Tim Collett to purchase a 2010 Camaro SS/RS. The Camaro originally purchased by Collett’s father, Charles “Chuck Da Wild Man” Collett was never to be. Two weeks prior to the scheduled delivery of the Victory Red 2010 Camaro, Charles Collett passed away. This would have been Chuck Da Wild Mans 18th Camaro project. When his son learned of his dad’s purchase he knew he had to obtain this beastly beauty so he could preserve the memory of his father who he loves and respects without limitations.
Collett’s dad, a lifelong Chevy fan, threw himself into his passion for building and remodeling cars after spending three full terms in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War. For his service to our great nation, Charles Collett, received two citations for the Purple Heart. The stress of being in war took its toll on Collett’s father, however. Working on cars served as a release and a way to take his mind off the demons he was carrying. Growing up a Navy brat in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, Collett spent many weekends in the garage with his dad and at the race track as part of his father’s pit crew. Chuck Da Wild Man had raced in the U.S.A.C Sprint Car series in the late 60’s where he won several championships during this time.
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As time passed the relationship between father and son went astray after his parent’s divorce. Maintaining contact mostly by long distance. Following in his 
[4]father’s footsteps, Collett enlisted in the Navy in the 1980’s. His father, also still enlisted, called his son’s commanding officers and instructed them to not be easy on him. Years later Collett would understand the lesson his father wanted him to learn by having to tough it out in the military.
Prior to the purchase of the 2010 Camaro, Collett’s father always had a preference for white Camaros. To this day Collett is perplexed by why his dad chose red for this one; red happens to be his favorite color of choice for a Camaro. Upon acquiring the Victory Red Camaro the work began to bring his father’s last vision to life. The 2010 Camaro was bestowed the name Red Demon”SS for the demons his father carried throughout his life.
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Taking over ten months for the rebuild project everything imaginable was done to this ride, stripped down to just a rolling chassis and built back up. Starting with the engine bay, Collett converted the L99 Automatic to the LS3. With the recent conversion to the LS3, dyno results showed 722HP with 667 lbs of torque assisted by 10 pounds of boost from the Magnuson TVS-2300 supercharger and a 100 shot Nitrous. To further enhance performance, Flowmaster’s [7] American Thunder catback system, and stainless QTP electric exhaust cut outs were dropped in along with a Cold Air Inductions intake. Finishing off this beastly creation from hell, a Brian Tooley Custom Ground Stage III blower cam was added, dual Titanium springs installed, chromoly push rods and Manley forged pistons. A few examples among the many performance enhancements.
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Finishing off the engine bay, Collett next moved to the interior with the goal in mind to continue the demonic look, with custom leather seats by Jim Goheen of Restorer Oak Harbor. Next, all interior and trim pieces were custom painted, LEDs were added throughout, a Hurst [10] shifter bezel also installed. Continuing the look, custom Lloyd’s Camaro SS embroidered floor mats front and rear with red piping were purchased. Finishing off this hell bound look, the audio needed a hell bound make over as well. So Collet dropped in a Pioneer set-up, audio/video/navigation (AVN) system with a 6.5-inch WVGA display.
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Taking the Red Demon”ss to the gates of hell, Collett moved to the exterior. To give this ride a good bite on the road, he swapped the stock tires for 265/30/22 and 315/25/22 Pirelli P-Zero Nero tires and Brembo powdercoated red calipers, along with billet satin cap covers throughout the ride. All emblems and badges were swapped out and customized, a Heritage Grille, GM Dovetail Spoiler, GM GFX Sideskirts, ZL1 Front Bumper were all added, giving this ride a hellish appearance. The hood liner was custom painted white smoke along with headlamp sinks and fog light sinks which were custom painted summit white. Bringing his father’s memory and what was to be his dad’s last project to fruition, Collett had his father’s ashes painted into the blackout and mail slot front bumper. This completed the look of the ride and brought his dad’s love for the Camaro together as one. Red Demon’’ss a creation for the love of a father to release demons long held inside. Tim Collett has achieved this and hopes that his father can now rest in peace, away from the demons that troubled him.