Area 51: Tim McKoy’s Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro

Talk about standing out from the crowd! The ’69 Camaro may be a top-rated platform commonly used in drag racing, but Tim McKoy’s ride is among the most noticeable with its wild green hue.

“I started racing when I was in my early twenties, and my first race car was a 1967 Chevelle SS. This was where the bug got me, and I raced for about seven years,” says Tim McKoy.

After his first streak of about seven years, Tim took a break from racing to start a family and help raise his children.

“I got back into racing about 14 years ago with several different cars but never felt I had one that was the exact fit for me.”

“We found a roller third-generation Camaro that was previously an ’80s-style Top Sportsman car. We had fun, but it was old technology and was a little on the heavy side for what was out today.”

Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro

Several years ago, Tim met Keith Engling from Skinny Kid Race Cars at the annual Street Car Super Nationals race in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tim had already been a big fan of the work coming out of the Skinny Kid shop, and after speaking with the team, they decided it was an excellent match to build his car. The build started from scratch and lasted roughly two years. Keith Engling assisted in every way possible. The car was completed in October of 2019 and immediately went testing at Milan Dragway in Milan, Michigan. This break-in went better than expected, and Tim was pleasantly surprised at how well the car worked right off the trailer. Not long after testing, it was time for Tim and his crew to get ready for their big hometown race — the 15th Annual Street Car Super Nationals. An event that entertained the masses with a record-setting number of entries and great weather. Tim entered the Big Tire-No Time class, which made up the largest category of participants.

Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro

Due to its wide array of complex details, Tim’s car is likely more impressive when seen in real life. If you’ve been lucky enough to see it at the track, then you know what I mean. Never the less, let’s dive deep into this 1969 Camaro named Area 51. The chassis design is Skinny Kid Race Cars’ Chromoly Pro Mod/Pro Nitrous version, further accentuated with all the best parts on the market. The roof and quarter panels on the Camaro are steel, while the rest is crafted in carbon fiber by Joe Van Overbeek Race Car Bodies. This design allows Tim to enter multiple big-money races throughout the country.

Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro

Tim’s powerplant of choice is a nitrous-fed 855 cubic-inch behemoth from Reher-Morrison Racing Engines. This massive mountain motor consists of a 5.3-inch bore space billet block from Dart, a Bryant Racing crankshaft, and RMRE billet cylinder heads. Jesel shaft rockers and keyway lifters, Manton pushrods, and PAC valvesprings properly outfit the cylinder heads. The final yet critical components for this nitrous-breathing engine are Venolia pistons and MGP billet aluminum rods. The top half of the engine boasts a sheet metal intake manifold that houses split Braswell carburetors.

Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro

For that extra power that’s so desperately needed, Tim loves his N₂O. That’s why he went with five stages of Speedtech Nitrous to compliment his 855 cubic-inch Reher Morrison bullet. When you’re running this much power, you need to have a driveline and suspension to handle it if you want to remain in the big leagues. The 3,000-plus horsepower is transferred to the ground through a Lenco Racing transmission and a Neal Chance lockup torque converter.

Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro

“I would like to thank Jerry, JJ, and Heather for all their work and help to make this all possible. I also want to thank Skinny Kid Race Cars and his whole team from this build. The last person is Jackie Slone, from Slone Boys Racing for his tuning and racing skills. Jackie is one class act!” says Tim.

Area 51: Tim McKoy's Nitrous-Fed 855ci 1969 Chevrolet Camaro

This car is still very new for Tim and his crew, with only a few test passes and one completed event under their belts. The Area 51 Camaro is a real head-turner. It will be posting big numbers soon but let’s just say the year 2020 has been something else. Drag racing was deemed non-essential for several months throughout the world. As we navigate through these new times, the drag racing community is pulling together stronger than ever. We fully expect to Tim and his Camaro campaigning at several races throughout the West Coast!

Tim McKoy's 1969 Chevrolet Camaro

Chassis:Skinny Kid Race Cars Pro Mod/Pro Nitrous (steel roof/quarters)
Body/Paint:Factory reproduction body panels, factory GM trim pieces, Joe Van Overbeek carbon fiber front end, doors, deck lid, dash, Jerry Bickel carbon fiber D-opening Pro Mod scoop, GM "Synergy Green" paint and body by Allen Pennywitt
Suspension:Santhuff front struts, Skinny Kid Race Cars 4-link, Afco rear shocks, Skinny Kid Race Cars fab rearend
Engine:855ci Reher-Morrison Racing Engine, Dart billet 5.3-inch bore space block, Dart billet 5.3-inch bore space heads with RMRE CNC porting, Jesel rockers, RMRE tool steel camshaft, Manton pushrods, Jesel keyway lifters, PAC valvesprings, Peterson dry sump, Meziere water pump, flexplate, and starter, Bryant Racing billet crankshaft, MGP aluminum rods, Venolia pistons, Skinny Kid Race Cars zoomie headers
Induction:Braswell carburetors, Reher-Morrison Racing Engines billet sheet metal intake manifold
Power Adder:Five stages of Speedtech nitrous oxide
Electronics:Full MSD grid system, Speedwire nitrous system
Transmission/Converter:Lenco Racing transmission, Neal Chance lockup converter, Boninfante bell housing
Wheels/Tires:Weld Delta Series 16x16-inch rears, Full Throttle Series front spindle mount, Hoosier 34.5x17x16 rear tires, Goodyear front runners
Rearend:Strange 10-inch full floater

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