This is my most important post I have made here.

Let’s see if I can put together the words to describe what an honor it is to be able to have among us a person that just might change the automotive world in GM! 8O Pretty big statement I know.

I have been waiting to see if anyone else would start a topic about this most talented young man among us. I was so shocked that he was a club member on our site I had to get my thoughts together first.

I am talking about Kris Horton.

Kris Horton’s rendering of a new retro Camaro in Popular Hot Rodding this last September 2003 issue has raised eyebrows across this country and most important at GM. As a graphic artist I was blown away at his talent! Kris is only 19 years old! If you don’t already have it PLEASE pick up a copy of this month issue of Popular Hot Rodding magazine. There is a “New” improved rendering of his work.

Let me just post what was written in the new issue about Kris from just a few of the e-mail sent in from across the country:

“I hope there are more Kris’s out there and they take over GM design…”

“I think this is exactly what GM needs to build. It’s perfect in everyway.”

“Imagine if there were more designers like him working for Chevy. Give this man a paycheck and raise the bar.”

“Build it and I will buy!”

“If that Camaro was real, I would have one in my driveway. That kid has some awesome talent.”

“This thing crushes the new Mustang coming out!”

“I just can’t fathom why a 19-year-old can for see what the future of the F-body should be, but the GM execs can’t grasp this…”

Kris, I’m honored to talk about you here! Glad you’re a part of our forum. You must get a ton of requests to do other stuff. Yes, It would be cool to see a new retro ’70 style El Camino or maybe a request from me to re-do the fastest car in the 80’s the Buick Grand National.

I won’t. I respect your time too much. Keep working hard on the Camaro. We need that first! I only can hope I find your design of your Camaro sitting in my garage soon next to my son’s 2000 Camaro SS. If so I want to be able to drive it to where you live so you can shake your hand and have you sign your name on the glove box for me!

My quote: Wake up GM if you don’t sign this kid Ford or Mopar will!

Kris you were the talk at our dinner table last night…I hope you’re the talk among our forum!

Keep up the great work! :thumbsup: Your Dad must be one proud guy! I would! :)

Dave (70ELCO)

True that... 8) :thumbsup:

Yep Kris created quite a stir on the Camaro boards I belong to when the first pictures came out. Many thought they were from GM.

Keep up the great work and I look forward to seeing what you come up with next. 8)

Wow, thank you Dave! I'm quite honored that I have been able to raise so many eyebrows and restore some hope to those who might have lost faith in GM (such as myself.) I think the reason my design hit the mark with so many enthusiasts is that it was designed by one. I didn't do it to meet a company's need for a pony car or to raise sales. I did it for myself, and I did it for the car enthusiasts out there that want to see GM bring back its muscle and once again rule the streets. I can only hope that GM sees me as a potential asset and doesn't write me off as some kid that is a Design Center hopeful. While I don't think that GM would ever build my design (thanks to the beancounters and all the fun stuff the car would have to go through before being built,) I would love to see it built by a custom shop. That would be awesome to be able to drive my own design. I probably wouldn't own it though...I wouldn't be able to pay to have it built. :oops:
Someday, maybe... 8-)

I actually have yet to see the magazine, but I can't wait! Thank you all for your support, it means the world to me!

Kris Horton

Great job, Kris! Maybe Boyd Coddington will pick up on the design. :)

I can only hope they build that car. I've told this to Kris and I'll say it here. If that car gets built,it would be as big(if not bigger)hit than the Bettle. I have a pic. of it hanging by my counter at work,and every person who comes in(I mean EVERYBODY from soccer moms to gearheads from grandpa's to salesman)loves that design and want to know when it's going to be on the showroom floor. If GM doesn't sign him,it would be the biggest mistake GM would make since letting DeLorean leave Pontiac.

Hey Kris, post a picture of it here!

I just posted a reply to another post that I found after reading this one. Here is the article, complete with pictures.
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http://www.popularhotrodding.com/features/0309phr_5camaro/

Thanks for the link...Maybe someone can post the newer rendering of the Green Camaro that appears in the newest issue of PHR. I love the new hide-away headlights as well as the newer rear treatment. Keep in mind even though these pictures look so real this is all done with a mouse! So Cool!

Truly beautiful renderings. I even had a flash of a '70 Cuda in one of the angles. I saw lots of resemblance to my '69 RS/SS 396 Camaro.

Really excellent job, Kris. Hope you get to the school you desire.

Can we arrange to have Chris be on the committee to select the cars for the upcoming Elky calendar? Let's do all we can to encourage him and showcase his talents. Does anyone have the name and address of the design folks (using the term loosely!) at GM, so we can drop them a note about what we hope to see come out of the factory in the future??

Way to go Kris!

I looked at the car in several postings on different boards also. I really like the concept.

Will the '69 ever become a reallity? Maybe.................

The car as a production model is probably a slim possibility, if for no other reason than because we all want one. Am I being negative ? NO.

The most likely possibility I see is a conversion of a C-5 Corvette coupe by adding the front and rear clips and making the car we see in the photoshop pictures appear in real life. The running gear is there and the only thing to produce is the front and rear exterior sections. This would be much like the '53 conversion already available for the C-5 Corvette chassis. It was when I looked at the stance of the cockpit and the door that I related this to the obvious, a C-5 Corvette Z-06.

This could become a reality real easy. Jim

Sure can, he would be welcome to help select the vehicles for the calendar!

Hey everyone. I'd like to help out in any way I can!
Just wanted to let you know that the article and renderings are now online. Here's the link!
-Kris

http://popularhotrodding.com/features/0312PHR_Fifth_Reloaded/

That is a really magnificent piece of work. You will go far I'm sure with your talent.

Kris, was there another picture that I saw on Pro-Touring.com that was a RS version of the '69 with the hide away headlights? That was the one that I really liked.

That rendering was from when I first started with PHR. I did away with the slotted covers because to me they kinda got in the way and unfortuantely I had a hard time making them fit and work. Thanks for the kind words!
-Kris

wow, what a great piece of work, if it never becomes a real car i would love to even own a poster of one and hang it up in my room. what about a 6th gen concept camino.... ssr just dont cut it for me

That rendering was from when I first started with PHR. I did away with the slotted covers because to me they kinda got in the way and unfortuantely I had a hard time making them fit and work. [B]

I'd still like to see it again. (Please)That was the best one to me.


[B]Thanks for the kind words!

The words were not for kindness, they were for achievment. You have really done a great job on this project. It takes someone special to express themselves so well and make it what it really is, a work of art.

I still think as a last resort to make the vision become a reality a conversion for a C-5 Corvette would be a big seller. Yeah, I'd buy one! especially the RS version. Jim

I have the new green RS version as my desktop background, love the hide-a-way treatment....Way Cool!

Does anyone have the name and address of the design folks (using the term loosely!) at GM
As I've told Kris,I passed the pics. onto a person I know at GM who had a meeting with the top guy who's in charge of the entire parts division with the stipulation that he passes it onto someone at design or even Bob Lutz. That was some months ago. I haven't heard of the result. The cars been all over the web and it's created quite a buzz. People at GM have got to know about it.

Hey everyone. I'd like to help out in any way I can!
Just wanted to let you know that the article and renderings are now online. Here's the link!
-Kris

http://popularhotrodding.com/features/0312PHR_Fifth_Reloaded/

I was just browsing through the Dictionary, Webster's New American Dictionary. When you look up the word "Fine" there is a picture of that car with no other explanation! So Kris has created a New definition of "Fine" It is so fine it should be continued on the next car! :D

I still think as a last resort to make the vision become a reality a conversion for a C-5 Corvette would be a big seller. Yeah, I'd buy one! especially the RS version. Jim

Some of the latest rumors have the F-Body coming back on the Sigma platform. Sigma is what the new CTX Caddy is using. The biggest change would be add a live axle instead of the independet rear (part of the rumor). The Sigma is suppose to be a great at far as suspension and handling capabilites. I don't see them using the C-5 (would have to by C6 by then) platform. The biggest complaints of Corvette owners was that the F-body was almost even with the Corvette performance wise, but for 10k less so I don't think they would let it get that close again. MHOP. I would still love see the F-Body come back. If they do it right with looks and performance I would make room in the garage for it.

The conversion would not be a GM sponsored happening. It would take some aftermarket company to make it happen. the General has never openly supported any conversion concept.

I'm a Corvette guy and I have seen several concept vehicles come from a Corvette platform over the years. The C-5 is getting down in price enough to allow a man to buy one and then add the kit to convert it to the car Kris designed. Did you ever see the 1953 conversion that was out for the 50th anniversary.?

Now Caddy has come along and picked up the chassis and added their Northstar engine and a front and rear body section of their own design, Sounding familiar? Jim

Truely Awesome......... If this were on the road there would be a lot more mustangs broken down alongside LOL

Hey Pro South,

No disrespect, but I could not disagree more. I really don’t think Kris’s idea of a cool retro come back Camaro is the reason why GM would turn their head to his concept.

When you say conversion do you mean a kit car? If so we are talking about two different things.

We are not talking about putting a Camaro looking body on VW power, or a Ferrari Testarossa looking body on a Fiero.

Were not talking or looking for an after market company to build a Camaro look alike. We are talking about a new GM F-Body RWD with LS-1 or LS-6 power that is sitting on their parts shelf. :P

This work of art could have been rendered by one of GM’s top brain thinkers and still get the axe because of the way GM is thinking these days about their performance cars. :-(

Also…the Corvette is finally getting “down” to a price where a guy can buy one? Hmmm….hardly. :?

Dave

Very nicely done Kris! Glad to see someone knows what GM should be doing.

[quote="70ELCO"]Hey Pro South,

No disrespect, but I could not disagree more. I really don’t think Kris’s idea of a cool retro come back Camaro is the reason why GM would turn their head to his concept.

None taken, but what I'm saying is that GM won't build a ground up platform just for Kris's concept. Look at the new GTO, it is on an OZ Holden platform.

When you say conversion do you mean a kit car? If so we are talking about two different things.

Kit Car? no, most kit cars are on a tube chassis etc. and are a completely manufactured chassis and body allowing use of various make drive trains.

We are not talking about putting a Camaro looking body on VW power, or a Ferrari Testarossa looking body on a Fiero.

Cars have came a long way since those days, I can't remember the company name offhand that converted new 50th Anniversary Corvettes into a retro '53 appearing car. It was a $28,000 conversion on top of the purchase of the car so don't make it sound so cheap. There are many kits that enhance or alter cars to look like something else on the market. There is a new kit that David Coker is marketing that converts a '88 up Chev truck to look like a '53 Chev. Truck, some look good, some don't just like anything else.

If you remember the Ferrari that Don Johnson drove in Miami Vice it was actually a '79 Corvette conversion. Many of those kits were sold until Ferrari won the law suit against the manufacturer of the conversion kit. It was a class act also and used Ferrari collision replacement parts for the grills and bumpers. Where they got in trouble was using the emblems.


Were not talking or looking for an after market company to build a Camaro look alike. We are talking about a new GM F-Body RWD with LS-1 or LS-6 power that is sitting on their parts shelf. :P

I understood what everyone wanted, myself included, but I can't see it happening unless a platform available is adapted to this or marketing can justify it as a loss leader to attract attention for advertising like the new SSR.

This work of art could have been rendered by one of GM’s top brain thinkers and still get the axe because of the way GM is thinking these days about their performance cars. :-(

I agree

Also…the Corvette is finally getting “down” to a price where a guy can buy one? Hmmm….hardly. :?

C-5 Corvettes are are down into the 20s and that isn't to bad if you shop around a nice low miler can be bought. I had a 2000 model that was loaded up pretty good and had 24 K on it I sold for $28,500 last year.

I would like to see this car of Kris's happen, IMHO it will only happen if someone builds molds and produces a front and rear section to adapt to a C-5 Corvette chassis. You can surely agree that it is worthy of being the platform and to me it is perfectly matched to this design. I would want everything the Corvette chassis has to offer for this dream car.

The shame is the man that could have done it and probably would have died last week when his 21 year old son shot him to death with a 45 cal pistol. Bryan Vanacor had a way with fiberglass and you can see his work at vanacorvette.com

It is a beautiful car, I love it! but I don't see the General building it, so if someone else steps up to the plate and sells a conversion for a late model Vette................I may be looking for one with a light tap in the front and rear to make the dream come true. Jim

Nice response Jim thanks!

And your correct about the "new" kit cars. Some of those are a work of art like a lot of the new Cobra kit cars made today that are done right. Wish I had one!

Dave

Nice job Kris,Keep up the good work.