Southern Californians are known for their affinity of cruising by the beach in their cars, and this 2011 Camaro SS Roadster is the perfect vehicle for the job. Built by DSO Eyewear CEO Chris Mangum, this drop-top beauty captures everything that local Angelinos love about their cars – the wind in their hair, the sun in their eyes, and a growl under the hood. Being that this is the second Camaro Mangum has built with Chevrolet, he knew he’d have to step it up from his previous project. Mangum designed a car with a plush and comfortable interior to enjoy the drive, visual appealing to attract attention, and a stereo to keep pedestrians entertained.

Mangum chose the OE-styled 3D Carbon ground effects, side vents and spoiler to accentuate the already-stylish body lines GM carved from the factory. Classic Design Concepts provided the rear diffuser and sport roll bar which Mangum wrapped with Carbon fiber, and both provide sleek black accents to contrast with the BASF Iridium Silver paint. SLP’s ZL hood features an active intake to keep the engine bay temps down, a throw-back to Camaros of previous generations. When Mangum passes you on the freeway, you won’t be able to avoid noticing the Niche Type 45 wheels in 22x9.5” up front and 22x11” in the rear, wrapped in Pirelli P Zero Nero 255/30/22 and 305/30/22 tires. Up front, PIAA headlights and Oracle Lighting fog lights and side markers illuminate the road. The entire front end was given a Star Shield Clear Armor treatment, keeping the front end, hood, headlights, and mirrors clear of rock chips and imperfections. Should a bug or two decide to attempt to mate with the front end, Mangum always has a bottle of Mothers ShowTime detail in the car to get the car back to freshly-waxed condition.

Under the hood is the crown jewel of the car. A Lysholm twin-screw supercharger puts more than 580hp and 540 lb-ft of torque thru the LS3 engine and to the wheels, providing instantaneous power on demand. K&N filters take care of the air coming into the engine, while a Gibson X-pipe and dual exhaust handles the air leaving the engine. AMSOIL synthetic fluids have replaced all of the factory-filled fluids, and an Odyssey Extreme battery powers the prowl of the motor every morning. An Eddie Motorsports SS sill plate and dress up kit and L&G Enterprises paint work provide the perfect finishing touches.

Cruising around in this roadster for a weekend will bring a smile to your face because of the incredibly-stable handling it achieves. The corners are supported by a full Pfadt suspension setup of coilovers, sway bars, and suspension bushings, with a Hotchkis strut bar and subframe brace helping to tie everything together. Stopping power is handled by Brembo Gran Tourismo 6-piston calipers clamping 15” 2-piece floating rotors in front and 4-piston calipers clamping a similar set of 15” 2-piece rotors out back. To say this car handles better than the ‘land barge’ tag often given to previous generations of domestic muscle cars is an understatement.

Inside, passengers are greeted by plush Tuscany leather Katzkin seat covers, accented in perforated raven suede inserts. The driver controls shifts through the Hurst Comp shift kit and billet paddle shifters and stomps on a pair of SRP aluminum pedals. Mangum covered the rest of the interior in custom Katzkin raven suede from the pillars, door panels, center console, and bezels and trim to give the feeling of luxury, while Coverking floor mats keep the footwells spotless. Although a drop-top car is always enjoyable to drive, the Rockford Fosgate-powered stereo system definitely adds to the fun. All sounds are controlled by the Sony XNV-770BT 7” touchscreen double-din head unit, which features TomTom Navigation, neatly cradled in a Scosche full color touch screen dash kit, with A/C and Climate controls. All wiring was provided by Rockford Fosgate, which powers a trio of Fosgate amplifiers. In the doors, P152S door components take care of the highs and mids, while a pair of 10” P3D2 subwoofers are powered by a dedicated PBR300x1 amp per woofer. The bass setup is configured where the back seats would normally sit, and features custom Orical Ambiant lighting under the clear view acrylic section of the roadster cover. When walking by this Camaro, the acrylic audio enclosure definitely catches your eye, with the exposed Rockford Fosgate magnets 10” woofers peeking out from behind.

At first glance, it may appear as if GM’s 100th Anniversary logo in the Roadster cover came from the factory that way, but the special touch was added by Mangum prior to the SEMA unveiling. Although GM hadn’t specified to Mangum or other car builders that they would be focusing on the 100th anniversary of the brand at SEMA, Mangum caught wind of it in speaking with friends who work at Detroit HQ at a recent Barrett-Jackson auction. His integration of the logo into the cover was a special surprise he hadn’t previously included in his renderings and proposal, but a welcome one for the GM team.

DSO Eyewear & Mangum Automotive Designs has built more than 30 auto, truck, bike, and boat builds in the last 12 years, and their Camaro Roadster is yet another example of why OEMs continue to work with the brand and Mangum. DSO’s roots are in the action sports industry, but their evolution into a lifestyle brand has been a calculated and successful move. With professional athletes and celebrities wearing their product, DSO has enjoyed increase publicity in recent years. As their cars continue to expose their brands to new consumers, their sunglasses continue to keep drivers and consumers protected. We can’t think of a better way to enjoy the sun and surf of Southern California than with the top down, tunes cranked up, and DSO sunglasses wrapped around your head!