Built, Not Bought

Every car has a story, but few tell it like this one. The Lost Angels Career Center’s 1968 Chevrolet Camaro began its life as a shared dream. LACC's Founder and CEO, Aaron Valencia, has loved classic cars his entire life, growing the next generation of classic car lovers inside the walls of his organization. After teaming up with Professional Drifter Kevin Darwish last year, the dream to make it to SEMA started to turn into reality. 

Transforming Lives Through Trades

The Lost Angels Career Center (LACC) is a nonprofit organization that gives at-risk youth and young adults the opportunity to learn skilled trades through hands-on automotive restoration and fabrication. The SEMA project started as an ambitious challenge: take a stripped-down classic and transform it into a fully engineered, modern pro-touring machine. Over months of planning, fabrication, and late nights in the shop, students and mentors collaborated to build something that blends heritage with high-performance engineering; a car that embodies both education and aspiration.

The Backbone Beneath The Beauty

Underneath the Camaro’s iconic sheet metal lies a foundation built on Detroit Speed innovation. A complete Detroit Speed Hydroformed Subframe sets the front-end geometry, giving the car precise steering feel and modern suspension dynamics. Out back, a set of QA1 coilovers cradle a custom cantilever suspension, providing exceptional traction, ride quality, and tunability. This suspension system was created in-house at LACC using their Tech Lab, where students can be hands-on learning CAD design, plasma cutting, and more. DSE Mini-Tubs allowed the team to widen the rear track for larger wheels and tires, giving the car the stance and grip of a modern performance vehicle. The result is a 1968 Camaro that handles curves with the confidence of a car fifty years its junior, without losing an ounce of classic character.

Hands On Horsepower

Beneath the hood, a supercharged LS engine delivers a heart-pounding 650 horsepower, complemented by Holley Dominator EFI and custom exhaust fabrication designed by the students themselves. Carbon-fiber body panels, handcrafted interior components, and modern electronics show the depth of skill that went into every stage of the project. From wiring harnesses to paint prep, each student had a hand in turning this car from a dream into reality. “This has been one of my favorite projects to be involved with,” said Lost Angels Career Center Ambassador and Professional Drifter Kevin Darwish. “What started as a recommendation for paint work on my own car has opened the doors to so much more. It has been a dream of mine to be a part of a SEMA build, and I couldn't be more proud of all the students who had open minds and a passion for this project throughout the process."

From Metal To Meaning

At the 2025 SEMA Show, surrounded by industry giants and corporate-backed builds, the Lost Angels ’68 Camaro stood as something different - a reminder of why people fall in love with cars in the first place. It’s not just the roar of the engine or the glint of polished metal; it’s the story behind the hands that built it. “My father originally introduced me to Detroit Speed, and their name became synonymous to me with muscle car builds”, Darwish said about the decision to choose DSE. “The students loved the OEM comparisons that could be made between the (hydroformed) subframe, and the installation process couldn't have been easier for them.”

The LACC’s 1968 Camaro represents more than horsepower or craftsmanship. It represents opportunity. Through teamwork, perseverance, and world-class components from partners like Detroit Speed, this project has proven that cars can be classrooms, and that the road to a better future can start with the turn of a wrench.

When this Camaro fired up for the first time, it wasn’t just an engine coming to life. It was the sound of futures being built — one bolt, one weld, one dream at a time.

Photography Credit: Andreas Wennevold & Lost Angels Career Center