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Show "Ybu cant gee rid ofa car that people know ai well at their own grandmother's name, Harden says. Self-sustaini- hobby ng In the early days, the Camaro joined two other American clanks, the Mustang and the Corvette, for a three-c- ar war. Harden says. You could choose sides, and when I grew up people were bond loyal. You wete a Focd guy or a Chevy guy, he says. "The Camaro was an American spore car in die affordable range." Hardens low of beefy American-mad- e began shortly after he started driving in embraced the breeds founder; tang, a die 1973- hot rods He fust - Ford Mus- ng rn hand-me-do- 1964 model from his hmrlwr Another second-hand Mustang fallowed, resulting in many hours spent repairing and modifying. While those hours Harden didn't create just a boys dub. "My daughter thinks it's the greatest thing, and all of her friends at school live vicariously through her; he says. "Shell have guys come up to her with car questions. Harden doesn't look hand or far to find friends with similar passions. Camaro dub membets gather regularly in Indianapolis. Bill Bauman of Logansport drives 94 miles one way for the acssions, where Harden welcomed him into the culture. "This is like another child in his life," Bauman says of Harden. "He takes slot cf time our of his day to go on the Internet, on the char room, go to Indy for meetings. You'd really have to love something in your heatt to spend this much time with it." Bauman, 24, respects Haiden's passion for Camara and his attitude toward life. I relate to him," he says. T hope that when Tm as old as him, I can have the rime and the money and the passion to enjoy it the way he does." Tiny models of famama, mostly gifts from Chevrolet, line a sec of shelves in EZa Harden's living room. As president of die . t dub, he helped organize Camaro car shows at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway C&csrs in 1998 and 2000. So while Chevrolet Harden keeps framed copies of the ads on the walls was only the first. Many others followed, continuing die cycle of purchase, repair; and selL Mote than a dozen Camams passed through the gauge in his neat house along a stretch of gendy rolling central Indiana hills. "Its a hobby," Harden says. Tve been able to buy and sell and trade up, making it pay for itself." While Harden can recite, in painstaking detail, specifics of nearly every Camaro model that rolled off die aaembly line, he loves working on early models such as those produced in 1969- Anyone considering model buying a well-wofrom that year should expect to pay about the meal the original owner between $2,000 and "In $5,000. any condition, youre going to pay about what they were Harden says. of his gauge. But that car; which he sold, pro- vided Harden much of and Parts the mechanical foundawith bodywork, tion on which he now rebea, they also ingrained in him all but the finring completed at home, feel for the way a car should drive. a gut-lev-el might coat between $10,000 and $15,000 of for drink kind associate a complete overhaul. Harden says. with 1 you always your first car; he says. Tve always kved the sue and feel When restored, die cars can bring anyof a pony can As a teenager; you loved having the where from $15,000 to $20,000. T s. con$11 additions or sporty pristine t Harden spent most of his time on the road, playvertibles might bring $25,000 to Svt love mandolin band. with A a $40,000. ing touring bluegrass of powerful hot tods continued until he and his Lata mnrirh have their own style and TPr wife, Anita, 44, had their children, Darren, now 22, perks, and each has earned fens win love and daughter Amanda, now 13, and a mini-va- n nothing more than making the cars very landed in the driveway. much their awn, Harden says. "Every man About a dozen yean ago, that all changed. His thinks he can restore an old house or restore brother-in-lastarted restoring a 1969 Camaro, and an old car; he says. "It renews you." & Harden felt die ag. Memories of tweakiqg engines and A powering down the road returned. I enjoy beiqg able to get into a car and just goi And Harden, project supervisor for an ardii-tec- t, 1994 there's nothing better dun having a car that feeb at life. He Kill seems ac ease with mid-4- 0 comfortable at an old pair of shoes and has the power far plays mandolin with The Not Too Bad Blugnss Band, the Camaro, it will live in thousands shows limit when you want to drive ... briskly; he says. who the of such to as Haiden's. pickets region. private garages And the Camaro is more a part of Harden bought a rusted Z28 in He believes in an inevitable return, such as the resurn, ii nearby Bloomington. The family w.my wiuji. hi u.jm it all than ever before. Harden has gence cf the Ford Thunderbiid in 2002. A inwnAd to build a house, and he been president of the Central Indiana redesign brought that car back to life, and the considered die car a forced savings Camaro Club since 1997 and considlegacy might prove sufficietit to demand a rebirth. Harder ers the an en account. When die house was says. "Thori what we're hoping for," he says. group and sell use ir car the extended . Meanwhile he his plenty to keep him busy. The red to wed built, family. &9fgEBs2sg& finish the house to put in all of the kids around have model needs a new paint job. The blue 1969 1994 "My grown up neck-dee- p culfinal touches, he lays. and in car always deserves a little attention And tben there's his it, my ions Harden him He restored the car, replacing to sons car; a conversion to a pure racing machine. Anothcure, says. 1 tent lr.faf3EKSai. metal sheet exterior school of for in Ohio er Camaro, undergoing a transformation bade to a high performance every piece for become street-leg- al die Hes door; motor known, vehicle, rests in the driveway. top, passenger except sports. and hood. Eventually, an auto parts here And Camaro as Harden in the couldnt be happier Tm just a gear basically, guy ' f business featured the car on its catIndiana. He works at a speed shop in head, and I cant leave anything alone." Bloomington, and hes kinds adopted alogs cover and used its image in Noblt Spnyttrry it m fmlamx uwittr in Brentwood, Ten. several national car magazines. this whole thing." C'.. saf at $ ce two-door- ' nr gW' .a Camaro rebirth? mayde-emphasi- ze head-turni- rnm 200-memb- i. American Profile Pago 7 |