More On The 1979 Camaro That Raced Into Bosnia To Save Lives: Video

In the early- to mid-1990s, Bosnia descended into a bloody civil war as republics of Yugoslavia began declaring independence from the kingdom. The resulting civil war resulted in 100,000 deaths, though more likely died due to the war’s effects. Countries and organizations around the world tried to assist, but the slow-moving military vehicles filled with supplies became easy targets for robberies and bombings. When Danish Special Forces officer Helge Meyer heard of the struggles of getting supplies to civilians, he came up with an idea—the Ghost Camaro. 

According to the Drivetribe video, Meyer thought something small and fast instead of the slow-moving military vehicles would be better to make supply deliveries into Bosnia. He contacted the U.S. military that approved of his idea. Meyer supplied the 1979 Chevrolet Camaro that would become the Ghost Camaro after a host of upgrades. Engineers increased the horsepower from the Camaro’s original 5.7-liter V8—taking it from 182 horsepower to a 220. They also added nitrous that would double that to 440 horsepower, just in case Meyer needed to evade a dangerous situation quickly. 

The Camaro also received upgrades necessary for the battlefield like a battering ram, mine clearing blade, rubber ducky in the grille, stealth paint to avoid radar, kevlar padding, night vision, run-flat tires, and plate glass windows. What the car lacked was offensive weaponry. No guns were fitted to the vehicle and Meyer famously never even carried a firearm, earning him the nickname “God’s Rambo.” The Ghost Camaro would make numerous crossings into Bosnia carrying 400 kilograms of food, blankets, and other supplies. 

It’s unclear how many lives Meyer and his Ghost Camaro saved. He continued delivering supplies as other countries and organizations gave up due to the danger. Today, Meyer still owns the car, continuing to drive it, though it’s now bright orange instead of stealth green. It’s accumulated more than 100,000 kilometers. It’s incredible that it’s still running.