If you ask most any Chevelle aficionado what the most desirable examples of the marque may be, chances are the response would include a '65 Z-16 Malibu or a '70 LS6 Chevelle; either of which is easily capable of topping the list. For Richard Fudge, the owner of this pair of rare beauties, they both definitely topped his list!
Richard's Z-16 has been a part of his life since he was a senior in high school. At such a young age, he had no idea of the significance of the car... nor any appreciation for its rarity. He just thought he had a cool Chevelle. How cool his Chevelle really was, however, wouldn't become apparent to him until several years later. Oh sure, the 160mph speedo, the in-dash tach, tilt wheel and stereo multiplex unit were all items not usually found in other '65 Malibus.
And the Turbo-jet fender flags, four-speed transmission, and the healthy rumble of the big-block did plenty to boost his street-hero image. But, if ignorance is bliss, when Fudge finally learned about his rare Malibu, he had to be the happiest person alive!
Research was the key to Richard's A-body education, and ultimately it connected him with Chris Daniels, a Z-16 expert who not only tutored Richard on the intricacies of his unique Chevelle, but also agreed to perform a state-of-the-art restoration on it. After shipping the Z-16 to Chris' home in California, it underwent a painstaking last nut-and-bolt refurbishing that resulted in the gorgeous example shown on these pages. It should be noted that while the Z-16 is a rare piece (only 201 were ever produced), Richard's Tuxedo black beauty is likely the rarest of the rare because of its color. There were only two other available colors for the Z-16: Regal red and Crocus yellow. The white interior, too, is rather unusual, and aside from standard Z-16 hardware, extra cost options found on Fudge's car include F&R bumper guards, a tilt steering column, and a two-spoke, simulated wood steering wheel.
Others appreciate the intrinsic value and beauty of the Z-16, too. It's been the subject of numerous magazine articles, and was recently featured as a spotlight vehicle on The Nashville Network's (TNN) Motor Trend Magazine show.
While the Z-16 interior is laden with factory options like bucket seats, AM-FM multiplex, tilt/wood wheel, and dash-mounted clock, the LS-6 offers a stark contrast with its bench seat and not much else in the way of amenities.
Unlike the Z-16, the '70 is a fairly recent acquisition, although it, too, has been the recipient of a Chris Daniels restoration. In fact, had it not been for Daniels, Richard and his LS-6 may never have met. During one of their conversations while the Z-16 was being restored, Chris told Richard about a triple black LS-6 that he'd recently completed, and that the car was available. After a call to the owner, a deal was struck, and the LS-6 had a new home.
Built in the Van Nuys, California plant, the '70 had lived its entire life in California before making the trek to Tennessee. It features a special-duty TH400, factory instrumentation, vinyl roof, tinted glass, power steering, HD battery, and AM radio as its only options. Still, it stickered for $4523.10! Cowl Induction and the hood& deck stripes were options not specified when the order forms were filled out. The rare dual snorkel air cleaner is correct for non-Cowl Induction cars built after mid-January '70. Apparently, the open element air cleaners made too much intake noise under full throttle conditions, and the factory engineers decided that the dual snorkel job would suffice as a replacement.
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The engines are the centerpieces for both cars. Although five years, 58 cubic inches, and 75 horsepower separate the two, the heritage is undeniable! |
If you feel a little envious of Fudge's good fortune while looking at these Black Beauties, don't feel bad. Any Chevelle enthusiast worth their SS badges would love to own either one, let alone both of them!!! But if you believe that good things happen to good people (the old "What goes around..." saying), then Richard certainly deserves both of them, and we thank him for sharing them with the rest of us.
