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Team Chevelle Member #907
I located and bought this 1970 Chevelle SS 396 (L34) in September
of 2000 from a gentleman in Vancouver, Wa. Some of the options include the Easy Grip Steering Wheel, the full gauge package, Console, bucket seats and a Muncie M-20 four speed. The car was painted Cranberry Red at the time I bought it, and was in very good shape. The car had a restoration done about ten years ago and I felt, after getting the car home and looking at it, that it needed a little freshening up.
I started by pulling the motor, and was originally just going to paint the motor and put it right back in the car. Silly me. I had the cam degreed by a local machine shop and learned the crank was cracked. Uh, oh. Time to rebuild the motor.
I had the 396 bored out to 415 cid, with a forged crank, stock rods, and a Crane Cam, 296/306 duration (236/246 @ .050), .553/.571 lift, on a 114 LSA.
The heads are stock with some porting done on the exhaust side. They sport Crane Energizer roller tipped rockers, and Crane pushrods. The oil pan is a Moroso six quart and has a Moroso pump tucked inside. The intake is an Edelbrock RPM Airgap, and sitting on top of that is a Holley 950HP carburator. The motor breathes through a set of Hedman headers, and a Flowmaster 2.5" exhaust system with Flowmaster 50 Series Delta Flow mufflers. The ignition system is a Mallory Comp 9000 distributor, a MSD 6AL ignition, and MSD 8.5mm wires firing from a Mallory ProMaster coil. The fuel system is a Mallory Comp. 140 fuel pump and filter running up to a Mallory Comp 140 regulator, through a Holley fuel log.
I decided that since the motor was out and was being rebuilt, I would freshen up the engine compartment a little. The next thing I knew, I had the entire front end of the car disassembled. I couldn't stop now. I then raised the car off the frame and prepped the frame too. Everything that could get painted did get painted.
The rear end is a GM twelve bolt, originally with a 3.31 posi, which has now been updated with a 3.73 posi. Power is transferred to the rear with the assistance of Lakewood traction bars.
The car was painted the original Cortez Silver Metallic, with three coats of clear, by Roberson's Chrysler in Salem, OR. The interior was replaced, and the dash was restored. When it was all said and done I had essentially either rebuilt or replaced everything on my car.
Team Chevelle would love to feature your Car on one of our future monthly articles.
If selected as a feature, we will send you a high quality Team Chevelle license plate!To take part, send a few quality pictures to us and as much information as you can (we LOVE reading about Chevelles!)
Al McKenzie, Box 68, Porthill Idaho, 83853
Note: preference is given to submitted photos, unless you have access to high quality scanning equipment, we would prefer to do the image work and touch-ups.
or: Al McKenzie, Box 231, Creston, B.C. Canada, V0B-1G0
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