|
TC member #978
Tom RightlerI picked up this 1970 Chevelle in February 1998 for the sum of $200. It started out as a small block Malibu with a 350 C.I. engine, M21 4-speed transmission, and a 12-bolt posi-traction rear. I originally bought the car with the intent of making a decent driver, just something to play around with. Upon close inspection when I brought it home, I decided to go all out and do a complete frame-off restoration. Within a week, the car was completely disassembled and parts were strewn all about the garage. The body was removed, placed on a small boat trailer, covered, and set aside while restoration of the frame commenced.
The frame was completely stripped down to nothing but metal. The next task was to completely clean off the dirt and grime that had accumulated over the years. After many hours of intensive labor with a wire wheel and scraper, the frame was ready for refinishing. It was coated with a rust preventive agent, along with two coats of chassis black paint from Eastwood. New stainless steel brake and fuel lines were installed.
The front suspension was completely stripped and rebuilt using a Energy Suspension bushing kit, along with brand new TRW springs. The car had the stock drum brakes on it. I decided this would be the perfect time to convert to disc brakes for better stopping power. The disc brake setup was donated by a ‘72 LeMans found at a local junkyard. The spindles were blasted and painted to correct OEM colors. New calipers, rotors, hoses, and PF brakes pads were installed. All of the steering linkage was replaced using TRW components and painted to OEM colors. A F41 front sway bar was also installed.
The stock rear suspension was replaced with Hotchkis upper and lower trailing arms, TRW springs, and the correct rear sway bar. A couple of frame connectors were fabricated to help stiffen up the rear. The rear that came in the car turned out to be an Oldsmobile style axle with 2.73 gears. This was replaced with a 12-bolt posi Chevrolet style axle with 3.73 gears. New bearings, seals, and axles were installed prior to bolting it in place.
Next, my attention was turned to the body. The body was brought into the garage where it was mounted on a homemade rotisserie. Countless hours were spent removing the undercoating and 2 layers of old paint. Once the body was in a bare metal state, the quarters were cut off and replaced with aftermarket skins, which required quite a bit of cutting and massaging to correctly get them in place.
The trunk floor was [Text Box: ] cut out and replaced. The firewall and underside of the body were coated with a rust preventive agent, as was the entire inside of the cab. Next step was to put a topcoat on the firewall and underside. It was painted the correct semi-flat black. Now it was time to rejoin the body with the finished chassis. New body mounts were placed on the frame and it was slid back under the body. Once the body was back on, new body bolts were used to secure it down, ensuring it would not shift. A new GM booster and master cylinder were installed and the brakes were bled. The heater box was completely taken apart, thoroughly cleaned and reinstalled. I decided against reinstalling the factory air conditioning system, so a custom outer heater box was fabricated and bolted in place. Next it was time to reassemble the rest of the body. The doors were put back on and aligned, as were the fenders and hood.
Once completed, it was time to find a body man to paint it. This proved to be very challenging since no one in the area wanted to touch the car in its present state. Finally, the last shop I took it to for an estimate agreed to do it. Originally, I was going to have it painted the original cranberry red, then changed my mind to Fathom blue. I just saw too many red cars out there and hardly any blue ones. A, what I would call, fortunate mistake happened when the body man mixed the paint. He could not mix it correctly, for whatever reason, and it turned out to be a few shades lighter than the Fathom Blue color. I went and looked at it and decided I liked it. I then told him to go ahead and finish it. What was supposed to take 6-8 weeks, ended up taking over 6 months with the car nearly getting locked in the building due to the body shop owner not paying his rent. Super Bowl Sunday of the year 2000, we went and picked up the car. We got it home just in time before a huge snowstorm.
The following 3 months consisted of reinstalling all of the parts I had taken off. First in line was the glass and interior. All of the glass was replaced with brand new from the OEM manufacturer. The bucket seats were reupholstered; new door panels, carpet, and headliner were installed. All new weatherstrip ensured that there would be no leaks into the interior. A set of Cragar SST rims was put into place wearing Firestone rubber. All new chrome and stainless steel trim and emblems were installed. I replaced the original Malibu dash with an LS6 dash and gauge cluster. All four of the headlights are the original T-3’s.
Now it was engine decision time. Originally, I was going to build a stout 383-stroker engine, but once again changed my mind and decided to build a healthy 454 instead. The engine consists of TRW forged pistons rated at 11:1 compression, an Eagle forged crank and rods, Crane Powermax cam with .534/.553 lift, a true double roller timing chain, Melling high volume oil pump, MSD Pro Billet distributor, Edlebrock Performer RPM intake manifold and it’s topped off with a Holley 750 carb. The cylinder heads were ported and polished then fitted with Manley stainless steel valves, Crane springs matched to the cam, and Competition Cams Roller tip rocker arms. The stock chrome valve covers finished the job. A Moroso deep sump oil pan was added for extra oil capacity. Dynomax ceramic-coated headers, backed by a 2.5” Flowmaster American Thunder exhaust system with 40-series two-chamber mufflers were installed, including a set of stock GM exhaust tips.
As for the transmission, I decided to back the healthy 454 with a pro-street built TH400. The transmission was professionally built by Ziggy’s High Performance Transmissions. It consists of hardened drums and sprags, heavy-duty Kevlar bands and clutches, shift kit, and an ATI 2200 stall converter.The Chevelle came back to life in March 2000 after sitting dormant for 18 years in a farm field. It went from being a small block Malibu to a correct SS tribute car. This was the first frame-off restoration I had attempted and I was quite pleased with the results. Once finished, I was simply driving it around, taking it to friend’s houses and to work once in a while. Later I decided to start taking it to some shows. Now, I take it to a show every chance I get and usually place in the class I am in. My main focus was to enjoy the car, and I have every time I take it out since the day it hit the pavement once again.
Tom Rightler
Previously Featured Chevelles & El Caminos
All features copyright, Team Chevelle
