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Team Chevelle Member #800
If your reading this, it means that I have landed a spot in the "Feature Car" of the month.
My 66 is a series 13817 car but the 396 is not the original motor. All other drivetrain components were original when I purchased it. I have gotten mixed reports on the stamped # on the block pad.It does say "Hi Perf " located by the oil filter. I have ran my #s from the rearend, tranny and heads as well as the block casting #. Everything indicates it was probably a 360 hp car. It has a Holly 780 cfm and an Edelbrock intake on it, but other than that, the motor is stock. From what I have been told, and by the way, a big thanks to all you smart folks on Team Chevelle, the Baltimore plant didn't offer a whole lot of info as far as options etc from the cowl tag. I have looked under and in my rear seat for a build sheet but to no avail.
I bought the car from a private sale here in Colorado. The party I acquired it from only had it a short time. He had a change of heart and decided he wanted a 40 Ford that was pumping out 700 + horses. My Chevelle had Texas plates on it and the title was still in the Texas owners name. It came with the original Powerglide and the original 12 bolt posi rear end (331:1). After driving the car for about a week, I decided it needed something other than that Powerglide. I installed a 700r4 in it with a custom built cross member and linkage kit that allowed me to not have to do any drilling etc except shorten the drive shaft. Unless you look closely at the lens plate or rode in it you would not know that there was any modification to it. I can put the Powerglide back in it without a hitch if I want too. Not that I plan on it, but I could. The car also needed paint and some minor body work. So, 45 days after I had it, off to the body shop it went. I had my Harley custom painted at a local shop and was impressed enough to take my Chevelle there.
The original color from the Baltimore plant was Aztec Bronze. It had since been painted Lemonwood Yellow. If it had been a quality job, I could have lived with the color. But, it was not right and I knew it. Even though I was constantly being told "Nice Ride" I decided it was going in for paint,,,, and since I was going to the shop, I decided to change the color. I wanted Candy Apple Red. Then I wanted a Canary Yellow. Then a dark metallic blue. Then black. I had awhile to think about it and that was one of the hardest decisions I have had to make. I also decided that since it was an option for a 66 to have a rear power antenna if you had an AM radio, not an AM/FM but an AM, to relocate the antenna to the rear. Someday I will install on of those hidden CD systems with some wattage.
So, the shop calls and says its time to lay down some color. This is after a call or two from the shop saying " If we are going to do this right, we need to fix this/that etc. Even though the price goes up from the original estimate, I could not see putting $$ into it and it not being right. The shop would have been hard pressed to NOT do it right as well. He says, " We don't do work here unless its right". Looking back, I am glad I took it where I did and laid out the extra bucks. So I tell the shop to go with the Patriot Red Pearl that I had been looking at on paint chips. It is like a candy job but will hold up in the high UV sun we get here in Colorado. The shop said BEWARE of Candy jobs and unless I am going to make it a trailer queen, don't go with a true Candy color. The sweet thing about the color I went with is that in pictures or on cloudy days, I have people that have a clue, asking if that is Aztec Bronze. But in person and on sunny days you can tell its far from the original color. The pearl in the paint is out of this world!
I would like to say that I have put everything into the car to get it where its at now, but the interior was already done when I purchased it. In the summer of 98 my wife bought me a brand new 1998 Harley Davidson for my Birthday/Fathers day and I decided after 18 months of riding if I was going to see my then 3 year old son grow up, I needed to sell it. The crazy drivers these days. I put several $$$$ into my bike and it was far from stock. I took the $$$$ and bought my Chevelle. I have absolutely no regrets!! As most of you realize, a car like this deserved better and I made it a personal obligation to have the car I had always wanted even back in high school but could never afford, and make it what it is today. It has the stock exhaust manifolds and I plan on putting headers and an X pipe on her for exhaust someday.
I once again want to thank everyone from Team Chevelle for all the help I have received to get the car where it is today...............Motor On!!!RatTrap TC #800
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!)
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
