I've had my 66 for 23 years now and I have gone through the whole spectrum of my the idea of "finished car" resto ideas. My car was originally a 230 6-cylinder car that had a 68 truck 327 with the original powerglide when I bought it for $1200 when I was 16. When I was in my 20's I wound up acquiring 3 different parts cars. I always made sure that everything I put on my car was as correct from the factory as I could get it. I knew that I would never have a #'s matching car because I was always going to run V-8's. That's okay by me as long as everything else stays factory correct, namely bolts, fasteners, wiring etc. I always planned on having my car done by the time I was 30. That never happened! I actually had the body done and painted at age 24 but never did anything else to the car until last year when I sold my 95 Z28 convertible and suddenly had no other car sucking up my hot rod money. We'll I'm proud to say that after another year of work, my car will once again be back on the streets again within a month. I'm 39 now and have lowered my once "concours" standards to a standard of "let's get this thing going again and have some fun"! Don't get me wrong, everything I do on my car is still 1st class, but I have learned that cutting a few corners here and there on worrying about factory correctness will get me back into and enjoying my car again without waiting another 20 years. How many of you folks can relate to where I'm coming from?

I bought mine from the original owner in 87, it's been a daily driver for me or my wife since then. Had 120K on it when I got it, just short of 300K now.

it was a 307/TH350 car, now has roller 406, 200-4R, 3.73 posi in an early rear axle, the narrower one. Small roller cam, idle all day with the A/C on in Phx.

Needs re-upholstered again, clear-coat is burning off the paint. Been a good car, never had a car payment since 1987. :)

3rd time around for mine and next year the body comes off to do it again, only anally:thumbsup:

Bought mine in 84. torn it completely apart in 88, built a 454, stripped the paint, had it back in primer in 90, car went through various stages of being apart and together. I came to the same realization you have about 5 years ago. From 1990 to 2004 the car had sat on jack stands more than it had been driven. 1400 miles to be exact. It also was wearing the same primer that had been sprayed on in 90. I said enough is enough, time to stop screw'n around. I threw it together and started driving it. I put 2000 miles on it in the first year, cruises, cars shows (still in primer). It didn't matter what people thought, at least I had a car and it was moving. And...thanks to a fellow Chevelle club member, the car was painted in 04 and featured in the May/June issue of Chevelle World! The car is far from perfect, but it's mine and I am enjoying it!

My advise to you is...well I think you already know...get it together and ENJOY it!

The pic in my sig is my second year with the car at Chevell-bration in Nashville. Do I look like I am enjoying it?

Does it count that I've had my 77 Monte for 30 yrs.?

I bought mine in '87, daily drove it for six years, and tore it down for some bodywork. It's got a complete new drivetrain in it now, and the bodywork still isn't complete. I haven't touched it in a month and a half. It's just one of those things. Lately, I've been working on the Firebird, at least that's back up and running. Once I sort out the high oil pressure issue, and do some detailing, I'll get back to work on the El Camino. The next big push on the El Camino should get it into paint. I just don't have the motivation at the moment. I have a couple other projects to get done before I'll be ready for that. As far as lowering standards a bit to get the car going, yes, I'm there. No new quarters, just patched up the existing. Parts cars out here are non existant, so I usually have to put up with someone else's opinion on what a nice used part is, or try to find NOS that is actually just that. It can be trying sometimes. As of right now, being a realist, I'm going to say it's going to be next year before I drive the car. At least when I say that now, I know I'm way closer than I've been in the past 12 years when I said the same thing. ;)

Bought mine in 1981. I've done two frame up restorations in that time, the last one in 1999.

I've had my '70 almost 31 years.

got mine may 1993
and been off the road since :(
funny how family/etc gets in the way..
job too..
hoping for before my 40th..
that gives me under 2 years..
spotless car. will have to wait..
fast,fun, car will do(10 footer)
he!! the rat rodders showed that primer is still in..

I've had my 66 for 23 years now and I have gone through the whole spectrum of my the idea of "finished car" resto ideas... I'm 39 now and have lowered my once "concours" standards to a standard of "let's get this thing going again and have some fun"! Don't get me wrong, everything I do on my car is still 1st class, but I have learned that cutting a few corners here and there on worrying about factory correctness will get me back into and enjoying my car again without waiting another 20 years. How many of you folks can relate to where I'm coming from?


I can totally relate...

I bought my '66 in January of 1985. Drove it until October of '85, when it broke a ring (?) and started burning about 1-quart of oil every week (along with fouling that one plug within 20 minutes).

I parked it, and had plans NOT to drive it until I complete a full resto... Back to original.

Its been almost 23 years, and the car is still sitting. In fact, for the first 22 years, I really did NOTHING to it... I disassembled it (still a roller, but gutted). Reason for the delay? First it was other cars (found my Chevelle convertible, then a BB 66 el camino), then there was school... then got married and bought a house... Then the kids came along... I love the car, but I am realistic with my priorities...
Last year, I finally bolted in the rearend, new shocks rebuilt the brakes (new master and lines too), and dropped in the BB/Muncie... A few hours away from being "drivable", but still gutted. Literally NO dash or wiring, I was going to route a wire to the distributor through a toggle switch and another to the starter solenoid, and a third to the brake lights...



Of course, now it has been sitting again for the past 14+ months... I actually got the number for a "soda Blaster", and am going to get an estimate to strip the body (its has probably 6-5 coats of paint on it, literally). Maybe that will give me some incentive...

While I originally envisioned a full concours resto, I later modified that to be correct, but "optioned" the way I wanted. Car originally an L78, manual steeringmanual brakes, am/heater, buckets/console/guages/tach, but I figured I "add" a heater delete, radio block off, and when consoles skyrocketed in price, I figure "console delete" (and for those that are going to say it, yes, I know, you can't "delete" something that was optional :sad: But easier to explain that way).

During the past year, I decided to modify the car a bit, since the original eng/trans are gone anyway (it'll never be original). I decided that I will modify the brakes, suspension and wheels. I like the old-style TorqueThrusts bare/painted spokes, but I'd like to do a more modern size. So I am planning on 17-inch Vintage Wheel Works V40 with 275-40-17s all around. I;ll keep the manual steering and brakes (at least until I get tiresd of those), but I will go with big disc brakes (probably C5 vette discs).

Engine compartment should look pretty "stock" except a dual master cylinder and probably headers. I have a "stock" L78 intake, L78 Holley carb, probably do an "electronic ignition coversion" using a stock distributor. maybe even a Cowl Plenum Air Cleaner... Even planning a Repro battery, and utilizing the stock radiator...

I am planning on adding aftermarket A/C...

Inside, I plan on stock looking, with a hidden stereo, and posibly leather seats (Black vinyl is too hot and sticky, so I'd like it to be a bit more comfortable)... I plan on a Hurst shifter, but I'll adapt the stock handle... I plan on some kind of overdrive (maybe Muncie 5-speed?)...

I figure I don't have the time to take to a lot of shows, I don't have a tow rig and trailer, and my enjoyment comes from driving it around, so I figured why go crazy trying to make it "perfect", when I can make it nice and still be a fun car to cruise in...

Lowering standards... I now realize that while I love the car, and I'd love to have it "perfect", I'd rather sacrifice a little perfection for being able to enjoy it... While I could afford to just have a shop do the work, that would go against my ideas of my hobby... Plus, I'd rather same that money for my kids education, etc... So it might end up being a low-budget car...


I owned my convertible for 19 years, and sold it last year. I figured the procedes would go toward this "resto".. I never dropped the top anymore, the convert needed "freshening", and it would net me far more "capital" to work with... rarely regret the decision at all...

Bought mine as a daily driver in 1989 (just out of school). Got to the point that I wasn't going to get anything done to it while needing it for work everyday, so off the road it came. Has the same paint on it since 1990. Had a top fender, hood and head light repaint in 1998. Been through a few motors and trannys. Swapped out numerous sets of wheels and tire combos. It will never be done the way I want it to be, cause I am trying to get the Elco built into a better driver (bigger brakes, handling,overdrive tranny, etc) so I can enjoy it as much as possible even with the high gas prices. Have had the Elco for almost 10 years now as well.

My dad purchased my 68 on 3/2/68. Been in the family ever since. And as long as I live will always be in the family. Started the tear down last week end. Really a clean SS but I want to just clean it up a bit.

Bought my 67 in Dec, '66 after I got back from Viet Nam. Tried to sell it once, around 1980.....no offers at all. Went thru and restored it, farming the paint job out and the headliner/ upholstery. It was stolen and stripped twice, prior to the restoration, bur still has the original engine.

Bought my '70 SS, LS-6 Chevelle in February 1970. In posession of it for 38+ years. :cool:


Respectfully,
John R.

Living in Dayton Ohio and married i was looking for a project to work on. Found a 66 Nova through my brother and bought it. Worked on it for 10 years before it ever left the garage and when it did i quickly discovered that i didn't even like the car. It was a box car. Drove it from Dayton to Kansas city with one of those oil pans that hung low and surrounded the steering linkage, it sucked and was no fun to drive. Was working on the roof of my house one day and a really nice Chevelle came cruising by and parked at my neighbors house.

Long story short, i have a Chevelle since about 94 or 95.

I've had mine 29+ years. Had a couple local drag racer brothers rebuild the 396 for me around 1984 - probably didn't even need rebuilding, but I had a wad of money in my pocket - I couldn't let that continue. :D
Had a friend at the Chevy dealer I was working at rebuild the TH400 in the mid-80's.
Other friends at the Chevy dealer helped me throw a crappy paint job on it and rebuild the front end around the same period.
Parked the car in 1992 and it sat until late 2006 when I got motivated to get it back on the street. October 3, 2007 I drove it for the 1st time in 15 years or so. :hurray:
It's finally pretty good mechanically and runs and drives well - body, paint and interior are the next steps. I hope to "finish" it before I croak. :p :D
If not, at least I'm having fun driving it once or twice a week.

Dad bought mine in August of 71 and he had it until 2000 when he gave it to me. The car is a member of the family. I will give it to my son in 25 or 30 years. I am planning a frame off in 4 or 5 years when he is in his early teens. Fotunately the sheet metal, interior and engine won't need much but the frame and undercarriage need a good cleaning and restoration.

I have had my 67 since the day I turned 16 some 39 years ago, had a couple of paint jobs and now it is getting frame off and a 502, it is my first car and I am having a blast playing with it. :hurray: Mike

I purschased the '67 in 1982 and have also owned a '64 300 4dr, a '66 300 2dr and a '68 camino the last three were all daily driver , winter cars.

I have no ill will towards the guys who do their cars to a tee. I can appreciate the hard work and effort and like to see their results. Won't happen on my cars though :)

I've only had mine for 18 years, so I don't quite qualify, but I'll answer anyway. I spent years wanting to make mine perfect, just the way I wanted it, but it spent 7 sitting in the garage between life's complications. These days I just am on the edge of driving it, there's always some little thing that keeps me from being behind the wheel...I do love it so when I get it out though. It's not anywhere near perfect, but it's fun to drive. I'll take care of more as time goes by and eventually it will all be as I desire.

devin

Ahh, it was June, 1985. A beautiful spring day, and I was running out to pick up parts for our 1968 Chevelle Malibu, when I came across a 1969 Chevelle Malibu Covertible. I drove straight home, picked up my wife (the '68 was hers), called the guy selling the convertible, met him, took it for a ride, and bought it. Rebuilt the motor, went through the mechanicals, replaced much of the interior, had it repainted (in 1986), and replaced a bunch of outside trim and emblems. We put on about 2500 miles a year and love every mile of it. It was just painted again, and the car looks like new. I removed the trim, emblems, bumpers, grill, tail lights, etc. I replaced the bent hood with a used hood that came with the car when we bought it in 1985. I did some of the minor body repairs and left the big ones to the shop. I welded in the antenna hole (the car looks great with out the anntenna).

I worked on the body for about two weeks before the car went into get paint. While the car was out for paint I polished most of the parts removed. Some of the parts were replaced with new replacement parts. Taillights and bezels, header valance trim, and grill trim were all new items.

Even though, our car is a driver, it looks like a show car right now. I know we'll get stone chips in the paint and pits in the new grill trim etc., but to me it is about driving it. So if you are in SE Wisconsin and you see a White Chevelle with a red interior and the top down with the driver (either my wife or I), give a big smile and a wave!

What it had in 1969
probably about 7 to 10 miles when delivered.
307
Single Exhaust
Powerglide
Power steering
Drum brakes
Color: White with Silver lower and valance
Hub Caps/White Walls
Interior: Red Bench
Top: Black (hydrolic)
AM Radio



What it had in 1985 (when we bought it)
99000 Miles
307
Single Exhaust
Powerglide
Power steering
Drum brakes
Color: White with Black lower and valance
Chromed Rallye Wheels/Two black walls and two ORWL
Interior: Red Bench (ripped and torn)
Top: Black (hydrolic) [Replaced by seller to sell car brand new in 1985]
AM Radio

What it has now
155000 Miles
307 (rebuilt in '86 or '87)
4-Speed w/Hurst competition plus shifter and reverse out linkage (see note below)
Dual Exhaust
Power steering
Drum brakes
Color: White with Black lower and valance (Fresh--July '08)
Chromed Rallye Wheels; BFGoodrich T/A (only RWL available in 225/60-14)
Interior: Red Bench
Top: Black (hydrolic)
AMFM/Cassete Radio (antenna removed, so we now have a hidden one)
Clock
Sport Mirrors
Sport Steering Wheel
Aftermarket Tach and Gauges
Rearview mirror w/maplight

Note on 4-Speed: All parts were found and changed or added for the conversion, so you can't tell by looking it was converted--I don't hide the conversion, and tell everyone it was converted I just wanted it done right--just like the factory (other than using a real shifter).

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i204/cobalt2006/DSC_0257.jpg

We bought our '69 300 Deluxe SS396 in the fall of '97. New quarters, body and paint work were done over that winter. Through guys on this site, we found out about SMS Auto Fabrics in Oregon and were able to eventually get the seats repaired. With a little freshening up of the chrome under the hood, that car has been a fun ride since then. We had the original M21 overhauled and found a set of 4.10 gears to put the car back in original condition. It's been as reliable as a rock ever since with over 30K miles added to the odometer. No trailer queen here as long as we own it. We have owned the car longer than any of the previous dozen owners. We bought our other '69 new and it is apart in a million pieces.

purchased my 1969 SS396 in 1976 32 years and will never let it go, currently doing frame off with an L-89 aluminum head 396 , every nut and bolt, off the road since 84, cant wait its gonna be sweet

Bought my elco in 1985 just before graduating high school. My dad followed the giant smoke trail all the way home from the oil burning 307. Replaced the 307/glide with a 350/350. Disc brake conversion in 1988 when you could still get parts at the local salvage yard. Built a 383 in 1989 & daily drove the car for the next 9 years. Started stripping the paint & primered in 1998... then lost intrest in the car. It became the "garage Queen" & was only driven twice a year - to go get the xmas tree & to go dump the xmas tree. Neighborhood "turds" cracked the windshield playing football in the street during one of the rare times the car was out on the street & I wasn't home (father: "my angles wouldn't do that!"). Master cylinder quit in 2005. replaced the master & test drove around block - blew up the 10 bolt rear end around the corner from the house; had it towed 1000 feet home because I just knew there was nothing left holding the axles in the housing. Car sat for 8 months while I find & rebuild a 12 bolt. Rust is slowly creeping through the primer applied 1998 (despite keeping it in the garage) & the windshield is still cracked (why put a new windshield in it if I'm gonna pull it right back out for paint?) & the car - once again - is the xmas tree hauler twice a year because: 1. I don't want to get a ticket for a broken windshield. 2. There is allways something (life, it seems) getting in the way of finishing this car. Tried talking the better half into turning me & the car over to the show "overhaulin'" but then got cold feet seeing Chip "foosifing" (2 toning) everything he touches. Now I have 2nd thoughts - at least it would be "done" if it were overhauled...

Ive owned my unmolletsed/unmodified #'s matching 69 chevelle ss 396 4spd which i bought it from the original owners daughter back in 1978/30+ yrs ago with 85k miles on it when i was a 22yr old young buck WITH HAIR(LOL!!!!)

Its basically a very very clean survivour with the original interior/wheels/ext chrome trim & bumpers thats never been formally restored.

I had a quick repaint in 1979 /no rust to speak of at all & also did a quick refhresh of the motor at the time,it still ran pretty good but was using oil ,the car was always garaged since then and only driven on wk ends once in a while in summer since 1978.
I put on approx 17k miles over the past 30+ yrs.

But in 2001/after 23yrs later i decided it was time to refresh her again and i had a very nice high quality paint job done to the tune of $4k from a friend who does it on the side and it came out great,its the original code 51 dusk blue/its a drk metallic blue.

The motor was surprisingly still running very well but unfortunately over the past 23-24yrs the main seal and oil pan gasket were leaking a fair amount. So insted of just fixing those oil leakes and myabe having something go wrong with it like a yr later i figured i better go thru the motor compeletly. That cost approx $3500-3,800 for parts & macine work,nothing was overlooked ,i pulled the motor & did all the diassembly & re-assembly oft he motor myself.

The only original part i dont have for that car is the radiator,i replaced the original 3 core with a 4 core repl rad in approx 1980-81 and never really though i was going to still have thta car all these yrs down the road and what it was going to be worth being a #'s matching survivour and didnt think twice about chucking the old leaking rad that had good
Harison side tanks that could have beer recored today . I have looked for yrs on ebay etc for a man trans rad with no luck,many auto trans harrison rads but almost no original man trans rad with no trans coolers.

Yeh,they now make supposedly correct repop rads with harrison logos for $700 and $1,000,little pricey and my now 28 yr old rep 4core is starting to show its age,tmesp arent real high/out of control but they are higher then they should be and i will have to either get a correct looking repl 4core with no harrison logo for $375-400 or go for the repop rad with the harrison logo for $700,the car is good enough to justify it but i am not loaded so it will be hard to come up with the scratch but i will find a way if possible.

Scott

bought mine my junior year of high school.just attended my 20 year reunion 2 weeks ago.most people remembered the car more than me:confused:.sat in starage 13 years after I moved to florida.spent last 2 years on frame off.should be on the road and "done" in about a month.just drove 2 hours round trip to pick up seat belts.will own this car until they plant me and hopefully one of my boys will keep it then.they have helped with the frame off and know more about the old cars than the new ones:hurray:.when my oldest spots a chevelle he can tell the year and if the trim and rims etc are correct.have to teach them right:D
eric:beers:

had mine for about 20 years to the day. it is still as ratty as the day i got it. course it sat for 10 years on jackstands in a family member's garage while i was overseas. good thing though. now i am older, wiser and richer. so now it has complete new everything mechanical including a seriously healthy stroker sbc. so now on to replacing floors, and some minor body work and interior, then it will be "done"... or will it? I think never done really.

Can totally relate. I've had Betsy, the Malibu in my signature, for 23 years.

I bought her in the fall of 1985 for $1,500 from the second owner. She was a little rusty but totally complete- 350/250hp, TH-350, open 10 bolt with 3.08s. Previous owner took it to the track where it ran 17.30s (yes, seventeens). I drove it like that for a year or so before building my first sbc ever.

I was the first one in my "crew" to build his own engine. I was 19 and proud of that- earned the money, picked out the parts, built it with no help. A .030 over 350 with a mild cam, aluminium dual plane intake, Holley 600 carb, headers, electronic ignition and a shift kit in the rebuilt TH-350 plus a 12 bolt w/3.31 posi out of a '71 SS put the car in the mid 14s at 95 mph. Next came the black paint it wears to this day. A later cam swap, high-rise intake, bigger carb, and 4.10 gears dropped it into the 13.90s. I drove it like that for a while.

Was trying to get a drag car together at the same time ('67 Chevelle) around 1990 when the only 1/4 mile track around closed. I had already built a dynoed 600hp 454 for the race car, but it ended up going in the Malibu rather than on an engine stand because I wanted to go really fast. I've made a lot of mistakes on that car over the years, but that was the biggest. The Malibu went from being a decent street car that was pretty reliable to being something that required a week's preparation for an hour's cruise. The car remained that way when I parked it in 1991 in my mother's garage when I went back to school for a Master's degree. I literally drove it in, parked it in the middle bay of a 3 bay garage, shut off the ignition, and didn't touch it for 11 years.

In 2002 I pulled it out of "storage" and trailered it from Virginia to Wyoming. It survived storage pretty well: a flat tire, lots of dust, and no critter damage. The trip out west involved a crazy snow storm accident story I'll share another time. Anyway, the Chevelle escaped unscathed and I got it home. I've been working on it on and off ever since. It now sports a 330hp 350, 200-4R, and the same 12 bolt I installed in the late 1980s. I blew the tranny out of it last summer and haven't had the time to fix it yet. I did however build a nice shop to keep it in and give me a "real" place to work on it, probably starting this fall. I've got all the parts I need plus a new Mosier 12 bolt, new carpet, chrome and trim, wipers, heater core, inner fender wells, instrument cluster, wiring harnesses, tail lights, etc., etc.

Many of you here seem to have come to lots of the realizations I discovered after so long.

I've learned that my Chevelle, no matter how hard I try, will never be perfect. I will do the best I can with what I've got and live with the results. I try not to cut corners, and I don't rig things together, but I'm not a know it all and so will make mistakes.

I've learned not to take too many things apart at once unless I've got the time, funds, and parts to put it back together soon. Motivation seeps away from a project if it sits too long.

I now realize that a car that runs will keep my interest a whole lot easier than a dead hulk sitting in the same spot in the garage for months or years.

I believe that even my less than perfect car is a heck of a lot more than what most guys have, and I'm thankful for it, especially when I'm able to drive mine, and the other guy can only tell me about the one he used to have that he could now shoot himself for selling.

Most of all I'm glad that I still have the car, that I never sold it, quit on it, cut it up, etc. To this day it remains one of my most prized possessions and oldest friends. When my time comes to leave this Earth they can bury me in it.

I bought mine from the original owner in 87, it's been a daily driver for me or my wife since then. Had 120K on it when I got it, just short of 300K now.

it was a 307/TH350 car, now has roller 406, 200-4R, 3.73 posi in an early rear axle, the narrower one. Small roller cam, idle all day with the A/C on in Phx.

Needs re-upholstered again, clear-coat is burning off the paint. Been a good car, never had a car payment since 1987. :)

Coooooooooooooool.

Owned nearly 30 yrs...
Repaint over 25 yrs ago...
Still has original carpet,those were new floor mats before the repaint...cant say I did not drive the heck out of that car in the 80s!
Car has not been on the road since 02, cover came off and finally was pulled up for a wash with the kids last week...bet you cant tell which one thinks he going to get it someday?

Ever smell the inside of an old car with mostly original interior? Sure brings back the memory's every time its fire up which is a couple times a year!
You gotta love the old Monte console and shifter that was put in it back in the day. I do have the original 4 speed console and a auto console which one of will get used someday.

Hope the pics go through?

I hit 29 years with mine this year!!!!!

bought my 71 in81 and the 70 in 83

I ordered my 70-LS-5==M-22 El Camino (Black ) In Feb. 1970 at Sahli Chevrolet, In Beaver Falls , Pa. It was built the 2nd. Wk. of March in Balt, MD. Paid GMAC--$121.20 a month. Now that it is old, It travels in a trailer to visit other old Chevelles, Stays in the garage a lot. Some times other old Chevelles come to my place to visit.
Bob ACES--AACA:cool:

yep,bought my 67 in 1981-2999.00!!!!!!!!!

I'll check back with you guys in 2027. :beers:

I commend all you fine Chevelle owners (Monte Carlo guy too) on keeping your prized possession for so long. I'm only going on 8 years with mine and only had a brainfart twice in wanting to sell it.

I think she's a keeper.

Well, I've had my car for almost 15 years and I can honestly say that I have put at least a few miles on it EVERY year since I got it.. I did the restoration in winter sized projects so I could still drive it in the nice months..

Bought my 67 in late winter of 85 or early spring of 86. No engine or tranny. I had a 64 malibu SS clone that my wife and I went on our honeymoon in. She totalled the 64 while 6 months pregnant.
Throwed her and my sister (17) we were raising (and her twin brother) out of the car. Wife broke her pelvis and sister broke her collar bone. My daughter is now 23 and loves the 67.
Bought the 67 after the 64 was gone. Knew the guy that owned it and he blowed the engine one night. I went and found him at a store the next day with the intention of buying it. $800.00 later I had the title in hand.
Bought the 454 out of a 74 Caprice Classic the next day and my BIL and I installed it the next week out in the yard.
63K miles on the odometer. Daily driver....only car my wife and I had except for a work van.
Drove the car to WCU 130 mile round trip every day for a couple years to get my degree. 3 kids by then.
Bought a new 92 Lumina Euro 4 door that was Torch Red. Then and there I decided the 67 would be that color one of these days.
Parked the 67 around 1992. 982 miles on the odometer then.
Had bad dealing with 3 body shops. Decided after the last one, time to finish this yourself, old boy. Each did some good but...... Limited funds so the process began.
Been buying parts for years. Tranny built about 10 years ago, engine 5 years ago, painted at my garage with the help of a friend 2 years ago. Wet sanded and buffed myself.
All trim, inside and out, interior, wiring, engine add-ons, etc. installed by myself and some help from friends......and a lot from this site. GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!!!!
Started driving it 4 months ago.....1000 miles.... after a 16 year hiatus.
I love it. My daughter who was in the belly when the 64 was wrecked loves it and has already claimed it.
Still have plans and little things I need to do but it's close enought to perfect for me.
Special thanks to my wife who has ALWAYS supported me with my "full size car model project".
This site and the members have been invaluable to me, also.
Thank you!

I bought my '70 ss june 1,1982

I bought my '72 on Jan, 12 1985. Junior in HS for 1900 bucks. Traded in my first car,,,,mercury Capri :sad:. My brother saw the Chevelle and knew it was my favorite body style. So I talked my Dad into letting me have it, and ended up with the car that would change a lot of things in my life!!! Even though it had a worn out 307, the car was in really good shape, but had been drag raced, had fender well headers in it at one time, and the rear spiders had been welded.:( The original owner was a girl from Winter Haven Fl. Then a guy who raced it with a big block, then I got it off a used car lot with the worn out 307, at least the 4sp was in good shape.
Went the big block route and did a lot of st racing. in '92 stripped it down tubbed it out and did a frame off. The only body part non original is the fiberglass hood. (when at the time nobody made a glass cowl hood with out the bump down the center, so I bought a standard glass hood and built the scoop myself.- looks like a stock 4 1/2 " cowl induction hood.)
Drove it for the first time Jan 1 2000 after completion, 8yrs and 3 girlfriends! (my wife thinks that's funny) Wiped out a solid roller in '05 and just about to have it back together again after 3 1/2 yrs. (Harley's got in the way)
I thought it was something different when I bought it, and I found the stripes folded around the fenders when I took it apart and the interior was different than I'd seen before. Being a Heavy Chevy 350 4sp 12 bolt car, yellow with black stripes, with a bench seat and premium stereo, I wish I hadn't tubbed it. After hanging out here at TC I realize now what I had. But I still enjoy it. LOTS of memories.
Jody
http://photobucket.com/chevele72

Your stories bring me hope. Here is mine. I bought my 66 in 1986. It had the original 230/Power Glide in it. I dropped a 350 in it and drove a couple of years. Then bought a 1980 Monte Carlo. I was about to sell the Chevelle, when my wife decided she didn't want to be married anymore, we later divorced. I had a daughter by my 1st wife. I kept the car moved back in with my parents rented a garage and the work began. Welllll, a co-worker introduced me to a girl that lived a few blocks away from my rented garage. She would come by with her twin 6-month old daughters to "talk"(there father never had anything to do with them, even to this day). Well one thing lead to another and the velle got put on the back burner. . I bought my first house with an old rickity garage with a dirt floor, just something to store the car in. Me and her finally married. With my step daughters and my daughter visiting on the weekends, not to mentioning no money the Chevelle sat. My wife and I sold the house in the city and moved to the country were I built a nice 24 x 24 garage to finally begin to work on the Chevelle. But, there are always things to repair, renovate, make over, tear out, redo, patch, plaster, etc... As a matter of fact I was justing setting here planning on what bill I wanted to pay off with the money I saved for Spring Carlisle to buy my full trunk pan with. I am also putting up new drywall in the master bedroom. And my twin daughters start College this Fall. Well I'll start saving for Fall Carlisle and hopefully get that truck pan in October. Many a time I thought about giving up on it, but there is just something in me that won't let that happen.

I purchased my 66 Malibu new in April 1966, some 43 years ago, sometimes it is hard to believe I have had it that long. The one thing that stands out about it is the interior. I ordered the car while stationed in Germany in the USAF not really knowing what I was getting. I ordered it in Tropic Turquiose and it came with Two Tone Fawn interior. I have only seen one just like it in 43 years. I ordered it with a 283/220 engine and ii served me well including 26 years I spent in the USAF, I even took it to Holland and while stationed there toured several other coutries in it. Still have the engine and the pan has never been off. I did a frame-off in 1999-2000 and put a 350 crate motor in it. In 2003 I found a 66 396/325 matching numbered motor that had been setting for 17 years and take a gamble and put it through a machine shop and am running it now. If interested there are some pictures in my showroom.

Jesse

I purchased my 66 Malibu new in April 1966, some 43 years ago, sometimes it is hard to believe I have had it that long. The one thing that stands out about it is the interior. I ordered the car while stationed in Germany in the USAF not really knowing what I was getting. I ordered it in Tropic Turquiose and it came with Two Tone Fawn interior. I have only seen one just like it in 43 years. I ordered it with a 283/220 engine and ii served me well including 26 years I spent in the USAF, I even took it to Holland and while stationed there toured several other coutries in it. Still have the engine and the pan has never been off. I did a frame-off in 1999-2000 and put a 350 crate motor in it. In 2003 I found a 66 396/325 matching numbered motor that had been setting for 17 years and take a gamble and put it through a machine shop and am running it now. If interested there are some pictures in my showroom.

Jesse

Very nice car Jesse. Not very many folks are original owners of any 66 vehicle.

I'll check back with you guys in 2027. :beers: Me too :D

davis95, Thanks for your kind words concerning my 66, there so so many memories connected to this car, most of them good but a bad one or two also along the way. I was stupid enough to get a DUI back in 1970 in it. One of those things in life we should learn from and I did.

Jesse

33 years. It was my first car when I was 16. I bought it from my sister in 1976. I knew I would never sell it. So many(older) people used to say,man I used to have one of those! Don't ever get rid of it. So now I'm the old guy.
It's had a few different looks. I'm doing a frame off now.
Ron

30 yrs. for me. I bought mine a year out of high school and had it ever since. It's been 3 different colors, had about 5 different engine and trans combinations in it, and finally I decided to do it right about 5 years ago. I'm now working on the interior and am just about done with it. There will always be something to do on it, fortunately most of it will be little things once I find the money for the convertible top. With my kids at college now, that won't be for a few years. You do what you can when you can, sometimes you have to put pieces in just to drive it, only to take them back out and redo them later. It beats having it sit in the garage and not be driven.

I've had mine almost 10, that doesn't seem possible. I'll look forward to adding real feedback to this thread in the year 2020!

Going on 34 years this fall........

I oh so wish I had taken better care of my 66.I bought it in 69 and I just wish I could have kept it in a garage somewhere.I also wish I had bought those parts cars which were so plentiful back so many years ago.Oh well at least I have it,whats left of it that is.

Ever smell the inside of an old car with mostly original interior? Sure brings back the memory's...

:yes: yep, ain't it the truth!!