1966 Chevrolet Chevelle

Description

One of our associates here at Streetside Classics called this 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle hardtop elegant yet tough, which I think sums it up brilliantly. The early Chevelle was a clean design, free of many of the styling gimmicks of the era, and was based on some very sturdy hardware that ran for years with only cursory maintenance. This one sports a built 350 V8 backed by a 4-speed manual, and is dressed in classic black on black. In short, it's a great cruiser that will look good no matter where you go.

Nicely finished, this Chevelle has all the hallmarks of a car that has been restored as needed over the course of its life, which is a good thing. That means is has always been on the road and never needed extensive repairs. Bodywork is good, with a uniform look to the sheetmetal, and decent prep under the paint, which shows some wear but nothing that should stop you from getting in and having fun. Gaps show that someone cared when putting it back together so the doors open and close properly and the hood and trunk don't need heavy slams to seal. The cowl induction hood is always an excellent choice and accentuates the clean, uncluttered lines of the early Chevelle. Stainless trim has been polished, and Super Sport badges were installed on the rear quarters, mostly because they look cool and provide a bit of a warning to other predators. It proudly wears a correct SS grille up front, along with a pair of crossed-flag emblems on the front fenders. Bumpers and door handles show nice chrome that sparkles against the black paint.

Black buckets are the only way to fly on a car like this, and they present in good condition with only slight signs of usage. There are no rips or tears in the seat covers, the foam underneath is still firm and supportive, and the back seat almost looks showroom fresh. The dash is plain and simple, like the rest of the car, and the stock gauges are augmented by a vintage tachometer mounted low. There is no console, so the 4-speed Hurst shifter does double duty as performance tool and styling statement, and it flat-out works. An upgraded AM/FM/Cassette stereo has been fitted in the original location and there's a modern billet steering wheel that actually works rather well here. The trunk is massive, and includes a correct mat as well as additional stereo equipment neatly tucked up out of the way.

The engine bay is a nice combination of original parts and quality aftermarket equipment. A non-matching 350 cubic inch V8 makes big horsepower thanks to aluminum heads, a Holley intake manifold, and a Demon 4-barrel carburetor. All that aluminum gives it a high-tech look, but the rest of the hardware is vintage 1966 so it looks right at home here. Long tube headers feed a true dual exhaust system with turn-downs just ahead of the rear axle. 10-bolt rear end hangs on factory coils and adjustable air shocks so you can fine tune the ride. The chassis has been undercoated for long-term durability, and it rolls on a set of chrome Rally wheels wearing spinners and 215/70/14 BFGoodrich T/A radials.

This is a very nice car that can be driven and enjoyed immediately. Let the other guys worry about investments and concours judging; you'll be having too much fun behind the wheel. Call today!