1968 Chevrolet Chevelle SS Clone

Description

Do a Google image search for 1968 Chevelle SS convertible, and you'll see about a thousand red and blue A-body cookie-cutter ragtops. But what you won't find is a slick custom like this '68, whose sizzling orange paint, ghost flames, and subtly modified rear fender opening make it a class of one.

Blending a bit of hot rod know-how and perhaps some sheetmetal that looks vaguely reminiscent of its corporate cousin, the Buick Skylark, this Chevelle is a standout in a sea of popular muscle cars. The paint is vivid, almost iridescent with an inner glow, and it totally makes this car. People stop and stare when they see it roll past, and at shows there's nothing else than can compete. Finish quality is what you'd expect from a high-profile car like this, with good gaps all around and none of the usual cliché add-ons like a cowl induction hood or a spoiler. The ghost flames are expertly done, requiring just the right light to see them, but when you do, they look awesome. Factory chrome remains in place, brilliantly polished and refinished and enhanced with a set of SS badges and a blacked-out grille up front. Face it: this sucker looks good!

Black buckets look right in a Chevelle, but these are aftermarket chairs that are a little taller and a little more supportive than the standard GM-issue. They're also a bit more adjustable, perfect for long hauls with the top down. A center console with a horseshoe shifter looks trick, so even in a custom there's not much of a reason to mess with it, and a small-diameter wood steering wheel is easy to grab. The factory instruments are gone, replaced by glowing Dakota Digital gauges in the original dash, which is decorated with a few carbon fiber accents. An AM/FM/CD stereo with a big amp and subwoofer enclosure in the trunk provides outstanding sound quality. And speaking of the trunk, it's very neatly finished with upholstered side panels to make it a showcase for the sound system. A recent black convertible top with a crystal clear rear window seals up nicely and the installers managed to avoid wrinkles without making it difficult to close-nice work!

This is one custom that can hustle, too, thanks to a 350 cubic inch V8 under the hood, augmented with hardware from Edelbrock and Flowmaster. It fires up easily and cackles and snarls in a way that fits the high-profile looks, and you won't be ashamed to open the hood, either. Finned valve covers and a matching air cleaner from Edelbrock give the small block some charisma and lots of recently upgraded parts make it reliable. The transmission is a TH350 3-speed automatic powering a 12-bolt rear end, which means that you can have your fun without worrying about breaking anything underneath. Long-tube headers and turn-downs just ahead of the rear axle give it a spectacular engine note that's worth the price of admission alone. It's finished with a set of flashy chrome Rally wheels wearing Cooper radials that fit snugly under the fenders.

Chevelle fans like their cars, but so many of them are alike. Those of you who prefer to stand out a bit, well, you've just found your next convertible. Call today!