Vehicle Description
At first glance, you might be thinking this 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle
300 Deluxe is a nice, but kind of ordinary car. But look a little
closer: the bright red paint is eye-catching, the black interior is
beautifully finished, and there's a fresh 350 cubic inch V8 under
the hood. If you want a Chevelle but you don't want to be like
everyone else, perhaps this 300 is a smarter choice.
But before I get ahead of myself, let's have a look at the
bodywork. The Chevelle was Chevy's mid-sized car, and in 1966 the
3-door sedan looked purposeful and even intimidating; this is what
the racers bought. In 1999, this one was treated to a respectable
bare-metal paint job in bright Regal Red, but I think the builder
was careful not to make it too nice, because drawing attention
isn't what a car like this is about. Instead it looks good enough
to get a thumbs-up on the road, and you'll definitely be proud to
be seen behind the wheel, but if you light up the tires and spray
hot, melted tire rubber onto the quarter panels, well, you won't
worry about it very much at all. There no fake SS emblems here,
adding to the illusion, although tinted windows are a bit
intimidating. Chrome is quite nice, the stainless has been
polished, but the overall look is very factory-correct and not
over-done.
Fans of authenticity will be especially pleased with the interior,
which features a front bench seat, black vinyl upholstery and a
minimum of frills. The materials and patterns are authentic
reproductions, giving it a very pleasant atmosphere inside that is
comfortable and inviting. Matching black door panels are crisply
rendered and the carpets have the original weave to them, so they
look right, too. It's still got the original gauges, but a Sun tach
has been mounted on the A-pillar, mostly where it won't be noticed
but can still be seen easily. You may also note that an
AM/FM/CD/USB/Bluetooth head unit was installed in the dash and
powers a custom speaker box in the trunk with a pair of subwoofers.
The remote is for the alarm and kill switch, and there's a
full-sized trunk and relocated battery in the trunk.
So about that engine. It's a fresh 350 cubic inch crate motor
that's a nice fit in the big engine bay. With under 2000 miles on
the install, it runs great and has no issues, and uses standard
horsepower-builders like an Edelbrock carburetor and intake
manifold, plus a set of long-tube headers. Chevy Orange paint makes
it look right, and a bunch of chrome dress-up adds some great pop
to the otherwise satin black engine bay. Power steering is a
welcome option on a car this size, but it's still got manual
brakes, a tie to it street-fighter origins. The recent exhaust
system features cut-outs that surely sound magnificent when they're
uncorked, but keep them buttoned up and it has a mellow V8 burble
that never gets annoying. The TH350 3-speed automatic transmission
has quick reflexes and the 10-bolt rear end won't complain. Recent
Torque Thrust wheels offer a period performance look and carry fat
225/60/15 BFG rubber.
There's more here than meets the eye, and one drive will convince
you that what's under the hood is what matters, not some fake SS
badges. Call today!