When GM Performance needed a project car to showcase their emissions compliant E-Rod crate engine program they gave us a call.
In collaboration with Nostalgic Auto Body, we came up with the perfect car in Chuck Barnes’s 1970 Chevelle. This car has perfect original sheet metal that was in the midst of a thorough resto-modding. When we got it the car was bone stock except for its lack of drivetrain and a few bolt-on suspension parts.
We took it from there by fitting the 430 horse LS3 with a Keisler Automotive 5 speed. We also added Vintage Air, a Flaming River tilt column, SSBC 13″ brakes, a DSE steering box, and coil-over kit. Rolling stock are Nitto NT05s wrapped around Rocket Racing Wheels. Frame Up fabbed a stainless exhaust from the catalytic convertors back. That’s right, a cat-back system on a ’70 Chevelle. Nostalgic used their contacts to get some billet aluminum E-Rod badges whittled up and helped us get all of the interior dialed in just a few hours before we loaded the car in the trailer to go to Indy for the Hot Rod and Restoration Show (2010) where the car was displayed in GM Performances booth.
Future plans call for a RideTech Tiger Cage, a set of Recaro buckets covered to match the rest of the original interior, and a real set of gauges to monitor engine performance. Then we’ll give Chuck a quick primer in autocross technique (strap in tight, don’t lift) and he can go looking for the tall guy with the red Chevelle.
