His first car was a 1983 Monte Carlo SS. But growing up Jacob always loved Chevelle’s. Watching the prices sore on the Chevelles over the years, purchasing one just never seemed like an option for him.
So after about 20 years of not having a decent muscle car, he finally found a good start. At least that’s what he assumed.
He found a 1968 Chevelle, pretty solid car overall only bad spot was one quarter panel, supposedly. New engine and transmission but had been in a garage for 25 years. Over the years, the cats and mice had taken over the garage making the car a giant hotel/litter box. The smell was unreal, so he got it home and took 2 large trash bags of mice nests and urine-soaked everything out of it. Stripped the seats and avoided it for a couple of months to air it out.
He thought going into it he had a new motor and transmission on the 1968 Chevelle. So he began with a budget of around $5000 assuming he’d do the bare necessities to get it running. One bad engine leads to an entirely new engine compartment, which leads to new brakes suspension steering.
Since he had gone that far, he had to get a new transmission. Upon thinking all of that over he decided it needed an entirely new interior as well. Oh and let’s not forget how hacked up the 52-year-old wiring was. So he had to get a new American Autowire classic update kit.
Here we are today, he’s almost ready to drive the 1968 Chevelle 2 years later. He hasn’t made it to paint and body yet. He plans on doing that in another year or so. After he recovers a little and enjoys driving it for a while before he loses it again to a paint shop.
He’s running a 1967 396 full roller motor ported 1970 Chevelle. Long tube headers, full serpentine set from Billet Specialties, Edelbrock air gap intake with a fat 750 carb. He believes it’s around 500-550hp. To flex plate his transmission is a tci th400 street fighter with a 373 12 bolt posi. He hasn’t driven it yet but he’s assuming it’s gonna be a fun ride.
The 1968 Chevelle was originally a Malibu small block car but converted to a SS clone big block with front disk brakes.
As always there will be more tweaks and updates to the old girl. Once it’s all the way finished and painted one of his future plans for sure is going to be the dash area. Not sure yet if he’s ever gonna add heat or a/c. It was a factory a/c car so he plans someday to add all that back to it, and hopefully, he’ll find a nice set of 1968 Chevelle buckets to match his car. Currently, he has 1970 buckets but for the most part, those are his only future ideas as of today at least.