For many enthusiasts, there is one car from their past that never quite leaves them: a car that defined what driving was supposed to feel like. For the owner of this stunning 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle, it was the Chevelle he owned in his twenties. Fun to drive, easy on the eyes and impossible to forget, it was the kind of car that turned heads everywhere it went. Selling it remains one of his greatest regrets.
Life, as it tends to do, got in the way. A career, a marriage and a growing family took precedence over collecting cars, and the dream of owning another Chevelle was quietly shelved. But over the past decade, a new passion took hold. The idea of taking a beloved classic into the modern era with contemporary performance and technology was exactly the direction he wanted to take. So in 2020, amid the uncertainty of a global pandemic, he broke ground on the build that would eventually become the car of his dreams.
The result, four years in the making, is nothing short of extraordinary.
The build began with paint, because for this owner, there was only one choice: Candy Apple Red. The work was entrusted to Les Valentine of Valentine's Collision, a painter widely regarded in the region as among the very best in the business. Valentine applied eight coats of gold base, followed by eight coats of Candy Apple paint and three final coats of clear, producing a finish of exceptional depth and quality. He also handled the majority of the body work, fitting all-new quarter panels, fenders, bumpers, glass, trim, and mirrors, along with a Vintage Air climate system and a Bluetooth-equipped stereo.
Under the hood lives a GM LS 6.0 crate engine built by Hot Rod Company out of Seattle, Washington. A dedicated technician handled the full mechanical build-out, including all wiring, Wilwood disc brakes, new brake lines, a fresh fuel tank, 3.73 rear gears, a new rear end, a 4L80 transmission with overdrive, a new radiator, Hooker headers, and a custom exhaust. The result is a drivetrain that was dialed in until every last detail worked perfectly.
A specialty restomod shop in Buffalo, New York, rounded out the chassis with UMI high-performance coilover suspension and a performance torque converter, giving the Chevelle handling to match its power. The custom interior was crafted by ATM Custom Interiors out of Hamburg, New York, tying the entire build together with the same level of care and craftsmanship found throughout the rest of the car.
Since its completion, the Chevelle has accumulated just 406 miles and has already earned recognition on the show circuit, taking home best in class and best paint job honors. It runs and sounds exactly as good as it looks.
The owner is now moving on to his next project and, faced with a storage problem rather than a car problem, has made the difficult decision to part with it. He hopes it finds a home with someone who will appreciate it, care for it and, above all, enjoy it — just as he has.
