1971 Chevrolet Chevelle Restomod

Description

When is a Chevelle not just a Chevelle? When it's a Heavy Chevy Restomod like this magnificent monster. And what, you may ask, is a Heavy Chevy? It was Chevrolet's way of getting around the insurance companies who placed huge premiums on performance models like the SS, resulting in a lighter version of the iconic muscle car with much lower-stated horsepower numbers reported to the pencil pushers. Bottom line, it was an insurance-beater, a wolf in sheep's clothing. Cool, right? Well, it looks like the owners of this 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle Heavy Chevy Restomod grew tired of wearing that subtle wool and hiding this car's true predatory nature, and when it came time to restore this baby, they pulled out all the stops and threw all manner of restraint into the wind. The result is a super-slick A-body hardtop with an electric paint job, slick custom interior, and a thumping 383 Stroker V8 under the hood doing all the growling.

Of course, Chevrolet wasn't building anything like this spectacular A-body back in 1971. Royal Blue Metallic is the current, eye-popping color that adorns this car's muscular flanks, but I can all but guarantee it didn't look this good even when it was brand new, and with two stage urethane paint, it'll look this good for years to come. It's a top driver-quality job that was always meant to for the road, so it's not some $20k show-stopper finish, but there aren't many flaws to speak of and it's a real head-turner that instantly updates the look of this single-headlight Chevelle. Fit and finish are great all around, so nice that it's easy to forget that this is a vintage car fortified with tough-as-nails American steel. Great gaps and straight sheetmetal certainly help with that brand spanking new look (only 2,522 miles on the build!), and true to Heavy Chevy form, there's not an SS badge in sight. There are, however, white Heavy Chevy stripes running along the flanks that offer a cool '70s fade that really looks good, as well as the requisite 'HEAVY CHEVY' emblems on both front fenders, hood, and deck lid. And while the intent was to build a car that didn't stray too far from its original design roots, this one hides in plain sight with a sporty cowl hood with hood pins that aren't exactly subtle, yet look just right. The smooth grille is bereft of even a Chevrolet bowtie emblem, let alone any fake SS badging, which is another nice touch that makes this car stand out in a crowded field, All the chrome on the car shines up really well, in particular the heavy-duty bumpers fore and aft, offering even more bling to the already vivid curb appeal of this Chevelle.

Elegant and modern bucket seats anchor a performance and luxury-oriented interior that improves on the already impressive Chevelle setup. Grippy yet supple upholstery helps hold you in place for performance driving and despite the updated look, those seats look right at home here, don't they? Even better, the back seat and door panels have been upholstered to match, while the custom middle console, carpets, and headliner are black and provide good contrast, so the entire interior has a very cohesive look and feel that's leagues ahead from some of the bland, monochrome interior's these cars had stock. Other upgrades include digital gauges inside a custom bezel, a polished billet steering wheel with a grippy leather rim, and a horseshoe shifter integrated into the custom middle console that also houses a pair of backlit cupholders and a 7-inch Boss AM/FM/CD/AUX touchscreen head unit, all showcasing some excellent integration. The stereo system absolutely hits through aftermarket speakers in the cabin and a Kicker subwoofer in the trunk, and the options list rounds out with power windows and a modern R134a A/C system that blows hard and cold. The spacious trunk is finished with insulation tape, and even with the subwoofer, a relocated Optima battery, and a full-size matching spare tire, there's still plenty of room to accommodate most travel plans.

The core of this car, however, remains under the hood, where a beastly 383 Stroker V8 Blueprint Crate engine puts out big power. Fed through a FiTech fuel-injection system and augmented with aluminum heads, the low mileage stroker motor shows off a downright impressive 436 horsepower on the dyno-sheet. The engine bay presentation is just as dialed-in as the rest of the car, with lots of polished aluminum and chrome components, black inner fenders, and a smoothed and painted custom firewall adorned with a cool Chevelle decal. A satin black air cleaner from Chevrolet sits atop a polished intake, chrome Chevrolet valve covers flank the block, and the polished serpentine belt system and aluminum radiator with dual fans add further bling and loads of reliability to this custom build. The burly 700R4 4-speed automatic transmission has a much-desired overdrive gear and feeds a 12-bolt rear end out back, while long-tube headers feed a custom exhaust system with X-pipe and Dynomax mufflers, so the soundtrack is beefy and mean. Shiny, clean floors boast how solid this Chevy really is, there are freshly upgraded suspension components everywhere you look, and power steering and power 4-wheel discs ensure modern performance on the road. Bright Coys wheels look a lot like vintage Torque Thrusts and are wrapped in staggered Continental rubber to finish the killer look.

Hugely fast and beautifully finished, this Heavy Chevy Restomod might just be the coolest A-body in the house. Slick muscle cars like this never last long, so call today!