52 CHEVY HIGH PERFORMANCE II NOVEMBER 2019
Nothing Less Than Obsession
restomod the car to achieve superior
performance and handling.”
And build a restomod he did.
First thing’s first, Terry had the body
pulled off the frame then all the stock
suspension components were removed.
The frame was powdercoated to get
it ready for modern tubular control
arms in the front and a four-link in the
back. QA1 adjustable coilovers were
installed to help the Chevelle achieve
the perfect stance while disc brakes
with 11-inch rotors at all four corners
help to reliably bring the car down
from speed.
Speaking of speed, Terry wanted
nothing but a big-block under the
hood of his 1966 Chevelle. “My goal
was to re-create that big-block sound
and have enough engine torque to
light up 10-inch-wide rear wheels,”
said Terry. With that in mind, he had
a stout 396ci block built up with a
0.030-inch overbore and a forged
rotating assembly. A healthy cam and
Edelbrock Performer RPM intake
manifold topped by a 770-cfm Holley
Street Avenger carburetor turned
the big-block Chevy into a solid
performer. As for the sound Terry
mentioned, well, a full 2 1/2-inch
polished stainless steel MagnaFlow
exhaust system certainly took care
of that. Behind the 396, Terry opted
for the iconic Muncie M22 close-ratio
four-speed manual known as the Rock
Crusher, which sends the power back
to a 12-bolt rearend with a limited-slip.
For Terry, the power and
performance weren’t the whole focus;he also needed the car to have the
right look. Step one of that quest was
a no-brainer, as Terry had always
wanted the Chevelle to be painted in
Tropic Turquoise, just like the car he
and his wife owned 50-some years ago.
What that car didn’t have back then
was access to boundless wheel and
tire options to give the car the perfect
stance and a unique look. Terry
decided on a set of Ridler 650 wheels
wrapped in BFGoodrich g-Force Sport
Comp 2 tires.
Inside the Chevelle, Terry
continued with the restomod
treatment by having the car
soundproofed and insulated with
Dynamat before receiving some other
choice custom touches. A modern
tilt steering column and two-spoke,