This is where Rob took over and got the car to
where it is today.”
The Rides By Kam team handled that custom
interior with new dash and centre console,
fitted the Air Ride air suspension, updated
the steering with rack-and-pinion and an Ididit
column, and resprayed the front end after
some minor transport damage on the trip to
Queensland. They also sent the 383ci small-
block Chev down to Jake’s Performance to
be rebuilt.
“The Chevelle came with a brand new crate
Edelbrock 383ci stroker, but we had to rebuild
it to suit the blower, with new pistons and some
other parts,” Ben says. “It’s only running 5psi or
6psi, which is very under-driven.”
The first-gen small-block is an iron four-bolt
block and rocks a pair of Edelbrock Performer
aluminium cylinder heads, but the attention-
grabber is that Blower Shop 6/71 and manifold,
topped by a pair of 750cfm Holley four-barrel
carbies, and plumbed with Aussie Speedflow
fittings. Spark is provided by MSD, while the
98-octane fuel comes via a Holley mechanical
pump. A custom twin three-inch exhaust blows
out the spent gasses.
Before the SBC was re-installed, Rides By
Kam smoothed out the firewall and painted it
to match the shell. Ben then went to town with
the Billet Specialties catalogue, and what didn’t
come from them was sent to the chromers for
an almost mirror-like finish. Despite the amount
of work undertaken, the Chevelle was ready to
be picked up a year after Ben dropped it off,
and it debuted at Summernats 29.
“The car was finished in late December2014 ready for Summernats as its first show,
and I was stoked to get into the Top 60. I got
an Encouragement Award and, more than
anything, got valuable advice from the judges
on small changes and tweaks we needed to do.”
While some would think a few tweaks might
be a couple of weekend jobs or bolt-on covers,
Ben isn’t one to do things by halves. “I’m in
the middle of working out a plan for a new and
improved PH FAT, which includes tubbing and
notching the rear end, smoothing everything,
a possible colour change, rollcage and new
motor combo,” he says. “I want to be in the
1000hp club to enjoy Powercruise, but still
have a show-quality car at the same time.”
We reckon Jimmy Shine would like this ’72
Chevelle a whole lot more now Ben has worked
on it. sI WANT TO BE IN THE 1000HP CLUB TO ENJOY POWERCRUISE, BUT
STILL HAVE A SHOW-QUALITY CAR AT THE SAME TIME