1966 Chevelle at the Roadster Shop
 

We are just getting underway on a 66 Chevelle for Mike, a new customer from the east coast. This one will be a cool blend of old and new. The plans are to retain the stock exterior look of the car, but go with the best of the everything under the car. Mike had a 66 back in high school, and wanted to re-create the car with modern performance and drive-ability. The original inline 6 that he had in high school is getting replaced with an 800 HP 572 with a T-56 behind it. The old frame will be replaced with one of our new Fast Track, Low-Profile Chevelle Chassis. The color will be the same Madeira Maroon that Mike's original car was with black interior. There are a lot of other details left to iron out and I'll keep them updated as we proceed. Here are the renderings that we have so far from Eric Brockmeyer.

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...velle-harm.jpg

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...elle-forge.jpg

The first car that Mike purchased and sent out to us was...... well, not much of a car left at all. After looking it over, it was decided that we should find a new candidate for Mike's project. This thing was to the point that there was not a salvageable panel left on it anywhere. Take a look.

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...cture17534.jpg

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...cture17549.jpg

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...cture17542.jpg

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...cture17540.jpg

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...cture17528.jpg

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...cture17527.jpg

The decision was made to start looking for a different car to begin the build rather than blow a huge chunk of the budget on rust repair. We found a super clean, solid car out of Texas that should put us a few months ahead. The car arrived on Wednesday and we are going to get it torn down and then out to media blasting next.

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...cture17746.jpg

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...cture17753.jpg

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...cture17752.jpg

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...cture17731.jpg

Nice, really looking forward to see what you guys do to this one (subscribed)

WOW...the original candidate was a swiss cheese nightmare!

Looking forward to this. Who do you guys use for blasting, I'm starting a new project and need the body blasted.

lol, no doubt. There wasn't anything good in that car.

Great renderings. I much prefer the 2nd version.

Looking forward to seeing this build I would love to have one of your frames for my car. Keep the pics rolling!:cheers:

I am sure this will be another award winning ride!!!Please keep posting updates.:thumbsup: Scott M.

This is gonna be a great project. Another big block :thumbsup: .

I agree!! I am not feelin the wheels on the first rendering... They don't fit the build.. Can't wait to watch this come together!

Ah, I'd put a set of the big billet rally's on there before the ones in the first drawing. I understand the old school look but we all know the wrong wheel will kill the finished product. You guys are experts when it comes to pulling it all together. You'll get it spot on when it finished. I'm sure of that.

Been making some more headway on the '66. The car has been disassembled and is out to be stripped.

We have been going ahead on the chassis in the mean time and have that just about wrapped up.

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...cture17453.jpg

Completed frame out of the jig and put on a rotisserie to be assembled.
http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...cture17569.jpg

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...cture18024.jpg

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/s...cture18019.jpg

how much ground clearance did you gain with the new version of the inner structure vs the old round tube? does anything hang below the bottom of the frame rails?

looks really good!

Beautiful welds.

there you go Wayne now your talkin great build
john

Thanks, There was maybe 1/2" to 3/4" of ground clearance picked up with the new crossmember design. (not really our main goal, but we did pick up something) The frame rail is the lowest point on the car with the exception of the plate section of the crossmember, which is about 1/2" below the frame rail. The main reason for the crossmember design was to get the chassis tighter to the body and still have room for 3" exhaust to be tucked between the two.

I agree:thumbsup:

I love 66 chevelles and I totally agree with the second rendering vote. You guys would be taking it back to the early nineties with those wheels in the first rendering. I have to agree with the rpm quote about some big rallies. That would be a better route. Its gonna be a badass chevelle not a mini truck!! Can't wait to see you guys finish this one!!

Update
 

Just wanted to post some updates on car. Phil and Roadster Shop have been doing a great job so far. Also got the engine and tranny done.

Engine Video
 

Here is a video of the engine being run at Pro-formance Unlimited out of New Jersey.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebb08...ature=youtu.be

Welcome aboard Mike! Glad to see you on here posting pics of the car. I've got a few more pics that I'll be sending your way shortly.

No sound like a BB! Congrats

Awesome project.The Roadster shop does great stuff.can't wait to see more.:thumbsup:

Update
 

Forgive me if pictures don't show up I'm trying to post some with out doing the thumbnails

If they do show up these are updated shots of the trans tunnel being fabricated.

http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/...g%26newest%3D1

http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/...g%26newest%3D1

Help
 

Ok, I'm obviously doing something wrong on trying to get the photos to show directly on the site without being thumb nails. Can someone please tell me the how to on putting pictures directly on the site using photobucket or a different site or down loading from the computer

https://lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=32416

https://lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=9127

Test
 

Thanks for the help, I had done that origally thinking that is how it works but I look at the thread it shows up as a link not as as the picture. Are pictures coming across when other people look at it or is it just the link?

Here ya go Mike. In photobucket, if you hold the mouse over a picture, a drop down box appears below it. Click on the Image Code and copy that. then paste it as is in the reply here.

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...cture20170.jpg

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...cture20167.jpg

test
 

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/.../afterdip6.jpg

Thanks Phil,

Making progress
 

Completed work:
Steering Installed
Brake and clutch master cylinders installed and firewall smoothed around them
Trans tunnel completed
Fabricated new raised drive shaft tunnel and installed
Installed brake/clutch pedal and gas pedal
Radiator mounted to core support
Fenders and core support mounted to chassis

[IMG]http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...cture20270.jpg[/IMG]
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...cture20265.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...cture20260.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...cture20259.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...cture20255.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...cture20254.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...cture20253.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...cture20252.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...cture20249.jpg

Nice. What radiator is that?

Keep's getting better W/every post.:thumbsup: Scott M.

Great stuff. :thumbsup:

Making progress
 

Here are a couple of more shots.

[IMG]http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...cture20528.jpg[/IMG]

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...cture20526.jpg

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...cture20524.jpg

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/...cture20518.jpg

It is an Autorad Radiator

Always great stuff from you guys!

What do people use to get the uniformed smooth look when sanding to the bare metal?

It takes some skill on both the welding and metal finishing side. The quick answer is that you have to be able to weld the panels with minimal warping or distortion. Then knock the welds down with a grinder with out getting into the metal around it. We then do a lot of hammer and dolly work to make sure that all surfaces are even and uniform before final grinding. We step down the grit getting finer and finer and then finish it with a DA and then a red scuff pad by hand.