I finally got the nerve to start cutting on the Chevelle. There isn’t much original left on this car other than the main body, but I was still fretting cutting it up because of this…
10095 by
Yelcamino, on Flickr
In the end, my inner Roadkill rose to the occasion and I busted out the sawsall and plasma cutter! The first cut is always the hardest, but once that was done, it was a free for all!
10084 by
Yelcamino, on Flickr
With the trunk cut out, the next step was the first test fit.
10085 by
Yelcamino, on Flickr
Of course, once it got close to the frame, I saw a bunch of other stuff in the way, so I cut some more.
10086 by
Yelcamino, on Flickr
After that second round of cuts everything looked good and I started to lower it down until the rockers hit the frame supports (in the red lines, two on each side). Back up it went and off they came.
10087 by
Yelcamino, on Flickr
And just like that she fits! As I stared at it, the rear looked really low, so I went out the El Camino and took some measurements to compare. Keep in mind, the chassis is level to the frame table so there’s no rake at all. Compared to the El Camino, the front of the Chevelle is about an inch lower, but the rear is 3-1/2 inches lower! Talk about mind blown! I never realized the El Camino had so much rake to it.
10089 by
Yelcamino, on Flickr
This view is from the front. Next step is to finish cutting out the floor and tunnel so I can put the new floor supports in.
10090 by
Yelcamino, on Flickr
Engine compartment looks good. I have to remove the heater box and most of the firewall if I want to move the engine back as far as I originally planned.
10091 by
Yelcamino, on Flickr
The Ron Sutton 3-link looks happy.
10092 by
Yelcamino, on Flickr
Imagine this view with 315’s tucked in there!
10093 by
Yelcamino, on Flickr