AT ONE WITH THE PAVEMENT

What today’s enthusiasts need is something tangible, like a car born out of passion that returns the same, not in the form of trailer-queen trophies, but rather with thumbs-up acknowledgment of something great—a car that is both vintage and vibrant and readily identified as such by passers-by. We’re not talking about matching numbers, rare build codes or limited editions, but rather cars such as the ’66 Chevelle featured here. Look it over and you will realize there’s nothing really special about it, other than it’s a cool car, and that in itself is more than enough. These are the kinds of real-world cars that provide the greatest return on investment—enjoyment. These are also the cars most of us can still afford, and, surprisingly enough, the ones we should consider because we are more likely to drive them to the store and display them.

When Joey Smith first spotted this Chevelle a few years back, he was ambivalent because it fell considerably short of the car he had envisioned. It would also require more work than he originally anticipated, so he was unsure if it was the right car for him. Even though the project initially seemed to be more than he should take on, Smith fought off his doubts and went ahead with the plan. He purchased the car and set out on a venture he would never forget, and one that consumed three years of his life and most of the spare change he saved in that time.

No stranger to Chevys, and having owned Novas and Chevelles in the past, Smith knew what he was in for, and he wasted no time stripping the car down to its bare bones. Once it was totally disassembled, a variety of components were sent off to be stripped down to raw steel. While some were nice enough to be reworked and painted, others, such as the floor panels, trunk and rear quarter panels, needed replacement. Once Carl Shrader revitalized the metal panels and replaced the rest, he began preparing these surfaces for paint. In this case, Shrader utilized a titanium-silver RM basecoat/clearcoat to complete this exceptionally slick surface. The final step was the addition of re-chromed bumpers from Goodmark, new lighting and other trim pieces that finished off the exceptionally detailed exterior.

The same effort went into revitalizing the interior, although for the most part there were few issues to contend with, other than getting the surfaces ready to accept new paint. As soon as the metal surfaces displayed the same deep hues as the body, it was time to rework the dash and door panels to match the new tuxedo-black upholstery fitted by Rick Adkins in Rossville, Georgia. In keeping with the original theme, the new surroundings are just as pleasing to the eye. While Smith considered altering the dash with new gauges, switches and other eye-catching updates, he decided not to and left well enough alone. After all, most of his friends weren’t even alive when this car was new, so why go to the trouble of modifying something nobody will know from stock?