The Chevelle is one of those car nameplates that seems to be immortal. Born in the early 1960s, it is described as one of Chevrolet’s hits, but the reality is it wasn’t successful enough to be kept in production past 1977. Yet here we are, still talking about it today, decades after its demise.
Responsible for that is the collectors’ world which seems to have developed a real fondness for the Chevy. Following the trend, the custom industry quickly jumped on the bandwagon, so specialized shows and even auctions taking place all over America are Chevelle-rich.
So will the event auction house Barrett-Jackson is preparing for the end of September in New Orleans, with a lineup of Chevelles that’ll most likely be spearhead by the 1970 example we’re here to stare at now.
1970 puts the car smack down in the middle of the second generation, the one that introduced one of the range’s most appreciated body styles. And the fact a “no-expense-spared, frame-off restoration ” was performed on top of that at the hands of an unknown crew makes the vehicle even more enticing.
A convertible by trade, the Chevelle comes in a stunning shade of silver called Cortez, beautifully enhanced by the pair of thick, black stripes that run on both hoods. In between them can sit either the black canvas roof, or the vista of breathtaking red seats and black dashboard.
Inside the dashboard the builder fitted Dakota Digital gauges, but also the controls for the air conditioning system and a Bluetooth one.
Differently sized wheels support the car as it sits on the ground. All four are made by BC Forged and are shod in Pirelli P Zero tires, but the ones at the front have a slightly smaller diameter than the ones at the rear, 20- vs. 21-inch.
Behind the wheels and under the body of the Chevelle hides an impressive pro-touring setup, bringing to the road adjustable coilovers, carbon-ceramic brakes borrowed from a C7 Corvette ZR1, and a MillerBuilt floating rear end, among others.
The car moves down the road courtesy of a 454ci engine, the largest of its kind Chevy offered back in the day when it still made these things. The thing is the engine does not appear to be original to the car, but even so we’re dealing with a period-correct piece of hardware. It’s connected to a 5-speed manual transmission and breathes through a dual exhaust system, but its performance levels are not known.
Barrett-Jackson does not say how much the seller expects to get for the Cortez Silver 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle, but seeing how it will go under the hammer with no reserve, the sky is the limit. Or not, depending on the mood of the crowd, but either way this car is getting a new owner in September.
