One of the pastimes that all of us here at Jim Butler have
much love for is talking about old cars with each other. Sure, the present
offerings are amazing: the bells, whistles, chrome accents, tech features, and
nearly autonomous future are mighty things to behold for any auto lover. The
classics are still a poignant and very unapologetic display of raw muscle, part
of the many reasons for their mass appeal. The task of owning a classic car is
not for everyone, since broken parts, hours of contemplation, and lack of
modern engineering can make them a very time-consuming project.
The writers on staff at the GM Authority blog
had a great feature this week about a 1970 Chevelle, and how they admired its
style from yesteryear combined with restomod tech during a revamp to prep it as
auction-ready. Barret-Jackson has taken on the duty of consigning this
particular model for an auction this year in sunny Palm Beach, and we
definitely don't think it will have any problems finding a very enthusiastic
taker. While the design you can see here maintains its classic 1970 Chevelle looks, it
absolutely possesses a few traits that will attract the buyer who loves design
tones from even the likes of the Jaguar camp and a few other Italian
influences.
Underneath the bulky and aggressive frame is a
Schwartz Performing racing chassis, which astutely rivals some of the best in
existence from the upper ranks of high-performance cars. The 6.2-liter, LS3 V8
engine makes a robust 480 horsepower, and its all mated to a 6-speed automatic
transmission and out to a 9-inch rear end. There are also power disc brakes
from Baer, a RideTech air suspension, and an interior that is completely
reupholstered in a candy apple red hue. We really enjoy how the brutishly
appealing style of “Death Proof” vehicles from the Tarantino classic slowly but
surely find their way into influencing everything that's good about old school
muscle car remodels: this model is lean, mean, and by all means ready to
rumble.
Hot Rod Magazine
wrote in 1970 that “The past is gone. The future may never see a car like this.
It is one of the brutes, and all it needs is a way of staying in contact with
terra firma” regarding this very model that year. You can see within this great blog post that purists who
think that there's “no replacement for displacement” were never truer to their
roots than during the times when greats like Zappa, Pink Floyd, and Led
Zeppelin were beginning to hone their chops and make their early groundbreaking
records. The big block Chevelle first appeared in 1965 as the Z16, and is a
very legendary piece of pristine automotive creation. Hood pins, cowl induction
hood, and stereo stripes were all part of the SS Chevelle's appearance, and
there is no doubt why it was instantly heralded as “King of the streets”.