1965 Chevrolet Malibu Chevelle SS

Once a part of the Jimmy Richardson collection, this jewel-like 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle is the product of a Resto Mod build by Classic Automotive Restoration Specialists of Belews Creek, North Carolina. To begin the project, the chassis was powder coated in Black by Premier Powder Coating. Hotchkis Performance supplied all the major front and rear suspension components, including tubular front upper and lower control arms, rear boxed lower control arms and adjustable upper-rear control arms, front and rear sway bars and coil springs. A Moser 12-bolt rear axle assembly with 3.73:1 Posi-traction differential was used along with 33-spline axles with C-clip eliminators, and an SSBC four-wheel disc-brake system was installed and fitted with custom stainless-steel hydraulic lines. Chevrolet was tapped to supply its retooled aluminum ZL1 engine block, which Classic fitted with a Scat crankshaft and GM internals, producing a very tractable engine rated at 486 HP and 463 lb-ft of torque. The ZL1-based big block was mated to a Keisler Tremec TKO600 5-speed transmission and connected to the rear end with a new dynamically balanced driveshaft. Concurrently, the stock Chevelle body was superbly massaged and finished in gleaming Black paint. Once installed on the freshly completed chassis, the matching factory-stock Black interior was refitted. The dash, instrument panel, buckets seats, carpeting and trim remain as factory original and are complemented with a 180-watt stereo conversion and a custom tilt steering column, the only obvious departures from stock being the later-period three-spoke Sport steering wheel and a Hurst shifter. The car was completed with period-look Coker Redline radials mounted on Wheel Vintiques 68-Series wheels. I recently purchased a set of Rushforth Wheels, 19”x9” Super Spokes. The car build documentation includes photographs and copies of the build records.