Archive for the 'Chevelle' Category

Chevrolet Chevelle

This car was odd in its styling changes through the years. Although a nice looking car upon introduction in 1964 it became a stunning looking muscle car in 1966. Dropping that boxy look they had even on the Impalas. More stylized with smooth contours made the Chevelle more appealing. This change along with some engine improvements like the many varieties of the 396 c.i. and the 427 c.i. made this economical muscle car available for many looking to feel the oomph. A stiffer suspension and better tires helped in the handling. It is hard for me to decide but I think I like the way the 67 Chevelle looked the best.

In my opinion the style was the best thing about the Chevelle. I also like the change in looks of the car in 1968 with the fast back design. This fast back design stayed with the Chevelle until 1972. Chevrolet came back with bigger and better engines in varying packages. Adding this muscle to the car helped keep the Chevelle a vary popular car in the early 1970s. It is too bad that the muscle was not up to Mopar, opps I mean par.
The engines, suspensions and other things that needed to be adjusted and make the cars viable on the strip needed to be added in the aftermarket. Several of my friends had Chevelles and other Chevys with the big block engines and they put ALOT of money into the engines to get under 14 seconds and I let them live their fantasies.

I think GM went head long into the emissions control problems and they put a vacuum hose on everything in the early 70s. This killed the Chevelle after 1973 with less and less power, a bad style change and that ugly lower lip front bumper to comply with the 5 mph crash requirement. Not to pick only on GM for the ugly bumpers all makes were ugly in their own way.  So goodbye to the muscle Chevelle, a great looking and fairly decent performing hunk of muscle.