Brian Wilson’s Dream Car: Numbers-Matching 1966 Chevelle SS

Car Feature 66 ChevelleIn 1964, General Motors introduced the Chevelle nameplate, which would go on to become one of the most successful cars for the popular Chevrolet brand. The Chevelle was originally built to be an affordable, mid-sized car that most families could afford, while still offering plenty of performance on the highway. Larger than a Camaro, yet smaller than the Impala and more luxurious than a Nova, the Chevelle was a top choice for the baby-boomer generation. Various body styles were available during the Chevelle’s 13-year run, which included two-door hardtop coupes and convertibles, four-door sedans, and four-door station wagons. chevelle-003

The muscle car era was in full swing by 1965, and automotive consumers, demanded more power. To answer the call, in late 1965, General Motors started producing a 350 horsepower 327ci V8 engine. In 1966, GM stepped up its game again with a complete exterior makeover for the Chevelle. A 396ci V8 was stuffed between the fenders, which was designated a standard option. The car was badged the “SS396” to point out this fact. The Chevelle marked its place in automotive history, and to this day remains one of the most popular cars from the muscle car era, and a “familiar face” at car shows and other automotive events.

Finding Gold

There’s no doubt that Americans have a love affair with their cars, and in the mid-Sixties, one of the most important aspects revolved around horsepower and the whole idea that “bigger is better.” Brian Wilson of Lebanon, Tennessee, is a true believer of the “bigger is better” mantra that defined the muscle car era. As a teenager, he often dreamed of someday owning a 1966 Chevelle SS. The years stacked up as Brian attended cruise-ins and car shows in his restored 1965 Chevy C-10 pickupa very nice truck indeed, but far from his childhood dream ride. In 1996, “Lady Luck” struck, and Brian hit the jackpot when he found a numbers-matching Chevelle at a fire sale price of $12,000. After sinking another $20,000 into this muscle car icon, Brian has what you see here todaya very clean Super Sport restomod.

What made the Chevelle SS a success can be attributed in part to General Motors’ decision to redesign the body for the 1966 model year. Brian’s SS has that subtle “Coke-bottle shape” in the rear quarter panels, which was a departure from the boxier-shaped body of the 1964-1965 model years. In fact, if you look at other cars from the muscle car era, you will find that same subtle sexy shape.

The 1966 facelift really changed things for the Chevelle. For starters, the car had a much wider appearance and a sleek lower stance. It is easy to comprehend why second-generation Chevelles are very popular, and command prices on par with rarer muscle cars. To differentiate the Super Sport Chevelles from the standard no-frills version, simulated hood scoops were installed that eventually became a signature of the SS model. Other key changes in 1966 included a redesigned bumper, and a new roof line with a recessed rear window between the sailing roof panels. Meanwhile, a Super Sport badge went on the rear quarter, and an SS396 emblem over crossed flags went on the front fenders.

The A-body platform Chevelle had it all for performance-minded consumers in the 1960s, and that favoritism hasn’t wavered too much with the collector crowd. However, as with most cars that have been visited by “Father Time,” some restoration is always required.

The Work Begins

When Brian took over ownership of this SS in 1996, the 30-year-old body had to be massaged and refreshed a bit in order to bring it back to showroom standards. Fhurr Paint Werkz was tasked with the job of working out the exterior imperfections and applying PPG Mist Blue paint along with three coats of clear. All of the surfaces were then wet sanded and shined to perfection.

I always knew that one day I would own a 1966 Chevelle.

Additionally, Brian opted to change up the wheels by ditching the small “dog dish” hub-capped style rollers for a set of Wheel Vintique billet Rallyes; 17×8-inches up front, and 17×9.5-inches in the rear. The wheels are wrapped in BFGoodrich G-Force 235/45/17 and 285/40/17 rubber, respectively. Rounding out the exterior appearance, the Chevelle was lowered with two-inch dropped spindles, and one-inch drop springs under the nose, and two-inch Hotchkis dropped springs in the rear, giving this ‘66 that classic muscle car rake.

What was under the hood was another key factor in the Chevelle’s overall success. In 1966, the Chevelle Super Sport came with the 325 horsepower 396ci motor as standard equipment, but it also came in a few different configurations. The base 396ci engine included a two-bolt main block, hydraulic lifters, 10.25:1 compression, a cast-iron intake manifold, and usually a Rochester four-barrel carburetor. An optional engine that was available was the L34 396ci engine, rated at 360 horsepower. The L34 was fitted with a high-performance camshaft, four-bolt main bearing caps, a Holley four-barrel carburetor, and an open-element air cleaner. Only 28 percent of the SS396 Chevelles built, were purchased with this optional engine installed. A third option, the L78 engine, was based on the four-bolt main 396 block and was rated at 375 horsepower with 11.0:1 compression. Addtionally, the L78 had big port heads, a solid-lifter camshaft with .520-inch lift, and a high-rise aluminum intake manifold fitted with a 780-CFM Holley carburetor. Since the L78 was a dealer-installed option, and was not found in early Chevrolet brochures, only a little over 600 Chevelles actually had this option installed, making it a rare find these days.

Brian’s SS396 features the original base L34 engine package, mated with a two-speed Powerglide transmission and 12-bolt rear end with a standard 3.07:1 gear ratio. After the first year of ownership, Brian had the engine cleaned up and worked over by SS Automotive to replenish that brand new “just off the lot” look. Topping off the 396 manifold was a Holley 650 mechanical-secondary carburetor. The ignition system was also upgraded to a modern MSD ignition, which provided plenty of spark. Slowing all this action down were four-wheel disc brakes.

chevelle-032

The interior of Brian’s Chevelle is in great condition, and features restored black vinyl seating, custom gauges, and an optional, center console-mounted clock.

This numbers-matching, 1966 Chevelle SS is an exceptional coupe and when something looks this good, it’s difficult to let it go, which explains why Brian has held onto it for 18 years and counting.

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About the author

J.R. Janicek

A resident of Nashville, J.R. Janice's passion for cars was fueled by weekends shared with his uncles at figure-8 races in Louisville. By the late 80s, he was immersed in the mini-truck genre, and attending shows and hangout spots. After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Marines and spent one year in Japan where he became familiar with the automotive culture. In 1999, he started photographing automotive events and eventually established a freelance photography company serving the custom automotive niche. He brings a unique perspective as a freelance writer to Power Automedia.
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