Building or modifying your classic Chevy into something that is truly your own is a blast. But let’s face it – we spend as much time (or more) just thinking and designing in our head as we do actually working on our ride. Often, you can picture the entire vehicle from the engine to the interior, and the tires, all before you turn a wrench. That’s where we come in! We’re here to give you some ideas for your vintage Chevy build from people who have done it. There are pro street, pro touring, and vintage drag racing builds all represented, and you can use some ideas you like, or all of them, to build your ride just the way you want it. So whether you own a Chevelle, Corvette, Nova, or any number of other GM rides, take a look and you may just be inspired.
Vintage Drag Builds
Tom Vicario's '55 Chevy is an example of a non-traditional build that is truly eye-catching. The gasser sports all the goodies, including a high-winding 327 engine, tunnel ram, M22 four-speed, and straight front axle. If you're building a gasser, having three pedals is virtually mandatory.
Drag racing and muscle cars have gone hand in hand ever since these classic and powerful rides rolled off the assembly line. While trends like pro street dominated decades like the 90s, there’s a resurgence of small tire drag-style cars, as it doesn’t involve hacking the rear of your ride to bits. Whether you choose to build a 60s gasser-style ride or an 80s low-buck looking street stormer, there are many parts suppliers on hand to help you with your project. You can still get one-piece tilt front ends from companies like VFN Fiberglass, traction bars that have that old-school vibe from companies like Lakewood, or tires that fit the bill from Coker Tire.
The tires and Lakewood “slapper” traction bars may look old-school, but you might be surprised at how well they work under those classic Chevy chassis.
One thing to keep in mind when building a stock wheel drag car from a classic Chevy is that you can keep a lot of the original architecture, which means not a lot of expensive fabrication. If you decide to go completely period-correct, vintage parts can start racking up the bank account charges, but more often than not, the parts used in the build will keep going up in value. While it might be cool to have an
M22 four-speed and 5.13 gears, one wouldn’t fault someone for having a more street-friendly gear ratio, or
overdrive transmission. No matter what, going for this type of build will definitely make you stand out in a crowd, and bring old-timers back to their glory days in the 60s and 70s.
Why Not A Wagon?
Perhaps some of the most desirable wagons are two-door Chevy Wagons known as Nomads. Even though they’re technically wagons, they still manage to have a traditional hot rod look.
While a two-door will always be your archetypal hot rod, nothing says that wagons can’t be hot-rodded too! We’re starting to see more and more four-door people carriers as these rides can still be bought for fairly cheap compared to some of the more desirable versions. There will always be a pretty good market for things like a Nomad or Nova wagon, but other four-door wagons, Malibu wagons, or Chevelle-based wagons can often be bought for a song.
Wagons have a lot of interior space, so why not do something interesting with it? Ed Miller’s ’56 Nomad featured this cool two-tone interior that matched the exterior of the car.
One advantage of building a wagon is almost all of the traditional tricks still work, from the engine to the transmission, brakes, and rearend. In some cases, wagons were even equipped with stouter hardware because of their heavier weight. If you’re really into wagons, you can also take it a step further and build a mega-horsepower sleeper out of a wagon. Why not? Also, don’t forget the convenience of a wagon that has room for four or five people, plus a little picnic area in the back! I mean, that’s why they were built in the first place.
Pro Street Classic Chevy
It doesn’t get any more Pro Street than this First-generation Camaro. Big tires out back, a blower up front, and a flamed paint job are all Pro Street staples.
For decades, one of the most dominating styles of drag strips, car shows, and the street, centered around giant steamroller meats in the rear of the car with skinny little drag tires up front. The rear of the car (or truck) is usually completely redone, with narrowed frame rails, and wheel tubs that delete the vehicle’s rear seat. Forget 275-series radials, we’re talking about 15 to 18-inch wide tires that look like they can rotate the earth.
A high-horsepower powerplant may or may not have a high-horsepower engine. More often than not, power in the 500 to 1,000 hp range is common, along with street drivability and pump gas compatibility. A big huffer sticking through the hood will definitely get you most of the way there.
While Pro Street rides have fallen off in the past few decades, there are still a ton out there and a number have been “modernized” with larger diameter wheels and tires. With such a large contact patch, traction is usually no issue on anything other than the hardest compound of tires and Pro Street offers a look that is truly unmatched. Just don’t try to go around corners.
Unrestored Originals
Imagine opening a door to a musty old garage and finding this pristine Nova as a time capsule! The Nova was original all the way down to the paint that didn’t have any re-sprays.
The old saying goes, “A vehicle is only original once!” There’s still a market out there for original vehicles, and of course, the more original, the better. While you’re probably not going to be getting (or paying) sky-high dollars unless you have some ultra-rare ride, there are still plenty of “barn finds” out there. We’ve seen Novas, Camaros, and even Tri-5 Chevys in darn-near pristine condition and often, just as the factory built them.
If you want an original ride, remember it might not have the most power. The 307 cubic-inch engine in this Nova may not make it fast, but it can be reliable.
Many of these cars have been sitting for years, and will probably need fluids, tires, a battery, and a thorough check-over before going down the road. Oh, and don’t forget about that decades-old gas too. One good thing about an original ride is you can always modify it later, and even if you do, you’ll still have all the factory parts left over.
NASCAR/Road Race
Road racing and autocrossing demand a good powerband and a good oiling system, so it’s no surprise that LS engines are a common choice for these types of cars. Although it looks relatively simple, this Blueprint Engines 376 crate engine cranks out 548 horsepower and is backed by a TREMEC transmission.
One of the most popular styles of late are pro touring cars; old iron with modern drivetrains and creature comforts. If you already have a new comfy car to drive, why not take your sometimes ride a step further, and actually put some race parts on the thing? Autocrossing older cars has become more and more popular, and with room for big tires and brakes, and with V8 power, old GMs are a surprisingly good platform for the twisties.
We really dug this Smokey Yunick-esque, NASCAR-inspired Chevelle that had all the parts and pieces to make it as capable as possible. It also had the “look” down pat.
Whether you own a Corvette or a C10, there are a host of aftermarket support parts available to make your classic Chevy come out of the corners hard and stop on a dime. Things like big brakes and a big cooling system are also good upgrades that will benefit your car in almost every situation, and make it more valuable to boot! Often race cars and show cars are completely separate, but in the case of classic Chevy’s you can show your ride, and race it too.
Be different…Or Not
If the car you really want is a clean restomod or pro touring build, don’t let us dissuade you. There’s a reason that they are so popular. The whole point of this article is just to give some different ideas for the direction of your car. There are many options out there, so in the end, go ahead and build the type of car (or truck) you want – well, as long as it’s still a Chevrolet-powered Chevy.
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