Cars that the automotive world now considers classics that should be appreciated and pampered, weren’t always seen that way. David Beach’s 1966 Chevelle SS is a perfect example of this. Sadly, this Chevelle journeyed through the exhilarating yet unforgiving world of drag racing which left it a mere shadow of its former glory. Then, this 1966 Chevelle SS sat quietly in a barn, awaiting another chance at life on the open road. Even in its ragged condition, it symbolized a lost era of craftsmanship and the thrill of raw big-block power.

A treasure that holds a trauma-filled history, David’s Chevelle after its first, second lease on life.

This 1966 Chevelle SS was ordered through Herb Joslin Chevrolet in Traverse City, Michigan, and rolled through GM’s Flint vehicle assembly plant on October 18, 1965. It. was fitted with a 396 cubic-inch (360 hp) big-block and a Muncie, M21 four-speed. Not only did it roll off the assembly line under big-block power, but it was sprayed with a beautiful Marina Blue with matching bright blue bucket seats.

From the very beginning, the Chevelle in question was every car guy’s dream ride. As best as he can tell, David’s Chevelle was originally sold through a dealer trade, and the car was transferred to its new owner at Berger Chevrolet. The car has a protect-o-plate from Berger Chevrolet and the metal “By Berger” emblem on the tail panel.

Hearing these specs probably has your jaw on the floor already, however, the original owners didn’t have that same reaction. As with many cars of this era, after leaving the showroom floor, the Chevelle would go on to see some rough years at the drag strip. This Chevelle would go on to bear scars of poorly chopped-up quarter panels and dents on the roof from a tire iron. After years of abuse, the Chevelle sat in a barn collecting dust.

Sadly, the roof dents weren’t a lie or an exaggeration.

The Chevelle eventually ended up in the hands of a gentleman in Houston, Texas who set out to loosely restore the Chevelle. It received an L72 427 cubic-inch big-block and another Muncie M21 four-speed transmission. There was also a vinyl top added to cover the tire iron dents, turquoise blue paint, and a black vinyl interior.

David purchased the car in 2012 and for the time, the car’s main use was going to car shows promoting his new classic car dealership located in Madison, Alabama. Shortly after he began driving the car, the block cracked. Instead of locating an old Chevrolet block David used a Dart block and filled it using the steel crank, rods, and pistons from the old block.

The Chevelle was driven in this configuration until an accident in 2013 left it damaged yet again. The Chevelle was hit on the front right fender, rendering it totaled by David’s insurance company. Luckily, he was allowed to keep the car and after five long years, David gave it another lease on life.

A site that no one wishes to see. The good news is that this accident sparked a long overdue restoration.

The new lease on life consists of some much-needed exterior work and work under the hood. With the vinyl top permanently removed, the tire iron dents have been hammered out and painted over. David sprayed the Chevelle a pearl blue called, “Blue Your Mind,” a GM color.

The Chevelle still boasts the same Dart engine block as before but has some upgrades now. It now has a SCAT stroker crank and pistons, and Pro Comp aluminum heads. It’s also now bolted up to a Richmond five-speed transmission.

David also tracked down a reproduction cowl plenum air intake, made famous by Chevy performance guru, Smokey Yunick. The cowl plenum air clearer was available over the counter from Chevy dealers like Berger Chevrolet. David’s is a reproduction unit made for a Camaro Z-28.  The Chevelle cowl plenum units did not have the dip in the firewall connector like his has.

There’s something about a big block that just gets the blood flowing and that oh-so-cool cowl plenum just makes this car so much more exhilarating.

David reports that if you can find an original one, the cost is around $10k for a complete unit. While he would love to have the original unit, this does the same thing, bringing in cool air from the cowl area. Smokey was right, as David reports he could tell the difference once he installed the air cleaner on the car. David is also currently working on installing a Holley Sniper EFI unit. David is still finishing the car’s final rest0-modification but hopes to have the car back on the road soon.

From a history that was wrecked by the hardships of the drag strip, to a present condition, adorned with a color that simply “Blue Your Mind”, this 1966 Chevelle SS now serves as a beacon of perseverance and the timeless link that exists between man and machine. Every time David turns the key or presses the pedal, it is a silent monument to the beauty of second chances, a beauty that now speaks loudly.

Let’s See Your Chevy!

We love to see and share other enthusiast’s rides. It doesn’t matter whether they are still in the build process or if they are finished, or if you’re simply enjoying them in their current state. All we need are a few photos and some information about you and your Chevy. That said, the more information and images you submit the more we can show (and talk about) your car to the rest of our readers.

We look forward to seeing what you are doing to keep the Chevy Hardcore lifestyle alive. If you want to see more cars built and owned by our readers, send us a few pictures of your car showing the engine, interior, and exterior, along with all the pertinent information, so we can include it in our Reader’s Ride section. And don’t forget, if we use your car in our Reader’s Ride section this year, we’ll send you a FREE Chevy Hardcore T-shirt! You can send your submissions to [email protected].