When a clean ’66 Chevelle rolls by, you might admire the fact that it’s a nice restoration. When this clean ’66 Chevelle rolls by, you’ll probably do a double-take and stop in your tracks.
Recently featured on Autotopia LA, this sweet Chevy is way more than just a pretty face. American Legends created the car over what Dana, the owner, noted was a four-year build. And the Chevelle’s classic lines, essentially unaltered from stock, tuck a serious suspension under twin-turbo LSX power, creating a true sleeper with a show-quality finish.
Starting with a basic Malibu that definitely needed some work, Tony and the team at American Legends performed extensive yet subtle modifications to the car’s body. The goal was to create a refined, modernized take that respected Chevy’s original form while achieving a style that seemed simple, which, as most of us know, is a difficult balance to strike.
The team sharpened body creases, shaved the door handles, shaved the mirrors, flush-mounted the glass, and handmade the car’s slick rear bumper and taillight panel. Up front, custom billet hood vents provide a modern touch while helping manage engine temperatures.
Under the hood, an LSX376 crate engine breathes through a trick Edelbrock cross-ram intake, with coil packs relocated for a super-clean look. Twin Comp T3 turbos force wind through the V8, making an easy 550 rear-wheel horsepower on pump gas and just six pounds of boost.
American Legends kept the stock chassis, which has been boxed and backhalved for strength. The whole car rides on what Dana described as a “RideTech all around” suspension, which handle the engine’s power with the help of reliable Wilwood discs.
That setup works exceptionally well, as Dana reported the Chevelle “tracks dead straight” even when cruising at 85MPH on the highway. Speaking of rolling down the highway, stylish Avant Garde F420 three-piece wheels, complete with carbon fiber barrels, spin at each corner.
Inside, the custom work continues with comfortable low-back seats, a harness bar, and Dakota Digital gauges in a reworked dash. Even though it’s built to perform, Dana stressed his goal included the Chevy being a cruiser.
Host Sean Malek clearly enjoyed the ride, noting the turbo blowoff valve “sounds intoxicating, it’s so good.” Sean ultimately concluded about the build, “In my opinion …they [American Legends] really knocked this car out.”
This Chevy is definitely the kind of build that makes you look twice – clean, classic lines hiding serious modern muscle. Many of Autotopia LA’s viewers called it one of the cleanest Chevelles they had seen featured on the channel. What do you think about Dana’s subtle twin-turbo LSX?
