This Stunning Chevy Chevelle's Orthodox Engine Swap Is A Change You Can't Fail To Appreciate
This is an engine swap we can definitely get on board with. This 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle with LS1 power should definitely please secret ’Murican Matt, whose blossoming love affair with muscle and pony cars you might already have read about.
We found this on American eBay; a beautifully presented 1968 Chevelle from the car’s second generation, and isn’t it a looker? The Butternut Yellow paint also seen on Camaros of the same era is an acquired taste, but over the course of writing this article we’ve grown to like it a lot. There’s more than a hint of 1970s about it.
But the big news is under the not inconsiderable bonnet, where the original engine – either a straight-six of 3.8 or 4.1 litres, or a V8 of up to 7.4 litres – has been switched for a General Motors-correct LS1 small block V8, with a few modifications.
The seller, Grand Rapids Classics in Michigan, says the conversion has been ‘done right’, with an LS9 camshaft and a custom tune taking power to 448 horsepower, and since this is America, that should be imperial brake horsepower. Plenty, then.
BF Goodrich radials have the compulsory white lettering around the small five-spoke wheels, the interior is almost all new, claims the seller, and most of the famously imprecise instruments have been digitised and hooked up to a small display at the inside top left of the windscreen. Engine speed, fuel level, road speed and engine temperature are all now digital.
That’s a bit of a shame, we think. It would be nice to have all the original gauges working as well, but you can’t have everything. It looks like a lovely way to spend some spare cash, but the car’s reserve hasn’t been met at the time of writing.
Does the Chevelle get enough love, or will it always be overshadowed by the smaller, lighter Camaro? Does this car’s extra weight and lower performance mean it’s not the classic it could have been? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Comments
Most important thing…..COLUMN SHIFT AUTOMATIC
A column shift providing a clean open bench seat is one of the most stunning designs of automotive interiors.
Hah.. GAYYYYYYY
Jeremy Clarkson be like: NOT ENOUGH POWAAAAAAAA
Reminds me of FInnegan’s 1969 El camino
Look at that Bentley, GTO, Vette and a old pickup!
That old pickup is a chevy truck
“American eBay”
Never knew those words combine with a good car..
Yep, we’ve seen some shockers on there, but when they do it right, they do it really right.
The ‘68 Chevelle is awesome. If I have to choose a Chevy from that year, though, it wouldn’t be the Camaro or the Chevelle. I’d take the Impala SS427. Bigger, badder, American-er!
my uncle, my step mom’s brother, had a Chevelle SS just like this one when I was a kid. this… this is the car that made me fall in love with everything that has power. the first time I heard it, he came over I’m the a.m. and I was woken up by the house shaking from the 454. I’ve experienced the same era mustangs, camaro and I like Chevelles more, they look way more appealing.
The want is real
Missing a Cayote
A lot of people find the 68-69 Chevelles on the ugly side of things, which… whatever. I think most folks are just so focused on the 70 model just because a few of them came with the LS6 they tend to forget the other years.
The 1966s are personally my favorite, but to each their own.
The Chevelles all looked good…until 1971
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