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1966 Chevy Chevelle Hardtop Custom Headed To Mecum Las Vegas

The Chevy Chevelle bowed in August of 1963 for the 1964 model year. The Chevelle name is said to mean “bold and beautiful,” and is taken from either French or Hebrew. Aimed squarely at the Ford Fairlane, the Chevelle was constructed on General Motors’ then-new mid-size A-body platform. It quickly became one of Chevy’s best-sellers, with 338,286 rolling off the production line during the first year of production. Chevelle SS coupes and convertibles would become key players in the burgeoning muscle car wars.

The 1965 model year brought a facelift for the Chevy Chevelle, with a longer lower look. The front bumper and grille were redesigned, and the rear fascia was freshened. The Super Sport package included SS emblems on the rear fenders and trunk lid, rocker panel moldings, black trim across the lower portion of the trunk lid and around the taillights, 14-inch full wheels covers, and an engine designation badge on the front fenders. Inside, the Chevelle SS had standard vinyl bucket seats, a center console, an SS emblem on the glovebox door, and either a Powerglide automatic or four-speed manual transmission.

The SS Z16 package was introduced mid-year, and carried a $1,501.05 price tag. With the Z16, the buyer got a 396 cubic-inch, 360-horsepower Mark IV Big Block with large port cylinder heads, aluminum intake, Holley four-barrel carb, and a hydraulic lifter cam, bigger power assisted brakes, heavy-duty suspension, and a rear sway bar. Z16s rolled on 14-inch gold stripe Firestones and full hubcaps that looked like mag wheels. Inside, the Z16 got a 160 mph speedometer, 6,000 rpm tach, an AM-FM radio, and a clock. Of the 201 Z16s built, only one was a convertible.

For the 1966 model year, the Chevy Chevelle received new styling for both ends of the car. The Chevelle SS 396 now came with its own special VIN prefix, with the 13817 prefix for hardtops and 13867 for convertibles. The SS 396 had beefier frames, simulated hood scoops, higher-rates for the front springs, more robust front sway bars, high-performance shocks, and red-stripe tires. The Big Block 396 could be had in 325-horsepower, 360-horsepower, or 375-horsepower trims, each available with the two-speed Powerglide automatic, three-speed manual, or four-speed manual  transmission.

Our feature Chevy Chevelle custom hardtop is finished in a bespoke Blue Metallic hue over a custom black diamond-stitched interior. It is powered by an Ed Kristofferson balanced and blueprinted 427 cube Big Block fed by a Holley 750 Double Pumper carb. The 427 mill exhales through a set of Hooker headers and Flowmaster mufflers. It sends power to the rear wheels through a 700R4 four-speed automatic with B&M shifter, and a 12-bolt Posi rear differential. The suspension features two-inch drop spindles with tubular A-arms in the front and two-inch Hotchkis lowering coils in the rear. The Chevelle rolls on oversized custom chrome wheels, but size and brand were not mentioned.

This Chevy Chevelle hardtop custom will cross the Mecum Auctions block at their Las Vegas, Nevada sale taking place November 9th through the 11th.

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Comments

  1. These wonderful old cars weren’t meant to roll on rubberband tires.

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    1. Interior an wheels no 4 on the floor keep it

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  2. Nice car, but you can keep the stupid looking wheels. Also not a huge fan of the color, looks a bit off for a classic.

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  3. Drove one the 325 hp powerglide models in 1967 & 68 in high school. 336 rear gear ran 120 mph like a clock. I ran the hell out of it, burned up many tires(open rear end) was owned by my best friend Jim Bayles a rural central il. Farm boy. Those were the days, and I had my right foot planted on the floor board all the time. I can still hear the intake moan of that single feed holley 4 barrel atop the 396!

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  4. nice car, but those wheels, tires and seats would have to go the first week of ownership.

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    1. Another twit destroyed what them cars were supposed to look like. Trust me I own a 68 chevelle and to see someone do that actually make me cringe makes me sick…..like is the person who done that a 23 year old with a face full of acne with his fly down?

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  5. Oh I forgot to mention my all original 68 chevelle is the same color so you done one thing right , you can pat yourself on back for the one thing you done right in your project of life!….🙄

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  6. My father has his original ’66 with 12,000 miles on it. Interested to see what this goes for.

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  7. The color is nice it would be a real keeper if it had OEM running gear but it’s still a BBC BUT PLEASE SWAP OUT THE TRANSMISSION AND PUT A 4 SPEED IN IT!!! GIVE ME SOME GEARS!!!! ALSO LOOSE THE WHEELS AND TIRES. JUST MY OPINION BUT THEY TAKE SO MUCH AWAY FROM THIS BEAUTIFUL CAR.

    Reply

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