There’s plenty of noise out there talking about how the younger generation doesn’t like cars, especially classics with gasoline-burning V8s under the hood. However, in our experience, that simply isn’t the case, especially when the younger person in question is the progeny of a car enthusiast. And that’s exactly who’s behind this sleeper Chevy Chevelle Malibu, as seen in the following video.
Once again coming to us from the folks at AutotopiaLA, the video is about 17-and-a-half minutes long, and highlights the “No Lift Shift” Chevelle Malibu sleeper built by Mason McCarthy. If the name sounds familiar, it may be because Mason is the son of Dennis McCarthy, a well-known car builder that’s had a hand in the rides seen in the Fast and Furious franchise and Batman franchise. As luck would have it, Mason shares his dad’s passion for fast cars, and started building this Chevelle Malibu at the age of 15 before he even got his license.
Dennis McCarthy originally purchased the car in 2015 with the intention of recreating the car he had in high school, but the project really never got off the ground. Fast forward to 2019, and Mason decided to finally give the Chevy the love that it deserved.
Aesthetically speaking, the car is more-or-less identical to the ride that Dennis McCarthy had back in the day, with a clean white finish, chrome bumpers, and white wheels. However, under the skin, this ride is much more modern, not to mention quite a bit faster. The motor is a 355 V8 with highlights like cast iron cylinder heads, a knife-edged crank, Jesel belt drive, and solid roller cam. Output is estimated to be around 450 to 500 horsepower.
“I completely went through this motor because I killed a lifter in it one time,” Mason explains. “It just put metal through the whole motor. So I pulled it apart, put it back together, and hasn’t blown up on me yet.”
Output reaches the rear wheels through a G-Force G101A four-speed dogbox, which was pilfered from dad’s Chevelle. There’s also a Ford nine-inch rear end and 4.56 rear locker, while the suspension includes new springs and shocks and four-piston Wilwood brakes.
Check out the full video, including driving action, right here:
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Comments
Perfect.
Very nice and very original
This is fantastic! I’ve found there is actually a lot of enthusiasm within Gen Z for the car hobby and even V8s. The problem is just about everything in the world is now so overpriced, it’s tough for them to really get into it. Not to mention all the dystopian laws being passed by the day and push for EVs.
Bonus points for still having the original 1965 license plate.
Fun fact: California is one of two states — New Jersey being the other — where it’s OK to use any license plate that was ever issued.
That’s funny, as they might be the first 2 states to ban ICE vehicles all together.
You go young fellow, My first car was ordered, a new 1965 Malibu when I was 18, 283 4 speed positraction!
Love seeing the younger generations building their own muscle car. Awesome!
Good drag car! Not streetable with 4:56 gears.
Chevy trucks came stock with 4:56 gears in the 70’s and 80’s. Not a highway machine but max speed limits were 55 on all roads even interstates during the Carter disaster.
Yes, I owned a Chevy truck with 4:11 gears, and it turned 3,500 rpm at 60 mph. It got 12 miles per gallon on the highway and the engine reached valve float at 95 mph in high gear. My 1971 Camaro had 3:08 gears and you could pull 90 mph in third gear, drop it into fourth, and move out. It would get 20 miles per gallon when driven normally.
I have a 80 camaro with a 468 big block running 4:56 gears but with a Hughes built 4L80 and can run 65 with torque converter locked at 2800 rpm, awesome on the street.
How is it that 4.56 is deemed not Streetable?I had 456 in my 66 427 chevelle and drove it 5 years everyday except in January’s when the engine was out for refresher course…it was perfect for this 23 year old Texas boy and if that’s if I was going on a trip ,I jumped in my gf’s 1974 vw super beetle and we took off to places unknown …so don’t say something w 456 gear non Street able did you ever try one…you could put taller tires if you wanted to slow the engine down …thanks
456 is a awesome street gear for red light to red light or 1/4 mile racing. No top end but anyone running that gear doesn’t care about top end anyway.
What alternator and power steering pump and bracket is he using in this setup?
Majority of the kids these days don’t like cars, unless it comes from the factory hot.Too much work for them to build one.