Shawn Davis AutotopiaLA recently met up with Manny, 909Chevelle, from the Cali Cruizin Club to get a closer look at his stunning Chevelle build.
Manny first got the car 8-years ago as a birthday gift from his wife. Knowing how much money it would cost to properly build his dream car played a big role in his initial decision to not immediately separate the car from its frame for a full restoration. Instead, Manny opted for a seemingly never ending “rolling project,” as he describes it. With only a month’s worth of consecutive downtime at a single time, the car has gone from what was a solid starting point to an evolving dream car.
Manny started with the vision of an “off-the-lot” example by picking an original GM paint code for the finish and added Rally stripes. The finish was well done and still presents in decent condition but does have some chips and cracks but it was never intended to be a show car, rather a true driver’s car. Under the hood is surprisingly enough not an LS, as has become commonplace with restomod builds. Instead, replacing the stock 454-cid big block is a custom built 496-cid stroker with forged internals. This healthy built engine puts a little under 500-horsepower to the rear wheels and is the first rolling example to feature an UltraRam with a big block. In fact, the engine was used by FiTech for R&D for the setup and they were actually able to push the engine to 7k on the dyno.
A Hydroboost for brake system with a big brake kit from CPP handles the braking power and tubular control arms and a new Ride Right Boss Performance rear end capable of handling up to 1,200-horsepower are among the underpinnings. Manny really wanted to keep the look of the Rally wheels but the original 15-inch wheels wouldn’t allow for the brakes. 18-inch American Legend Wheels, another CPP product, fit the bill while keeping the original look. 8-inch wide fronts and 9-inch wide rears also allowed for the use of meatier tires.
Although this build, from the original looking exterior finish to the unbelievable performance, is extraordinary, where it really shines is with the interior. From the dash to the trunk, TMI’s products took the interior to a whole new level of grand touring quality. AutoMeter gauges adorn a Classic Dash kit that dropped in for a bolt-on installation and a Cadence Sound stereo system handles the Chevelle’s audio needs. The center console is a custom built piece that features a SideWinder shifter and really brings the build together.
Super clean is the best way to describe this stunning Chevelle and the YouTube video from AutotopiaLA is well worth the watch. We have a feeling that we will be seeing more from Manny and his Chevelle and we can’t wait.
