Even people who aren’t into the Tri-Fives are going to be impressed by this car.
We see a lot of Chevy Tri-Fives and understand some people absolutely love them while others think they’re overrated and/or overdone. However, this LS-powered example is something everyone should be able to agree is impressive.
Instead of taking a junked car, the owner Matt started with a perfectly good Tri-Five, a move some would consider crazy. Instead of keeping the stock engine and iconic red and white exterior, he decided to create a restomod masterpiece.
This car was built for speed, thanks to an LS3 packing 525-horsepower under the hood. A Borla exhaust lets out a nice baritone rumble which perfectly matches the look of this ride. Interestingly enough, Matt kept the stock frame, but he reinforced it to handle the extra power. An air-ride suspension means this Chevy can ride low or high, depending on what’s best for the situation.
It’s not just the power that’s great about this Chevy. Part of the body panels wear matte black, but the other body panels and trim pieces are all gloss black, so there are subtle contrasts you notice as the lighting changes. It’s also a way to preserve the two-tone look of the original while still having just a black car. That scheme almost completely hides that this is in fact a four-door model. Adding to the unique effect are yellow lenses on the fog lights, while the OE taillights have red and clear lenses.
That black color theme continues throughout the interior, ensuring this is not a car you park in the sun on a summer’s day. The dash is pretty much stock, so there are plenty of vintage details, something which sadly often gets wiped out when people do restomods. The steering wheel is of course aftermarket and has paddle shifters, so there’s that contrast between new and old.
As is the case with any good build, there are all kinds of cool details on this car, from the big Raceline wheels to the shaved door handles. Matt has taken this car, which he calls Matte Black Unicorn, to events in southern California, so when all this social distancing stuff relaxes you might have a chance to see this Tri-Five in person.
