Autoblog

Meet Dick Eytchison and his '65 Chevelle autocrosser

Zach Bowman — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Classics, Sedan, Videos, Chevrolet, Racing

There are few things we love more than seeing well-sorted classic cars being put to task. It seems we're in good company on that front. Dick Eytchison shares our belief that, "you just don't appreciate them unless you get out there and drive them."

Over the years, Dick has whipped his 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle sedan into an autocross terror. With a breathed-on 383 crate V8 spitting out around 400 horsepower, the Chevelle has no deficit of grunt. Of course, getting a mid-sixties muscle bruiser to sprint in a straight line has never been an issue; it's getting the machine to go right and left that's the challenge.

The 68-year-old weekend racer ditched the factory rear end for a stout Ford nine-inch with a Truetrac limited slip, and a set of Baer brakes on all four corners bring the machine down from speed. Up front, 13-inch rotors get pressed by four-piston calipers, while the back axle makes due with a couple of 12-inch discs.

A full suite of Hotchkis goodies, including A-arms, sway bars and spindles, help keep the machine planted, as do Bilstein shocks on all four corners. The finished product looks right at home dodging cones. We dig it. Check it out in the video below.

Continue reading Meet Dick Eytchison and his '65 Chevelle autocrosser

Meet Dick Eytchison and his '65 Chevelle autocrosser originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thou Shalt Not Clone: Fraudster convicted over fake 1965 Chevelle Z16

Zach Bowman — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:43:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Etc., Government/Legal

No matter how hard you try, you can't out run the Internet. Just ask Bobby Patton. The man thought he could pull a quick one by representing a 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle as an incredibly rare, incredibly valuable Z16.

For those of us who aren't soaked in obscure General Motors model history, Z16 models featured brakes lifted from full-size sedans of the day, a unique rear axle, a stiffer boxed frame borrowed from a convertible and a uniquely trimmed L37 396 V8. Other details like special trim work, badges, VINs and various engine and axle stampings help identify the hopped up Malibu models from their kin.

Patton missed the memo on those details, apparently, opting instead to slap some 396 badges on the fender and call it a day. While that may have been enough to fool a local car show judge, it became an issue when he listed the coupe on an auction site for $100,000. Jeff Helms, the owner of a site dedicated to nothing but Z16 models, quickly pointed out that the Chevelle boasted a fake VIN copied from a photo on his website. Patton then attempted to defend himself, saying he bought the car that way.

Patton closed the auction after four days, but not before the Ohio State Patrol got wind of the suspicious '65. Officers contacted the previous owner, who proved the car had been sold with 327 emblems. It didn't take long for Patton to face charges of Tampering with Records, Possessing Criminal Tools, Telecommunications Fraud and Attempted Simulation. He pleaded guilty to the first charge and received two years of probation. Head over to Hemmings for the full tale, and remember, the Internet is watching.

Thou Shalt Not Clone: Fraudster convicted over fake 1965 Chevelle Z16 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chrysler spokesman and NFL star Ndamukong Suh crashes his... Chevy?

Zach Bowman — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:02:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Celebrities

There are two types of bad luck; the kind that finds you and the kind you find for yourself. Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh seems to have wandered straight into a run of the latter. NFL fans may recall that Suh is on a two-game suspension after stomping on a Green Bay Packer player during a game on Thanksgiving Day. Now the Detroit Free Press is reporting that Suh was involved in an accident in his hometown of Portland, Oregon. According to the report, Suh lost control of his 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS while passing a taxi at 1:15 a.m., whereupon he slid into a light pole, a tree and a drinking fountain.

Despite the carnage, neither Suh nor his two passengers were injured in the ordeal. Portland Police Sgt. Peter Simpson has said that the Lions player wasn't drunk or "driving crazy." We're not saying we're speaking from personal experience, but the last time we checked, law enforcement tends to have sharper words to say about failing to maintain control of a vehicle and damaging public property.

The real curiosity here is that Suh wasn't piloting a vehicle from the automaker he advertises for, Chrysler (click through to the jump to refresh your memory). Then again, if you had the choice between a '70 Chevelle and a 2011 Chrysler 300, which would you chose?

Continue reading Chrysler spokesman and NFL star Ndamukong Suh crashes his... Chevy?

Chrysler spokesman and NFL star Ndamukong Suh crashes his... Chevy? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA 2009: Badass Chevy Chevelle isn't as fuelish as it seems

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:40:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Classics, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, Diesel

1970 Duramax Chevrolet Chevelle custom - Click above for high-res image gallery

The clean exterior of this 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle hides a wicked little secret - if you take a look at the photo above, you'll see what we mean. The bundle of plumbing you see spilling out of the engine bay tells only part of the story - that's no overworked Chevy small block in there, it's a Duramax diesel that has been pushed to new heights thanks to an outrageous custom twin-turbo setup. The stripped-out interior and racing slicks out back show the true purpose of this ride.

The Chevelle was built by Mike Racke and was recognized as one of Popular Hot Rodding magazine's Top Ten Builds this year. We couldn't agree more.

Gallery: SEMA 2009: Duramax Chevelle

SEMA 2009: Badass Chevy Chevelle isn't as fuelish as it seems originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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