Words: Tommy Parry
With the intention of turning this Chevelle into a proper track car, Herb started his build by trimming and tweaking a ‘66 chassis to suit his needs. After stripping, sandblasting and primering the chassis, he realized what a steep path he had ahead of him; this was the first chassis he’d built, and he had some considerable guesswork to do. Fortunately, Herb is a clever cat with plenty of experience.
Once he got the frame mounted on the frame table, Herb installed all of the suspension from his car onto the new frame. That way, he could locate the front and rear axle center lines. Once he cut the front and rear sections off the frame, he needed to know where to put the new goodies.
Among those goodies were a front clip utilizing C5 Corvette parts, as well as an offset three-link kit from Ron Sutton Racing for the rear. To get this car to handle properly, some retrofitting was in order!
After dropping in a crossmember, which he supported with his own gussets, he added horns, boxing plates and a new bumper. The frame, now largely complete, was ready for the remainder of the footwork add-ons: Jake’s Rod Shop C6 tubular arms and RideTech C7 hubs. With the mockup motor in place, he could turn his attentions to the actual powerplant.
The engine Herb decided on had been built long before this build had commenced. An all-aluminum 509 with AFR heads, a Holley intake and a custom solid roller cam from Straub Technologies were the first pieces chosen. The Brodix aluminum block houses a Scat lightweight 4340 crank, Scat 4340 6.535" H-beam rods, Diamond pistons with ceramic coating on top and DFL on the skirts. The rod and main bearings are also coated with DFL. ARP main and head studs top it all off. The Holley EFI system ensures great response and driveability, and a very broad powerband, which is always accessible thanks to a production-spec Tremec T-56 from Bowler Transmissions.
After Herb mustered up the gusto to cut out a bit from the body, he lowered it onto the chassis and, thankfully, it fit perfectly.
For someone who had never built a chassis in his life, his first is a remarkable demonstration of ability. Moreover, his humility shines through his build thread: “I’m not sure I’d call myself a skilled fabricator. I read a lot, look at lots of pictures from real fabricators, and [go through some] trial and error.” It seems his intuition, connections and fastidious nature ensured a strong foundation for a staggering build, which can be followed here.