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1972 Chevrolet Chevelle
Luis Galeana, Pico Rivera, California
Engine: LS2 6.0L
Paint: Red w/ black SS stripes
Interior Color: Black
Original Parts Group Inc. (OPGI), Customer Luis Galeana of Pico Rivera, California is the proud owner of this clean 1972 Chevelle. Our staff first spotted Luis’ car parked at OPGI’s Seal Beach headquarters building, and once they got a better look up close and saw just how nice the Chevelle really was, the decision was made to share the car here on the OPGI Blog.
In the beginning it seems Luis had some decisions to make regarding whether he wanted to own a restored original Chevelle or a modified resto-mod car. Looking at the photos you can quickly see that Luis chose the restomod route. In fact, Luis’ car is very similar to the 1970 Chevelle SS 454 tribute car that OPGI is currently building for display at the upcoming SEMA Show in Las Vegas. A fuel-injected, big-block powered Chevelle riding on Hotchkis Suspension components and wrapped up in a red and black SS paint scheme sounds like a good plan to us.
Of the many nice cars that visit OPGI, this red Chevelle is one of the nicer ones. Take a look at the photos and see if you don’t agree. As for the story behind the car, we’ll let Luis relate the facts in his own words:
“My family and I had been looking for a good 1970 Chevelle for quite some time, however I could not decide if I wanted a 100 % original car or a resto-mod version. After some thought, we decided to go with a resto-mod since our overall plan for the car was to be able to drive it often as well as take it on occasional long drives. After some searching, I came across this 1972 Chevelle that was going to cross an auction block back in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Even though the Chevelle was not the exact year I had been looking for, the previous owner had modified the front and rear end a bit to give it more of a 1970 look. The car had the right look, drivetrain and powertrain, so I pulled the trigger on the auction.
Under the hood this Chevelle has a 6.0L LS2 engine with an Edelbrock manifold and a FAST Fuel setup coupled with a 6-speed automatic transmission. It has a 12 bolt posi rear end with an aluminum Perfect Launch cover and has been upgraded to 4-wheel disc brakes with Wilwood components. The stock wheels and tires have been replaced with big Boss wheels fitted with Nitto tires (245/40 ZR 18’s in the front and 285/40 ZR18’s in the rear). Power steering and brakes help make driving this beauty easy work and the Hotchkis suspension components help it handle all types of roads.
The restored original interior is lightly modified with custom Pro-Comp Ultra-Lite white gauges and an upgraded sound system that includes a separate power amp and two 10” subwoofers. The Chevelle has an SS steering wheel, an SS console and a stock shifter between the bucket seats. Perhaps best of all, this Chevelle has a Vintage Air A/C system that should help keep the whole family cool during long drives on hot summer days.” -Luis Galeana
Shop for Chevelle parts at www.opgi.com
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