Although January 2015 finds much of the nation still covered in freezing temps and snow, the inclement weather will soon give way to the warmer months of spring and summer and many of the classic cars that have been in hibernation over the winter will start hitting the roads again. The warmer months are also prime time for car shows around the country. In some areas the car show season will be upon us in just a few months, as…
[gallery ids="1060,1055,1056,1057,1058"] OPGI Customer Kenneth Paul Strawser of Downey, California purchased this classic big-block 1970 Monte Carlo SS in 2010 with the intention of building a fully restored show car. About two years and $30,000 later, his goal was met. Today, Paul’s Monte Carlo can often be seen on the streets and is a regular at various shows in the Southern California region. (more…)
[gallery ids="1015,1016,1017,1018,1020,1019,1021,1022,1024,1011,1025,1026,1028"] The story behind Shannon Foster’s immaculate 1965 Chevelle SS might be titled “A Tale of Two Family Projects,” but that would be inaccurate, as only one Foster family project (the car) was ever really completed and the other project (kitchen remodel) is still ongoing. As Shannon tells the story, he once had a different '65 Chevelle Malibu SS back in 1979 when he and his future wife were first dating in his high school days. “Life happened”…
[gallery ids="994,989,990,991,992"] The OPGI Customer Car presented in this Spotlight is yet another prime example of a classic 1965 Chevrolet El Camino. Although the Customer Spotlight car featured here in September was an El Camino from the California coast, and the clean black ’65 pictured this month hails from the high country in Flagstaff, Arizona, both have been restored to near factory original specs with a healthy dose of OPGI parts. (more…)
[gallery ids="949,953,952,951,956,957"] The OPGI Customer Car presented in this Spotlight is a near perfect example of what might be one of the most popular El Camino variants among collectors and enthusiasts today. Richard Mazzetta of Woodland Hills, California owns this beautiful turquoise 1965 El Camino that has been restored (with plenty of OPGI parts) to near factory original specs both inside and out. Sporting a 283 Chevy small block and Muncie M-20 4-speed, Richard’s El Camino is a perfect…
There are few aspects of car restoration that are more satisfying than returning a worn-out interior to its original factory fresh appearance. One area of interior restoration that has always been of prime importance is the appearance and function of a classic car’s center console. Serving as an interior centerpiece and housing for the shifter, the console is both highly visible and an essential control component. It is also one area of the interior that can really look outstanding when…
The Chevelle, Monte Carlo and El Camino of the early 70s are among the most popular GM A-bodies ever produced, and when ordered with the Super Sport (SS) performance and appearance option packages, those three vehicles represent some of the most desirable and valuable muscle cars ever produced. When it comes to restoring and upgrading any of these great early 70’s classics, it is not surprising that many owners would prefer to fit their cars with SS option parts. Thanks…
Compared to the owners of “other” brands of classic American muscle cars, Chevrolet enthusiasts have been at a disadvantage when it comes to obtaining their cars’ documentation records. While Mopar and Ford fans have often been able to get detailed information on the build history and original factory options on their cars from the manufacturer or a third-party source, the build records for a great many Chevrolets from the 60’s and 70’s simply no longer exist or just can’t be…
Fifty years ago the Chevelle debuted for the 1964 model year and the Malibu version was launched simultaneously as the top trim line for the Chevelle. The first three variants of the Malibu were built on GM’s A-body platform, notable for the use of a perimeter frame and coil-spring suspension, at a time when many other midsize domestic cars were beginning to employ unitized structures. The Malibu used body-on-frame construction and in the beginning was powered by a 3.2-liter inline-six…
The 327-cubic-inch Mighty Mouse The Chevrolet 327-cubic-inch V8 originated with the small-block family of engines that first appeared in 1955 with a 265 cubic inch powerplant. Following with a 283 cubic inch version that appeared in 1957, the mighty 327-inch small block made its debut in 1962. Although the 327 was eventually superseded by the 350 across the entire Chevrolet product line, the intermediate displacement 327 was used in just about every Chevy on the market between 1962 and 1969,…
