1967 Chevelle SS "Sickness" Restomod With 650 HP Is a Jet Black Incurable V8 Addiction

While that seventh decade of the past century spawned some fantastic cars from the hands of car-building middle-class American-dream embodiment workers, it is up to their sons and grandsons to preserve those steel-carved statements of pride and prevailing capitalism.

Remember, this was the era when man had only ventured just past the edge of Earth's atmosphere, so there weren't too many humans living with their heads in the clouds. Back then, American families relied on strong, long-lasting, hard-core V8-ness to get across the country's vastness.

And somehow, cars were part of the family. They weren't consumer goods or shiny expensive gadgets that get replaced every fall by a newer generation that does nothing better than its predecessor. A car was just as high-valued as the family dinner. You bought it and had it for better or worse until transmission did your part.

However, younger generations of Americans weren't that keen on keeping old folk's habits and just let millions of those cars rot, just sent them to the crusher altogether. Still, some stubborn true-to-the-core gearheads didn't lay down the driveshaft and set about to resurrect the morbid vehicles. And the most radical of those rescuers even went one step ahead and rebuilt the wreckages to an entirely new life – a restomod.

And now we came full circle to the story's beginning – the '67 "Sickness." No, there wasn't any sickness in 1967; this is the Jet Black Chevy Chevelle's nickname from MS Classic Cars. If I were to judge the book by its cover, I would crawl underneath the big V8 – without a mask and modern-hype electric vaccine – and breathe in all that supercharged LT4 essence to ensure I get it all over my system.

Because this car can oust the last microvolt of BEV, PHEV, solar, hydrogen, nuclear fusion, unicorn dreams, and all other "clean fuel" conditions from any proper motor addict; look at the gallery and see for yourself. If this is not the fiery chariot of the ancient Inca gods of the Sun, then I don't know what else could be.

The car began roaming North American streets in 1967 as a two-door Chevelle SS 396 Sport Coupe from the Chevrolet plant in Freemont, California. Some 55 years later, here it is, in the hands of MS Classic Cars, after a $77,308.21 restomod operation. The invoice – five pages long – is the most accurate description of what this car is all about (you can check the documents on the company's website at this link.)

In short, there is a from-the-ground-up rebuild project, with an Art Morrison chassis clad with modern-day upgrades. Let's pop the hood and see what this car is all about: A GM 6.2L Supercharged LT4 V8 650 hp (659 PS) over 650 lb-ft (881 Nm). Add a Tremec TKX 5-speed manual transmission, a McLeod RXT Street Twin Disc hydraulic clutch, a Ford 9" Tru-Trac differential with 31 spline axles, Moser 3.50 gears, and the custom aluminum driveshaft.

0-60 time is irrelevant, and so is top speed, as this car is not for drag sprints or performance-related stunts. Suffice it to say that the powertrain dug a $25k hole in the restorer's wallet. But the engine alone is not a guarantee of ride comfort, and that's why the suspension benefits the modern touch.

Coilovers pair with the upper and lower control arms on the front and with a four-link system at the back to soften the driving experience. Two-piece drilled-and-slotted discs (13-inch front, six pistons, and 12-inch rear, four-piston calipers) put the "Show Stop" at the tip on the right foot.

The $25,000 figure may not be very revealing, but look at it this way: all the parts for the project amount to almost $36k (with the rest of the money going into hundreds of hours of intricate labor). Many work hours went into the paint job – but it's worth every second and dime! Check the photo gallery to see what we're on about.

The Jet Black livery is probably the only instance where black is too bright to look at with the naked eye. The Chevelle is a conversation stopper with a wet, showroom-quality finish and chrome details. Who can utter a single word when this marvel drives by? Look at the video to see it on the move, in all its glorious simplicity.

The tailored front panel hides the aluminum radiator and air cleaner – the latter is visible through a clear plastic lid. The cowl induction hood – while it serves no crucial purpose since the engine breathes through a massive blower – looks the part on the sleek body. Flush-mounted front windshield moldings and shaved drip rails, door handles, and trunk smooths out the gracious Chevelle.

Almost every single exterior cosmetic detail is fabricated precisely for this vehicle: front grille (courtesy of a '56 Chevy), rear taillight bezels, front and rear bumpers, black side mirrors, the Uni-Shine headlights (with daytime running lights). Budnik "Gasser-D" polished wheels – 18" on the front and 20" on the rear – hit the road with the muscle confidence of BF Goodrich G-Force Sport tires (245-40-18 and 275-40-20).

Take a peek inside if you thought the goth bite got the best of the car with the outside mod. All-black leather – of Vanhouton Upholstery provenance – on the seats, dash, full-length center console, door panels with armrests, and door sills. Speed Hut black gauges tell tales of the engine status, and the tilt steering column, adorned with the Budnik "Knife" 15" steering wheel, is also black.

The minute detailing compliments the trunk compartment, all-leather-spoiled with Eddie Motor Sport black trunk hinges and a Holley fuel pump/filter combo. This car will go at an online auction soon, but until then, you can have a more in-depth look at this fantastic Chevelle restomod on the seller's website. For further details, Marc Schiliro from MS Classic Cars is available for a phone call or face-to-face chat about his cars.