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This DIY NASCAR-Inspired '66 Chevy Chevelle Is a Badass Display of Master Craftmanship

The ‘60s were an exciting era for muscle car lovers. For Chevrolet, and specifically the Chevelle, 1966 was a turn-around year for the model thanks to the A-body design that, to date, still ropes in muscle-car-loving enthusiasts. To bring back some of that 60’s era nostalgia with some racing kick, Doss Daley built a NASCAR-inspired 66 ‘Velle – and boy does it knock off the blinkers. AutotopiaLA featured this iconic 100% home-garage built '66 Chevelle by the Alaska-based Engineer.
NASCAR-inspired 1966 Chevelle 16 photos
Photo: YouTube Screenshot/AutotopiaLA
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Doss’ 66 Chevelle didn’t always look as mint as it does. If anything, it rolled into his possession in a trailer as a body on a frame. The car was a complete snooze with mangled door panels.

It was sitting on blocks. So, I knew I was going to do a pretty extensive build, so I didn’t care to spend money on something that was already had a decent body,“ Doss explained.

Doss is an engineer by trade, which came to his advantage. He spent about three months before embarking on the restoration, just working on the design and calculations for the frame. It’s a 100% garage-built car with its chassis and frame (all hand-built).

The front suspension I got through Global West. So, I made a jig off the stock frame to get all the mounting points to mount on that suspension kit. The rear suspension was all hand-built. It’s a parallel four-link with the watts link,” he explained.

This build was inspired by an old 60s NASCAR driven by Smokey Yunick. The paint job was also the work of his hands.

If you are going to build a NASCAR-inspired Chevelle, it'd better pack some heat. Under the hood, this classic blast-from-the-past has a naturally aspirated LS3 engine paired with a Tremec t-56 Magnum transmission. The engine is rated at 530 hp (537 ps).

Doss’ vision for the car was to be a street-legal show car. As a result, he ensured everything remained stock engine-wise. At the rear, it dons a familiar pair of taillights which he admits comes from a Camaro.

Building your own frame might have its advantages, but it also presents its own set of cons when it comes to fitment. As a result, this NASCAR-inspired Chevelle comes with a custom aluminum core support and headers.

Perhaps the most outstanding feature of the interior is the steering wheel. Inspired by Formula One, it's also handcrafted with displays and controls fitted into it.

There's a lot of dedication, thought and work that has gone into this build. According to the Alaska-based Engineer it took about five years to pull it off. Simply put – it's mind-blowing craftsmanship.

PS: if you are curious about how this custom-built Chevelle runs, we recommend watching the video below.

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About the author: Humphrey Bwayo
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Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life.
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