And while this car certainly goes fast, it also stops quickly as well. The brakes were upgraded to include Baer four-piston calipers that grip big 14-inch cross-vented rotors up front and 13-inch rotors in the back. Dick has augmented the system with a Wilwood proportioning valve he can adjust with a cabin-mounted dial.
While the demeanor of this sizable sedan is decidedly tough, the ride is not. A jaunt through a very tight autocross course revealed a firm yet smooth ride, the type of thing you’d want for daily driving. Seated within a largely factory-correct cabin, Dick told us how he will reinstall the rear seat when he gets back home for the grandkids.
“That’s how I wanted this car to be … a quick yet reliable daily driver,” Dick says. “And with four doors, it’s especially easy.”
Dick Eytchison’s Crew Cab ’65 Chevelle looks like a buck’s down grocery-getter, and it is. It just gets the groceries really quick.
“…the four-door Chevelle was referred to as a ‘Sport Sedan,’ a concept guys like Dick took to stratospheric levels.”
1965 Chevelle Sport Sedan
Dick Eytchison, 68, Cortez, CO
Type: ZZ383 small-block Chevy crate motor
Block: factory, ’09 vintage
Bore & stroke: 4.0x3.80 inches
Rotating assembly: 4030 forged steel crank, PM steel connecting rods, hypereutectic pistons
CCW running gear provides...
CCW running gear provides ample contact with pavement—not to mention the one overt concession to a sinister appearance. Measuring 17x8 and 17x9.5, the alloy rims wear Falken Azenis rubber.
Cylinder heads: aluminum Fast Burn 383, 2.00/1.56-inch valves, 62cc chambers
Camshaft: stock ZZ383, hydraulic roller .509/.528-inch lift, 222/230 degrees duration at .050
Valvetrain: hydraulic roller, overhead valve, two valves per cylinder, 1.5 ratio rockers
Induction: Edelbrock RPM Air-Gap dual-plane, Holley Avenger 650-cfm carb
Exhaust: Hooker Super Comp 1¾-inch headers, stainless steel MagnaFlow exhaust
Ignition: Performance Distributors DUI, LiveWires ignition wires
Output: approximately 400 hp
Most guys these days would...
Most guys these days would opt for a sterile LS transplant, but Dick is old-school, staying with the tried-and-true small-block Chevy. This one’s a ZZ 383 crate mill, fortified with a Holley Avenger 650-cfm carb. The resulting 400 hp or so is ideal for autocross and road race work—the goal being supreme balance —not overpowering the suspension and tires.
Transmission: Tremec TKO-600 five-speed
Rearend: Ford 9-inch, Truetrac diff with 3.70 gears
Front suspension: Hotchkis TVS A-arms, Hotchkis 1-inch lower coil springs, Bilstein shocks, Hotchkis sway bar, B-body spindles
Rear suspension: Hotchkis TVS control arms and 2-inch lowering coil springs, Bilstein shocks, Hotchkis sway bar
Steering: AGR 12:1 quick ratio box
Brakes: Baer Track4 13-inch rotors with Baer four-piston calipers (front), Baer Alumasport 12-inch rotors with Baer calipers (rear)
Wheels: CCW 17x8 front, 17x9.5 rear
Tires: Falken Azenis RT-615 245/45R17 front, 275/40R17 rear
Though it appears largely...
Though it appears largely stock, Dick has augmented the instruments with Auto Meter gauges and an ididit adjustable steering column. Pro Car Rally seats and a custom rollcage ensure snugness and safety.
A driving light was sacrificed...
A driving light was sacrificed to ensure the ZZ383 motor gets plenty of cold, fresh air.
The Optima Red Top battery...
The Optima Red Top battery was moved to the trunk for better weight distribution.