1969 Chevelle>
Green Eater
Car junkie Michael Bonde got his start in 1974 with the purchase of his first car, a 1970 Maverick. He experimented with this car before acquiring his father's '64 Fairlane station wagon. This is where his true passion for cars evolved. This was his only form of transportation, so when it broke, he had no choice but to fix it fast. Michael recounts: "Not having a lot of money and owning a car with over 100,000 miles, I learned quickly when things broke." By the time 200,000 came around on the odometer, the car was sold. Michael didn't have another outlet for his car enthusiasm until he picked up this Chevelle in 1999. Now, it was party time.
The car sold for $4,900, a high price for back then, Michael admits. The previous owner bragged about the $300 paintjob he had applied. Michael was sure to thank him under his breath while sanding the three layers of crummy paint. His intention was to just clean it up and use it as a company car for his tool supplier job. He'd built a couple of engines during its service, pushing his car comfortably into the 12s, but that wasn't fast enough for him.
Michael got a new job that came with a company car, so the Chevelle retired from its daily duties. That event triggered the three-year build that would transform the Chevelle. Like most body-off restorations, the car goes from taking up one spot, to three or four. His project started in the garage, but had to expand to a network of EZ-ups in the backyard. There, Michael proceeded to do all the metalwork himself. He outsourced the bodywork to long-time painter Dickie McMillen of Bellflower, California. After four months of waiting, the car shell came back to him as perfect as he had imagined it would. For the next year, Michael put in 50 hours a week to complete it. Through this restoration, Michael's 13-year-old son caught the muscle car bug, and has a Nash Metro he's going to slam to the ground and paint flat black.
By The Numbers
1969 Chevelle
Michael Bonde, 52 (going on 18)
Meridian, ID
Performance: 690 horsepower
| ENGINE |
| Type: | 355-inch small-block |
| Block: | original '69 |
| Oiling: | high-volume pump |
| Rotating assembly: | Scat 4340 crank,
forged I-beam rods, forged
KB dished pistons, 8.5:1 compression |
| Cylinder heads: | AFR CNC 195cc |
| Camshaft: | custom Isky hydraulic roller,
244/253 duration at .050-inch lift,
550/.560-inch lift, 110 LSA |
| Valvetrain: | COMP Pro Magnum |
| Induction: | dual Holley 650 double-pumpers
by C&J Engineering,
BDS 6-71 (7 lbs of boost) |
| Ignition: | MSD Digital 6 |
| Cooling: | BeCool aluminum radiator
with dual 11-inch fans |
| Fuel system: | Rick's Stainless gas tank,
-10AN stainless braided line,
Essex billet electric fuel pump |
| Exhaust: | 3-inch exhaust with Flowmaster
40 Series mufflers
and QTP electric cutouts |
| Fasteners: | ARP |
| DRIVETRAIN |
| Transmission/shifter: | TH400, 2,400-rpm,
10-inch stall,
B&M Star dual-gate shifter |
| Driveshaft: | custom-built steel |
| Rear axle: | Currie 9-inch, 35-spline axles,
Detroit locker |
| CHASSIS |
| Front suspension: | aftermarket tubular
control arms with QA1 coilover shocks |
| Rear suspension: | aftermarket control arms,
stock springs with air shocks |
| Brakes: | Wilwood 13-inch drilled
and slotted rotors
with 4-piston forged calipers |
| INTERIOR |
| Seats: | factory |
| Dashboard: | custom built by owner
with Pro-Comp Auto Meter gauges |
| Stereo: | 200-watt Sony AM/FM/CD
with XM radio, 6-inch 4-way
and 6x9-inch 4-way speakers |
| Wiring: | Painless 18-circuit |
| Column: | factory tilt |
| Comforts: | Vintage Air,
four-window power windows,
power door locks |
| EXTERIOR |
| Body: | factory with 4-inch
Harwood cowl hood |
| Paint: | DuPont Hot Hues Iced Green Dream,
custom ghost flames
by McMillens of Bellflower, CA |
| WHEELS/TIRES |
| Wheels: | 18x8- and 18x10-inch
Foose Nitrous II |
| Tires: | BFGoodrich KDW 245/45R18
and 285/40R18 |