'66 Chevelle
Big Power
The guys at Competition Specialties are big into forced induction and power adders. We're quite positive that the industrial center where this shop sits in Walpole, Massachusetts, has dozens of burnout grooves and donut scars. "All the cars we personally own are either supercharged, turbocharged, or run nitrous oxide," says Peter Newell, owner of Competition Specialties. Newell set up shop over 20 years ago and has kept things going strong with a lot of repeat customers, one being the owner of this '66 Chevelle. Newell has hopes to pass his business on to his grandson, and is building a spotless reputation for him.
Scott Abrams is a '66 Chevelle nut. He's had more than a few over the years, all of them original big-block cars. Scott loves the car so much that he never wanted to do anything too far from stock to keep its factory appeal alive. But after one of many visits to the shop, Scott got an itch to do something more radical. He wanted Newell to build him the baddest '66 Chevelle on the East Coast. That's no short order, since the competition has been getting fierce as the Pro Touring movement has taken over.
The build started with ordering one of Tom Nelson's 2,000hp twin-turbo street motors-a combination of words that would never have been used a decade ago. Supporting the power through the chassis is an even larger task. Scott desired to have a car that pushed out an effortless 2,000 hp that could perform at any track and score high at any car show. Because he is a Chevelle nut, he didn't want to sacrifice its original charm, so he made sure it would always look like one.
By The Numbers
1966 Chevelle SS
Scott Abrams • Walpole, MA • 1,900 hp
| ENGINE |
| Type: |
572-inch big-block Chevy by Tom Nelson |
| Block: |
Chevy iron |
| Rotating assembly: |
all forged |
| Cylinder heads: |
Brodix aluminum |
| Camshaft: |
solid roller |
| Induction: |
twin turbo, custom billet intake |
| Ignition: |
Electomotive |
| Cooling: |
Ron Davis |
| Fuel system: |
Aeromotive |
| Exhaust: |
custom stainless |
| Fasteners: |
ARP |
| DRIVETRAIN |
| Transmission/shifter: |
4L80E automatic |
| Driveshaft: |
carbon fiber |
| Rear axle: |
Ford 9-inch, 35 spline axles, 3.55 gears |
| CHASSIS |
| Front suspension: |
C6 Corvette on Art Morrison Max-G frame |
| Rear suspension: |
three-link Watts |
| Brakes: |
C6 Z06 |
| INTERIOR |
| Dashboard: |
SL-600 Mercedes-Benz |
| Comforts: |
power windows, A/C, navigation, DVD |
| BODY/PAINT |
| Body: |
custom sheetmetal work |
| Paint: |
Competition Specialties mix of House of Kolor Kandy Red over silver |
| WHEELS/TIRES |
| Wheels: |
19x10 and 20x12 Budnik Ice |
| Tires: |
285/30R19 and 345/25R20 Pirelli P-Zero |