This week’s Fan Car Friday is brought to you by Ben, a self proclaimed British Red Neck with his 1972 Chevelle SS 454. It is always great to see people with a passion for classic cars, especially when you see that energy and excitement being shared by cultures around the world. While Ben’s uncle had a 1965 Mustang GT350 that Ben got to grow up in and enjoy, it was the Chevelle that he knew he had to own. This car truly matches his personality and it is the only possession he would never dream of selling.
Fan Car Friday is a segment where we want to share with the world the automobiles that our fans have. These cars are not for sale and we have absolutely no affiliation/relationship with the cars, the build or the owners, we simply saw the photos and felt they should be shared with the world to inspire others on their build. Or, simply put, its great eye candy for those of us who can’t make it to car shows or meetups as often as we would like. This post was made with written consent and permission from Ben Rezvin, he asked that in exchange for using his photos we share his fantastic work for everyone to see over at https://www.instagram.com/acarphotographer/
The vehicle you see in front of you is here because of something that happened 17 years ago. Ben was traveling to New Zealand on vacation to see his friend. While visiting he saw a brown tarp covering an oddly large object. With his curiosity peaked he pulled back the cover. In our minds it would clearly be a car, but in his mind it couldn’t have been a car. In Europe most vehicles are small and nimble so they can traverse the tight city streets and the high cost of gas doesn’t make it economical to drive a powerful/large car. But lo and behold it was a car, and not just any car, but a Chevelle. It may have been rusted out and 30 years old, but it caught Ben’s eye and after 17 years he finally owns one he can call his own.
Ben’s Chevelle is immaculate and he loves everything about it. The pillarless opening gives the car a beautiful shape and really let him feel the world go by as he drives, the angles of the car are perfect, the roar of the engine is something he never tires of and he loves how it kicks his A** every time he puts his foot down.
But everything great isn’t without its flaws. What isn’t so immaculate about this car is the times it has left him stranded on the side of the road. It also has a chip in the paint where the one and only other owner of this car let something slide around in the trunk and punched out a part of the car. Which brings me to his first modification on the vehicle, adding wood and carpet to the trunk to keep further damage from occurring to the body from the inside. There is one major flaw in the vehicle that Ben would like to take care of. It doesn’t have a supercharger or 4 wheel disc brakes. He doesn’t need a massive supercharger to come through the hood, but is doesn’t have that extra power he knows it is capable of.
The first question everyone is going to ask is, is this car a true SS? No, but is it basically an all numbers matching clone. So you get the same look and feel without the high pricetag. Now for the important list of modifications this has a 30 over 454, 800 cfm Edelbrock carb, UMI shocks and springs with a 2″ drop, US Mags 17/18 staggered rims with 295s on the rear, Hotchkis performance sway bars, Front control arms and trailing links and a 12 bolt LSD rear end. The MPG? 9 if you’re lucky. But even with the higher gas prices overseas, the driving experience is worth it. This also isn’t Ben’s first collector car, he has a blacked out SUV as well that he drives for fun in addition to his daily driver. More importantly, Ben drives this car as much as he can. It isn’t a trailer queen and he likes to take it out every chance he can get.
Ben’s favorite thing about the car is how mechanical and analogue it is. In a world where everything is fly-by-wire, it is great to get back to basics and be a part of the driving experience.
“You never know if you’re going to get to your destination, but you do know it’s going to be an adventure” -Ben
What a beautiful American Muscle car . SS 454 is the best for this asphalt eater
Love the car. I also had a Chevelle ss. Mine was also a clone,I didnt know that when I purchased it. I done a lot of work to it when I buy it.Thanks for reading John Paul keller
Sweet ride!!! Love the color and the wheels . I would go with a 4sp. To each his own. Red neck is not an endearing term .
In 79 I had a 72 454 real SS it was tired and abused somehow did had a 308 rear in it and it was a 10 ball house I rebuilt The engine for speed transmission and got a 12 bolt rear with 355 gears from the local auto recycling center. I drove the car for about a year sold it to a friend of mine Who was working in Atlantic City building the casinos was staying there during the week and coming home on the weekends well one Night coming home at the time the parkway had 6 x 6 guardrails well he hit one of them Head on rolled the car down the hill needless to say it was junk the crank shift even got bent what a shame.
What a wonderful car things like this car I can only dream about good luck Ben enjoy