Imagine owning a car that would reduce any gearhead to a drooling slob. Now imagine you forgot you owned it and left it in a garage collecting dust. That's basically what happened with Bob LeMire from Shoreview, Minnesota, and his 427-powered four-speed convertible '66 Chevelle SS.
Unlike the hundreds of people who claim they found their street machines rotting away in some rustic barn, Bob's tale is free of the usual restoration nightmares. At 17, Bob purchased the then two-year-old SS for the paltry sum of $1,000 and proceeded to use it as his daily commuter. When the military called, he packed his bags and left the Chevelle in his father's garage.
By the time he returned to civilian life, Bob had already set his sights on a newer Olds W-30, and for the next 14 years, the SS was all but forgotten. It wasn't until a potential buyer offered to take the SS off his hands that his interest in the car was rekindled. With only 69,000 miles on the clock, the SS received a fresh coat of Ditzler Black and a new top, and has become a regular at local cruise nights ever since.
Car Craft Q&ACar Craft: Where did you find an original SS with a 427ci big-block?Bob LeMire: Smog laws weren't as stringent as they are now, so the original owner had the dealer install it before he picked it up.
CC: We couldn't believe how hard it was to get you to put the top down during the photo shoot! Why didn't you want it down?BL: I haven't had the top down since I first replaced it in 1987, and to be honest with you, I just didn't want to get it wrinkled.
CC: Seeing as how you primarily enjoy cruising, would you ever exchange the manual for an automatic?BL: No way. It's a musclecar, and all musclecars are required to have four-speeds.
CC: Do you have any modifications planned for the SS?BL: Not really. Maybe I'll install an MSD ignition system. Otherwise I enjoy it just the way it is.
The DetailsCar: Bob LeMire's '66 SS Chevelle
Engine: 427ci big-block
Heads: Stock GM rectangle-port, 2.19/1.88-inch intake/exhaust valves
Induction: Stock GM aluminum dual-plane manifold with the stock 800-cfm carburetor
Camshaft: Stock
Power: 425 hp (factory rating)
Transmission: Factory four-speed Muncie, Hurst shifter
Rearend: GM 12-bolt with 4.10:1 gears
Suspension: Stock, front and rear
Brakes: Stock 9.5-inch drums, front; stock 9.5-inch drums, rear
Wheels and tires: Custom 15x6 GM steel with BFGoodrich P205/75R15 radials, front; Custom 15x8 GM steel with BFGoodrich P285/60R15 Radial TAs, rear
Paint: Ditzler Black with clearcoat by Dave Relf, St. Paul, Minnesota