By Ron Ceridono – Images By Chadly Johnson
Eugene, Oregon, is known for a number of things: it’s home to the University of Oregon Ducks, there are coffee shops everywhere, and the classic movie Animal House was filmed there. Nestled on the edge of town is one of the premier restoration and hot rod shops in the country: MetalWorks Classic Auto Restoration. Something interesting is always happening inside owner Jon Mannila’s facility, and we can always count on our man on the scene, Chadly Johnson, to keep us dialed in on the latest action. The most recent activity brought together MetalWorks’ ace fabricator Dave Williams, a Detroit Speed & Engineering (DSE) QUADRALink rear suspension kit, and a 1963 Chevy II—and we had a front-row seat to follow it all unfold.
General Motors unveiled the Chevy II in 1962 as a compact car aimed at competing with their own Pontiac Tempest and Oldsmobile F85 as well as the Ford Falcon and others. The little Chevy was well received, and the available 153ci four-cylinder engine and the 194ci inline-six certainly appealed to the those looking for an economical grocery getter. But when the 283ci V-8 was offered as an option in 1964, hot rodders took notice and really perked up when the 350hp 327 became available in 1967. These little nondescript Chevys were often described as wolves in sheep’s clothing.
While the little V-8–powered Chevy IIs had lots of performance potential, the rear suspension with monoleaf springs wasn’t able put the power to the ground. Those flimsy springs would deflect, allowing the rearend to “wrap up,” causing severe wheel hop. It wasn’t unusual for a V-8–powered Chevy II to litter the asphalt with broken driveline components. Of course, in days past, there were all sorts of attempts to solve the problem. Slapper bars were one of the most common, but today there is a much more sophisticated means to upgrade that woefully inadequate stock rear suspension thanks to DSE’s QUADRALink rear suspension system.
DSE’s QUADRALink is a parallel four-link system designed to provide the best possible handling and axle control without restricting suspension travel. The long links stabilize the rear axle, eliminating the Chevy IIs propensity for wheel hop while also maintaining the proper pinion and U-joint angles. Thanks to DSE’s patented Swivel-Link rod ends all four links can twist, allowing the suspension to fully articulate without the use of spherical rod ends that can be noisy and wear out rapidly. To locate the rearend laterally, an adjustable Panhard bar is used.
In stock form the Chevy II’s monoleaf rear springs are rated at 95 lb/in. While the soft springs were great for a squishy ride, they were also responsible for the wild wheel hopping dance these cars were known for. The QUADRALink system does away with the leaf springs in favor of coilover shocks that feature “Detroit Tuned” valving. These shocks are available in non-adjustable, single-adjustable (rebound only), double-adjustable (compression and rebound), and double-adjustable with remote canisters that have all the qualities of the double-adjustable shock and incorporates a gas-charged bladder to provide high-frequency and low-speed dampening control.
As a companion to the QUADRALink suspension kit, DSE offers 18-gauge steel inner wheel housings (mini-tubs) that are 2½ inches wider than stock. Designed to accommodate wider tire and wheel packages, allow the use of tires as wide as 295 for the 1962-65 Chevy II, and 315 for the 1966-67 Chevy II. Included with the mini-tubs are laser-cut “closeouts” to box the trimmed framerails.
Like most of MetalWorks’ ground-up projects, this 1963 Chevy II was acid-dipped to strip it down to bare metal. Once out of its chemical bath, Williams modified the rear framerails, added the mini-tubs, and welded the DSE crossmembers and mounting brackets in place. Although modifications to the floorpan are required, the rear seat is retained, requiring only minor modifications to the mounting brackets.
DSE’s QUADRALink kits come with precision-formed brackets, grade 8 hardware, necessary templates, and in-depth instructions. With MetalWorks expertise and DSE’s quality components, this Chevy II is well on its way to maximizing its performance potential and becoming a seriously bad wolf, with or without sheep’s clothing.
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
