By Gerry Burger – Photography By Rick Amado
Ah yes, the station wagon. There was a time long ago when no respectable estate was without one; some even called them Estate Wagons. How else would you get to and from the train station for travel or to pick up guests? Original station wagon bodies were made of wood (hence the beloved term “Woodies”), and that wooden body no doubt is responsible for the second part of the term station wagon. Wood was replaced by steel, but the layout stayed the same—multiple rows of seats with a rear luggage area and often a roof rack. It seemed every family had one in the 1950s and 1960s. None of this was lost on longtime Chevy enthusiast and family man Andy Lezotte of Morgan Hill, California.
It seems Andy faced a challenge. Now married with three kids, he wanted to combine his happy family with 700 hp—something we should mention he really likes. It didn’t take long for him to imagine a nice midsize family station wagon. Nothing groundbreaking, but a vintage wagon with some character. When he found a “cherry” 1965 Chevrolet Malibu station wagon, he knew he had found the perfect vehicle for a family of five plus those 700 horses he loved. Close inspection showed it was an original paint, well-maintained car, and it didn’t take long for Andy to seal the deal.
Getting a good hot rod built requires a certain harmony between the owner and the builder. Andy found his harmonious shop several years ago when he had a 1969 Chevelle built. The shop is Ironworks Speed & Kustom where Rodger Lee creates great hot rods of all kinds. A couple of “bench racing sessions” made sure they were on the same page. Since the original paint was weathered to perfection, this wagon would be built in today’s popular patina style.
However, harnessing 700 hp requires a different platform, so the team at Ironworks carefully lifted the body off the frame before rolling the new Speedtech Performance Extreme Chassis into the shop. The Speedtech Performance chassis features forged-aluminum spindles with C7 hubs, power rack-and-pinion steering, adjustable splined sway bars, Ridetech adjustable coilovers, and Wilwood brakes on all four corners. A 9-inch Ford rearend is equipped with a torque arm rear suspension system. All this engineering results in excellent handling and an aggressive stance, with room for the massive HRE 105 wheels. The chassis also includes mounts for the LT4 engine. Now producing 700 hp, this setup makes the original early small-block seem somewhat feeble. The LT4 is paired with a GM 10-speed transmission built by Bowler Transmissions, which transmits power back to the 9-inch Ford rearend from GearFX. MagnaFlow exhaust combines ample flow with just the right exhaust note. After assembling and fitting the body to the new chassis, including oversized wheelhouses in the front and rear, the driveline and chassis were disassembled, detailed, and painted. Much like the rest of the vehicle, the engine bay has been detailed to perfection with factory-style satin finishes. The supercharged LT4 sits under the 1965 hood as if it were born there.
Meanwhile, the body was gently revived by carefully cleaning and buffing the original Artesian Turquoise paint. It requires a delicate touch and just the right amount of buffing to produce a pleasing finish without damaging the original paint. Remember, the original paint from the 1960s doesn’t have the film thickness of modern paints. In the end, all imperfections are beautifully highlighted with a soft luster that’s hard to resist. As a bonus, you get to wear the “It’s only original once” badge with pride. Big HRE wheels wrapped in Michelin PS2 tires are now neatly tucked inside the original openings thanks to the enlarged wheeltubs mentioned earlier. A keen eye quickly realizes this is not your grandad’s station wagon.
Looking inside the car, the illusion persists. At first glance, to the untrained eye, you might think the interior is original, but fellow hot rodders quickly see that this is a highly modified, yet subtle interior treatment. Because of the enlarged transmission tunnel, the team at Ironworks custom-fabricated the seats before DJ Designs of Hayward, California, stitched up the vintage-style interior. Cloth inserts are period-correct, and the original vinyl door panels blend seamlessly with the modern carpet, which is cut and sewn for a perfect fit. An Ididit steering column provides modern controls at your fingertips. Behind the back seat, an elaborate harness bar was installed so the kids could use three-point belts. The dash is filled with color-coordinated Dakota Digital HDX gauges, and Vintage Air keeps this cool family comfortable and cool.
And so, the project was complete and Andy Lezotte couldn’t be more pleased. The Chevelle station wagon can seemingly do it all: straight line speed, excellent handling, comfort, and good looks all wrapped in a package perfect for taking the family on that next big hot rod adventure.
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
