By Nick Licata – Images by NotStock Photography
These days it’s practically impossible to find a vintage muscle car built over a half-century ago wearing the original paint and trim that it came with off the assembly line. One has to wonder how something like this could still exist. Michael Coil, owner of this rare-find ’68 Chevelle explains how it went down: “I came across the car in Cleveland, Ohio. The gentleman who sold me the car bought it from the original owner’s estate sale after he had [died]. The car had been in storage since 1974 and for some reason was partially disassembled.”
So, if we do a little math, that means the car was only on the road for about six years before being torn apart and stored. Got it! Now, that also explains how this car’s sheetmetal, paint, and black vinyl roof are all totally original and in incredible condition. We’ll never know what the first owner had in mind when he began the disassembly process, but we are thankful he did, and thankful it ended up in the right hands.
Michael has been into muscle cars basically his whole life and gives us a glimpse of how it happened. “A good friend of my dad’s owned a restoration shop, so my dad always had muscle cars around when I was young. That introduction fueled my passion for old cars,” Michael says. His passion eventually turned into a lifelong career and eventually opening a shop of his own: Coil Auto Design, in Wapakoneta, Ohio.
With Michael’s shop in full swing, he and his team put together a plan for the Chevelle that entailed dialing in some performance upgrades while not going overboard with custom nuances and to respect the car’s unique condition. It was decided to keep the car’s original paint (no reason to mess with perfection), upgrade the interior while still retaining the car’s ’68 vibe, and in true hot rodder mindset, replace the original drivetrain and suspension with modern components for vastly improved driveability and performance.
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Underhood went a mostly stock Chevrolet Performance LS376 crate engine dressed in Donald Hardy big-block–style valve covers, along with a modified vintage dual-snorkel air cleaner adorned in replica cross flag and horsepower stickers for some old-school flavor. A Holley intake manifold provides the essential swill while Holley Blackheart headers and custom 3-inch stainless exhaust finalized with MagnaFlow mufflers announce the Chevelle’s presence with authority. A polished CVF serpentine system drives the accessories while a Cold Case electric fan and aluminum radiator keep the engine running cool.
A 6L80E transmission utilizes a Shiftworks/Twist Machine paddle shift system when Michael decides to change gears in performance driving situations. A Roadster Shop 9-inch reared houses a Trutrac posi unit, Strange 3.50 gears, and Moser 31-spline axles for exceptional strength.
A Roadster Shop SPEC chassis brings the Chevelle a proper muscle car stance and improved handling. Out back is a parallel four-bar system while the front features a Roadster Shop SPEC IFS with Wilwood spindles and Roadster Shop high-strength tubular control arms. Fox Roadster Shop–valved shocks reside on all four corners and provide this vintage ride with excellent street manners and the ability to take corners well beyond its original intentions.
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Baer 14-inch rotors and six-piston calipers ensure potent braking capabilities controlled by a Baer Remaster manual master cylinder and Baer proportioning valve. Once again, giving the vintage ride modern functionality and a more enjoyable driving experience compared to the stock offerings.
Michael reached out to Greening Auto Company to design and build a set of custom billet SS-style five-spoke wheels, complete with beauty rings, tailored to meet today’s contemporary sizing requirements while honoring the classic design elements of wheels from the car’s born-on era. These brilliant wheels, wrapped in Diamondback Classics Evo redline rubber, not only preserve the Chevelle’s authentic aesthetic but also enhance its handling capabilities.
Maintaining a delicate harmony between classic style and contemporary functionality, the interior seamlessly integrates original factory components with sleek aftermarket additions. This fusion is evident by the addition of Dakota Digital HDX gauges perched in the stock dash, alongside the factory door panels and the authentic center console featuring a horseshoe shifter. These elements pair nicely with the modern touch of TMI Pro Series Low Back seats, upholstered in a combination of black and tan with houndstooth inserts. The black ididit steering column and Billet Specialties steering wheel contribute to the cohesive modernization of the overall scene.
Furthering contemporary enhancements, a Vintage Air HVAC system offers a cozy climate while a Custom Autosound head unit energizes an array of strategically placed Kicker speakers throughout the business center, enabling Michael to cruise along and crank up his favorite tunes.
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Because the car spent most of its life tucked away from the elements, its exterior boasts well-preserved, original sheetmetal coated in the factory Grecian Green Metallic paint. The factory black vinyl top remains intact and maintains its stunning appearance. Encountering a vintage car in such immaculate condition is a rarity nowadays, and Michael is proud to be the steward of such an incredible piece of history.
Michael explains that he built the car to showcase the talent and abilities of he and his crew at Coil Auto Design to upgrade vintage vehicles and transform them into high-performance machines with improved handling and comfort. But this time around, restraint was exercised to highlight the vintage Chevelle’s factory-original exterior; minor imperfections and all.
It’s refreshing to learn that another vintage Chevelle has emerged from over 50 years of seclusion and is once again roaming the streets—this time with additional attitude and swagger while still maintaining a good portion of its original essence.
ACP
TECH CHECK
Owner: Michael Coil, Wapakoneta, Ohio
Vehicle: ’68 Chevy Chevelle
Engine
Type: LS376
Displacement: 376 ci
Compression Ratio: 10.7:1
Bore: 4.065
Stroke: 3.622
Cylinder Heads: GM aluminum L92
Rotating Assembly: Nodular iron crankshaft, powdered metal rods, hypereutectic pistons
Camshaft: Hydraulic roller, 0.525 lift, 226/236 duration at 0.050
Induction: Holley fuel injection, Holley intake manifold, modified vintage dual snorkel air cleaner
Assembly: GM
Valve Covers: Donald Hardy big-block–style valve covers
Accessory Drive: CVF
Cooling: Cold Case aluminum radiator
Exhaust: Holley Blackheart headers, 3-inch custom exhaust
Ancillaries: Hot Rod fuel hose fuel lines, Edelbrock water pump
Output: 525 hp, 486 lb-ft
Drivetrain
Transmission: GM 6L80E
Converter: GM 2,400 stall
Shifter: Shiftworks/Twist Machine paddle shifter, factory horseshoe
Rear Axle: Roadster Shop 9-inch, Strange 3.50 gears, Trutrac Posi, Moser 31-spline axles
Chassis
Chassis: Roadster Shop SPEC
Front Suspension: Roadster Shop IFS, tubular control arms, Roadster Shop SV by Fox coilover shocks, power rack-and-pinion steering
Rear Suspension: Parallel four-bar suspension system, Roadster Shop SV by Fox coilover shocks
Brakes: Baer 14-inch rotors, six-piston calipers, Baer Remaster master cylinder, Baer proportioning valve
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: Greening Auto Company one-off SS, 18×9.5 front, 19×11 rear, chromed by Advanced Plating
Tires: Diamondback Classic Evo Redine 265/35R18 front, 305/35R19 rear
Interior
Upholstery: Black leather, black loop carpet
Installation: Pete Hagan
Seats: TMI black/tan with white houndstooth insert
Steering: Ididit column, Billet Specialties steering wheel
Shifter: Shiftworks with factory horseshoe handle, Twist Machine paddle shifters
Dash: Factory
Console: Factory
Instrumentation: Dakota Digital HDX
Pedals: Factory
HVAC: Vintage Air
Wiring: Custom by Coil Auto Design
Entertainment System: Custom Autosound stereo, Kicker speakers
Installation: Coil Auto Design
Exterior
Bodywork and Paint: GM
Paint: Grecian Green Metallic
Headlights: LED
Click on this issue’s cover to see the enhanced digital version of Original Paint 1968 Chevelle SS restomod.