By Tim King – Images by Mike McConnell
Going from vision to execution doesn’t always work as planned. When building a car, you have a vision of how it’s going to look, feel, sound, and perform. When it all comes together though, sometimes it’s a home run and other times it’s back to the drawing board.
Jason Norman had his 1971 Chevelle built, and after getting it back, it wasn’t what he had envisioned. The transmission needed to be upgraded and the big-block under the hood wasn’t running right. He brought the car down to Epic Rod & Custom in Calgary, Canada to set things straight.
Sam Hutchins and his crew got busy reworking the transmission tunnel to accept a TREMEC T-56 six-speed and replacing the floorpans. They fixed the electronic fuel injection on the 396 and worked out a few other issues the car had. The car was finished for a second time. Quickly though, Jason’s vision of the car changed again, and the car was back under the knife for a third time.
Jason’s idea for the car is a 1971 Chevelle SS that looks fairly stock but with all the modern performance and amenities of a modern muscle car. That meant that the big-block had to go, no matter how cool it was. After yanking out the engine, Epic Rod & Custom took the time to completely smooth and refinish the firewall in a semi-flat black. All the extra holes were filled, brackets were hidden, and flush mounted. With that exercise complete, they set in a brand-new GM LSX 454 rated at 627 hp and 586 lb-ft of torque.
Even with a modern engine, Jason envisioned his ride looking traditional. A Holley LS7 single-plane intake was installed to give it that “carbureted” look. They then installed an LS Classic front accessory drive system and their LS big-block valve covers. The cherry on top is the hollow LS Classic distributor in the back with the coils tucked out of the way. Epic Rod & Custom even managed to keep the factory air cleaner housing and cowl induction setup. Finishing off the powerplant is a complete Vintage Air system to keep Jason cool.
Backing the engine is the TREMEC T-56 transmission that started this third iteration. It’s coupled with a RAM clutch and pressure plate, surrounded by a Lakewood bellhousing. This setup then sends the power down to a 12-bolt with a Detroit Truetrac differential with Moser axles and 3.90:1 gears.
The stock suspension in Jason’s Chevelle was subpar and definitely didn’t fit his vision. The frontend was rebuilt with Hotchkis tubular upper and lower control arms and the rear features Edelbrock control arms. QA1 single-adjustable coilovers handle spring and damping duties at each corner.
Finishing off the chassis is a set of American Racing VN501 wheels, 17×9 and 17×10.5 respectively. Wrapping the wheels are Toyo Extensa HP tires, sized 275/40R17 and 315/35R17. Inside all four wheels is a set of powerful 13-inch Baer Pro+ brakes that deliver neck-snapping stopping power.
The interior of the car was left mostly stock with a few subtle upgrades. There’s the Vintage Air we mentioned earlier, along with a set of Dakota Digital gauges to keep tabs on that LSX underhood. The rest was restored back to original standards.
The exterior of the car was already done when it came into the hands of Epic Rod & Custom. Jason wanted it as stock appearing as possible, so they left the Metallic White paintjob with black racing stripes. With the theme of the car modern performance, they did install a set of Holley RetroBright Headlights for added safety.
As the old saying goes, “third time’s a charm,” and it was true for Jason Norman and his 1971 Chevelle SS. With the help of Epic Rod & Customs, his vision finally became a reality.
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
ACP
TECH CHECK
Owner: Jason Norman, Canada
Vehicle: 1971 Chevelle
Engine
Type: GM LSX 454
Displacement: 454 ci
Compression Ratio: 11:1
Bore: 4.185 inches
Stroke: 4.125 inches
Cylinder Heads: GM aluminum LS7 70 cc
Rotating Assembly: Forged steel crankshaft, 4340 forged steel rods, forged aluminum pistons
Camshaft: Hydraulic roller (0.648/0.648 lift, 0.236/0.246 duration)
Induction: Holley LS7 single plane
Assembly: GM
Accessory Drive System: LS Classic
Exhaust: Ultimate Headers 1.75-inch primary, 3-inch collectors
Engine Management: Holley Terminator X
Ancillaries: LS Classic big-block valve covers, LS Classic imitation distributor
Output: 627 hp at 6,300 rpm, 586 lb-ft at 5,100 rpm
Drivetrain
Transmission: TREMEC T-56 six-speed
Clutch and Pressure Plate: RAM
Bellhousing: Lakewood
Rear Axle: GM 12-bolt; 3.90 gears, Detroit Truetrac, Moser axles
Chassis
Front Suspension: Hotchkis tubular upper and lower control arms, QA1 single-adjustable coilover shocks
Rear Suspension: Edelbrock rear control arms, QA1 single-adjustable coilover shocks
Brakes: Baer 13-inch Pro+ front and rear
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: American Racing VN501, 17×9 front, 17×10.5 rear
Tires: Toyo Extensa HP, 275/40R17 front, 315/35R17 rear
Interior
Upholstery: Refinished stock “SS” interior
Instrumentation: Dakota Digital
HVAC: Vintage Air
Exterior
Bodywork & Paint: Tom Stafford at Goodfellows Classic Cars (Phoenix, AZ)
Paint: Metallic White with black SS stripes
Headlights: Holley LED
