Green Chevelle turns into a silver bullet

By Murray Green

Mandy and Keith Villeneuve of Camrose own a 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle.

“We found this car in Camrose from a gentleman who actually drove it in his high school years. He parked it in his mom’s garage back in 1983, where it sat until we bought it in 2009. We got it back on the road in 2020,” said Keith.

The Chevrolet Chevelle is a mid-sized automobile that was produced by Chevrolet in three generations for the 1964 through 1978 model years.

“It took about 10 years to completely restore. I did most of it myself. When I received the car it was a bare shell. It didn’t have a motor or transmission. The car had a 12-bolt rear end that the previous owner put in. The Chevelle was a green on green car. I tore it right down to nothing and replaced the rusty panels. With the primer and paints, I received help from the guys at Showtime Autobody,” explained Keith.

“I put in a 2002 sixlitre engine out of a GM truck with a 700R4 transmission. Originally, it had a 305 engine with a turbo hydromatic 350 transmission. I wanted to upgrade it a little bit. I let Mandy pick the colour, which is actually a 2009 Mitsubishi silver,” shared Keith.

Part of the General Motors (GM) A-body platform, the Chevelle was one of Chevrolet’s most suc-

Fun Facts

The 1972 Chevelles featured single-unit parking/ side marker lights on their front fenders, outside of a revised twin-bar grille. All Malibus had concealed wipers. The SS equipment option requirements remained the same as those in 1971, any optional V8. The 1972 Chevelle series had wide enough appeal to qualify as America’s second-bestselling car. Base versions again included a four-model wagon series. Upscale versions were Malibus including the convertible models. More than 24,000 Malibu Sport Sedans were built, with a standard 307-cubic-inch V8 rated at 130 (net) horsepower. The four-door hardtop used the same body as the 1968-71 models and although it was attractive, it was the least popular body style in the lineup. It was not available with the overhead-valve Turbo-Thrift six-cylinder engine. With that V8, the Malibu Sport Coupe was the top seller by far starting at $2,923. The six-cylinder version ran $90 less. Powertrain options included the 175-horsepower 350-cubic-inch V8 and 240-horsepower 402-cubic-inch (known as a bored out 396), as well as a 454 that produced 270 horsepower (200 kW) under the net rating system. Chevelles sold in California were not available with the 307 V8, but had a 350-cubic-inch engine. Through the 1970s, California cars often had different powertrains than those marketed in states with less-stringent emissions regulations.

Silver Bullet

cessful nameplates.

“Everything in the interior is brand new. He had to dye the dash to get it from green to black. Rob Ferguson from Camrose redid the seats for us. Keith did the carpet and headliner himself,” chipped in Mandy.

When asked what attracted them to a Chevelle they had both had the same answer. “The price was right.”

Keith added that “the car drives nice and a Chevelle is a nice car. They like the looks and the way it handles. We drive the car whenever we can.”

Mandy added that it is very comfortable to drive in as well. “It feels like you are sitting at home on the couch. It is more fun to drive than our regular car,” laughed Mandy.

“I built it to drive, not as a trailer queen. We drive whenever it is a nice weekend. We go to a few car shows, but we also both drag race as well. She races a 1988 Chevy S10 truck with 410 horsepower and my truck is a 1995 S10 shortbox with a 600 horsepower engine in it,” said Keith, who goes to Forestburg every year.

The Malibu was the top-of-the-line model through 1972 and com- pletely replaced the Chevelle nameplate starting with the redesigned and downsized 1978 model year.

“It is interesting to me that the Chevelle has been in Camrose for so long,” concluded Keith.