Departure From Reality

It’s Everything a 1967 Chevelle Should Be and More

- Taylor Kempkes

One might think that a life immersed in the world of European cars might negate one’s ability to appreciate 1960’s American muscle, let alone build a classic muscle car without ruining it completely. Right? Well, if you were in the majority of muscle car fans that would agree with that assumption, you are dead wrong. Sorry. Now turn that frown upside-down and take in the masterpiece that is this 1967 Chevelle.

This rip-roaring ’67 was built by the fine fellows at Roadster Shop, but inspired by Tom, a guy who grew up selling aftermarket parts for, owning, and driving nothing but European cars. “While I loved the styling of a lot of classic muscle cars, the idea of a carburetor and old suspension technology was just a huge turnoff, and after years of looking at, and even driving, some stock cars from the ’60s I just couldn’t pull the trigger,” remarked Tom. That was, until he discovered the workings of Roadster Shop. Tom was chatting with his cousin one day and the two of them were tossing around the idea of doing a Pro Touring build when his cousin brought up Roadster Shop. Tom had certainly heard of them, but hadn’t really seen their work. He started paying closer attention and saw a couple of their recent builds at Goodguys shows and SEMA. After getting a little more up close and personal with their cars, he finally decided to give them a call.

To his delight, not only were the guys at Roadster Shop on board with the idea of building Tom a ’67 Chevelle, they actually had one laying around that was abandoned by a previous client that ran out of money part-way through. So now he had a car to start with and a shop to make it happen, but what did he have in that European conditioned mind?