Street Legal TV

When we last left the BluePrint ’64 Chevelle build, we were prepping for our upcoming Goodguys event in which case we’d be putting the Chevelle through its paces on the autocross track. To recap, our previous exploits, be sure to check out our introduction to the project here.

Project BluePrint Build Article Archive

Not only are we providing a pretty comprehensive build diary here, but we dive into tech details with full length articles. Check them out below:

Introduction to Project BluePrint

Video: Project BluePrint Gains RideTech, SSBC & Billet Specialties

Billet Specialties Wheels Adds Stance To Project BluePrint Chevelle

BluePrint Chevelle Gets New LS Engine Performance Extras

Project BluePrint: Can It Handle What We Throw It At?

Project BluePrint Seeing Stars With New Gearstar 4L65E Install

Since then, we’ve gone full-tilt with the entire car. From the suspension to a completely new drivetrain, including a big-brake upgrade and even installed a new set of wheels and tires. With so much going on with the build, it’s hard to keep up with all of the latest parts and updates. What better way to stay involved than with an on going, live build thread.

It’s here you’ll be able to keep up to date on our project Chevelle. On top of our normal regime of build articles involving tech installs, we’ll also be populating this build thread on a regular basis. As with any build of this magnitude, inevitably, parts are going to change quite frequently. We’re documenting everything in detail for full tech articles on each aspect of this build, but we want to keep you up to date on some of the important milestones we’re passing every week. Bookmark this page – we’ll be updating as we go along, and putting in links to all the detailed stories.

Build Diary:

Where do we begin? We’ve got a ton planned for our upcoming build. Quite honestly, there’s a definite buzz around the Power Automedia office and shop. We can’t wait to see our Chevelle completed and up and running. Matter of fact, we’re already taking bets to see who gets to drive the Chevelle first once it’s completed.

Future stories coming down the pipeline will include a comparison of how the project car did in the autocross and once we have data to compare the baseline to, we’ll be publishing our results. Until then, let’s take a look at some of our planned upgrades for our BluePrint Chevelle project.

Video // BluePrint Chevelle Productions

If you’re like us, time is a hot commodity and spending hours sifting through this build thread can be a bit daunting. While we’ve got most of the updates on the current ’64 BluePrint Chevelle build below, we couldn’t help but showcase some of our latest, in-house productions with the Chevelle.

We’ve carefully documented some of our most important endeavors on film including the install of our complete upgrade of the factory suspension with RideTech and new wheels and tires from Billet Specialties and Continental tires. We’ve also featured the BluePrint LS engine swap and illustrated just how easy it is to do the swap yourself. Of course, for more videos on everything we do here at Chevy Hardcore and Power Automedia, be sure to check out our entire library of videos, right here. Sit back and enjoy our build episodes.

• Power Automedia 1964 Project Chevelle Upgrades With New Suspension, Wheels, Tires and Brakes 

• Billet Specialties Street Smart Wheels

• BluePrint Engines Makes Crate Motor Swaps Easy

Introduction // What We Have Planned

As the evolution of hot rodding has changed, we couldn’t ignore the instant and continued success of the LS powerplants. While the current setup of the Chevelle including a naturally-aspirated big-block and 3-speed Turbo 400 transmission certainly allowed the A-body to scoot, we were after something modern and convenient. We’ll also be updating the entire Chevelle, both inside and out.

The Chevelle came to us with a mild, 468ci big-block engine that was going to have to go to make way for something a little more gutsy. For the time being, it powered our hefty Chevelle around the Goodguys autocross without a hitch.

The BluePrint LS engines front drive system will comprise of a Billet Specialties system. Supplying fuel to our LS will be an AED Carburetor, Holley fuel pump and Earl's fuel lines. MSD will be on tap, too, and will be assuring that our new LS will crank over via MSD starter and firing off all the cylinders with their complete line of ignition components.

It’s no secret that AFCO started out as a small radiator company, but they have grown into a major company manufacturing and supplying many different components for racers. While they have diversified into other areas, their knowledge and experience in cooling systems has continued to advance as well.

We plan to tag team the exhaust effort with two names that are revered in the performance marketplace, Hedman Hedders and FlowMaster Exhaust. We expect this to be a very popular upgrade to our project car and look forward to hearing how many of our readers duplicate our choice in exhaust systems for their LS based engines.

We’ve selected the 4L65E Gearstar Level 4 transmission with converter for our project from Gearstar Performance Transmissions. We needed a transmission that was able to deal with the abuse that we were going to subject it to. In our do-it-all project car, we selected a solid do-it-all transmission.

For a spectacular all around suspension that will help our classic muscle car put it’s best footprint forward, we selected a coilover suspension from RideTech. For street, road racing and autocross, we expect RideTech’s to really make a difference in the way our Chevelle handles.

Performance brakes are a necessity on road and autocross courses. We selected a brake company that we were familiar with and had used on previous project cars with much success. These SSBC big rotors and multiple stainless steel pistons will help us slow down at the last possible minute for quicker track times.

Billet Specialties 17X8-inch fronts are paired with 17X9.5-inch rears. Once again we went with a company that we were familiar with. Billet Specialties brings the strength that we are looking for in a wheel with the added benefit of helping our project car become more than just a race car. We wanted show-car good looks to complete the “do-it-all” theme of this beauty.

Blueprinted Plan

With our game plan in place, it became clear that this project build was well thought out and the goals were very achievable. What makes a well defined project car that can achieve the target goals is a clearly defined build plan with purposeful selection of components – a blueprint, if you will. The final step in planning is to give the project a name. Based on the thought process that went into planning this build, BluePrint Chevelle seemed like a meaningful project name.

As work has already started on our BluePrint Chevelle project car, you’ll want to check back often to see where we are in our build process. We promise to give you all the details, each step of the way. Pardon us while we go back to the blueprints and get this project rolling.

Getting Up To Speed // Brakes, Wheels, Tires and Suspension

Years ago, obtaining that perfect stance took custom parts, lots of fabrication and a load of headaches. Nowadays, you can achieve that custom, one-off look with a few bolt-ons and some time in your very own garage. With autocrossing on the table as one of the Chevelle’s duties, we needed the right parts to get this A-body to hook. With a quick search of the RideTech website, we had a complete, front to rear bolt-on coilover suspension kit. It came with all the necessary hardware and even the RideTech splined front sway bar. In an afternoon we had the factory components off and nearly all the front end completed with the new suspension. It took another full day to remove the old factory parts from the rear and the remainder of that day to get the rear dialed in with the RideTech parts. 

You can see here, the new RideTech A-body kit is installed on the front of the Chevelle.

Comparison of the original suspension and the upgraded RideTech suspension package is like night and day

We went as wide as we could get in the rear without having to tub the rear wheel wells. For BluePrint's tires, we went with Continental's new line of performance tires, the ExtremeContact DW. These are Continental's Ultra-High Performance summer tires for performance driving in dry or wet conditions. The Z speed rating and tire aspect ratio will give us the handling characteristics we need to navigate through the cones

Geared Up // BluePrint Engine And Gearstar Performance Transmission Install

With driveability a factor in our part-purchasing decisions, we knew that this particular Chevelle would be spending a lot of time out on the road. Unfortunately, we have yet to drive the car much. In the meantime, we made sure to outfit our Chevelle with the Level 4 4L65E transmission from Gearstar Performance. With the addition of our 600HP BluePrint LS engine, Gearstar’s overdrive will be a nice compliment to an already potent package. While our install involved a lot of heavy modifying of the factory A-body transmission tunnel and engine motor mounts, it’s certainly something any weekend-wrencher could handle.

So stay tuned as there’s plenty more BluePrint Chevelle action to come. We’ve got lots in store!