1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Convertible

INTRODUCTION: Here is an incredible opportunity! Performance Restorations was one of the premier muscle car restoration shops, and this is the owner's personal car, built for himself! It's been a magazine car and a show car, yet it's equally capable of going to the track or cruising all day long and doing any of it exceptionally well. Now retired, he has closed the shop but continues to personally maintain this car to this day. It's dialed in and ready to enjoy. A build of this caliber from a top level shop would cost several times our asking price to duplicate today. EXTERIOR: He wanted to start with the right car, so he flew to California where he found exactly what he was looking for- a dry, absolutely rust free example with pristine original metal. The body is laser straight, the panels fit precisely, and even 20 years after the restoration the paint still shows beautifully with no bubbling or rust issues. It was refinished in the stunning one-year-only Evening Orchid, tweaked with a touch of pearl along with the painted white stripes. A cowl hood adds some attitude. At the time of restoration, the chrome and trim were replaced along with the weatherstrips. The white power convertible top was restored including the frame work. Polished wheels wrapped in performance tires give it just the right stance. INTERIOR: A premium stereo system was just installed and it has it all: a RetroSound head unit that fits neatly in the factory dash, Bluetooth, hands-free capability, amplifier, subwoofer and upgraded speakers. The optional padded dash and instrument panel are restored, featuring a fresh set of white face gauges. A deluxe steering wheel sits on a tilt column. It's upgraded with higher back 1969 bucket seats with headrests. The upholstery, door panels and carpet were replaced during the restoration, and a full set of seat belts was installed. The center console features the classic horseshoe shifter along with an overdrive indicator. ENGINE COMPARTMENT: The motor was built with the best of everything, right down to the smallest clip and fitting. Every component was handpicked and well thought out. It starts with a Merlin tall deck 540 big block packed with forged internals and a roller valvetrain designed to make its power at low RPMs. This is a torque monster producing 700 horsepower, fed by a 1,000 CFM carburetor on a polished Air-Gap intake, and believe it or not, it's all set up to run on pump gas! A chrome dual snorkel air cleaner is fed through the functional cowl induction hood. It's dressed to impress with highly polished finned valve covers featuring Evening Orchid details, a polished water pump, alternator and bracket, plus chrome hinges, heater box and coil. Premium fuel fittings, a regulator, true braided stainless hoses, chrome catch cans and nice plug wire holders show the attention to detail. The inner fenders have been filled and smoothed for an exceptionally clean presentation. It runs cool with a big aluminum radiator and dual electric fans, while power steering with a remote billet reservoir, a Wilwood master cylinder and coated headers round out this impressive engine compartment. TRUNK COMPARTMENT: Under the trunk lid and the jamb are painted just as beautifully as the exterior. Inside, the trunk is completely boxed and finished in white upholstery with neatly fitted carpet on the floor. The battery is hidden behind the rear panel and includes a convenient built in battery tender plug and master disconnect switch. UNDERSIDE: It isn't just rebuilt, it's been thoroughly engineered by someone who knew exactly what they were doing. Up front features a large chrome sway bar, custom steering components, heavy duty tubular control arms, and adjustable coilover shocks. The boxed frame has been reinforced with additional tubular bracing for increased rigidity, resulting in significantly improved handling and cornering. Out back is a performance four link suspension with solid control arms, added supp