If it ain't broke don't fix it." Isn't that what they always say? Our only question is, what do you do if it is broke, do you fix it? We guess some would look at it that way; others would shed a different kind of light.
When Al Fallas picked up his drop-top '66 Chevelle, it was nothing but a nice daily driver. The car had first belonged to Al's longtime friend, so when he offered him the car, he didn't initially think about building an amazing machine. For the next few years, Al drove the car around as is. Then, while pulling out of the garage in another car, the rear quarter-panel of the Chevelle got damaged. At first Al decided he'd just have it fixed, but the more he thought about it, more ideas came. He decided it was the perfect time to let loose on the Chevelle.
Al's vision for the car was to make it an updated cruiser that would retain the styling of a Chevelle, but the comfort and coolness of the 21st century. The build was pretty straightforward. In fact, Al says the hardest part was finding shops that were worthy enough to take on the project. Muscle Car Garage in Phoenix, Arizona, is responsible for the wrenching. To bring the car into the future, they ordered tons of bolt-on parts. For suspension, Global West control arms replaced the OEM arms. Air Ride Technologies airbags were then installed in place of shocks. One of Al's key concerns was not wanting to see the wiring and plumbing of the Air Ride system. Muscle Car Garage went to great lengths to hide every bit of wiring and plumbing throughout the Chevelle. They even built several custom panels to make the system gel with Al's wishes. Instead of the original rims, Intro 18- and 20-inch rims were thrown on. Nitto 555 tires complement the billet rims, and behind the rolling stock are Baer 13-inch disc brakes. Muscle Car Garage didn't even bother working with the '66's original equipment when it came to the drivetrain; a GM Performance Parts ZZ502 was ordered instead. Although the car is a drop-top, it is in Phoenix, so it gets really hot. For that reason a Vintage Air system was added to the package. A new TCI TH400 tranny and an MCG-assembled 10-bolt sit behind the 502.
When it came time for paint and body, MCG passed the torch to Full Circle Autobody. They hammered out the dent which caused the onslaught of improvements, and they massaged any other imperfections, as well. The drop-top was then sprayed PPG black and gray. The old interior didn't quite mesh with the paint scheme, so Al had VIP Motorsports work up something. VIP took Cerullo bucket seats then wrapped them in gray and graphite leather and suede. They also gave the custom touch to the door panels. MCG worked up the center console, flowing from front to rear. Included in the console is a DVD screen, Vintage Air control, and a Lokar shifter. Not bad for a car that was intended for a quick fix.