Global West 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Convertible - Corner-Carving Ragtop

Driver's Impression-On the Street
After driving a couple of cars with five-point harnesses and raucous exhaust systems, the Global West Chevelle offered a welcome respite. Not that it was tame, mind you, but definitely more civilized than some of our competitors. I was immediately taken by the clean, custom gauge cluster, the five-speed pattern on the shift ball and the (it bears noting) lack of race harnesses. On the down side, the clutch take-up was too high and grabby, something I'd not experienced before with a McLeod dual disc.

It wasn't 1,000 feet into my journey when I knew the Global West Chevelle had the goods. As Mary reports, the steering was very direct. It offered excellent feedback and a tight turning radius. There is lots of torn-up pavement going in and out of our test facility and I explored much of it to find out the suspension's virtues and vices. The ride quality was very good-daily driver good-though it could be a little jittery at times.

The real virtue of this car's setup was its simplicity: bolt-on parts that transformed the car's performance capabilities without destroying its streetability. If you are going to buy the entire $7,200 package, this is an important consideration. And the performance was there; it was 1.6 mph faster through the slalom than a '10 Camaro SS and pulled virtually the same number on the skidpad. That's quite a performance.-Jim Campisano

The Global West '65 Chevelle Convertible

Engine
Type: 383 Gen I small-block
Block: stock iron

Drivetrain
Transmission: Tremec TKO five-speed
Clutch: McCloud dual disc
Rear End: 12-bolt GM with 3.73 gears and Positraction

Chassis & Suspension
Chassis: Stock GM Chevelle frame

Front
Suspension: Global West Negative Roll tubular upper and lower control arms
Steering: Global West 12:1 power steering box
Springs: Global West 500 lb/rate
Spindles: Global West
Shocks: QA1 double adjustable coilovers
Sway Bar: Global West 1 1/8-inch diameter solid bar
Brakes: Wilwood four-piston calipers, Global West Cat 5 13-inch slotted rotors with Global West modified B-body spindles

Rear
Suspension: Global West tubular lower control arms with adjustable upper arms
Springs: Global West 125 lb/rate
Shocks: QA1 double adjustable
Sway Bar: None (not recommended with this Global West kit)
Brakes: Wilwood four-piston calipers and Global West slotted 12-inch rotors

Wheels & Tires
Wheels: Vintage Wheel Works 5-spoke, 17x7 front, 17x8 rear
Tires: Nitto NT05 size 235/45ZR17 (front) and 255/45ZR17 (rear)
Cost Of Chassis/Suspension: $7,200, including brakes

Front/Rear Balance Percentage
F = 52.3%
R = 47.7%