Dougieeee - Old New School

Doug is one of those enthusiast that doesn’t have loyalty to a brand, a style or cares about is hot in the industry, he only cares about what is cool. Judging from his collection which ranges from a Lamborghini to an early 50’s Bel Air and a 64 Impala aptly named “Pimpala,” his taste in cars is impeccable and like a bourbon conisour enjoys a $1000 bottle just as much as the $30 bottle. Enter in his 1970 Chevelle, a car that needs no introduction in the pecking order of coolest cars to ever come out of Detroit. The theme behind this build was trying to make this the most reliable, comfortable and custom tailored Chevelle that I have ever come across.

From the day Doug bought the car he knew he would have his hands full and the story he tells on the podcast reflects this. This was Dougs first hotrod and knew he had to have one of the most iconic muscle cars as his first. Within the first 34 miles of owning his dream car the motor blew and he had to take it back to the original owner for a full rebuild on the big block. Instead of “LSing the world,” Doug kept the 454 all iron block, iron heads but fuel injected to keep the car reliable and ready for a long drive whenever he’s ready. The car has a wonderful sound coming out of the exhaust coupled with the lumpy cam makes this a classic sounding hotrod that no one can resist. He treats the car like a daily driver and never worries about breaking down on the side of the road.

The interior of the car keeps the same theme with an old school look but with all the creature comforts of newer cars hidden away. The bucket seats with horseshoe floor shifter look completely bone stock which to me is one of the most beautiful interiors from the muscle car era. The vintage air is hidden in the stock location and the retro sound head unit mimics the original and wouldn't be noticed by the general public. The setup has allowed Doug, who owns his own marketing business, to be able to take conference calls while he’s doing 80 down the interstate.

In true form the exterior stays stock looking with the new age, the black paint with the white stripe is the classic tuxedo look of the Chevelles from the era. The right touches of chrome are sprinkled in the stock locations while the bumpers are blacked out and match the 20” rims sitting on a completely modified suspension. The lowered look is the perfect match to the shape of the body and all the colors complement each other while tucking those big meats. The black Harley Davidson headlights look right at home in the front and tie in the new school technology with the old school looks. Just like the rest of the car the exterior is so well sorted with absolutely nothing missing and nothing needed.

Doug said he wouldn’t change a thing on the car but he would be open to a wheel change just to keep it fresh. You can here the love for his Chevelle in his voice during the podcast and says the car isn’t for sale! While cars come and go in his garage this Chevelle looks to be the one that will be around for the long haul! If you have any questions email me or track down Doug on instagram @dougrodas1980 and take some cues from the style of this classic piece of American muscle!