THE STORY

In June of 1971, the Chevelle Malibu was purchased brand new with a heater delete at Beyerl Chevrolet in Monroeville, PA. by a couple named Gibson.  After a year of driving, the wife passed away with the odometer displaying 2060 miles.  Mr. Gibson parked the car in the garage where it stayed for 20 years.  In 1991, a gentleman by the name of Cal Nicholson, a GM technician who at the time was working in the research and development section of the High Performance Division of GM purchased the car at an estate sale and the odometer had not budged.  The car sat for a period of time until Cal had developed a scheme for the car to be a rolling test bed.  GM Motorsports had developed the splayed valve small block for GTP racing.  The development showed great promise in the early nineties but soon after GM pulled out of the GTP program, leaving the program without a core group of customers.  Enter Cal Nicholson, Cal began to examine the possibility of a detuned version of the GTP motor having potential on the street.  Cal knew that he wanted the Chevelle to be a rolling test bed for the engine at which time the car was completely torn apart for the rebuild.  Cal initiated the build by accessing the shelves of GM performance parts and other go fast parts to create one of the hottest Resto-Mod Sleepers around with no tubs, no billet and no roll cage but just a powerful engine, Richmond 6 speed transmission and a super duty suspension underneath a clean bold body.

 ENGINE 

The GTP motor produced well over 750 HP with a large torque curve to push the Chevy-Spice and IMSA cars around the road courses they raced.  The GTP engine featured Chevy’s splayed valve heads that hold huge 2.20/1.65 valves and have symmetrical intake and exhaust ports.  Cal had Katech Engineering assemble a lightened steel Moldex 3.700 inch stroke crankshaft, Carrillo rods and streetable 10.1 J.E. pistons.  The racing roller cam was replaced with a more street-wise but equally trick Isky roller cam unit spinning on needle bearings in the block. A Jessel timing belt and Moroso external oil pump round out the short block.  A custom camshaft and intake are required for the splayed valve block. 

The splayed valve heads became the big story with this engine. The splayed valve cylinder head was developed by GM as a V6 head design to be used in IMSA GTP racing but the rules changed allowing V8 engines in the GTP.  The heads angle the intake valves 16 degrees to the deck surface, and splays them 4 degrees.  Exhaust valves are angled 11 degrees and splayed 4 degrees as well.  Essentially, the valve configuration improves the alignment of valves with their respective ports, utilizing the valves with their respective ports and greatly improving the air flow.  These splayed valve heads can be purchased BUT YES A BUT the splayed valve cylinder heads on the Chevelle are proto type created by Cal Nicholson for street use. I spoke with Cal about a year after purchasing the car and he advised me that there are only two sets of the proto type heads in existence with one set on the Chevelle and the other in his possession.  The GM heads were fully ported by Diamond Racing Engines and fitted with titanium 2.12 inch intake and 1.62 inch exhaust valves, Isky triple springs, Jessel roller rockers, and Del West titanium retainers for valvetrain strength.  The valve covers were custom fabricated by SB2 complete with oilers.  Cal had Hogan Sheetmetal custom fabricate a race bred all aluminum intake to fit the block and to mount the 830 double pumper Holley prepared by the Carb Shop.  The 830 Holley is fed by a Mallory pump using finelines stainless steel lines.  The GTP engine is not set up for a wet sump so Cal designed and had a custom dry sump fabricated.  A Stock Car Products single stage pump draws from a Moroso 8 quart pan.  Cal maintained the racing theme with CV products style NASCAR pulleys driving all the accessories including a power steering pump reworked by Street Manufacturing and a Stewart water pump with a Griffin aluminum radiator. Other engine goodies include an ATI balancer, MSD ignition components light the fire GM Motorsports plug wires and AC Delco racing spark plugs continue the NASCAR theme. 

EXHAUST

Jon Little Race Car Engineering fabricated and built the 2in. headers that dump into a three inch exhaust system built by Flowmaster all of which were jet hot coated.

 TRANSMISSION

With the engine oozing race technology, Cal knew he needed something strong to back up the horsepower so he added a Richmond six-speed transmission with a Centerforce clutch that is controlled by a Long Shifter.  The stock rear was replaced with a custom fabricated 9 inch rear custom fabricated by Moser Engineering with a custom fabricated Strange Engineering 12 bolt style center section. 

SUSPENSION

  Cal had the suspension rebuilt with the front suspension built from B body spindles and tubular A-arms. Hotchkis suspension parts and Koni shocks were used front and rear to have the Chevelle handle perfectly with all of the power.  Cal added Baer Racing 12 and 13 inch disc brakes with 1996  Corvette 17inch Grand Sport wheels that Vaughn Engineering modified the offset for the wheels to fit the Chevelle and had them spinning on Z rated BF Goodrich 255/50-17.

 BODY/INTERIOR

Cal wanted to leave the interior stock in true sleeper form.  He had Heagy Upholstery in York, Pennsylvania replace the interior GM stock and he kept the stock steering wheel and radio.  The paint was stripped down to the factory primer and the wheel well and rocker panel moldings were removed and Cal had Hanover Auto Craft spray the Chevelle in an original shade of PPG blue metallic lacquer. The only modification to the interior is the GM Auto Tech meter and gauges.

SUMMARY

As you have read, there are several one off features that Cal included in the build of this car.  Cal Nicholson was a visionary car builder who was part of the team that developed the Zo6 Corvette, he developed the first big block for GM the 502 and I have other information concerning and illustrating his expertise.  As the car sits now, it has only 3500 ORIGINAL MILES with about 1400 miles since the build was completed.  I am the third owner including Cal and the car has been in my possession for 19 years.  It has not been raced nor has it been exposed to inclement weather.  The car is started and driven short distances occasionally after which it is covered and stored in a bubble that circulates air 24x7.  I have documentation for the mileage to include the magazines which featured the car, the dyno sheets from Katech Motors, a notarized paper from the original owner documenting the mileage, a copy of the original Pennsylvania title and other papers.  The block does have a bowtie stamp.  A brief note about Katech motors located outside of Detroit, Michigan. They build motors and other parts for Indy cars, 24 hours LeManns, NASCAR, and many other circuits.

In closing, it is time for someone else to own this very special car that in my humble opinion cannot be duplicated.  I am receptive to negotiating with a legitimate serious buyer.  I can provide more detailed photos upon request.

 Opportunity price for this rare breed car $79,000.00

Car located in VA.

1.305.412.5000 or email rick@transamflorida.com