The Virginia Muscle Car

Andy's 66 Chevy II of the early 70's

(66 Chevy II, 327/365 - L84, 4 speed)

In the late 60's I had this midnight blue 66 Chevy II. After Bill and I installed a 327/365hp and M21,it would run in the 13's with a very, very lot of tire smoke at a quarter mile drag strip. I can't imagine what the thing would have done with a couple of wrinkle walls (traction). I enjoyed this car. I bought this Chevy II from an Annandale High School buddy, Jessie. When Jessie owned the car, it had a 283 with a Saginaw 4 speed. The Saginaw was interesting in that it had a 314 first gear, but was not strong enough for my needs, especially after I upgraded the 283 to a 327/365 hp. I replaced the Saginaw with a Muncie (M21) which was a close ratio with a 220 first gear. I actually blew the Saginaw, then asked Bob to loan me his my brand new shiny unused M21 that which he had not installed in his L88 Nomad. We worked out a fair equitable deal; naturally Bob was going to help me. Anyway, Bob was driving a 61 Chevy all-door that Bill gave to Bob for transportation.

Here Bill has his head stuck under another hood. Whenever Bill and I worked on a car, typically something was going to happen. Late one night at a gas station, Bill and I installed fender well headers in this Chevy II and the installation required a lot of work. So we needed to take a break after the installation. We took the Chevy II - with straight headers - out in the middle of Annandale. We pulled up to a red traffic signal and trying to keep the noise down I turned off the engine - too late for that! In the mean time a 66 396 Chevelle pulled up. The driver looked over at the rather quite Chevy II and he revved his 396. Even though my SS Chevy II had big rear tires, Crager SS Mags, and sat high because of the heavy-duty springs, the 396 driver probably thought he could take the little Deuce. In addition, because the Chevy II's engine was not running there was no rough cam sound, no solid lifter noise, and no headers rumbling. When Bill and I heard the 396 rev, we just laughed and then smiled and then started the straight exhaust deuce revving it to 7500 rpm a couple of times. After having his ear drums broken, the Chevelle driver just did not even try ... We revved up the engine again and side stepped the clutch; the Chevy II just about pulled the front wheels off the ground when the light changed to green (even with very little traction). We left that 396 in a whole lot of tire smoke. Soon after, we pulled up to the gas station and parked the Chevy II behind. Next we sat back on the front steps watching the police run up and down the street looking for the noise maker(s). When Bill told Bob this story, Bob wished he could have been there.

While I am telling Andy and Bill stories, this one happened about the same time. One day, Bill and I were on their way to a Springfield auto parts store; maybe it was in West Springfield. We were the last ones in a long, slow, line of cars going up hill. I was driving his Chevy II and got impatient. So I dropped down a couple of gears and crossed the double solid, then pounded a couple of gears to get past the cars. Bill was sweating bullets because it was a long, long string of cars we were passing. As we passed about half the cars, a big ole dump truck crested the top of the hill coming head-on. Now - Bill was sweating more than bullets! Being young at the time, I did not let up, not one bit. The dump truck kept getting closer and closer and then I guess the dump truck driver started to get a little concerned so he started blowing his horn. I still did not let up, not one bit! We had that Deuce screaming for all she was worth. At the last second, the Chevy II and one very scared passenger swerved back into the other lane just in time to miss the dump truck and clear the lead car. When Bill told Bob this story, Bob was glad he was not there!

One night back then - maybe in the Fall - I called Bob on the phone. At the time I was very angry. Someone stole my Chevy II that night and the police found it at local High School (not Annandale High.) The police told me that the car was up on cinder blocks and did not have any wheels - the knuckle heads had stolen my SS Crager Mags and tires. I asked Bob to pick me up at my parents house where I had the original wheels with stock tires. When Bob arrived we threw the wheels in the back of Bob's 61 Chevy and took off for the High School where the stolen deuce was located. Upon arriving the car actually looked in reasonably good shape. We put the wheels on my car and then I took off down the road. Later, I told Bob that I got into it and his deuce just did not feel right. I was afraid that whoever stole it dogged it to death by over revving it. In addition, I thought I heard a new knock or two. So I sold it shortly after. I never forgot my deuce had been taken and developed a stronger dislike for knuckleheads and bad guys ... one of the reasons I became a Police Officer ... Andy

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