We didn’t know much about Shawn Van Horn’s 1965 Chevelle when we spotted it in line at the Run to the Coast event at El Toro Air Base earlier this year, but there was something about the circa 1985 wheels that made us want to investigate it. Then, once we saw it carve the autocross course like a knife, we knew there was something more than just Corvette wheels going on under that early A-body.

As a former employee of Newman Car Creations, Shawn Van Horn used his knowledge of suspension geometry, fabrication skills, and a handful of good friends to classically combine a ’98 Camaro, an ’84 Corvette C4 and a ’65 Chevelle—an impressive combination for an old car that can also handle and brake like a factory performance vehicle, and one of the coolest aspects of the build, you can get all the parts from your local Chevy dealer.

“I bought it from a guy who bought it used in 1968,” Van Horn said. “It had a bone stock 283 with a ’Glide and 30-year-old bias ply tires and helper springs. I drove it that way for 1,000 miles before mouse smell and poor brakes kept me from driving it anymore.” With the help of good friends Tom Smith, John Dolan, and Shawn’s wife Krista, the Van Horn’s Chevelle transformed from a tired, lazy cruiser into a spry and agile one. “Since Tom wanted to learn how to fixture and build his own chassis and I wanted to learn how to do paint and body, a trade was struck.” It was at this time Van Horn decided to put the car under the knife to add a sports car suspension to the old ride with some expert fabrication skills.

The frame was cut and removed at the firewall forward then Van Horn fabbed in his own rails that accepted the Corvette C4 suspension cradle. “I had to move the engine into the firewall 4-5 inches to clear the steering rack, which helped move the balance to 53/47, but it’s still heavy on the front,” Van Horn said. As for the IRS rear, the stock frame was cut and a new, 5-inch narrower section was built to accept it, as well. The power-train was a simple score, an LS1/T56 straight from a wrecked 1998 Camaro Z28. “Building the chassis was easy for me, it was all the tedious bodywork that was difficult; glad I had Tom and Krista to help. She spent two days scrubbing the bottom of the car just to get it ready for paint—I couldn’t have done that.”

With the main components in place, Shawn used eBay and Speedway Motors to hunt down the remaining pieces of the puzzle. The interior and computer tune was subbed out, but everything else was done by the Van Horn’s, including the exhaust system. “We had a big push just to get the car running for the Run to The Coast event, so there are some things we have yet to do. The motor is coming out and being freshened up with Lingenfelter CNC LS6 heads and a hotter cam. The suspension will be firmed up as well.” We’ll have to keep an eye out for the Van Horn’s Corvelle at next year’s event, and as for the wheels that drew our attention, they were found in the garbage; proving once again that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. From the wrecked F-body to the abandoned C4 suspension, Shawn’s build is a great collaboration of parts people were ready to throw away, but look what you can do with some ingenuity and a loyal team of car buddies

Power

The engine is a bone stock LS1 from a 1998 Camaro Z28 that Shawn found wrecked. The LS1 engine is a rock solid engine choice that gets decent gas mileage, makes good power, yet can be easily upgraded with bolt-ons. Future upgrades include CNC-ported LS6 heads and a more aggressive roller camshaft to match. The serpentine system features a Vintage Air A/C and Van Horn configured the air filter down on the driver’s side so it can breathe fresh, cool air. An aluminum radiator from Summit Racing helps keep the LS1 right in it ideal heat range: 200-210-degrees F. The computer harness was flashed by Mark Romans and Speartech wired it.

Drivetrain

The T56 transmission is also an unmodified piece from the wrecked pony car, even the clutch is stock. The rearend, however, is a modified Dana 44 from a Corvette that features 3.55:1 gears and a stock GM posi. Connecting the gearbox to the Vette differential is an aluminum driveshaft from Inland Empire Driveline.

Interior

Since Shawn’s wife drives the car every day, the interior had to be made comfortable, but with cornering kept in mind. For the black vinyl, carpet, and headliner, Van Horn contacted Greg Webster at Central Coast Upholstery in San Luis Obispo, California. Some highly bolstered Rally bucket seats were chosen from Procar which keep the Van Horn’s in place when turning aggressively and comfortable on long drives. The five-point harnesses are from Crow Enterprises and Dolphin Gauges keep everything monitored.

Exterior

The body of the Chevelle was thoroughly worked on by the Van Horn’s; putting in the hours and hours of sanding it takes to make an old car straight. With the guidance of Tom Smith, the team sprayed the car with GM D-code Mist Blue Metallic paint, that Van Horn admits to featuring some cone rash from autocross action. Other than LS1 fender badges, the body is completely stock: chrome bumpers, shiny grille, and antenna in place.

Wheels & Tires

The wheels were literally picked from the garbage, cleaned up and sprayed a charcoal color. They measure 17×8.5 in the front and 18×9.5 in the rear. The tires are Nitto NT555 all around, 245s in the front and 285s in the rear.

Brakes & Suspension

The brakes are straight from the C4 Vette; 13-inch rotors in the front with J55 Corvette two-piston calipers, and standard 1985 Covette 10.5-inch discs in the rear. The Dana 44 rearend is attached with the composite Z51 springs that came on the mid eighties Vettes, while the stock shocks are designed by Bilstein at all four corners. The trunk was also modified to fit the C4 IRS cradle. The steering rack was also adapted into the A-body from the C4.

Build Re-Cap

For sale is my 1965 Chevelle Malibu, this is a frame off build very well sorted with a little over 10,000 miles on the odometer. Chassis was modified to accept 1985 Corvette suspension including independent rear suspension with disc brakes and a Dana 44 with 3.55 and posi-trac rear end. The front end is equipped with forged aluminium control arms, transverse composite spring and 13 inch disc brakes. The engine is an LS with Lingenfelter CNC ported heads and a Texas Speed roller cam, engine was freshened up recently. Horsepower was recorded at 333 at the rear wheels while a conservative drivability tune was performed the wiring harness is made by Speartech. The transmission is a Tremic T56 6 speed and a LS7 clutch and aluminium drive shaft. It has custom headers and mandrel bent exhaust including an x pipe. The body was repainted 3 years ago. The car has seen many road mile and shows a few small rock chips. It is a very nice driver, not a perfect show car but much nicer than average. It was refinished in Sikkens mist blue metallic which was the original D code finish for the car. The door skins were replaced. The bottom of the car was also refinished in the same mist blue. The wheels are Corvette 1997 C5 with 285/40-18 rear and 245/45-17 front. The interior has new carpet and paint, the front seats are Scat Procar Rally finished in black vinyl, and rear seat covered with original style vinyl. It has new door panels with a removable harness bar and 4 point Crow seat belts. The dash has white face Dolphin gauges and a non operating original AM radio. A Vintage Air a/c system is installed blowing nice and cold. The car was rewired with a EZ wiring system. The car was chosen for a 6 page magazine article in Chevy High Performance donning the cover. I will proved a copy with the new buyer. You can Click Here to View “1965 Chevelle Amalgamation”. 

The Build 

This is a collection of images Shawn and others took during the build of this 65 Chevelle. Be sure to click on an image to see all of the images included.