The Chevrolet Chevelle is probably one of the coolest, most popular muscle cars right now. But the 1966 to 1970 models are the ones in hot demand. And that freed the owner of this 1972 Chevelle to do crazy things in his build, dubbed “War Machine.”
In case you’re unfamiliar with Marvel superheroes, War Machine is the name of that other character in Iron Man, the one with the two-tone military build piloted by James “Rhodey” Rhodes. This Chevelle gives off similar vibes, not only because it’s two shades of metallic gray, but also because it’s ready for every kind of battle.
The owner Luis brought it for Hoonigan to check out and says his 72 Chevelle is everything, from a pro-touring car to track muscle and street beast. There’s actually a good reason why War Machine is that model year. His uncle used to take him to school in a 1969 Pontiac LeMans and got smoked by a Chevy like this. And after that, Luis has apparently only bought this model, this one being his 6th.
The coupe is painted in dark gray from the 2015 Silverado palette, but with blue and purple flakes to make it darker. It sits low on CCW 5-spoke wheels, measuring 18×11 inches at the rear. There are other small touches, like a fixed trunk spoiler, blacked-out rear bumper, and that super-sexy carbon fiber hood.
The reason a 72 Chevelle could smoke everything is the LS5 454, the last of its kind that would have produced 365 horsepower. But this pro-touring build has something else under the hood. It’s an LS3. The 6.2-liter V8 is straight out of a 2013 Camaro, but you can’t really tell with that custom intake and valve covers. Apparently, it’s making 500 horsepower at the wheels with only a cam upgrade, no supercharger.
Horsepower is only one part of a pro-touring build. War Machine can get a little hot when in action, so the owner has a big radiator and separate cooling for the TR-6060 transmission. He also did major work on the suspension, which now includes a Stage 5 UMI Performance kit and Viking Performance coilovers. And it stops well too, thanks to Wilwood brakes with cross-drilled and slotted rotors.
