A 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle that has spent more than four decades in one family has reemerged as a 1,200-horsepower restomod, blending vintage muscle with modern engineering. Owner Bill Garrigan has rebuilt the car several times over the years, but says the latest configuration finally feels like the one he has been chasing since his teens. The only person not thrilled about it is his wife, who urges him to slow down even when the car is barely above neighborhood speeds.
Garrigan bought the Chevelle at 18, already fitted with an LS6 in place of its original LS5 engine. The car remained largely stock at the time and even kept its factory Cortez Silver paint. That look eventually evolved through multiple identities — a Guards Red respray in the early 2000s, followed by black paint in 2010. Despite modern trends to eliminate chrome, Garrigan insisted on keeping the original brightwork, a nod to the era that shaped his taste.
The Chevelle’s latest transformation centers on a twin-turbocharged 427-cubic-inch LSX V8. Starting with a brand-new block, the engine was ported, fitted with small turbos and matched to a custom intake built by a Montana engineer. Output now stands at an astonishing 1,200 horsepower, fed through a Tremec T56 six-speed manual gearbox. Garrigan casually notes that the original engine eventually failed — but only after he logged 60,000 miles.
For nearly 30 years, the Chevelle sat disassembled as life shifted Garrigan’s priorities. It wasn’t until last year that the car returned to the road. Underneath, the factory chassis remains intact, now reinforced with a custom adjustable four-link and a 12-bolt rear end designed to handle the power. Suspension upgrades include Mencer coilovers, Global West tubular A-arms and oversized sway bars. Six-piston Baer brakes help rein in the power.
Inside, the Chevelle features an all-red leather interior with bolstered seats, a one-piece headliner and Dakota Digital gauges. A boost-control button hints at the car’s dual personality as both showpiece and road-ready machine. Garrigan even opted for mufflers, a choice that surprised his friends but reflects a preference for comfort over excessive volume.
On the road, the Chevelle behaves like the purpose-built brute it is. Footage shows the car shredding its rear tires with ease, its “70TURBO” license plate leaving little mystery about its performance intentions. Despite the intimidating power, the car has only accumulated about 600 miles since its rebuild and typically travels on a trailer to shows.
The one dissenting voice remains Garrigan’s wife, who finds the car too loud and too intense, even at modest speeds. Still, the Chevelle stands as a rare blend of family history, craftsmanship and unfiltered horsepower — a 55-year-old classic reimagined for a new era while still honoring the one it came from.
