Chevelle Convertible Is Trippy Tribute to 1960s Stock Racing
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These days, it takes deep pockets and a big crew to set records in any class of drag racing sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). But in the world of 1960s Super Stock racing, skill and ingenuity meant more than money. This custom Chevelle - opens in new window or tab., with its meticulous nut-and-bolt restoration, pays tribute to those simpler times. The 1965 Chevy Chevelle Malibu convertible, available now on eBay, was rebuilt as a tribute to the Rosebush Brothers’ ragtop that shattered national class records in its heyday.
The original drag racer was a father and son project created by the Rosebush Brothers of Bay City, Mich. The pair devised a plan to create a competitive car with an unlikely configuration based on the regulations specified by the NHRA. The original car was built during a period when modifications were limited by the rules governing Super Stock racing.
One of the regulations that caught the Rosebush team’s attention stated that the car’s class was determined by dividing the vehicle’s shipping weight by its advertised horsepower. Accordingly, the pair opted to outfit the Chevelle with a 283ci small block V8 rather than the available 327 or 350 small-block motors. They chose a convertible Chevelle rather than its hardtop counterpart because it would run in a lower class than the coupe.
The strategy paid off. The Rosebush Brothers’ Chevelle was very competitive in its class, securing a National Class Record of 11.98 seconds at 110.42 mph in the quarter mile at the Tri City Drag Way in July 1975. It also earned an International Drag Racing Record of 7.38 seconds in the one-eighth mile, certified by the IHRA, in March 1978 at Green Valley Drag Way.
This tribute car, which is not the original, is nonetheless faithful to the car that serves as its inspiration: a period-correct, blueprinted 283ci motor sits in its engine bay, hooked to a Doug Nash 4-speed manual gearbox. The four-link race-spec suspension in the rear not only makes the Chevelle look mean with its aggressive rake, it also gets power to the ground.
But it’s the Rosebush Brothers’ eye-catching race livery that’s perhaps the most striking feature of the original racer. This re-creation nails the airbrushed psychedelic style of the period.
The tribute car - opens in new window or tab. has one major advantage over the original: it’s titled for public use, meaning it can be raced at the track (without its original roll cage) or enjoyed as a speedy and delightful daily driver.
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