By Jonathan Mellberg
photos by the author
Nova. Camaro. Corvette. El Camino. Chevelle.
It’s muscle. And it’s the sixties. The Pontiac GTO may have jump-started muscle car madness that would rally the nation and last nearly a decade, but Chevy had no trouble keeping up and would eventually produce some of the biggest, baddest, and brawniest four-wheeled street fighters ever. No Chevy was more popular than the Chevelle.
To be honest, the Chevelle’s first couple years were relatively tame ones. 1964 and 1965 came and went quietly in terms of performance, but in 1966 Chevy caught up, releasing Chevelle SS models with more cubic inches and more standard power. ‘66 and ‘67 Chevelles were beautiful examples and are by far my favorite body styles. That being said, who couldn't love the 1970 Chevelle SS with its optional 454 cubic inch V8 that produced more factory horsepower than any other muscle car period: 450hp (this LS6 motor also produced 500lb-ft of torque). If the ’70 Chevelle SS 454 had been a weapon, it would’ve been a bazooka. But I’m getting a bit off track. I tend to do that…
Let’s rewind to 1967. It was a good year…
I’m not the only guy who’s loved this car. In 1967, Chevy sold nearly 370,000 Chevelles, according to OldRide.com. Incidentally, this was 50,000 more cars sold than Chevy’s Nova, El Camino, Camaro, and Corvette combined. Only minor changes accompanied ‘67 Chevelles over ’66 models, which had seen new body work and a 396 cubic inch V8 engine as the SS-model's sole armament. In both years the standard Chevelle SS 396 produced 325hp, with the top-tier, Turbo Jet-equipped L78 motor producing 375hp. And today I’m going to drive one such '67 Chevelle SS, equipped with the middle-tier L34 motor which originally produced 350hp but after some time at the gym (or a tuner’s shop) now produces 425hp.
The car itself isn’t a nostalgic trigger for me; I’m too young. The neighborhood where it resides, on the other hand, is painted with memories as colorful as the pine tree canopy above it. Years ago I used to ride through this particular winding street in Big Lake’s (MN) outer rim on my BMX bike, trampling through half-built split entry homes, weaving in and out of the stud-built frames and running around in the dirt-filled basements. But now the homes here are not only established, they’re 20-25 years old. Which brings us to long-time residents of this street (since 1996): Rory and Mary Berg of Big Lake, MN. Married for over 26 years and parents to Jordan (22) and Marissa (20), I first met Rory last spring while waiting for an oil change at the local Tiremaxx. As introduced by my wife Tate, Rory and Mary’s children were schoolmates of Tate. Small talk after the introductions inevitably turned to cars, which revealed Rory’s new toy: a 1967 Chevelle SS. It was only a couple months later Tate and I received an impromptu visit from Rory. I remember hearing the beast coming down the street. The rumble of the engine was proud and unmistakable. Rory took Tate and me for a ride, and, for a few brief moments on highway 10, let the Chevelle off the leash. And boy, did it run. And now, over a year later, I finally have a (good) reason to beg Rory to let me drive his car. I’m going to learn more about the man and his machine; and lord willing, I’ll experience this 1967 Chevelle SS firsthand. Seat belts will be required, and possibly a paper bag for hyperventilating…
Rory Berg's '67 Chevelle SS & Jordan Berg's '08 Mustang GT/CS
The Interview:
- When did you become interested in Muscle? When did your focus turn to the Chevelle?
Rory: I first became interested in muscle cars when my older brother Reedy (5 years older), bought his 1971 Chevelle Malibu when he was in high school. It was copper colored with a black vinyl top and had a 350 engine and automatic transmission in it. It wasn’t a Super Sport, or anything rare or special but it was a Chevelle. In South Dakota (where I’m from originally) you can drive on an instructional permit from 7 am to 7 pm when you’re 14 years old. When I turned 14, I knew right away what I wanted for my first car. It was 1977 and the muscle cars of the 60’s and early 70’s were plentiful and not that expensive as used cars. A lot of my high school friends had Camaros, Chevelles, Trans Ams, Novas, Super Bees, 442’s, Chargers, Mustangs, you name it. Little did any of us know what we had at the time. My first car was 1969 Chevelle SS 396 that I paid $1300 for. The guy I bought it from worked at a local body shop and said part of the selling price was a new paint job any color I wanted. I said let’s make it candy apple red with pearl white stripes down the sides of the car between the door handles and key holes, which was an original/factory style stripe on the ‘69 Chevelle. I can still remember the day I got word it was done and I went out to the body shop after school to pick it up. It was gorgeous and I was on cloud 9. It also came with L60-14’s on the back and Keystone Klassic rims all the way around. It had a black vinyl interior with an automatic on the floor. I had it until I was 20 and then sold it for $3000 and broke even. Little did I know how much I would end up regretting selling that car someday.
"What do you expect a 14-year old boy with a car like that to do?!" Rory Berg
- If not the Chevelle, what else would you own?
Rory: I wouldn’t mind owning a ‘69 or ‘70 Super Cobra Jet Mustang with the 428 and a 4 speed, or a Boss 429 Mustang. If I had the money, a ‘70 ‘Cuda with a 426 Hemi would also be nice.
"My favorite is still the Chevy family" Rory Berg (referring to his favorite muscle car brand)
- Are you strictly a Chevy guy? What other muscle do you like?
Rory: As far as owning I’ve been strictly a Chevy guy so far and have stuck to the Chevelles, but nowadays I like everything. Mainly I try to focus on the 1964-1970 cars but I love to look at everything.
- How did you come to own this car?
Rory: I went through a guy named Mike Crown out in Philadelphia who specializes in ‘66 and ‘67 Chevelles only. He knows everything about these cars and a ton of private sellers and buyers across the country. He has a website called Mystery Chevelle and that’s how I found him. I gave him my wish list for everything I was looking for and then he started sending me photos and descriptions with prices. He sent me a number of cars to look at and I ended up deciding on the ‘67 I bought. It was a good friend of his who owned it and he knew all of the history on it, etc. It was a New Hampshire car, so I paid to have it hauled back to MN in an enclosed trailer.
"I was thinking, I'll never get one" Rory Berg (referring to being able to one day own another Chevelle)
"Son of a b#tch!!" Pete, Rory's neighbor (upon seeing Rory's '67 Chevelle SS for the first time)
- Describe working on this car with your son (if this was the case).
Rory: I’ve really enjoyed getting Jordan involved in cars. This Chevelle had a frame-off restoration done to it in 2006 so it didn’t really need anything except for the personal touches I wanted to add (tires, rims, headers, gauges). Jordan has a 2008 Mustang GT/CS (California Special) as his first car that he bought a few years ago, he and I enjoy working on them together, getting them polished up, going to car shows, going cruising, it’s been a blast! We put a supercharger, long tube headers, x-pipe, and Flowmasters on his Mustang last summer which brought his horsepower up to around 550 HP.
- What (if any) future plans to you have for this car (the ’67 Chevelle)?
Rory: For my Chevelle, there’s really not a lot left that I want to do it, just a few things as of right now. I’m going to put a new sound system in it so I can play MP3’s and CD’s, all new speakers, and an amp so I have some good tunes to listen to while cruising. I’m also going to put a Hurst Competition Plus shifter in it so it shifts a little better, a new reverse switch so the reverse lights come on when I put it in reverse, some different shocks on the back to help it ride a little nicer, an aluminum radiator with electric fans to help keep it running cool when out cruising, and a new one-piece (to get rid of the seam) Essex carpet kit in the interior with new sound deadening insulation under the carpet, new sill plates, since the existing carpet is starting to show some wear.
- What’s your favorite aspect of owning this car?
Rory: Cruising and car shows are the most fun because wherever you go in this car people are smiling and giving you the thumbs up all the time. If you happen to stop anywhere like to gas up, etc., someone always comes over to talk about old cars which is great. Everyone has a story of their own cars and you can instantly strike up a conversation with anyone, and usually make a new friend very quickly. It’s a lot of fun to work on and polish, etc.; it’s my new hobby.
"It's funny how there are no walls" Rory Berg (on talking to total strangers about his car)
"I know why you bought this car..." Marissa Berg (upon realizing the positive reactions from people on the street as they drove in her father's Chevelle)
- And what’s your least favorite?
Rory: I don’t know if there is a least favorite thing. They can obviously be very expensive to work on, and you always worry just a little bit when you’re out driving them that someone might run into you because they’re texting on their phone, etc.
- Did you ever think you’d own a car like this? How did you know?
Rory: I was starting to get a little worried as I sold my first Chevelle around the time I was 20 and it took me 30 years to get this one. Once you get married and have kids, etc., there’s not much disposable income left over, and you start to wonder if you’re ever going to have enough money to buy another one (especially as expensive as they are today). It took somewhat of a fluke for me to be able to afford this one.
- What advice do you have for fellow muscle enthusiasts, looking to own someday?
Rory: Do your research and learn everything you can about the type of car you want to own. There are a lot of old cars sold today under false pretenses and you have to be extremely careful when you’re going to spend a lot of money on a muscle car. I was lucky to have an expert on my side when I bought mine and his small fee was well worth it. It’s hard, but try to leave the emotion out of it when you’re looking at the cars. You may “fall in love” with a certain car, buy it, and then find out later it’s not what you thought it was. The old saying “let the buyer beware” certainly comes into play when buying an expensive old muscle car. If you do your homework, you won’t be disappointed.
After ninety minutes and ten questions, I’ve only one question left. It’s a question only I can answer; how does this ’67 Chevelle SS 396 drive? And so, we head out to the garage where both the Chevelle SS and Mustang GT-CS sit, both draped in their respective car covers. Rory carefully removes the Chevelle’s cover first. The flawless exterior is exposed, along with its vanity plate BLK MAJK (“Black Magic”); fitting, because this car is definitely black and most certainly magical. Adorned with SS badges and dripping in piano-black paint, a walk-around of the car reveals no nits to pick. From its just-for-show hood vents to its mirror-finish chrome Cragar wheels (Rory still has the stock wheels and tires), perfection is the easiest and most accurate descriptor for this car.
Rory climbs into the driver’s seat and cranks the ignition key. The first try fails to start the car. But the second attempt succeeds, and the engine’s introduction booms through the garage like a monstrous muscle car thunder-strike. The sound is mean and loud, and intoxicating. Rory eases into the throttle while still in neutral to warm the engine. Revs climb as the deep-breathing growl morphs into a hurried howl; reverberating through the garage certainly helps one appreciate such a noise. The Chevelle’s three-inch exhaust (preceded by Hooker headers) that ends just before the rear axle plays a hand in it too.
Rory takes Tate and me for a spin, first. His wife Mary and his son Jordan follow behind us in the Mustang GT-CS, Jordan piloting. It’s about ten miles through winding country before we hit the highway. And just outside of town we pull over and switch places. I climb into the vinyl bucket seat, notch it back to liberate some leg room, release the e-brake and pop the Chevelle into first gear. He we go...
Both the shifter and clutch require deliberate action, reminding you what kind of vehicle you’re commanding. Like a bully shoving you from behind, the Chevelle is unapologetic and brutish, just as God and Detroit intended. The ride is firm yet forgiving, and the big Chevelle corners much better than I expected. As my expectations (regarding muscle cars) had never been established before today, many aspects about the car’s ride and performance were enlightening. At seven months pregnant, my wife Tate had no ill words describing back seat comfort while Rory and I took turns from behind the wheel. Smooth-as-silk the shifter is not; and that’s the best part. While I wouldn’t want to be caught in stop-and-go traffic with this SS, the wrestle-with-it shifter is one of the car’s most boyish attributes (and I mean that as a compliment). That and the rip-snorting exhaust note that follows the car’s acceleration like a stalker. It’s tough driving at a steady speed because it’s so much fun to mash the throttle and tune in to that glorious muscle-car music behind your ears.
The Chevelle’s classic lines and jet-black finish are enough to make you forget there is an interior to the car as well. Inside you’ll find the upholstery covered in black vinyl. The dashboard is long, straight, and handsome, and the steering column is straddled by three big ol’ gauges which display revs, oil pressure, and water temperature. They do obscure most of the speedometer, which makes gauging current velocity sort of a guessing game; a fun guessing game. The four-speed transmission is a Richmond Super T-10; its shift lever prominently rises forth out of the center console, ready for duty and born out of chrome-plated steel. The rear bench is neat and understated, with plenty of room. The three-spoke steering wheel features a gloss-coated Walnut wheel (factory option), and the seat belts (if unused) neatly click in between the two front seats, side by side. There are ashtrays, crank windows, and a lack or air-conditioning. Aside from stints in rush hour traffic on ninety-degree summer days, this isn’t an issue.
We drive through the country and mosey on down to a local, oft-forgotten body of water called Birch Lake, where we park to take some pictures. The whole time Rory is crackin’ jokes: What if the e-brake or reverse gear fails and the Chevelle rolls straight down the boat launch into the water? And so I click my pictures with a certain bit of haste, for his sake. When finished we cruise on back to the Berg residence, and I’ll freely admit there’s a part of me that wanted to peg the throttle and keep on goin’ until the gas tank ran dry or until Rory could wrestle the car out of my control. Of course, that doesn’t happen. How could it? I’ve just experienced (first-hand!!) one of the coolest cars in my life, and got to drive it too. And I owe that all to Rory. That doesn’t mean I won’t occasionally dream of stealing his ’67 Chevelle SS. But that’s normal, right?
PS: Keeping multi-generational muscle in the family
As was mentioned earlier, Rory and Mary’s son, Jordan, has continued his father’s work by buying his own (modern) muscle car: a 2008 Ford Mustang GT/CS. The CS stands for California Special, a trim designation that originally appeared on select Mustangs in 1968. First resurrected for the ‘07-’09 model years, this modern California Special features a generous host of options including two-tone seats, special floor mats, CS-specific front and rear bumpers, 18” polished alloys, as well as the Shaker stereo system. Under the hood lies a 4.6Litre V8 good for 300hp. Mated to a five-speed manual transmission, Jordan’s Mustang GT/CS is surely quick. But this isn’t an ordinary Mustang. The first difference is easily evidenced as soon as the car starts; a distinct whistle emanates from under the hood, revealing a Procharger Stage II supercharger, expanding horsepower to a prodigious 550hp (469hp at the rear wheels, dyno-tested). Other upgrades include long-tube headers with an X-pipe, Flowmaster exhaust, aftermarket sequential tail lamps, and white Shelby-style racing stripes that go perfectly with the Vista blue paint. Not bad, Jordan; not bad at all.
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