Over the years Ralph has had numerous cars but recently had to downsize due to a new living arrangement, so that meant parting ways with his 1933 Ford, 1963 Corvette, 1966 Chevy II, and 1933 Ford cabriolet. All nice cars, he confirms, but for some reason letting the ’66 Chevy go hurt the most.

To ease the pain, Ralph went on a mission to get another Chevy II and found one online as part of a consignment in Chicago. “I flew out to have a look and it appeared to be in good shape, “Ralph says. “Well, due to bad weather, I wasn’t able to drive the car, but it started and sounded fine at idle, so I bought the car and had it shipped to my home in Napa, California. Once it arrived, I took it for a drive and immediately discovered the entire drivetrain was in bad shape; the engine, trans, and rearend were junk, so I pulled it all out and started over.”

Determined to right the ship, Ralph started with the engine and chose to go with a traditional small-block V-8 rather than an LS swap. “To me, the LS just doesn’t have that same excitement or look underhood,” Ralph explains.

He connected with Dave Erhlich from AutoTrend EFI and decided on the 3-2 EFI setup to go along with it. “It was a great decision as the engine draws a lot of attention, Ralph goes on. “I kept the engine bay simple and hid a lot of the EFI wiring. Erhlich did all the tuning and it starts up every time. No percolation, or gas smell in my garage, which makes my wife happy. On top of that, it looks period correct.”

The 383ci small-block Chevy built by ATK features a 4.030-inch bore and 3.75-inch stroke and puts out a healthy 455 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque. Inside, a Scat crank and rods team up with a Comp hydraulic roller camshaft and Dart aluminum cylinder heads. Fuel delivery comes via the aforementioned 1,050-cfm AutoTrend EFI system sitting on an Edelbrock Three-Deuce 5419 intake manifold, controlled by a Holley Dominator ECU and MSD 6AL ignition. Spent gases exit through Hedman headers into a 2.5-inch dual exhaust system with Dynomax mufflers.

The engine is finished off with Chevrolet Performance valve covers and a Powermaster 140-amp alternator. A Griffin aluminum radiator and a SPAL electric fan keep the engine running cool, with fuel being fed from a Tanks Inc. fuel tank and fuel pump. Power gets to the rear via a Silver Sport TREMEC TKX five-speed transmission and a Zoom clutch spinning a narrowed Ford 9-inch rearend with a 3.70 gears, Eaton Truetrac differential, and Strange axles.

To get the Chevy II handling and launching right, Ralph upgraded the chassis with a Heidts Super Ride II front subframe featuring Aldan coilovers and a Heidts sway bar. Out back, a custom-treated monoleaf spring setup works in conjunction with QA1 shocks. Comp Engineering subframe connectors help tie everything together for added rigidity, while stopping power comes from a full Wilwood disc brake setup.

The wheels are classic American Racing Torq Thrusts, 16×7 up front and 16×8 in the rear, wrapped in BFGoodrich g-Force tires measuring 205/50R16 and 245/50R16, respectively.

Inside, the custom vinyl and tweed SS-style interior was a collaboration between Ralph and Wild Cards Custom’s Shop. Black loop carpet and Dynamat insulation keep things tidy and quiet. The stock seats have been modified for improved comfort and support, while a Flaming River column and Lecarra steering wheel enhance the stylish interior theme. A Hurst shifter commands the TREMEC, and a Dakota Digital dash insert provides modern instrumentation through their VHX series. Wiring was handled by the owner using an MGI Speedware fuse panel, and comfortable climate is ensured by a Vintage Air HVAC system. Tunes come from a Sony head unit paired with matching speakers.