Minneapolis Street Sighting: Chevrolet Chevelle 396 SS

I usually don't feature vehicles that have been extensively modified, but I'll break that rule here. As a car enthusiast, I usually am picky about change, but I've been noticing that the car customizing scene has been changing in general. Stock muscle cars are no longer considered cool, apparently, so quite a bevy of changes need to be made for these once-heralded vehicles to gain a seal of approval to their new owners. Sometimes, that means being jacked up ludicrously high, and being slathered with obnoxious paint colors to no end. Here, though, the "donk" theme was taken very lightly; no garishness to be seen.
Chevy's Chevelle was--and still is-- the muscle car king as far as the Chevy boys are concerned; it's a vehicle that, not unlike the Camaro, has a cult following for quite a few genres of the automotive spectrum. The big-wheel crowds likes em because 24s and 26s will fit in the stock wheelwells with ease, the dragster crowd likes them because you can cram big engines under the hood (and through the hood for that matter), and the pro-touring people like them for both reasons. Really, one has to wonder if GM designed these cars to be classics and sought after.
Finished in what appears to be a stock light blue hue, this classic muscle car clearly sets an example what Minnesotans can do in terms of car customizing in this era. When one thinks of donk, or "tyte whip" as I so tagged this post, one usually thinks of the absurd cars you find in failfests and online at websites such as www.youdrivewhat.com and Ricecop, but this clean Chevelle shares none of those traits. Gone are the trashy murals that look reminiscent of the custom vans of yore, off with the gigantic chrome blobs that pass for wheels these days, and most importantly, no ridiculous body modifications have been performed. What lay before your eyes is probably one of the nicest non-cliche custom Chevelles I've seen in person.
Inside, this classic muscle was pretty much untouched save for a very well hidden modern head unit and kickpanel speakers and subs. Perfect. From what I gathered, the interior is mostly original, but since it was a Minnesota car, it definitely needed touching up-- and it got that. Aside from the incorporated stereo system, which I absolutely love, the interior is just about as good as it gets on a muscle car. White leather on a blue vehicle is just about what I would've done too. If nothing else, the interior goes extremely well with the vinyl roof.
Sure, it could've been given a set of staggered Asantis or maybe a set of Forgiatos, but the wheels on this beast look alright. Aside from that little issue, an alignment check is definitely in order if the steering wheel is any indication. Once those two negatives get addressed, this clean Chevelle will definitely be ready to hit the streets. I'd proudly drive this thing around, and maybe lay down a few donuts too while I'm at it. Forget your typical loud paintjob and dumb murals, this is how you do a donk-style car.