Salvaged 1972 Chevelle Gets LS2 and Host of Upgrades

Turn for the Worse

Most cars that wind up in bad accidents are simply written off and relegated to a junkyard. Or, worse, they're scrapped and used for scraps. Thankfully, that wasn't the case with this particular '72 Chevelle owned by Los Angeles police officer James White. White purchased the car five years ago, then proceeded to drive and enjoy it. But then, as we learn from this Super Chevy feature, things took a turn for the worse.  

Photos: Super Chevy

Barter Job

White was out cruising around in his Chevelle one day when another driver smashed into him. The damage was bad enough that the insurance company called it a total loss. But White wasn't about to give up on his beloved ride, happily paying the $500 to buy it back. He then traded it to fellow officer Frank Herrera, receiving a paint job for his other project in return.

Photos: Super Chevy

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Accelerated Deadline

Herrera also owns One-Off Rides in Norco, California, so he was obviously up to the task of reviving this wrecked Chevy. But soon after he acquired it, Aldan American owner Garrett Harmola invited Herrera to enter the car in the 2018 Muscle Car Challenge. The only problem? The event was a mere five months away, which obviously accelerated the deadline to finish this project.

Photos: Super Chevy

>>Join the conversation about this Salvaged 1972 LS2 Chevelle right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!

Late Night Thrashing

Thus, the team immediately got to work transforming the Chevelle into a track-ready beast. "This car was rebuilt in five months after the car accident that totaled it," White said. "We pulled an all-nighter to complete the car for the [Muscle Car Challenge]. We did not even have time to get an alignment or align the hood properly because we were out of time."

Photos: Super Chevy

>>Join the conversation about this Salvaged 1972 LS2 Chevelle right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!

Solid Base

The good news was that many worthy components were already in place on the car. That included chassis bracing, aftermarket control arms, Master Power brakes, and Howe Racing tall ball joints. To that, the crew added Hellwig sway bars and an Aldan American Road Comp series coilover conversion. This gave them a solid base for cutting corners in the heavy Chevy.

Photos: Super Chevy

>>Join the conversation about this Salvaged 1972 LS2 Chevelle right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!

Solid Drivetrain

Thankfully, White had also swapped out the old 350 for a 6.0-liter LS2 right before his crash. The team left that engine mostly stock, but did add 1 3/4-inch Speed Engineering headers, a dual exhaust, Black Widow mufflers, and a Holley Performance LS-swap oil pan. The engine is backed up by a stock 4L70E transmission, with an upgraded 12-bolt rear end packing 3.73 gears and an Auburn limited-slip differential.

Photos: Super Chevy

>>Join the conversation about this Salvaged 1972 LS2 Chevelle right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!

Budget Build

"The car was built on a budget to today's standards and with no fabrication," White said. "We used a stock LS2 Craigslist engine with 100K miles and mixed and matched parts that can all be done in someone's garage." More importantly, they saved a classic Chevelle in the process. And we imagine that certainly made their track time much more pleasurable, even if they don't take home any trophies in the process.

Photos: Super Chevy

>>Join the conversation about this Salvaged 1972 LS2 Chevelle right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!

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