Not everybody is cut out to build their own car, and that’s alright. The engineering and mechanical ability required to put together a high-quality car takes years, sometimes decades, to master. But that shouldn’t stop someone who wants a cool ride from being able to get one. While the phrase “checkbook rodder” might be a bit derogatory, if you pay for a quality product that has been well thought out and executed to a high standard, especially one that has been proven and tested, do you really lose? In the case of this 1970 Chevelle, we don’t think so. How could you lose with about 1100 horsepower and nearly 1800 ft/lb of torque in a car that weighs in at 4,400 lbs?

This Chevelle isn’t just a random build…you’ve seen this car before, be it in Popular Hot Rodding, Diesel Power, FAST Car, SEMA coverage or all over the internet. Debuting in 2009, the Chevelle was built from the beginning to house the seriously overbuilt LLY Duramax in it. The builder, Mike Racke, told Hot Rod in 2009 that “One of my favorite cars is a Chevelle I built a long time ago with a 509 big-block that runs 10s. It’s a nice car, but anyone can build something like that. Not only is this Duramax project different, it’s very difficult to pull off. That’s why I don’t think a swap like this will catch on. Most people probably wouldn’t have the time or patience to do it.” The car is more than a diesel swap, however. The chassis is an Art Morrison piece designed to handle the Duramax’s output, with C5 Corvette suspension pieces up front and a narrowed Fast Eddie 9″ out back. DPE wheels mounted on Mickey Thompson rubber barely hide 14″ front/16″ rear Wilwood discs.

The custom work continues into the interior, where a 10-point roll cage is surrounded by a mix of custom touches and restoration appearances. The dash has been moved eight inches toward the dash and the gauges are Auto Meter pieces reskinned to appear like 1970 gauges…except the far right gauge, which is a trick five-in-one piece meant to look like a 1969 Chevelle’s.

When the car was completed in 2009, it was estimated that over $250,000 had been invested into the build of this Chevelle, and while $159,000 certainly isn’t cheap, remember that this is a completed build that has been auto crossed, drag raced, and driven on Power Tour. It’s torque curve is flat and stratospheric, its built like a damn tank, runs on biodiesel, and it pulls 34mpg if you drive like a sane human being. Did you build it? No, but once you hit the loud pedal, are you really gonna care?

eBay link: 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS Duramax