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Rough Start: 1975 Chevrolet Chevelle Laguna S-3


Rough Start: 1975 Chevrolet Chevelle Laguna S-3

When Haley and I pulled up to the house where I would meet the Charger, I found myself immediately in a predicament: parked next to the big red Mopar was a blue Chevelle Laguna, just as nice. OOOF. If there hadn’t been a price difference equal to the amount I was paying for the Charger, I don’t know which car would’ve come home with me that day. For those who don’t frequent the Forums or don’t remember, let me explain: between 2007-2010 I was the owner of a 1973 Chevelle that I had known about and had been around since about 1995. I’ll leave a lot of that car’s history out of it, but here’s the short story: super rusty, not pretty, but DAMN could it haul ass. And it cornered better than any 1970s “personal luxury” tank had any right to corner. I’ve driven Camaros and Mustangs with more slop in the suspension than that Chevelle, and that wasn’t just because of that one car. GM might have made them a little bit bigger than necessary, but the 1973-77 A-bodies in the right trim could handle, and with the Laguna being top-tier (the Super Sport badge had been retired for the Chevelle a few years prior), the slope-nosed Chevelle is the one to get.

This Oregon-sourced Laguna isn’t quite as nice as the car I met in Georgia. The paint needs help, there are rust spots to deal with in the front floor boards courtesy of the sun roof, there’s the usual cooked interior bits. But for the money, this isn’t a bad way to go. Spare the discussion on how cars like this used to be a dime-a-dozen. This is a nearly fifty-year-old sled, of a rapidly disappearing species. If you ever wanted to jump on the old car bandwagon but don’t have auto auction funds, start here. That 400 can be built with an anvil and a large enough rock. The wheel choice is perfect. Get it running, make friends with a buffer, patch the floor and go hit the road.

Facebook Marketplace link: 1975 Chevrolet Chevelle Laguna S-3


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One thought on “Rough Start: 1975 Chevrolet Chevelle Laguna S-3

  1. Allen L.

    I had a 1975 Malibu, new out of the lot, only had the 350 2bl. But it was the first year for catalytic converters, so that was it’s only smog equipment, and had good throttle response. Soon after purchasing it, had the rear shocks replaced with HD ones, and had the biggest available sway bar attached to the back end. Yes, they could handle. Finally retired it in 1989. But about a dozen years ago sold it, and it had a second life as a dirt track racer.

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