What's Inside Lucky's Garage?

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Since Lucky's shop is very close to your author's humble abode, it's always worth taking the time to stop by to see what the HOT ROD Garage co-host is up to. Currently in the shop are a pair of A-bodies. The '69 Chevelle is a real SS396 that belongs to a guy named David, the son of the original owner.A true survivor with less than 80,000 miles on the odometer, David brought it to Lucky for a suspension refresh and brake upgrade. It's cool, however, because he wants to keep the car looking stock from the outside, so the only departure from its external appearance may need to be ditching the stock 14-inch wheels for a similar set in 15-inches.

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The engine had been recently freshened up, and the owner had the car dropped off with a list of little details for Lucky to fix. Among them was to replace the fuel line with something more stock looking. Lucky will also relocate the MSD ignition box to the inside of the fender near the battery.

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Still sporting it's original Muncie four-speed, the owner reports difficulty shifting into Reverse. Lucky pointed out the reverse lockout and ignition column locking mechanism that is likely the culprit.

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A spring and shock upgrade will come from Aldan American, and Lucky's working with Wilwood on a four-wheel disc brake conversion that will fit within the 15-inch wheels. The new front control arms and a swaybar upgrade are from Performance Online.

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On his other lift is a Roadster Shop chassis that Lucky is prepping to fit under David's second Chevelle; this one is also a '69. David initially contacted Lucky for advice on building a serious performer similar to Lucky's own '66 that he calls the ChevHell. Lucky advised David that, considering all the work he was planning, the most cost-effective way to go would be to replace the frame with an aftermarket chassis. Roadster Shop got the nod.

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David wanted some serious power for this build, but also daily driver reliability, so he opted for an LT4 crate engine and accompanying Tremec T56 Magnum six-speed transmission. The supercharged and direct-injected LT4 is rated at 650 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque.

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The chassis arrived as a roller, but minus any brakes. Under David's direction, Lucky contacted Baer Brakes for a full complement of 14-inch rotors and six-piston calipers, front and rear. That may very well be overkill, but they certainly look impressive.

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To keep the chassis mobile while wearing it's gigantic brake rotors, David bought a set of take-off 18-inch wheels that we're guessing came from a new-ish Camaro.

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Lucky's personal '67 C10, the Shop Truck, underwent a substantial change recently. Previously powered by a 5.7-liter LS (built from a 5.3L) with a single turbocharger, Lucky swapped that boring-ass engine out for a supercharged 5.3 that should be good for close to 1,000 hp at the crank. Stay tuned for more updates from Lucky's shop, and check out his YouTube channel, Lucky's Garage Show, for new updates several times a week.

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