Custom car builds sometimes have a funny way of snowballing. Often clients reach out to shops for some minor work, only to have the project balloon into a markedly more ambitious and involved transformation. And such was the case with this 1990 Chevrolet 454 SS, which was brought to Classic Car Studio in St. Louis, Missouri for some basic odds and ends, before ultimately undergoing a SEMA-grade transformation.
Starting under the hood, the Chevy’s original 230hp 7.4L (or 454ci) V8 has swapped out for an 8.0L (or 496ci) Big-Block Chevrolet Performance V8 crate engine that’s been equipped with fuel injection, an oversized radiator, a custom CCS exhaust with Magnaflow mufflers, and a 4L80E transmission and now puts down as much as 651hp. Helping to keep the newfound power in check is an array of performance hardware including a Quick Performance Ford 9” rear-end, narrowed control arms, six-pot Wilwood disc brakes, RideTech coil-overs, and Forgiatto Wheels. The exterior has been professionally painted, gifted a lip kit, and treated to smoked lenses and lighting all around while the fully-redone interior sports Dakota digital gauges, JBL Speakers and amplifiers paired with a Kenwood head-unit, a six-spoke SS steering wheel, an in-dash color display, and bespoke Relicate red leather upholstery throughout.
