OCD Customs 1967 Chevelle SS “The Sickness” – Building a Dream

Posted by Ben on 10 19th, 2011

Here at CARiD we belive that your vehicle’s identity is not just about custom parts and accessories, it’s more about your personal sense of style and passion you invest in it. In order to fuel your passion and inspire you for outstanding customizing results, from now on we’ll periodically post interviews with the tuning industry movers and shakers, which will hopefully become a decent source of inspiration and knowledge for you.

Today we’re pleased to feature OCD Customs, a custom car shop that designs, fabricates and builds classic cars of all types in Spokane, Washington. Under the leadership of Derek Hall, this small team of big talent creates cars that make your heart beat faster. In this post Derek tells us more about one of such cars, the 1967 Chevelle “The Sickness”. Besides, he shares some tips on how to get started with your car customizing.

Check out the story and leave your impressions in the comments!

OCD Customs 1967 Chevelle SS “The Sickness”

Incredible artistry and attention to detail thread this car from the front to the back. The list of mods includes a 572 Big Block, Tremec 5-speed manual gearbox, 18″ Boss wheels and fully custom bodywork. Learn more after the jump!

Derek, please tell us about the ’67 Chev “The Sickness”. What’s the idea behind the build?

The Chevelle evolved a great deal during the build. It started out as a factory looking build with a drag race theme. The more money that was spent on bolt-on goodies, (i.e. 572 Big Block, Tremec 5 speed, Art Morrison frame) the more serious we got with customizing the car.

What was total build time?

The Chevelle build has taken over 4 years. When you’re building a car to this level, it is hard to keep an owner interested and active in the process. The car was “put away” for almost 2 years because of the economy and the owner’s other priorities. We got the Chevelle back in December of 2010 and finished it for our beginning of the year indoor show in March 2011. There are approximately 4000 man hours into building the Chevelle. Honestly, I have lost count.

List of mods?

My favorite thing about the Chevelle is that it is a complete custom, but has been done in a way that pays tribute to the original design. My goal was to refine the things the factory had missed without taking away from the factory feel! In my eyes, this car is a modern version of itself.

The drip rails have been removed and then replaced with a smaller, more tasteful version. The bumpers have been radically changed, shortened, subtle angle changes, and pulled closer to the body to look like a bolt on piece. It has shaved door handles, wipers and emblems.

The factory taillights were cut down and all the trim was removed from the back of the car.

One of the most important changes, I think, is the grill. The grill is made up of many different things. It started its life as a 1956 Chevy grill center section, and the rest was hand-made and modified beyond recognition to what you see now. The headlights and blinkers are chopper items that reminded me of the factory.

Moving to the interior are the seats and A/C vents that were sourced from our local salvage yards here in Spokane, Washington. I love the salvage yards because they are such a great source for customizing. The interior is completely one-off, though I tried to make sure it had a factory look, and not just like your everyday street-rod.

OCD Customs ’67 Chevelle SS “The Sickness”

Owner- Frank Duval

Specs

Drivetrain & chassis: 572 Big Block, Tremec 5-speed manual transmission, 18″ Boss wheels, 4 corner Wilwood disc brakes, custom smoothed core support.
Exterior: Art Morrison Frame, modified grill center section from a 56′ chevy, custom bumpers front and rear with reduced body gaps, custom modified outer wheelhouses, shaved and molded drip rails, custom Welded and smoothed hood underside, modified and flush mount windshield moldings, custom “reduced size” taillight moldings, shaved door handles and trunk latch
Interior: custom console and dash, with Dolphin gauges, custom seats from a 2007 Ford 500, factory Chevelle Rosewood steering wheel, full custom upholstery by Todd and Kristn at Vanhouten Upholstery in Spokane, WA

Derek, what’s the biggest challenge you’ve ever faced in your Work?

The biggest challenge I have faced in my work has been gaining the respect of my owners and peers. Things don’t happen overnight. It takes years to build up a reputation as a quality craftsman.

What would you advise to owners new to customizing?

Before you spend any money, get a good game plan. Also, pick a theme and stick with it. The car should make sense from the front to the back and from top to bottom. It should all flow.

What are your current projects?

Currently we are working on a handful of really cool projects.