This Web Page is dedicated to the memory of Marion Jackson Daniel (Jan 30, 1921 - Dec 16, 1997). This page will follow the restoration of my 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396, the car he loved so dearly and drove for so many years, for so many miles. First, a little bit of the history behind me (David Daniel) and this car: The year is 1970, my mom is pregnant with me, and Dad orders a brand new Chevelle SS 396. When the car is built, Dad flies to Detroit to take delivery (of the car, not me!). He drives the car home to keep it from getting scratched during transport to the local dealership. Mom drives the car to the store on the very first day home and some kid runs into the door with his bike. Not a very good start, if you ask me. I have made my appearance by this time, Dec 16,1970. Fast forward to 1973. Gas and oil prices are rising quickly. Dad gets spooked because he is driving a very thirsty big-block powered Chevelle, and decides to put it up for sale and buy something more economical (a 1974 Vega GT). He sells the Chevelle to his dad (my grandfather) in November 1973 for $2000. The odometer reads only 43,887 miles. Grand-dad maintained the car meticulously for as long as he was able. The only repairs that needed to be made to this car was a timing chain/gears at about 80,000 miles, and a carb a few years later. At about 100,000 miles, Grand-dad bought a re-built turbo 400 transmission for the car because he "knew" that the original would not last much longer. It never failed. At 201,000 miles, Grand-dad and one of his friends pulled the engine/trans out to replace the original turbo 400 (which was STILL working just fine) and re-build the engine (which was still running fine). The engine (396/350 HP) was torn down and taken to a machine shop. The machinist later called my grand-dad to find out what kind of a joke he was trying to pull. Even after 201,000 miles, everything was still well within factory specs. The engine was put back together with the original standard bore pistons, new standard size main/rod bearings, new factory spec cam/lifter set, new oil pump, and new timing chain/gears. The odometer now reads over 265,000 miles, and it is still running strong.
That is a very short history of this particular Super Sport. Those of you in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia or north-eastern North Carolina may have seen my grandfather driving this car. If you were one of the many who asked him if the car was for sale, well, you know his answer. My answer to the question is the same: no, it is not for sale. When he passed away in December, he left the car to me. He wanted the car to stay in the family. It will remain a part of the family. UPDATE October 2004. Progress has been very slow on the Chevelle. A growing family and other projects have taken up a lot of my time.

 These are my grandparents at Christmas 1988. He is wearing the shirt that my uncle bought him. MESS WITH THE BEST...LOSE LIKE THE REST.