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A ‘67 Chevelle SS That Keeps Its Cool

In a hobby often defined by excess, Jessie Thomas’s 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS stands out precisely because it refuses to shout. Known as “Pearl,” the big-block Chevelle wears a coat of modern White Diamond Tri-Coat that shifts from bright white in the Florida sun to a subtle pearl under show lights. The paint, expertly applied by Erek Larson in Titusville, covers a body that remains remarkably faithful to its original design. The factory bumpers are the originals, simply refinished in satin black for contrast. Aftermarket headlights are the only visible concession to the 21st century; everything else is pure 1967 attitude.

Under the hood sits the car’s original 396 cubic-inch big-block, rebuilt and detailed to better-than-new condition. An Edelbrock Performer intake and 650-cfm carburetor feed the engine, while Hooker headers route spent gases into a clean 3-inch system that exits discreetly behind the rear axle. A GM HEI distributor handles spark duties, and a TH400 automatic with a 2,800-rpm stall converter puts power to the pavement through a set of US Mags U131 “Bullet” wheels (18×8 front, 20×9 rear) wrapped in Nitto NT555 rubber.

Ride height and handling are managed by Excel G front shocks and Viking double-adjustable rear units, giving the Chevelle a purposeful stance without sacrificing drivability.  Inside, the factory black vinyl interior remains untouched aside from routine refurbishment; Jessie and his wife Alexis wanted the cabin to feel exactly as it did when the car rolled off the St. Louis line nearly six decades ago.

The three-year build wasn’t without its challenges. “Finding a trustworthy shop for the heavy lifting and convincing my wife that it was all worth it,” Jessie laughs, ranking those hurdles about equal in difficulty. The solution, like many of us have discovered, was networking within Ocala’s tight-nit car commuinity like the guys at Whole 9 Yard Automotive, LLC, and by learning to turn wrenches himself to turn more wrenches himself.

The result is a Chevelle that embodies restraint in an era of over-the-top restomods. “I wanted to keep it simple,” Jessie explains. “No widebody kits, no billet everything; just a clean, strong big-block car that looks right and drives right.”

That philosophy has served Pearl well at every local Ocala show it has attended, where the combination of classic proportion and subtle modern touches consistently draws admirers. Yet Jessie already has the next chapter planned: an LS swap topped with a Whipple supercharger. Some temptations, it seems, are impossible to resist forever. And with his supportive wife, Alexis Thomas, by his side, we believe it will happen sooner than later.

For now, though, Pearl remains a refreshingly honest example of what happens when an owner respects the car’s heritage while still making it his own. In a world of seven-figure trailer queens, Jessie Thomas and his white 1967 Chevelle prove that sometimes the coolest builds are the ones that never try too hard to be cool.