MotorBiscuit has covered the Trans Am Worldwide (TAW) Chevrolet Chevelle SS, based on the 1970 Chevelle adapted to the new Camaro. The Tallahassee-based company transforms convertible and hardtop Camaros into (sort of) resto-mod limited-edition stunners. But now, another company is doing a similar conversion with different details to separate it from the TAW 70/SS. Hey, Chevrolet, we hope you’re paying attention.

Is this the Camaro Chevelle conversion by TAW?

This is Vision Retro Design’s carbon fiber Chevelle SS. The Topeka, Kansas company calls it the A69 Chevelle Series. So it opens the possibility of A70, A71, and other versions. And while the TAW Chevelle adds modern flair to the iconic design, Vision’s hand-laid carbon fiber body hews more closely to the original design.

And, mostly, the details copy the original car. The headlights and taillights look like vintage-car take-offs but are LEDs with halo lights. In all, the conversion follows the surfaces and design details of the original but with Camaro proportions. Yet it makes a good host for these new interpretations. 

How easy is it to make a retro Chevelle?

If we could fault RVD’s creation, we’d note some of the surfaces have slightly wonky reflections. And the shoulder that runs through the original 1968 to 1972 mid-body has surfaces that get rather soft. But the process is involved and complicated, and that just covers the design.

Then the folks at RVD had to make molds and configure the new body panels to tie into the Camaro’s inner body. So the process is fraught with design, technical, and manufacturing complications. We commend Vision and TAW for making rolling and driving vehicles.

Is the interior retro Chevelle?

Inside, the details, door panels, and seats follow what Chevrolet has available in the Camaro. But one design element that stands out is the front seat headrests. They resemble the original Chevelle’s interior. 

So these conversions of the existing Camaro are really cool. The bodies are lighter than the sheet-metal Camaro bodies, and their startling appearance gives them intrinsic value. A new Chevelle that harks back to 1969 — at muscle cars’ peak — dramatically stands out in this era of electrification. 

Why doesn’t Chevrolet make a retro Chevelle?

Major auto manufacturers tout the advantages of EV platforms, making creating more models easier. So if that’s true, give enthusiasts re-creations of 1969 Camaros, Mustangs, Road Runners, Corvettes, Chargers, and iconic models like the 1972 Road Runner and 1971 Mustang bread boxes. 

Do we want to live in 1969? No. But for those who lived it and those who look to it as better for the adrenaline that drives car buyers, the VRD Chevelle SS and TAW Chevelle are breaths of fresh air. They’re also a challenge to corporations that want to sell as many vehicles as possible to satisfy their stockholders and enliven enthusiasts.