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2,800-HP Doughboy Chevelle Is Anything but Soft

Blazin' Rodz's Doughboy turns a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle into a 2,800-plus-hp engineering showcase with a rear-set big-block, custom chassis, sequential gearbox and integrated cooling, fuel and aero systems.
Entry752 Date Time11 min MechanicCarCody Team
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Doughboy looks like a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle, but almost everything beneath its coach-built steel body was engineered for a different kind of car. Built by Blazin’ Rodz in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, this one-off Chevelle combines a twin-turbo 540-cubic-inch big-block, a heavily modified C7-geometry chassis, a sequential transmission, race-style electronics and aero-focused bodywork.

The result is a reported output of more than 2,800 horsepower—not a precisely verified dyno number—and a car that earned the 2024 SEMA Best Engineered Vehicle of the Year award. Its defining achievement is not simply the horsepower. It is the way the engine, chassis, cooling system, fuel tank, controls and body were designed as one integrated machine.

What is Doughboy?

Doughboy is a heavily modified 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle built in-house by Blazin’ Rodz and presented by Z Automotive Group. It made its public debut at the 2024 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, where its familiar A-body silhouette concealed a purpose-built powertrain and chassis package.

SEMA later reported that the project took approximately 370 days and cost about $2.8 million. That figure is a reported project estimate, not an independently audited accounting, but it illustrates the scope of the build. This is not a conventional restoration with a crate engine and upgraded suspension. It is a coach-built interpretation of a Chevelle using modern motorsport hardware, digital manufacturing and extensive one-off fabrication.

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It also should not be described as an original, numbers-matching or factory SS Chevelle. The body may recall the classic muscle car, but Doughboy is a radically re-engineered restomod and showcase build.

Specification Doughboy
Base vehicle 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle
Builder Blazin’ Rodz, Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Engine 540-cubic-inch Brodix big-block by ACE Racing Engines
Induction Twin Precision 8385 NEXTGEN turbochargers
Published output More than 2,800 hp
Transmission Billet SS Manufacturing 6XDX sequential six-speed
Chassis Heavily modified Art Morrison C7-geometry A-body chassis
Front/rear wheels 20×13-inch front, 20×15-inch rear
Tires Michelin Sport Cup 2, 325/25R20 front and 345/30R20 rear
Brakes Gold Wilwood SX6R six-piston calipers
Recognition 2024 SEMA Best Engineered Vehicle of the Year

More than 2,800 horsepower from a twin-turbo 540

At the center of Doughboy is a 540-cubic-inch Brodix big-block assembled by ACE Racing Engines. Z Automotive Group’s published build specification lists twin Precision 8385 NEXTGEN turbochargers and an output of more than 2,800 horsepower.

The wording matters. A secondary report has quoted 2,838 hp, but the builder’s specification and SEMA’s coverage use the rounded “2,800-plus” figure. No independent dyno sheet was located in the reviewed material, so the defensible description is more than 2,800 hp, not a precisely verified 2,838-hp result.

The supporting hardware is just as serious as the headline number:

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  • Custom 2.250-inch primary headers made from 321 stainless steel.
  • Five-axis CNC-machined billet-stainless collectors.
  • Electronic 60-mm wastegates.
  • A dry-sump oiling system.
  • An air-to-water intercooler system.

That combination explains why Doughboy cannot be understood as a large engine dropped into a stock engine bay. It requires dedicated oil control, exhaust construction, boost management and charge-air cooling capable of supporting a power level far beyond the original Chevelle’s design brief.

The engine was moved 15 inches rearward

One of the most consequential decisions in the build was moving the engine 15 inches rearward from its factory position. The stated objective was improved center-of-gravity placement and chassis balance, but the relocation creates a chain reaction throughout the vehicle.

Moving a big-block that far changes the firewall and transmission-tunnel packaging. It also affects intake placement, turbo and exhaust routing, cooling lines, fuel plumbing, electrical connections and the amount of room available for maintenance. In other words, the engine relocation is not a cosmetic detail. It is the decision around which much of Doughboy’s architecture had to be organized.

That is the broader theme of the car: a change made for vehicle dynamics also dictates how the cooling system, controls, cabin and body must be designed.

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A chassis built for the power

Doughboy uses a highly modified Art Morrison C7-geometry chassis strengthened for more than 3,000 horsepower. Art Morrison’s separate documentation describes its 1970 Chevelle GT Sport A-body chassis as a purpose-built foundation intended to increase rigidity and improve handling while preserving useful ground clearance. Doughboy’s installation should not be mistaken for an untouched catalog chassis; the displayed car uses a heavily modified version of that type of foundation.

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The suspension is almost entirely bespoke. One-off five-axis CNC-machined 7075-T6 aluminum assemblies are used at the front and rear, with spherical uniballs and rod ends at every joint. JRI hydraulic adjustable coilovers allow ride height and approach angle to be changed on the fly. Front and rear 1.250-inch anti-roll bars help control body roll.

Those parts do more than make the Chevelle look modern underneath. They give the build a way to manage the loads generated by its engine, wide tires and aerodynamic hardware. At this output level, the chassis must control wheel movement, maintain alignment and transfer torque without relying on the flexibility and rubber-isolated geometry of a stock A-body.

The sequential transmission and race-bred driveline

Power reaches the rear wheels through a fully billet SS Manufacturing 6XDX sequential six-speed transmission. An electronic XAP Technologies shift actuator is specified as capable of completing shifts in 30 milliseconds. That figure describes the actuator’s stated capability; it is not an independent road-test measurement of the complete vehicle’s shift performance.

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The clutch is an RPS quad carbon/carbon unit rated to support 3,500 hp. From there, the driveline includes:

  • A PST carbon-fiber Pro Mod driveshaft.
  • A Tube Works CrossTie XP billet nine-inch third member.
  • A Wavetrac limited-slip differential.
  • Custom 300M-alloy RCV axles.

This is the kind of parts selection that makes the 2,800-hp claim mechanically plausible as an engineering target, even though it does not substitute for independent testing. The transmission, clutch, driveshaft, differential and axles were chosen as a system to survive extreme torque rather than as isolated appearance upgrades.

Cooling is part of the front structure

Doughboy’s intercooler is one of its most inventive packaging features. The air-to-water unit uses three-piece, five-axis CNC-machined billet end tanks and dual Bell intercooler cores, each rated by the build description at 1,500 hp. A billet Meziere water pump moves coolant at a stated 55 gallons per minute.

The assembly also functions as the front core support. Its shape follows the V-shaped visual language of the original 1970 Chevelle grille, allowing a major thermal-management component to reinforce the car’s visual identity instead of being hidden as an unrelated race-car add-on.

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That arrangement is a practical consequence of the engine relocation and twin-turbo powertrain. A 2,800-hp engine produces enormous heat, and the intercooler, radiator packaging, ducts and front bodywork must work together. The build description presents the components as an integrated assembly rather than a universal intercooler mounted behind a stock grille.

The rear diffuser is also the fuel tank

At the back, Doughboy’s rear diffuser doubles as its fuel tank and houses dual Aeromotive 10-gpm brushless fuel pumps. Combining those functions is an extreme example of packaging efficiency: the underside is not merely covered for appearance, and the fuel system is not treated as a separate box placed wherever space remains.

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The engine bay uses custom stainless-steel hard lines with Wiggins-style clamps. Blazin’ Rodz says the arrangement was chosen to reduce potential leaks and create a cleaner engine-bay presentation. That is the builder’s stated rationale, not independently tested proof that the system has superior leak resistance.

Taken together, the rear diffuser, fuel tank, pumps, intercooler and core support show why Doughboy is more than a collection of expensive components. Major systems were designed to share space and, in some cases, share a physical role.

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Coach-built bodywork with digital manufacturing behind it

The body retains the recognizable proportions of a 1970 Chevelle but wears a coach-built steel widebody. The panels were shaped from CAD-designed bucks, then 3D-scanned to create duplication bucks. That workflow combines traditional metal shaping with digital measurement and repeatability.

The exterior also uses 3D-printed front-bumper, headlight, grille and rear-bumper components, along with carbon-fiber body pieces. A 7075 aluminum splitter, front diffuser ducting and a carbon-fiber flat bottom complete the main aerodynamic package.

The builder describes the splitter and front diffuser as tools for generating downforce and managing turbulent air around the front tires. The flat bottom links the front bumper to the rear diffuser. Those are design objectives and builder claims; no independent wind-tunnel report, aerodynamic test data or verified track comparison was found in the reviewed sources.

SEMA’s award description counted 35 custom CNC and 3D-printed parts. The more detailed build description covers a wider range of fabricated, machined, printed and composite components, so the safest summary is that Doughboy uses dozens of custom parts, with “35 custom CNC and 3D-printed parts” reserved for SEMA’s specific count.

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A muscle-car interior with modern controls

The cabin combines motorsport safety equipment with the ergonomics of a modern performance car. It includes a CAD-designed 4130 chromoly roll cage, billet aluminum cage elements, Wilwood dual master cylinders and pedals, a modified Audi R8 steering wheel and BMW M3 carbon-fiber seats.

A MoTeC C1812 display provides the driver interface, while Restomod Air HVAC keeps the interior from being a bare competition cockpit. The steering wheel carries controls for paddle shifting, turn signals, suspension lift, reverse lockout, map switching and two-step or anti-lag functions.

That control strategy is important. Doughboy’s systems are not operated solely through separate switches scattered across a vintage dashboard. The steering wheel becomes an interface for power management, vehicle clearance and transmission operation, giving the driver access to functions that a stock 1970 Chevelle never had.

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Electronics and safety systems

The electronic architecture uses a MoTeC M150 engine-management system and two PDM 30 power-distribution modules. The car runs a 16-volt electrical system with motorsport-grade sealed wiring, GPS tracking, traction control and wireless connectivity.

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Fire protection is divided into two Lifeline 360 suppression systems: one for the interior and another covering the engine bay and fuel system. That separation reflects the risk profile of a high-output, forced-induction car with a substantial fuel-delivery system.

These features do not make Doughboy a street-legal production vehicle. The sources reviewed do not establish registration, emissions compliance, road-legal status or unrestricted street use. They do show that the car was engineered with serious attention to control, monitoring and fire safety.

Huge wheels, serious tires and six-piston brakes

Wheel and tire fitment is appropriately extreme. Custom three-piece Kompression wheels measure 20×13 inches at the front and 20×15 inches at the rear. Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires are listed in 325/25R20 front and 345/30R20 rear sizes. Braking comes from gold-finished Wilwood SX6R six-piston calipers.

These are Doughboy-specific specifications, not a recommendation for an ordinary 1970 Chevelle restoration. The wheel widths, tire sizes, suspension geometry, bodywork and brake package depend on the car’s custom chassis and widebody. Copying one dimension onto a stock A-body would create fitment, clearance and safety problems.

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Why SEMA called it the best-engineered vehicle

Doughboy’s 2024 SEMA Best Engineered Vehicle of the Year recognition makes sense because the build’s achievement is integration. The award is not proof of a particular dyno number, lap time or quarter-mile elapsed time, but it does independently confirm that the project was recognized for engineering content rather than appearance alone.

The key examples are easy to see:

  • The engine moved rearward to influence balance, forcing new packaging decisions.
  • The intercooler doubles as the front core support.
  • The rear diffuser doubles as the fuel tank.
  • The chassis, suspension and driveline are designed around extreme power.
  • The bodywork combines steel shaping, CAD, scanning, CNC machining, carbon fiber and 3D printing.
  • The driver controls, engine management, traction control and safety systems are connected into a motorsport-style electrical architecture.

That is why “anything but soft” is more than a joke about the name. Doughboy preserves the visual language of a classic Chevelle while replacing the assumptions underneath it with those of a modern, high-powered GT and drag-racing machine.

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Could you build one?

Technically, individual ideas from Doughboy can be adapted to other projects. A Chevelle builder can use a reinforced chassis, modern suspension, better brakes, electronic engine management or a turbocharged engine. But reproducing Doughboy is not a normal bolt-on restomod recipe.

The engine relocation alone affects the firewall, transmission, exhaust, intake, cooling, fuel lines, wiring and service access. The custom suspension, carbon floor, integrated diffuser tank, sequential transmission and bespoke bodywork add another level of design and fabrication. The reported 370-day schedule and $2.8 million project figure underline that this is closer to a low-volume engineering program than a weekend garage build.

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What remains unverified

No independent dyno sheet, road test, wind-tunnel report, acceleration figure, quarter-mile time, top-speed number or cornering measurement was located for Doughboy in the reviewed sources. The car’s published horsepower, aerodynamic goals and component ratings should therefore be presented as build specifications or stated capabilities, not as independently verified performance results.

That qualification does not diminish the project. It simply separates what is documented—the hardware, design, award and published specifications—from what has not been publicly established through independent testing.

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Reporting basis: The technical details above are drawn primarily from the published Doughboy build description associated with Z Automotive Group and Blazin’ Rodz, along with SEMA’s award announcement and later project profile. Manufacturer information supports the general description of the Art Morrison chassis and Revell model kits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Doughboy an original 1970 Chevelle SS?

No. It is a heavily modified, coach-built 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle interpretation by Blazin’ Rodz. The reviewed sources do not establish that it is an original, numbers-matching or factory SS car.

How much horsepower does Doughboy make?

The builder and SEMA describe it as producing more than 2,800 horsepower from a twin-turbo 540-cubic-inch Brodix big-block. A 2,838-hp figure appears in secondary coverage, but no independent dyno sheet was located, so 2,800-plus hp is the more defensible wording.

Is Doughboy street legal?

Its registration, emissions compliance and unrestricted road-legal status have not been established in the reviewed sources. It should not be casually described as street legal.

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What makes Doughboy different from a normal Chevelle restomod?

Its systems were designed around one another. The engine was moved 15 inches rearward, the intercooler serves as the front core support, the rear diffuser doubles as the fuel tank, and the car uses a custom chassis, sequential transmission, motorsport electronics and extensive CNC, carbon-fiber and 3D-printed components.

The Bottom Line

Doughboy is not soft, and it is not merely a classic Chevelle with a big engine. It is a 1970 body wrapped around a reported 2,800-plus-hp twin-turbo powertrain, a race-oriented chassis and a digitally manufactured aero and control system. The SEMA engineering award recognizes that integration; the lack of public independent testing means its published power and aerodynamic claims should still be described carefully.

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