Well, if it looks familiar, it is, as we covered this 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 about a year and a half ago. The good news is that its price has been reduced by $3,000. The bad? It’s in no better shape than it was in January 2024. It has also done a relocation from Elizabeth, New Jersey, to New Wales, Pennsylvania, where it is available here on eBay for a BIN price of $6,595.
You always want to find some modicum of value in any old car, and I suppose the standout feature here is that its 325 gross HP, 396 CI V8 engine does actually run. The seller claims that it “runs well,” but the included video clip isn’t too reassuring as it sounds as if it’s about to spit out a valve. There’s no mention of driving characteristics, so that part of the operational equation may not be functional. The seller claims that this Chevy is “original,” and the engine is bearing the proper “KH” prefix code, so that’s helpful to know. A Turbo-Hydramatic 400, three-speed automatic transmission backs up the rat, but its capability is unknown.
One look at the body tells you that this Chevelle has crossed swords with its nemesis – rust, and the rust seems to have won. The usual suspects – the floor pans, quarters, and fender legs have been most afflicted, but it is even more extensive than that. Dressed at one time with a vinyl top covering, it is now denuded of that styling feature, but the imprimatur of a shredded piece of vinyl overlaying a steel top and fending for itself in the northeastern U.S. climate is evident below the rear window. The seller suggests replacing the body with a Dynacorn replacement unit. Supposedly, a 1969 version will be available in 2026, but the price will be north of $18K. Oh, and the next owner may want to think about a frame as the one underpinning this SS has some Swiss cheese syndrome goin’ on.
Inside, we find the original black vinyl bench seat (buckets and a center console were an option), but it’s shredded down to the foam, the floor is falling out, the dashpad is cracked, and the factory faux wood steering wheel has been reduced to chunks on a wire core. The headliner is gravity-bound and the door panels are dissolving (this is the kind of stuff that happens when you don’t have a rear window). The seller does have a new interior kit included in the sale, and he claims that it, and other available parts, are worth $2,200. Oddly, the build sheet for this Atlanta-originated Chevelle has been discovered, but no image is provided.
I guess the good news is that this ’69 Chevelle appears to be one of the 86K genuine SS396 editions produced in that year – the seller stresses “originality,” and that seems to be the case. However, by the time you get finished rebodying this car, replacing the interior, and possibly the frame, the new owner will really be driving an SS396 VIN. Are there $6,595 worth of power and drivetrain parts here (396 engine, Turbo-Hydramatic 400 transmission, and twelve bolt rear axle)? I don’t know – that’s probably high, especially owing to their overall condition. My final thought is GLWTS. What do you say?
Nothing to see here – move on.
I’m a big fan of ‘69 Chevelles. While a 300 2-door would be my preference, I sure wouldn’t kick a Super Sport off my driveway. However, after taking a look at this one, I wonder if fixing the rust would be worth it. You could pick one up in better shape and not end up with the investment that you’d have with this. But then, would you miss the challenge?
396/400, is bulletproof, so you wouldn’t have anything to worry about there. I would be concerned about the frame and if that’s okay, what about the body? A lot of work in store for whoever takes this one on…
Could be a candidate for the “You’ve got to be kidding” award for the month.
Ha,ha,ha, you know, one advantage to growing up with these rusty hulks, it’s not such a shock like to those who never saw the salt, or what it could do. This is so typical, and people would still be driving these. Hey, for $150 bucks, it may not be cherry, but by golly it was a 396 Chevelle. Posted for shock value only, you couldn’t possibly be serious. If so, there’s a long wait for any psychiatrist office today. Why would you waste your time and money?
Another call 📞 in order J.O.
1-800-the-hook 🛻🪝
Nice dash, grille bar looks ok…center caps? oh..and the Air Filter is shiny.
First off, I always thought I had superior knowledge of cars in the muscle car era. But then I started reading following the BF website. I have to say that most you guys blow me away with your smarts. It seems now I don’t know crap!
Growing up in the 70s and graduating high school in 76, my first 2 cars were a 67 Camaro and 70 Chevelle. These were both Super Sports with buckets and consoles. It seems the bench seats and/or column shifts were rare and almost unheard of. Now they to be more available than the buckets and floor shifts. But then…maybe its just my memory attacking me, AGAIN.
This is basically $7Gs for a VIN tag and a few parts. The paint is all that’s holding this mess together. Of course it could be restored. A fool and his money are soon parted.
My first reaction after seeing the top photo in this post was to make an appointment to get a tetanus shot. Looking at the ad on eBay, I don’t see much on the car of any value other than the glass, rear bumper, rims, new parts and maybe the engine. If it was taken to a junk yard, I doubt that they would give the owner very much if anything for it.
I think you will need to double up on the tetanus shot(s)!
$7K for this? A wrecking yard will give you maybe $100. And that would be for the KH 396, to go into someone else’s Chevelle. Some pieces here, but not enough to commence a rebuild from. Sorry. BUT…GLWTS, as we say…
Dynacorn bodies are not suitable for a true restoration. A friend does restorations on Camaros and said there are readily apparent differences, they make for a great “restomod” or pro touring project where originality isn’t important.
This car is a mess, the VIN, trim tag and drivetrain may wind up in a better body to create a clone. As a pure parts car it’s too far gone anywhere close to the asking price.
Steve R
It’s GONE. some usable parts. perhaps engine could be rebuilt.
Other than that. 100.00 scrap value. .
Woof.
Now this one I’d feel safe parking it at the grocery store knowing it’d be there when I get out. Get yourself a tetanus shot and stop crying about the rust, ha ha ha ha ha
Worth fixing? No.
According to this article, they made 86 THOUSAND SS396 Chevelle’s in ’69. That, and the unlimited amount of clones out there means that you can wait and buy one of these that will actually see the road again.
Of those 86K SS Shovels, only 134K are known to exist. Even if it was something else that is rare, this is pretty far gone.
I hate to see any of those road warriors to go, but it’s time to part this one out & send it to the recycler. Tragic end.
This may be the sorriest Chevelle I’ve ever seen.
What gets me is why leave it outside in the dirt for decades on end so it winds up in such sorry shape? If you have no indoor storage for a car like this, sell it to someone who does. If they wanted it to literally rot away, they couldn’t have done a better job unless they drove it off a pier to marinate in salt water until completely gone.
Bwah, ha, haaaaa!!!
I have a ’69 SS Chevelle, I lov’m. But, WOW. That’s a crying shame the condition that car is in.
I don’t think Gas Monkey Garage would touch this one.Unless he had a buyer ready to fork over 200k.
I had a 68 SS Chevelle 396 back in the day. I got rid of it with less than 10K simply because I did not like it. It was too slow. I graduated up to a GTO and loved that one.
This one should be worth perhaps $1500 for the motor and transmission. The body and frame have sailed away to the land of rust.
RUST I don’t see any RUST here!!!! My 2 Dogs say this one is a RUFF one!!!! A lot of rust bugs got to this one a long time ago!!
I have seen many of these old iron horses brought back to life, in this shape. There are still descent used frames remaining you can acquire to reduce price cost, and panels are available, which most 50 year old cars will need anyway. IF the engine, transmission, rear-end are original to the car numbers matching, and build sheet available, along with the popularity of the 69 Chevelle SS, you may not be as far out in left field as you think. Yes, alot of boxes to check off, but originality is hard to find, when it comes to these cars. I started with a 70 Chevelle SS, L coded from the KC plant, in about the same condition, replaced every panel, except roof…have many offers, above the overhead cost, to make a nice profit…still keeping the car…..who knows, everyone has their own vision, looking forward.
Ones like this used to be $50 parts cars.
And buying a nice cold bottle of coke in a glass bottle in the middle of a hot summer day was only a quarter, and I bought a gallon of gas for a quarter a gallon also, along with minimum wage 2.50 an hour…..may I ask what your point is over 50 years later…take the basic minimum salary per hour into days world, along with the cost of product, and inflation..figure in the cost of rarity for given product, the price does not seem to be out of reason..
Scared
been on ebay for months. you will spend over 60k to do this s**tbox. stay away good for parts at this point
I totally disagree… if you can do the majority of the panel work yourself, and body work, you can put this SS back together in no time for pennies on the dollar, or barter work as a trade off for cost. I have done that quite often, one speciality trade for another..not a big issue..regardless everyone has their own approach
Denuded, guess thats another way of saying stripped.Nothing but a few parts I’m afraid.
I will leave another comment not that it matters! I noticed the brake master cylinder is missing!
Price lowered to $5,775 on 7/29/2025.
Steve R
He forgot to move the decimal point to the left.