This 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 convertible is equipped with the rare aluminum ladder front end option, which of course requires the engine delete option to be selected as well! Seriously, based on information from the seller, this is a project at the absolute low point — lots of money has been spent on new parts, but minimal assembly has taken place, so it doesn’t look like it yet. The car is listed for sale here on Facebook Marketplace with an asking price of $7,000 and is located in Escalon, California.
You would be correct in your assessment if you looked at this car and saw either a lot of time or a lot of money to go. However, the seller has a lot of new panels to include with the sale, including the new front clip visible in these photos, a completely new floor pan, a cowl, firewall, quarter panel skins, and a trunk floor. That’s a chunk of money right there that you won’t have to spend.
Although the convertible is listed as being a four-speed/396 V-8 car, there’s no proof given of that, and both the engine and transmission are long gone. The seller suggests coming to look at the car and while that is normally a wise decision, I think it’s extra-critical in this case. I’m hoping the dash, seats, and other components are stored somewhere because sourcing those items now if you are looking for a stock-appearing car can be really expensive. On the other hand, if you would turn this car into a restomod, perhaps that’s not as important to you.
Chevrolet obviously saw the SS396 as the top of the Chevelle lineup based on this brochure page. In case you find the fine print as difficult to read as I do, there were two versions of the 396 engine offered, one rated at 325 horsepower and the other one at a whopping 350!
I suppose the question at this point is what would this car be worth to you? Assuming a clean title but that you don’t get anything that isn’t pictured, I have a tough time with $7,000 but maybe you don’t? I’d like to see your thoughts in the comment section below!
Lots of money for not much of anything but if it were a Mopar he’d be asking triple that price.
Even with that ladder in the engine bay, there is no way you could keep your head above water on this project!
You won the Internet!
The first, and probably last question I would ask the seller is, do you have a title for this car in your name.
Steve R
At most it’s a 4 to 4500 dollar car if all the parts that we don’t see are in good shape with a complete interior. And of course you would need to get a good title.
Steve Bush is correct. If this POS was a rotted 68 Charger in worse shape than the Titantic, the Barrett Jackson dreamer would want $30,000. People dream too much. He is selling it because he is in way over his head and it needs $100, 000 more to make it a $50,000 car. Convertibles cost a fortune to sort out. Ask my best friend in Miami how much he has in his 69 GTO conv that is still a work in progress since 1989.
This may be a dumb question, because I’m no expert on this model Chevy…but if this was supposed to have been a 4-speed car wouldn’t there be a cut-out in the hump over the transmission for the shifter ? if it was a 4-speed by 1969 I’m assuming that would not have been a column-shifter – is it just a trick of the light in the photo and I’m not seeing it – or is there something I’m not understanding – any experts care to enlighten me?
If you look closer at the interior shot, there’s a cut out in the trans. Hump .. for a shifter,but it looks to have been filled in. So the 4 spd trans mentioned may have existed in this car..
This car does have the correct narrow hump for a console-shifted 4-speed.
Says it’s sold so there must have been value there.
It was an automatic car. The hole is in the middle of tunnel instead of a 4 speed hump. Some one cut a hole for a 4 speed but not factory. Wonder if he got 7000 for it? If so wow! Prices are crazzy!
If you notice the raised edges around the blob of filler in the cut out area of trans. Tunnel.And the rounded bulge / hump bellow where that raised edge area is ..
Wouldnt that constitute ,the readability of was for a 4 spd trans. Shifter , I see a ” hump and enough cut out area(now filled in) to be 4 spd capable ..
In it’s original optioned state.
Transmission tunnels were all the same, regardless of transmission choice. If a 4spd was ordered the hole was cut at the factory and the hump was spot welded in. They are readily available through restoration suppliers for around $70, if you look one up you will get a better understanding of what to look for.
Steve R
Nothing more than a pile of leftover parts from other projects. A fool and his money are soon parted.
Junk , and FB MARKETPLACE ads are a colossal waste of time.
I absolutely loved this opening !!
“This 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 convertible is equipped with the rare aluminum ladder front end option, which of course requires the engine delete option to be selected as well!”
matt
I see something that would make the start of a good restomod. Apparently others felt the same way as it sold pretty quick. When building a restomod, you a) start with something pretty cool (and a 69 Chevelle vert fits that bill) and b) you are going to throw away just about everything that’s missing on this one so why pay extra for that stuff?