In the world of Chevrolet, SS stands for Super Sport and the top of the heap is the 1970 LS6 SS 454 Chevelle. This car has the provenance to prove that it is an original 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454. The seller has the build sheet that was found under the back seat and it matches the trim tag on the car. Originally painted in Tuxedo black, this Chevelle came with a white interior, 4-speed manual transmission, and 4.10 rear gears. The Chevelle is located in Lompoc, California and is listed for sale here on eBay with 7 days remaining in the auction. The car is currently bid to $39,000 which has not met the seller’s reserve.
The seller states that he may end the auction early because the car is listed locally for sale also. The interior looks good but the car has a 1972 Chevelle dash. The seller discloses that the car apparently had an engine fire and it melted the dash and harness. The seller also has a 1970 dash to go with the car. The original bench seat was replaced with buckets seats and a console by a prior owner. The gauges and even the original radio work well. The door panels, rear bench seat and headliner are all original.
The original LS6 454 cubic inch V8 was stolen in the mid-1970s and replaced by an LS4 454 cubic inch V8 engine from a 1973 Corvette. I think the factory rating on this engine was around 270 net horsepower. The car runs and drives and still has the original LS6 CRW code 12 bolt rear end with 4.10 positraction rear gears. The Chevelle has headers and dual exhaust.
The body and the paint will need some work. The lacquer paint appears to be cracked and aged on most of the body panels where it still exists. The front half of the doors, the hood and both front fenders are covered in black primer. There is some rust around the wheel openings but the bottom of the car looks fantastic for its age. The trunk floor is said to be solid and still retains the original tire jack. This car deserves a nice restoration and should be stunning when it is done.
Those 1970 Chevelle SS LS4 prices aren’t as strong as is the LS6 models of the same year. – Which would be worse…A) Having the original power plant stolen and replaced by an inferior motor and being reminded daily of what could have been or having the car stolen outright and never recovered?
So it left the showroom with an LS6. Good for 450+. Bench seat w/4spd? Not that I’m against buckets and consoles, but what a cool setup it was.
Why isn’t there a picture of the build sheet or a link to the video mentioned in the description? The sellers story lives or dies based on the authenticity of that build sheet, which is useless unless it is largely intact and shows the cars VIN. Without it, this car should be considered a clone that has an LS6 Chevelle’s original rear end, with a well thought out story.
Steve R
So the original dash melted, the good motor was stolen, and the original bench seat is gone. BUT, it has the original headliner which is nice… Sigh. What I can’t believe is what it’s bid to. For God’s sake just clone one… I say $20K here, but it’s the bidder’s money, not mine. Hope the new owner does something nice with it.
This car has more stories than Walt Disney, and if it sells at the current bid it will have one more.
The essence of what makes it the desired Z15 454 LS6 is so downplayed. Guess when it no longer has it, you have no choice but to shift the attention to the stripe delete paint (which will need to be redone) and the matching #’s radio. To my surprise, it has managed to reach $39k. This guy will absolutely have a job in my (gently) used car lot when it opens.
I am going to put LS-6 emblems on ever car I have for sale. It instantly makes cars triple what they are worth.
I am going to buy LS-6 emblems and put them on every car I have for sale. Instantly makes the car worth triple what it is really worth.
Buy the car not the story. Especially this one. Vin plate for sure.
Can i assume staggered rear shocks are of no benefit when you have coil springs on the back, as opposed to leaf springs?
How do you steal a motor?
With an engine hoist.
It happens all of the time, a few months ago there was a really nice 2002 SS Camaro missing its engine and transmission abandoned in front of a park a couple of blocks from my house. My friend that does VIN verifications for the CHP on cars being brought into state said they run the VIN of every engine, it’s not unusual to find stolen late model engines in Pro Touring and resto-mods.
Steve R
I’ve never heard of a single stolen engine found in a pro tourer or resto mod. Do you have a source on that?
Mike D,that’s a good one.
Saw it on an episode of “CHiP’s” in 1977. A Trans Am stalled on the 405. By the time the wrecker arrived, a group of professional thieves came and stole the motor. Probably one of those special 455 ones from ’72/early 73… Ponch & John caught them in the end.
It happens…
Ponch and John. Oh yeah. Savages
Happened to me a long time ago … in my carport behind the apartment … they pushed the car out and wham bang … gone
Strait 6 owners need not worry about their motors being stolen.
lol
I remember reading about a car stolen from a garage being guarded by a watchdog. Not only was the car stolen, but so was the watchdog! lmao
Reminds me as a detective decades ago. Guy came home to his condo. Completely cleaned out top to bottom, literally, 100% stripped, move in ready. He walked into another room & I hear him yell ‘they took the f’ing litterbox too’. Along with the cat of course! While at work & gets home to an empty place. Just a burglary, no suspects.
Actually if a strait or slant 6 motor is stolen, the crooks have already done 1/2 the work for you if you wana upgrade to a v8!
& same with a v8 if the one in there is completely shot & some1 takes it. Just make it look good & clean for them.
lol
My thought exactly. While it’s obviously possible to steal an engine, it usually involoves stealing the rest of the car with it. Just say the original engine is long gone unless you can prove that story. I can’t believe anyone would pay close to 40 grand for this one…
I heard about engines being stolen many years ago by dishonest mechanics who run small shops: the customer doesn’t know what they have and they bring it for repair and it gets an engine swap. “Come get your car, it’s ready!” I’m talking of this stuff happening in the late 70’s & 80’s. But the word gets out on these guys. California has the Bureau of Automotive Repair if you ever think you got screwed.
What immediately comes to mind … “Let me tell you what Melba Toast is packin’ right here, alright. We got 411 Positrac outback, 750 double pumper Edelbrock intakes, bored over 30, 11 to 1 pop-up pistons, turbo-jet 390 horsepower. We’re talkin’ some f***in’ muscle.”
What do you mean
39K and no engine pictures ? Really ?
Ever watch the movie hot rod with a willys and they steal a hemi for it . Reminds me of this article
Fool bidding! It will be a non payer and or not meet reserve thus re-list-ville. Not to mention it’s in Cali which seems on the rough side to me.
This car is like a well worn woman, been thru plenty of hands, has more stories than an x hooker, but it’s still a nice car, I don’t know about 39,000 dollars nice, but hey
This is a documented LS6 4 speed with build sheet. $39,000 would be a steal if it sold for that. What will probably happen is that it won’t meet reserve, then sell privately for close to $50,000. That’s realistically what it’s probably worth if you actually look around.
It might be documented , but its missing the actual LS6, (Trans?)The bench seat, Also, the original 70′ dash/ instruments were ruined in an engine fire that most likely also melted all the wiring underneath that might not have been repaired by a professional
My brother in law and some of his buddies were taking the small block out of a stolen Nova when the cops showed up. Judge told him jail time or the branch of service of his choice. That was 30 years ago. He’s retiring from the Air Force later this year….
Just another car for naysayers to tear apart. Typical day on barnfinds…. To the critics I ask… What of all the cars over the years that have been sold or may even be in your possession with changed out engines, trannys, or rearends. Are they all just worthless?!? What of the cars that had something bad happen where a service block was installed by dealer under warranty? That says not numbers matching but its still the car it was off the assembly line. No matter what is in this car it (if paperwork provided) is still an LS6 Chevelle. If you were to buy this car, fix it back up and dig up a date code LS6 you would probably get close to if not the same money as one that is numbers matching. May not have same numbers but some buyers may only care if it is atleast correct motor. How many cars when bought new had idiot drivers blow up the drivetrains? Id guess a pretty healthy portion. Fix it and enjoy it!
This car deserves to be correct because of what it is. I would have never replaced its original Dash with that late 1972 Dash with that Seat Belt Light in it. Only the last half of the 72’s ever got that Dash. With everything that job entails it would have been a better choice to wait for another original one to pop up to install into this car. Even an after market dash is better than whats in it. The “wrong” dash’s in cars is what causes all the “Fake SS” conversations about one. I have been around these cars for the last 40 years and have seen many great originals and many bad fake SS’s..and everything in between lol. I have also personally owned many 69 thru 72 Chevelles and El Camino’s….from the plain jane standards up to the factory Super Sports….small blocks and BIG Blocks…auto and standard floor shifts :-) …….I’m addicted to all of them!! lol…BUT I’m 1 of those guys who thinks…do it right…or don’t do it at all and I would have NEVER installed a late 72 Dash into a 1970 vehicle. To each their own tho…….takes all kinds. I’ve also seen that Dash in more than one 1971 model claiming they had a factory SS and it was original….well it’s impossible for any other year to have come with that seat belt light…so NO yours is NOT original if it has this Dash inside of it and it’s not a late 1972 vehicle. Just go look at any day of the week on searchtempest and look thru all 50 states at all the Fake SS’s being advertised as being a Super Sport….many even has a sweep dash in it lol…it just never ends. BUT..I’m always flattered at how many other people in this world wants what I own….the REAL DEAL…and this car will sell cause there’s a rump for every seat…grins…OK…this was MY 2 cents lol.