Many consider the 1970 model year to be the pinnacle of muscle car sales. After that, the combination of rising insurance premiums and engine detuning for lower emissions took its toll on buyer interest. Chevrolet still built a flock of Chevelle SS 396s in 1970 (53,599 to be exact), with the L34 (350 hp) being the most popular. The car featured here was recently purchased from its second owner and has low, low miles (27,000). Other than a repaint in 1976, everything else about the hot rod could be original. This car may still be calling Sewickley, Pennsylvania, its home! Our thanks to Mitchell G. for the awesome tip!

After being a series of its own from 1966 to 1968, the SS 396 remained an option on the Malibu Sport Coupe and convertible. Although the hot new 454 cubic-inch V8 joined the fold in 1970, the SS 396 remained the top seller. 51,455 L34 396s went into Chevelle products, and the large number of Malibu’s produced also makes it a popular clone candidate today. This car isn’t currently for sale, but was found here on Lo Miles No Miles on Facebook.

As the story goes, it was recently purchased just around the corner from the poster, Jason Belevedere. It was first sold through Gourley Chevy in January 1970 and is unrestored sans a respray of the Black Cherry paint. It’s also numbers matching (the 396 was actually a 402 beginning that year) with a batch of original documentation. We’re told the Chevy has never left the local area, so perhaps it’s something of a local legend.

It’s a two-owner automobile whose original owner first had a 1969 Pontiac GTO. His wife wrecked that car, so he had it repaired and then traded it in on this hot ’70 SS 396. It has a 4-speed manual transmission, the F41 suspension, a 3:31 ratio rear axle, power front disc brakes, and what appears to be the original bias-ply spare tire in the trunk! Does it get much better than this?