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350 Horsepower! 1967 Chevelle SS 396

In 1967, the Chevelle was in its fourth year of production and would only be slightly changed in appearance from the “coke bottle” restyle that took place the prior year. The Super Sport with a 396 V8 was a very popular choice in ’67 as one of every seven Chevelle’s built that year was one of them. This SS 396 is said to be all original, which means to me that the drivetrain, body, and interior are all as they left the plant within 1967. This beauty is located in Carmel Valley, California, and available here on craigslist for $50,000. Kudos to rex m for bringing this asphalt eater to our attention!

When an SS 396 was ordered in a ’67 Chevelle, it was based on the Malibu body style and trim level, so it was not a stripped-down muscle car. Three output versions of the 396 V8 were offered in that year: L35 (325 hp), L34 (350 hp) and L78 (375 hp). Stamped with the code “138”, this Chevelle was built with the 350 hp version of the engine. The seller says this car is the real thing, not some tribute machine that can pop up today. Besides the powerful motor, this car also has a 12-bolt 456 gear rear-end, Muncie 4-speed transmission, and a 2 ½ inch exhaust, which no doubt sounds throaty.

We’re told this SS is garage kept which has helped preserve it whether or not the paint is original. The chrome and glass all look good and there is no sign of any rust, but the seller provides a minimum number of photos, so there’s not a lot to really critique. The black interior is also said to be good, but again no photo. A new set of tires are mounted on rims wearing Chevy’s Rally wheels. And the front brakes are new and are said to be disc, which suggests a conversion from drum brakes. We’re told the odometer reading is 4,333 which means that it has either turned over once or it’s one of the lowest- mileage ’67 Chevelle’s left on the planet.

Chevy built nearly 60,000 SS 396 Chevelle’s in 1967 out of almost 400,000 total intermediates. So, the muscle car fad that the Pontiac GTO is credited with starting three years earlier was in full swing, even at Chevrolet. Hagerty pegs a ’67 Chevelle SS 396 at $52,500 plus 15% for a 4-speed in Excellent condition. Assuming this car fits that condition description, the seller’s Chevelle is priced about 20% below the ceiling for that condition rating.

Comments

  1. Avatar James Cobb

    I’ve always been a Ford fan but this is probably my favorite Chevy car of all time. Had a nemesis back in the day who drove one of these and he would eat my lunch almost 50% of the time. I was never sure I could win. That was when you could get a race if you showed up w/street tires and mufflers on the car. Sure do miss them days…..

    Like 25
  2. Avatar 86_Vette_Convertible

    My first new car was a 67 Malibu. Loved that car. This one looks good from what I can see, but need to check for rust behind the rear window and behind the tires.

    Like 4
  3. Avatar EPO3

    Why not put power brakes on when he added the front discs It needs more pictures

    Like 11
    • Avatar Steve R

      They are still using a drum brake master cylinder too.

      Steve R

      Like 1
    • Avatar WILLIAM BABYAK

      And not one photo of the interior… I’m smelling rodents!

      Like 0
  4. Avatar PaulG

    Front disc’s were optional for the first time on Chevelle’s in ’67.
    From the looks of the VIN it’s been painted…at least once.
    Nice car, amazing they still bring the $$$.
    Had several 66-67’s and wish I’d kept a few!

    Like 6
  5. Avatar Geoff

    Definitely a two stage repaint but looks nice. 50K for a restomod is probably all the money but it looks like a nice car. The lack of pictures is disappointing. On the other hand this will probably get plenty of interest in the San Diego/SoCal area so I guess a lot of people can just go look.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar timothy herrod

    around 1977 one of my brothers bought one of these, 350hp 4 speed. It even had the blinker tach. The guy he bought it from put a clutch in it and had trouble with the crossmember not fitting right, had it upside down or so that was the story i was told, 150 was the sale price. He drove it for a while and finally sold the 396 for 300 bucks and then put a 6 cylinder in it for better gas mileage. Something happened to the 6 and the car was parked and eventually sold but not before the blinker tach was taken out and put into a 66 impala 4 dr. That car was sent to the crusher with the tach still screwed to the dash. If only we knew then what we know now

    Like 5
  7. Avatar Jcs

    4.56 gears, not going to see much highway driving. Way too steep for the occasional pleasure cruise, unless it happens to be 1/4 mile long.

    Like 19
    • Avatar Jim

      Agreed, a friend had 4.56 gears,way too low for big block street driving. 3.73 or 3.40 would still plenty of power.

      Like 6
      • Avatar Gus Fring

        …and still too low for the street. A 3.31 is about as low as I would go for a street car unless you NEVER took it on the highway.

        Like 2
      • Avatar Bob Thornton

        On later model SS396 (402) SS454 with Muncie M22 4-spd the factory supplied rear end was 3:31 unless otherwised specified.

        Like 1
    • Avatar Greg

      I did not see very many come from the factory with 456’s. They usually came with 373’s for the performance version. Could it have been ordered that way??

      Like 0
    • Avatar Vinnie G

      Yep! Thats all you need to drive a 1/4 mile at a time.

      Like 1
  8. Avatar Jeff Helms

    Paint code is EE which is Deepwater Blue (a very dark metallic Blue, beautiful color), and interior code is 738 which is medium blue bucket seats. So everything has been changed inside and out.

    On a bright note, the 2Q code on the trim tag means an M21 Muncie 4-speed, which means the car was in fact born as an L34 350 horse 396. (The broadcast date on the trim tag is too early to be an L78, and you could not get an M21 behind a 325 horse 396 in 67, so it has to have been a 350 horse.) Unfortunately, there is no statement as to whether or not this is the original engine this car was born with.

    Like 8
  9. Avatar Moparman Member

    I was hot to trot to buy one of these in 1974. I spied one on an “OK” Chevy Used Car lot (remember those?) one evening on my way home from work. I looked it over and decided that it was the one, console, buckets, auto. When I went back the next day, I learned why you NEVER look at a car at night. In the light of day, it wasn’t nearly as nice as it had seemed the night before. After a test drive (disappointing and a lying salesman to boot), I turned it down.

    Like 4
  10. Avatar Dave

    If this site is going to continue to to show cars that are NOT Barn Finds then they need to change the name of the site.

    Like 5
    • Avatar Steve

      Oh stop. Do you like cars, or barns? It’s a name. Whether the car is rotten or perfect, do you really care what is the name of the site? Some peeps don’t want a car that requires $50k+ and two years to make nice.

      Like 30
  11. Avatar Raymond Keck

    I paid $350 for my ’67 Malibu back in the late 70’s. Wish I still had it.

    Like 4
  12. Avatar rextreme Member

    The car is in the Monterey area.

    Like 1
  13. Avatar Jim

    Really like the Chevelles,used to have a blue 66 , 327 , 4 speed ,bucket seats and console as a teenager. Recently bought a 67,
    283 , automatic ,AC, PS ,PB black paint and vinyl top , black interior, bench seat. Love driving it.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Tort Member

    373 or maybe even 411’s but why 456 gear ratio in a 350 hp big block? If you are going light to light or if your going to the strip occasionally a 375 hp maybe. Really limits the driveability and the 350 hp may be fairly quick but not a quick as others in stock form in the day.

    Like 3
  15. Avatar john e higgins

    ALL ORIGINAL, jEFF SAYS CODE INDICATES THE CAR WAS BLUE WITH BLUE INTERIOR SO KINDA MAKES CLAIMS OF ALL ORIGINAL DUBIOUS

    Like 14
  16. Avatar James Bishop

    Feel sorry for Ford fans, Fords have never had the overwhelming combination of the correct items together on any one vehicle compared to Chevrolet . Power, sleek looks ,color combinations ,options, engine options ,still to this day classic cars are the desire to own a Chevrolet muscle car . Corvettes , Camaros, Chevelle’s ,Nova’s , Americas dream – Baseball , apple pie and Chevrolet . This car is a perfect example . Nice !!!. Although I would exit baseball and enter Football . !!!

    Like 4
  17. Avatar robert semrad

    Not only that, but the idiot. retarded, moron used Ford black in the engine bay…..what a loser…………………right guys?

    Like 0
  18. Avatar David Harris

    You forgot hotdogs,and I want to see all cars no matter where you find them

    Like 3
  19. Avatar Jason Member

    Nice car. I like 67 Chevelles and especially red ones. Maybe one of the people with greater knowledge would make a comment if the repaint is in the correct shade of red.

    Like 1
  20. Avatar Troy s

    Isn’t that Clint Eastwood’s old stomping grounds up in northern California?
    Great car here set up for short brisk runs or burn out contests,,, those gears are, how do I say this…..”purposeful”.
    I understand the Ford jabbing here. This was a GM thing, at least at first. The mass produced, loads of options big inch engined youth machine fighting at middleweight with heavyweight power. A car that made a statement curbside every bit as much as out on the road, brand new sitting on the lot. Ford could win all the professional races in the world and none of that mattered to the kids in the GTOs and Super Sports who showed up to watch. Or even worse, showed up in a 6 popper Mustang,,, or Volvo?.
    Ford could of had it. Easily.
    Imagine the new ’67 Fairlane GT with the hot 428 interceptor, underrated advertised horsepower of course. Or the tri power 390 medium riser, solid lifters and all. It’s all made up in my head of course, and some will say the s code 390 was adequate. More than adequate, that’s what it takes to stand above the rest.

    Like 0
  21. Avatar Greg Williams

    I’ve owned 6 1966 Chevelle Super Sports and 2 67”s. 8 total. 6 were 396/325 HP cars. 1 was like this a 350HP or actually 360HP rating due to it being a 1966. Then finally one L-78 375 H.P. Car. The base model 396 went pretty well although they didn’t like high RPM”s very much as they were highly prone to spin bearings. The 350HP cars in 67 which were the same as the 360H.P. Rated cars in 66 were I bit more potent but still very drivable, basically just a bigger Carb a slightly bigger cam( still hydraulic) and still 2 bolt main Crank. But I gotta tell you the 375 HP was a whole nuther animal. Huge monster rectangular port heads with big lift cam and solid lifters,Steel Crank and a 4 bolt main that could handle a few more RPM”s. Higher compression ECT. Any car with the L-78 option really had something special unfortunately it took me 40 years and 8 Supersports to figure it out. Probably as close to a 427/425 Hp engine ever made. I prefer the 4:56 gears in a 69 Z-28 with a DZ 302 which needs the super low gear ratio but for these bigger cars with Big blocks a set of 3:55-3:73”s were actually what I preferred for street racing.

    Like 4
  22. Avatar Greg Williams

    If anyone knows where I can find a rolling rust free shell with or without drivetrain for under $10K for 66-67 Malibu or SS or a 68-71 Nova or Camaro pls let me know I’ll pay a $500- finders fee if purchased, Thank u very much, Greg Williams 413-537-0003

    Like 0
  23. Avatar MARTAY1

    I had a 68 SS 396 but it was stolen . Police came to my house and took me to my stolen car but nothing but a frame was left it was completely stripped,

    Like 0
  24. Avatar Mike

    CODE is wrong for being a Red Car…. so original paint…is Impossible… IF he lies about this …what else is he lying about.. and that is TOP..TOP money.. these chevelles have actually dropped about ten percent on average this year…

    Like 1
  25. Avatar JoeNYWF64

    I doubt it looked that good new off the assemblyline & dealer prepped.

    Like 0
  26. Avatar Jason Member

    To Bob Thornton – in 1970 the only two choices you had from the factory for a Chevelle with a 454 and the M-22 was the standard 3.31 and an optional 4.11. No other choices were available.

    There seemed to be many 66 and 67 SS396 Chevelles on the street when they were new. They attracted our attention especially the red ones. The original color of those cars seemed to have been slightly lighter than this one.

    Like 0

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