There’s more than meets the eye with this 1972 Chevelle SS 454, offered here on eBay from New York state. The next picture tells a much different story. Be sure to have a closer look!
That’s right; this middle-weight prize fighter has most of a frame-off restoration under its belt, including rebuilt motor and M22 “Rock Crusher” 4 speed transmission. Originally equipped with a bench seat, this beast would have been (and still is!) perfect for pulling your date in close during a windows-down summer cruise.
The 1970 Chevelle SS with the optional LS6 454 packed a whopping 450 HP and has been called “The Ultimate Muscle Car.” By the time this 1972 model rolled off the assembly line, Chevelles had shed one pair of headlights and (on paper anyway) 90 horsepower. Why? In 1971, GM’s horsepower ratings changed from gross to net ratings, and this specimen’s SS-only LS5 454 received a savage neutering in print, reduced to a paltry 270 HP. Don’t let that fool you, though. It would have been comparable to the 1970 LS5’s rating of 360 HP (some details courtesy of Wikipedia).
This 1972 Chevelle represents the last year of this body style, when it was was America’s second best-selling car behind its Impala/Caprice siblings, and this picture shows this car’s handsome original color combination. No matter how you rate it, 7.4 Liters of displacement in a 3,500 lb car will definitely get you in trouble. It would be interesting to completely sort out the mechanicals and (at least for a while) drive it around in sleeper mode with the faded wrong color paint, posing as a small-block powered SS clone… until you drop the hammer. Is this car worth the Buy-It-Now price of $32,000? What would you do with this mid-sized mauler?
Odd. looks like great work done so far…..question is….why not finish it?
Reading the ad says LS5 matching numbers professionally rebuilt and on stand. what is in the car? I assume they are one in the same and it is off the stand and now in the car? or is that a different motor in the car and the numbers matching motor is being sold for additional $$? Was the LS5 built to 72 specs or something better I would hope, like 71 or 70? For a paint and body guy this seems like a decent deal.
I’m thinking a paint and body guy did buy this car started the restoration and got cold feet? Probably would cost too much to make it right.Bumpers, grills headlamp doors, turn signal lenses interior remove vinyl top gas tank maybe needs floors trunk and who knows what else. The car has been totally repainted with the wrong color. could be loaded with Tiger or Gorilla hair fiberglass filler.
I know it’s probably just me but, I’d never repaint a Mulsanne blue car red.
For all that still needs to be done, I think the buy-it-now price is about 6~8K too strong. The seller makes it sound like if you give it a quick sanding, do a little body work, install the seat covers… you’re done. I’d say on a complete resto this buggy is about 30~35% done. The devil is in the details.
Did they change the color 45 years ago or what?????
The color change may have been done in the 80’s after the blue was looking tired. I would have gone back to the factory blue then too.
Hicksville. Lawn Guyland. Chassis looks great! Can’t understand why he just simply put the weathered body back on. It would have been so much easier to work it in pieces…This brings up so many more questions, like are the floors at least done/painted. Looks like it could be a good project (as Tom said) for a body guy, but $30K? Seems a bit high.
Take it back to blue, take care of the surface rust and check carefully the back window, looks like the vinyl top is coming loose.
To the best of my recollection, the M22 trans was only offered behind solid lifter equipped engines, which the LS5 was not…
In 1971 and 1972 the M22 was the only four speed available with the 454 engine (LS5).
This is a tough crowd. 72 ss Chevy bbc Chevelle still can’t catch a break. It’s a good project. High on the asking price but a good project.
Horse Power was down because they lowered compression 2 points 8.5 to 1.
I am a ford guy but love these BBC chevelles!! The price is a tad high but still in reach for some of us. A color change is no that hard. Bring it back to stock! And it is time to start enjoying this ride!! Love these Big Block chevelles!!
the way the guy has the ad done gives me warning bells. the last car I bought from Lawn Guyland (nice one Rabbit) when I pulled the vinyl roof the rear window and what was left of the entire channel came off with it…too many questions, not enough pictures of what matters for clarity.