- Seller: David B (Contact)
- Location: Killingworth, Connecticut
- Mileage: 68,000 Shown
- Chassis #: 136379B389297
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: 396 HPE L34 V8
- Transmission: TH350 Automatic
Bench seats and column shifters usually suggest sensible transportation, but this 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle combines both with big-block power, a 3.73-geared Positraction rear end, and an exhaust note that the seller describes as decidedly lopey. Restored and modified in 2020, it also has Vintage Air, four-wheel power disc brakes, and shouldn’t have any issues keeping up in modern traffic. This Frost Green Chevelle is located in Killingworth, Connecticut, and is offered here on Barn Finds Classifieds for $72,000. It has a clean title, and its odometer currently shows about 68,000 miles.
The current owner bought the car about two years ago from Blue Line Classics in Ohio. He was told that it had previously lived in North Carolina and retained its original sheet metal when it was restored. The body was stripped and refinished in its original Frost Green, the bumpers were rechromed, and a new black vinyl top was installed. American Racing Torq Thrust wheels and staggered Cooper Cobra radials, 215/70R15 in front and 275/65R15 at the rear, give it a muscular stance. The seller rates the exterior as excellent, noting only a couple of tiny paint drips along the lower edge of the driver’s door.
Chevrolet’s 1969 sales literature advertised 325- and 350-horsepower versions of the SS 396. The seller identifies this car as a genuine SS, but its original engine is no longer present. In its place is a big-block represented as a date-coded November 1969 396 with the L34’s 350-horsepower specification. Since the SS became an option package for 1969, the VIN is consistent with a V8 Malibu Sport Coupe built in Baltimore but does not independently establish SS status. A build sheet, Protect-O-Plate, original sales paperwork, or other factory documentation will be needed to verify its SS status.
The replacement engine wears an Edelbrock intake and carburetor, chrome valve covers and air cleaner, and a later HEI distributor. Power steering, a power-brake booster, an aluminum radiator, and the Vintage Air compressor share a very tidy engine compartment. The seller reports that the air conditioning blows cold, the heat works, and the engine starts easily. A strengthened TH350 automatic with a shift kit sends power to a 12-bolt Positraction rear end with 3.73 gears. The seller says it pulls hard and will chirp the tires on both the second- and third-gear shifts. A custom 2.5-inch exhaust with XLerator Turbo mufflers handles the soundtrack.
Drilled and slotted power disc brakes have been fitted at all four corners. Blue Line Classics reportedly represented the car as having the F41 suspension package, and the visible upgrades include front and rear sway bars and boxed Southside Performance rear control arms. The underside was reportedly sandblasted and refinished during the restoration. Overall, it looks clean in the supplied photos, though the close-ups show light surface oxidation on some frame and body-mount hardware.
Inside, green vinyl upholstery covers the bench seats, and the restoration included matching door panels. The column shifter and tilt steering wheel leave room for three across, while the U14-style instrument group provides a tachometer, speedometer, clock, and auxiliary gauges. The seller reports that the gauges and electrical equipment operate properly. A retro-look radio adds an auxiliary input without appearing too modern, and both the trunk and full-size spare are neatly carpeted. The disclosed flaws are a separated seam in the rear portion of the headliner and a few small chips on the glovebox door.
This is not presented as an untouched survivor or a numbers-matching restoration. Instead, it is a polished, thoughtfully upgraded Chevelle that appears ready for summer cruising and local shows, with the visual appeal of a 1969 SS 396 and a drivetrain built to be enjoyed. Documentation will matter at this price, especially for the SS package, the engine’s identity, and the restoration work. Would you preserve its current street-friendly formula, or would you change anything before putting this big-block Chevelle into regular rotation?
How did you get a TH400 transmission pan fastened to the TH350 transmission?
Very nice car. But $72k? Maybe if it was numbers matching original. But I have always thought Chevrolets were over priced. GLWS
It IS a very nice car, but I agree with Terry. This is my era and there were certain options that were considered mandatory to up the cool factor. The TorqThrusts with the staggered fitment are perfect as is the paint color (not my favorite, but period correct). But if you’re going to the expense of all the upgrades why not put in bucket seats and a console?
Then we get to the black vinyl top. GM stylists did a great job with the A-bodies from 1964 through 1967 with a coherent beltline and 3-box architecture. Then they did a masterful job with blending and smoothing the C-pillars in 1968 and ’69 but the designs were NOT intended for BVTs. The clumsy additions of them catastrophically ruined stylistic masterpieces. The worst offenders were the Olds Cutlasses but all the A-bodies suffered.
Enough vitriol from a grumpy old man. This is still a very nice car. A bit overpriced, but those upgrades didn’t come cheap. It demands to be driven and enjoyed looking through the windshield and hitting the loud pedal.