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Black Plate Driver: 1966 Chevy Chevelle

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While your average modern family sedan may not inspire thoughts of future desirability, the passage of time slowly begins to strip away the veneer of “boring dad-mobile” and make vintage kiddo haulers more appealing. This 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle here on eBay was probably one of the more utilitarian cars on the road back in the day, but now it looks like a decent classic driver for not too much money. 

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With nicely aged paint and largely straight body panels, I suspect this Chevelle has been a California car since new. The chrome still looks nice and I wouldn’t touch the faded paint, personally. The seller says the V8-powered sedan may need a new radiator but still runs strong; he’s purportedly just the second owner. I wonder if we’ll look at Ford Taurses the same way 50 years from now.

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Still wearing its California black plates, the Chevelle’s clean chrome and untapped bumper speak to years of gentle duty, unlike some many workhorses that slip into lower levels of investment and care. The mileage is said to be just over 44,000, which may be original based on the interior – which the seller claims has never been replaced or repaired. You have to dig the styling elements here, such as that slight curvature to the tail lights.

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This interior shot and the black plates is what got me looking closer at this Chevelle. That’s incredible if it’s original, and the back seat shows more of the same. Perhaps this people carrier was never used for anything more than a single individual’s daily driver? Especially with that bench seat, which seems made for cramming in kids and spouses. The seller has listed a Buy-It-Now of $8K; if the reserve is around $4,000, it seems like a solid buy to me.

Comments

  1. Avatar 68 custom

    looks like a clean example that may in fact be 44k original miles car love it for under 4k, never would I pay 8k!

    Like 0
  2. Avatar JW454

    I guess the passage of time hasn’t stripped away enough veneer in my mind. It’s still a boring “Dad-mobile”. Yes, I’ll look at Ford Tauruses the same in the future as I do now. Boring Mom-mobiles.

    Like 0
  3. Avatar Blindmarc

    Would make a great sleeper if the price stays down. And it looks damn straight for the age.

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Fred W.

    This has to be rare, they made plenty but everyone wanted the 2 doors so few of these were saved. I’m a fan of 4 door hardtops in general, nice looking cars without the ridiculous price.

    Like 1
  5. Avatar geomechs Member

    Looks great! Nothing wrong with a 4-door, they’ve got a lot better access to the back seat(s). Going to need a paint job in the near future but that’s OK; the car IS 50 years old and most of us lost a bit of color by then as well. Very tempting to look further into this car. Just my luck, though; I’ll buy this one and my ’69 model will show up…

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Woodie Man

    Another fifteen hundred dollar car that has magically transformed itself into an eight thousand dollar car. Who knew there would be people who pay that ( or owners who thought they should pay that). I mean I get it……. straight ole iron. Love it, 4 doors. Slushbox. Yikes. eight grand. Double Yikes

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    • Avatar Ralph Terhune

      IDK, I paid $7000 for a 1967 Ford LTD 4 door sedan. Absolutely beautiful car. Never driven in bad weather. Always kept in a climate controlled garage. Has a few flaws, but from 20 feet away it looks brand new. I love it!

      Like 0
  7. Avatar Chebby

    Hardtops are so nice with all the glass down. A Canadian guy once said to me
    “Your American cars from the 60’s are so cool…they have gun windows.”

    A cheap repaint and this will look pretty good, I wouldn’t want to pay a lot of money for it though.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Drew

    If the sun hit the paint over the years like it has then i think the top of rear seat would’ve shown signs of sun damage so i think the interior is not original.

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  9. HoA Howard A Member

    Like 20 years ago, I had a friend whose grandmother had a car exactly like this ( could have been a 6 though, not sure) It had like 20K miles on it, still had the plastic on the seats. I lost track of him for many years, until recently, and I asked him, knowing his grandmother was long gone, what ever happened to her Chevelle. He said, the car basically looked the same as it always did, which was really clean, but they were told, the frame was rusted, so they junked it, “NOOOOO”, I said. Local junkyard got a nice car, no doubt.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar roger

    It is easy to make a 4 door car into 2 door.
    Wheelbase is same,the only thing you need to do is get a couple longer doors and 2 new quarter panels.
    Move latch post back and you have a 2 door car.
    I knew a man who did it plenty of times.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Jorge Garcia

    Not a muscle car just an old grocery getter.

    Like 0

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