Chevrolet built more than 50,000 Chevelle Super Sports in 1970, the last year before sales declined due to rising insurance premiums and engine detuning. Buyers had their choice of two engines: the 396 cubic inch V8 (now 402 but still marketed as a 396) and the new 454. The seller’s car is the former with a 4-speed manual transmission, but it’s in rough shape thanks to a restoration that never got off the ground. Located in Bonny Lake, Washington, this incomplete project is available here on craigslist for $29,500.
The seller and/or his son bought this Chevy with plans to restore it. But it sat at a body shop for two years without ever having been touched, so they brought it home. After they retrieved it, they found that some of the engine hardware had been pilfered. So, it’s not surprising they have lost interest in the project and will hand it off to someone else who wants to turn it into a six-figure automobile.
You’re going to have to read between the lines in the seller’s description. And there’s a build sheet that should confirm it’s a real-deal SS 396, but if you can read it, you’re a better person than I am. No photos of the engine compartment are provided, so we don’t know what else may have disappeared beyond the parts the seller indicates. The odometer is said to read 500 miles, so could that be 100,500?
This is a blue car with a red hood substituted from another cowl induction Chevelle. It once had a vinyl roof covering, and the white interior looks like a lost cause. There is rust on the floorboards, but we’re told the quarter panels are fine. There is no trunk key, so who knows what you’ll find in there. We’ve seen a lot of projects like this where a ton of vision will be required, especially at the cost of acquisition. A salute to “Curvette” for another Bow-Tie tip!
The description on the Craigslist ad is one of the most incoherent things I have read anywhere.
Your slipping Curvette l hope you sent that in as a joke 😃
I did send it just for the ad description, I knew everyone would get a kick out of it.
It has all the markings of someone using the “dictation to text” feature on a cell phone (with no edits to the transcription).
By the way, you’ve provided some great tips to the BF editors.
I really like your screen name. I will have to watch Godfather this week.
With those “rocket panels” it must have 4 on the floor 2 belly up and fuel injected lugnuts.
Craigslist often seems like a The Onion page for illiteracy.
LOL and it is hard to find a dry chef once you’ve lost it.
Apparently he’s a graduate of the “Learing Center” of Minneapolis. Was then deported to WA.
The car is as much of a disgrace as is the educational level of the owner. He must have a BA in communications from the University of California, Rohnert Park.
Horrible pictures, incoherent description, good luck getting anywhere close to the asking price of $29,500. The VIN is useless when trying to verify a 1970 Chevelle is an SS.
Steve R
Maybe the comma is out of place????
$2,950.00 is more realistic in my opinion. And that is what it is, an opinion.
I just gave myself a headache reading the sellers add along with a price that is beyond reasonable.
Perfect description: “Located in Bonny Lake, WA.”
Seller should toss it back into Lake Bonny…
$29,500? I hope if he gets that ridiculous price for it, he goes back to school and takes some courses in writing a coherent paragraph.
That’s $29,500 Canadian. Comes out to $295.00 American.
It’s probably easier to read the “belt sheet” that’s rotted to pieces, LOL!
Okay…so the chosen body shop were aholes? Got that but why? Is it because they never touched it in 2 years or because a chef broke in and stole the manifold? So maybe the chef needed one and didn’t have the money? Yeah, I can believe it’s only got 500 miles on it. Why isn’t it being advertised as a mint survivor? I hope the chef gets caught with that big block manifold!! Ahole
I was able to make out “3.31” for the rear end which denotes a 12 bolt and was used with the big block Chevelles, and also “396/350” so it appears this is a 350 HP 396 which was exclusive to the SS for 1970. Even still $29K for a car that needs everything..seller has a strong case of Barrett-Jacksonitis.
On build sheets you need to make sure the section with the VIN is still present/attached. I’ve got a build sheets for a 1970 Chevelle and a 1970 El Camino, the Chevelle was a 350 4spd, the El Camino was a non-SS factory 396. They came in a box of stuff I got from a friend that included several window stickers. You can’t trust spending a significant amount of money based on a ratty build sheet alone, but some people will.
Steve R
True, however I would think the build sheet we are seeing is legitimate and not some fake whipped up on the spot.
I would watch concerned about a build sheets from other cars, rather than fake.
Steve R
Safe to say this moron couldn’t make a fake “belt sheet”.
Terrible thing here for a lot of money. I get it is a 4 speed big block Chevelle but pictures and not good ones and the bad write up add are as bad shape as the the car. It’s a shame these older cars end up this way.
He’s waiting for a rich Chevelle fanatic to step up. And you know there’s one out there, somewhere.
Most of them got rich because they aren’t dumb enough to buy one in this condition.
Steve R
Something tells me the body shop wasn’t the a-hole in this situation.
… Or, they’re smokin some REALLY good stuff to come to such a high price for this car. Note to seller: your car is not worth $29K and your description
really stinks! Yeah, you’re gonna be holding the bag on this POS
car for a long time to come. There! I said it! And I’m being nice about it. I”ll be 72 in August,
I have no filter left, and my give a
damn’s busted!
Even if this is a real SS, the asking price is so far off, free would still be a loss. I bet the seller got an estimate from the body shop to restore this car (my guess would be around 6 figures), lost his ability to speak, or type and thinks he is holding the winning lotto ticket. My prediction, this lump of metal will still be sitting in his driveway years from now.
The answer that’s not here is to the question of “Who leaves a car at a body shop and never checks to see what’s going on for a couple of years?” They would have been better off buying one already done.
You leave it at the body shop when you do not have the funds to pay the bill, at that point.
Shouldn’t be much of a bill, unless the car was in even worse shape than it is now when he dropped it off.
No thanks!! 29,500 is really grasping…
The car is a crying shame! The asking price is crazy!
I have $30,000 to spend on a collector car. Should I buy a really nice car in turnkey condition or this sorry Chevelle? Gee, I’m so conflicted. After looking at this advertisement all I can say is geez louise; if you really want this thing gone then at least spend an afternoon removing the deleterious crap and maybe like hit it with the leaf blower? And of course being a CL ad; an engine picture is just too much effort. Even if I were a diehard bow tie fanatic and could actually confirm that the car is what the seller is portraying; I would be moving on to find something better than this. The seller is quite clear that they only want to deal with serious buyers. Well good luck finding any serious buyers that will be interested in handing you thirty large for this heap.
It will cost $200,000 to make this into a $100,000 car,
Did I wake up in some sort of alternate reality? First the fake Superbird for 85K, and now this junk yard dog for over 29K. I don’t think that we are in Kansas anymore Toto.
Not an alternate reality, they’ve just been featuring a lot more overpriced cars lately. It gives an impression, especially to new or occasional visitors to this site that everything is now overpriced. Too many cars are, but there are large segments of the enthusiast market, often post 1970’s that are good values, but are often ignored.
Steve R
Ok, yes it will take tons of dollars to put this car back to its glory days….point made. However, 1970 was a one year model, according to the author only 50K SS Cheveles were produced…..Out of those original Chevelle SS how many do you honestly believe survived with the street, track racing circuit going on, during this time frame? How many survived just via normal driving, aka accidents. How many still have the build sheet to validate a true SS?? The chevelle industry has made a point there is more Chevlles SS on the market today, then was ever produced! Is 29k going to sell this car…BIG NO…however, everyone knows you start high dollar and locate the ceiling price…basic common sense….However, you may just find that one buyer, that has deep pockets..and would rather start from the ground up with a valid SS then spend 6 figures and find out later it is a fake…..Happens quite often…
I owned a 70 SS 396 that I dropped a 427 in, and I owned a 70 SS El Camino that I dropped a ton of money in. I think I’m done with Chevelles… but it DID give me some ideas. The first idea is that I have better things to spend $30k on… anyone have a 1962 2door Chevy II?
If I had the extra cash and no other projects, I would probably go 8 or 10 thou. on it; unless it is even rougher in person.
Maybe they meant $29. I are not sure.
I hear banjo music
So funny. I needed a good laugh, thank you.
I thought so also. However, it was my hearing aid tuning into my bluegrass channel. You may need to check yours also, if you have one.
I have a manifold and a dry chef that will fit this car. $ 500 each, or $1500 for both. Leave the cash with Tiny over at the Chevron station next to Starbucks and I’ll put the parts behind the dumpster at Wendy’s. No refunds.
Missing the Yellow Barrier Tape … it’s a Crime Scene.
I would consider a rotisserie build, but only if the more realistic price of $19K to start such a project. Motivation needed here!
What body shop owner would let a car sit in his shop for 2 years taking up space without the owner SENDING money. Or coming after the car amazing ?
Renegade “shops” that only take cash and work under the table. That type of “shop” is incredibly common in my area, San Francisco Bay Area, because the cost of operating a legitimate shop is so expensive, plus most of the legitimate shops only do insurance work on late model cars.
Steve R
I live in Santiago Chile and we have the same problem here; most shops work only on cars covered by some insurance. Those that don´t, are unreliable as hell. I have a 2013 VW Passat, loaded with electronics in one of those for almost a year now and am still waiting for parts. My limited Spanish doesn´t help either and the official VW shops (dealers) are prohibitevly expensive. Instead of getting all riled up, I drive my 2024 Ford Territory Titanium with great pleasure and hope for the best apropos my Passat. The thing to do is, sell any car with more than 10 years on the clock, no matter how great it runs. Just get rid of severe problems before they arise.
I’ve got a 74 Nova SS Hatchback that’s been at the body shop for more than 2 years. I drop by periodically and have gotten a new excuse as to why it isn’t done. Job is all over paint, get the body gaps right, and undercoat it. $15K. He makes a little progress when I drop by every couple of weeks, and presents a new and innovative excuse. I’m 81 now, sure hope I get to drive it before I croak!
Next time I get my hands on 29500 scheckels, I know what I’m a gonna do…
Is it really a “for speed” or is it actually a “forespeed”? My neighbor’s dog wants to know.