“1970 Chevrolet Chevelle Survivor,” the ad here on eBay says. You look, and the first thing you see is a mud flap at the bottom of the driver’s side wheel well. Then the full-wheel covers with whitewalls grab you. Then the gold paint. Would you have chosen your Chevelle so equipped if you’d been after a new car on the showroom floor in 1970? Perhaps not. But what’s survived is what’s survived, and if you want a car that is insanely original, then this is your color choice. The car presently sits at just over $23K, with the reserve not met. I wonder what that magic number is that will dislodge this car from its present home in Santa Fe, New Mexico?
The Chevelle nameplate resonates with enthusiasts in association with monster V8s of the 396-CID or even 454-CID variety. But most Chevelles were not muscle machines. Starting in 1964 and continuing through the 1978 model year, they were often sedate people-movers, like this car, despite the fact that it has a 307-cubic-inch V8, which sounds like a lot of displacement to people who have grown up with a 2.0-litre engine being the default engine size in their sporty runabouts. This 307 was rated at 200 horsepower, an improvement on the base 6-cylinder’s 155hp. But do you buy this car for performance? I don’t. I buy it because it’s an untouched survivor, a car way better, at least as you can see in pictures than its 77,000-plus miles would indicate. This car truly looks like it has never spent a night outdoors, and such vehicles don’t come along very often.
In terms of equipment, this Chevelle is a bit barren. I’d be willing to bet that 90% or more of the audience for this ad have never driven a column-shifted 3-speed, but this particular car has that exact feature. There is no narrative of what else it has—power steering? Power brakes? AC? You have only one good under-hood shot to try to figure out the accessories. Why so little info? Because NONE OF THAT MATTERS in a car that has its original spare tire in the trunk, with sticker attached. Sure, the gold-on-gold-on-gold (on gold) color might be a bit off-putting, but the point here is that of all the Chevelles produced in 1970, only this one and maybe a handful of others are so unmolested, so if you want original, this is your choice, or you can wait a year, or forever, for the next one.
The only thing “wrong” with this car—as in not correct—is that someone, who knows what reason, added a half-vinyl roof, apparently in 1971. That’s fine, but why in the world an opera window was made part of that package—even better, how?—is perhaps a detail lost to time. Barn Finder experts please weigh in comments. Too bad, and perhaps worthy of a bid a few hundred bucks lower than if it weren’t that way, but in the end, you really have little choice: Do you want this Chevelle’s near-perfect originality, or don’t you?
briank,
I’m glad you mentioned the opera ports (how could you not), as it was the first thing I saw – my gaze locked on that in a millisecond. Goofy, but unique for darn sure.
I’m glad the article pointed out the non factory opera windows. I thought I stumbled onto a a little bit of GM automotive trivia. I won’t go all the way by stating lipstick on a pig but to me it looks like a dealer trying to move slow moving inventory. For those who wanted a Cadillac with opera windows but didn’t have the cash to make it happen.
I’m with you. I liked this car a lot more a few hours ago. Those portholes are now really bugging me.
Not a pig but definitely an “off-color lipstick.”
Our choir director had a brand new one just like this, without the vinyl and port windows, duh.
The only cars I’d seen that looks half way decent with portholes are either Lincoln Continental or the Buick.
The portholes and “Town car?” Styled roof would have been groovy in the 70’s. Just slide those Raybans through your lamb chops, slip on the gold chain and bell bottoms and just cruise. Oh ya don’t forget about the English Leather.
Original? If you say so. I couldn’t live with those holes in the c pillar. For this kind of money you could get better equipment and less ugly vinyl top. IMHO.
I’m glad everyone is mentioning the portholes. Could be considered a survivor if someone didn’t murder the poor thing by installing them
Yes; I agree the portholes look horrible. However we may still call it a survivor in the sense they are as good as ‘original’ to THIS specimen considering this Chevelle was only a year old when the roof was installed. 2nd gen Camaros have surfaced with roofs that are very similar in appearance to the one found on the featured Chevelle (2 in first link):
https://www.camaros.net/threads/opera-window.433778/
https://www.carscoops.com/2020/03/for-15500-you-can-get-this-1973-chevy-camaro-with-rare-opera-windows/
I must admit it is a shockingly well-kept specimen but I foresee it loosing the opera windows very soon. While from a historical perspective that may be sad however it’s highly sensible from a visual one…
Nobody seems to have a problem with “Day two” survivor cars with Cragers, torq thrusts and SW tachs, gages etc, but this was well cared for and survived because someone back in the day heard the beat of a different drum.
Cut some slack, it would have been crushed and non existent for all the armchair snide remarks, if it wasn’t somebody’s pride and joy.
This car will be an SS clone faster than you can decide if those are port holes or opera windows
I’ve seen Camaros on Blazer frames, mag wheels on Caddys, and side pipes on Lincolns. But an opera mindow on a Chevelle??!! Now THAT is an atrocity!
As bad as Lambo doors on a 99 Buick Century? I kid you not.
Gassing up at the Speedway station in my neighborhood. Flat black.
Passed on an original 1973 Camaro LT with the port holes installed just the other day…..
First thing I would do is install a full vinyl top to cover up those opera windows. Cool that it is equipped with the anti-theft 3 on the tree!
Those port windows was a dealer option. I seen those before on GM vehicles in the Bronx NY. But this is a first for me on a Chevelle. No AC,PS,PB and a 307 with a 3 on the tree. This is almost like a museum piece to show people what I stock standard vehicle looks like. Except for the port windows. 😂
“Dealer option”, as in poor taste aftermarket, we’ll do whatever it takes to move this turd, dealer option
Totally base car tarted up with super fly 💩 added
A chick magnet…..like T-Tops…..guess you had to be there….
And tiny nine inch drum brakes. Talk about brake fad
The “sticker” on the spare tire is off of a MUCH later tire, a radial, NOT for the bias ply spare
Seriously, no one can read?
SMH over the inability of people to notice simple details
The Uniroyal “Glas-Belt” a.k.a. “The Rain Tire” is clearly a period-correct tire (introduced in 1969). If you’re referring to the label, perhaps you have a point – it may have been added to “tart-up” the car a bit – the Liberator II is a much later series.
Agree – the tire type is original to the car – have an original low/none one as well….but not that sticker.
That’s right – Uniroyal Glas-Belt Fastrak tires date back to ’69, whereas that Liberator II sticker has a barcode on it, a dead giveaway which dates the sticker to the early/mid ’80s or later.
Actually no on the bar codes – I was a QC inspector in the mid 70’s – on of all things – Lays potato chips. I checked the bar code for accuracy as part of my job.
I wonder how original it is. If that car is from New Mexico with 77K miles, it’s had at least 4 windshield replacements.
Anybody hear about the guy who got his head stuck in porthole? He couldn’t get it out to save his
I have said before these are old cars don’t assume it’s 307,we used to replace every Chevy that needed
rebuilt or replaced with Jasper 350s
That looks like something ” Pimp My Ride ” would do .
From New Mexico? Maybe the top and port holes are the result of a ’70’s trip to Tijuana?
This car was saved by quirky opera window because no one in the last 50 years could see themselves driving a 307 (gasp) with a opera window ! Talk about crushing the party!
Upsell. That is what the portholes are. When the owner brought this car to the “shop” to have the vinyl top installed, the sales guy talked him into the portholes. Maybe it was even bogo.
Poor man’s Monte? Stiil, spectacular new car condition!
You gotta give the seller credit for the car having whitewalls & wheel covers with the 307. When was the last time you saw a ’70-72 monte carlo with proper factory wheel covers? – most wore them back then.
Watched a video two guys digging out a 1970 Pontiac Lemans.
Had the same ports in it. Color of the car was green on green.
Car very nice condition.It wasnt a GTO of any sort ,but first time seeing the ports,rather odd .
On a Chevrolet no.
The portholes and vinyl top ruin an otherwise gorgeous car!
No one here old enough to remember that horrible time period in the early 70’s where “Opera Windows” and “Landau Vinyl Roofs” were a hot mod, but usually by old fart geezers (of which I now qualify, so no judgement). Mods like that were usually accompanied by J.C. Whitney owner-installed “protective side moldings” which never failed to make the car look worse from any angle.
It was only a “port hole” if it was on a T-Bird or a boat.
I agree. I’ve never understood why cars of the time had things like vinyl roofs. All it does is look tacky.
Could be so you didn’t have to compound & wax the roof !
Using armor all on a vinyl roof is a lot easier.
A vinyl roof looks outSTANDing on a ’66-’67 lemans(with the sunken/recessed rear window) & its GM sister division versions!!
Also looks great on a full size ’71 plymouth fury, especially with this very rare style vinyl roof!! –>
https://ccmarketplace.azureedge.net/cc-temp/listing/90/4496/2944522-1971-plymouth-fury-iii-std.jpg
The worse car to get a vinyl roof on IMO is a ’73’?-76? trans am!!!
A vinyl roof available on some station wagons & pickup trucks back in the day was IMO was just as ridiculous.
Imagine a vinyl roof on a ’63-’67 fastback corvette!
Worse than a vinyl roof is a FAKE convertible top!!! – especially on a 4 door! lol
Port holes, 307 and a 3 on the tree? I have never seen one like this before?
To order a stripper and then put opera windows in it is the epitome of a bad understanding of money and value.
Nice condition, but some people seem born to make bad decisions.
I agree karl, unique set up, to be sure.I remember opera windows on the HUGE T-bird, but nothing like this. I do love the 307 & 3-on-the-tree set up for the tranny, that’s gotta be fun to drive.
I would leave the outside stock but modernize everything else! yeah something needs to be done with that opera window though.
My cousin had a 73 Impala w opera windows, grill cap, spokes and gangster whites, all available at SM Rose Chevrolet in NY, it was the 70s, Superfly Disco days, pimp mobiles, though on a Chevelle, not so good
Awesome car. I love original survivors. My favourites have always been the 1970 and 71 Chevelle Malibu and SS.
No A/C no power steering and no power brakes. And the port windows. Look horrible. For that much money. I thing I would pay more and get what I would want.
I agree. I don’t care whether the car has A/C or not, but I could do without the portholes. The only cars I’d seen that look half way decent with portholes are the Lincoln Continental or the 1949 Buick.
if you were willing to replace the vinyl top with a full size one, and replace the headliner, the portholes could be filled in with new metal for minimal fuss.
At least the port holes makes discussion!
Its a Malibu, not a Chevelle.
Call it what it is.
A Cutlass is a Cutlass, not a 442.
A Skylark is a Skylark, not a GS.
A Lemans is a Lemans, not a GTO