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Hidden for 40 Years! 1970 LS6 Chevelle SS 454

The 1970 LS6 Chevelle SS 454 has been called “The Ultimate Muscle Car… King Of The Streets” and, regardless of brand affiliation, muscle-car fans respect its 450 HP, 500 lb-ft LS6 engine. Two of our (anonymous) readers suggested a feature retelling this car’s story, originally documented on Hotrod. After spending about ten years terrorizing the streets of Pennsylvania, this bow-tie bruiser took a long winter’s nap until being discovered and authenticated in 2017.

Thanks to its early retirement, this SS retains nearly all of its original parts including some unique LS6 pieces. There is (at least) surface rust on nearly everything. When you see rust on the little trim screws inside the glove compartment, you know you’re in for a daunting restoration, as moisture permeated the entire vehicle during at least part of its slumber.

The monster big block and four-speed make a brutal combination that few posers would have challenged more than once. A gentleman in my home-town had one of these when I was in high school. It was rarely driven and stored in a tiny old garage barely wider than the car itself, but it was immaculate. I didn’t know how special they were then, but anything bearing “SS” and “454” badges and cowl induction caught the respect of young gear-heads cruising around in their under-powered hand-me-down cars.

The standard SS 454 packed a potent 360 HP LS5 mill, but another $263 got you this LS6 with a solid lifter cam, an 800 CFM Holley carburetor, low-rise intake, and square-port heads with 11.0:1 compression vs 10.25. Even with the stock tires of the day this combination is good for quarter mile times in the mid 13s (some details courtesy of SuperChevy.com. The new owner plans a complete nut-and-bolt restoration, after which you can expect more magazine and Internet articles celebrating this amazing vehicle. Close your eyes and picture yourself behind the wheel of this muscle monster one summer evening. The raucous slightly uneven exhaust tone burbles in anticipation. You depress the clutch, engage first, and launch at idle, laying down two streaks and shredding off into the night. What’s your daydream for this SS?

Comments

  1. Avatar leiniedude Member

    Man, what a find! I don’t get the dueling air filters though?

    Like 1
    • Avatar Chuck Walker

      I used to do this on my Chevelle too. It doubles the CFM of the air cleaner do it can breathe more air..

      Like 2
    • Avatar Dan

      More air flow to the carb….old trick..

      Like 1
    • Avatar Bob

      The dual filters really help it breathe better at the higher RPMs. I don’t have the numbers anymore, but it does improve performance.

      Like 3
    • Avatar Big Ed

      GM used to sell a taller air filter that was stock on station wagons and trucks with the 400ci engines I think.You could get them at PEP Boys , Western Auto, etc.

      Like 3
  2. Avatar Chris Kennedy

    I would be tempted to restore this one no further then as a survivor. Clean and detail it replacing only what needs to be. Remove the seat covers if they are in good shape, replacing the seat cushions and carpet…just enough to get rid of the odors. Buff the paint, clean up the chrome, refurbish the mechanical peices as need be, control arm bushings, being deliberate to retain all original hard parts. Then drive with pride!

    Like 4
    • Avatar Pete

      I agree! They are only original once. If you’ve seen a restored red Chevelle you’ve seen a hundred, how many originals do you see?regardless the condition. If it’s a rust bucket that’s a different story….

      Like 1
  3. Avatar Dan

    I have owned 2 LS-6’s over the years….and 3 LS-5’s…..sweet rides…

    Like 4
  4. Avatar Benjamin Spradley

    What a sweet ride, It is telling you,im worth the money to make me badass again as it was the day i rolled off the line.. With a LS6 I make all the heads come to the track… If voting for the baddest ride of the 70’s this SS has my vote…

    Like 3
  5. Avatar Randall

    great great find,,,,,As a barn find archaeologist that I am, that would be an all time high find,, so the question is how many LS6 Chevrolet were built?

    Like 1
    • Avatar kelly

      quite a few less than “survive” today

      Like 2
    • Avatar Troy S

      4,475 LS6 Chevelles were built in 1970, which outsold the less capable 4,298 LS5 Chevelles. However, 53,559 SS396 Chevelles were also built that year even though the engine now displaced 402 cubes. Hope this helps.

      Like 3
    • Avatar Mustang manic

      Not enough, never had one but i would drool & get lite headed when i seen one.

      Like 1
  6. Avatar Richard

    Be good if there were some barn finds like this in New Zealand instead we have to bring them in. Awesome car

    Like 0
  7. Avatar ROBERT

    i have a 1971 ss 454 convertable and love it to death !! matching numbers except for the transmission its my every other weekend car only. i scored this dream car 8 years ago the cons on this car is the transmission was replaced with a automatic and the miles are over 100k but its a looker and i love it (silver /blk stripes ) silver on black.

    Like 2
  8. Avatar Joe M

    Nice car, but that is one hell of a lot of rust in weird places. Wonder if it was flooded? Got burned on a Monte Carlo that way, rotted from the inside out. The older these cars get thier history gets lost in the past, and something old is new again. Even in this condition it is still worth attempting a restoration. Hopefully they post he restoration progess in some future articles.

    Like 2
  9. Avatar Sparkster

    A friend in high school had the El Camino version of this. SS454 white with red stripe. Tan interior. What a BLAST to drive.

    Like 1
  10. Avatar Michael

    I’ve always wondered why someone would store a car for years without any protective covering. Otherwise I would clean it up and preserve it

    Like 0
  11. Avatar rdc

    This one seems to push all the buttons.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar mtshootist1

    the closest I ever got to one of these was driving my buddy’s 69 Chevelle SS396 with 375 HP. It was awesome, throw you in the backseat awesome power.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jack Gutwein

      My brother had a 68 SS 396 375. I know exactly what you are talking about . I think they derated the hp in order for insurance purposes. I believe it was more like 425hp.

      Like 0
      • Avatar Troy S

        I’m not sure about the L78 396, but I do know that GM wouldn’t allow more than one horsepower per cubic inch in any of their passenger cars with the sole exception being the corvette starting in 1967. Multi carburetors were also no longer allowed,again with the ‘vette getting a pass. Big brother was all over the auto industry about safety and emissions back then and it made a lot of the top brass very worried about some of the cars they were selling to the general public.

        Like 0
  13. Avatar Mike Akerman

    Very kool old skool . We used to double air filters when i was young punk, now I’m an old fool , but would’nt pass up a clean up and drive this one.

    Like 1
  14. Avatar JW

    A friend of mine had one of these back in 1971, it was black with white stripes and it was the terrorist of the streets.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Miguel

    Can the experts tell me if that is the correct engine?

    It sure does look small in that engine compartment.

    I thought the big blocks like the 396 has wider valve covers.

    Like 1
    • Avatar D

      Looks to me it’s a big block, I have a 70 SS396 myself. One neat thing about mine is it was born with power windows and is matching numbers.

      Like 2
      • Avatar MDD

        I had a 70 SS396 with power windows myself. I know most of the history before I bought the car, I lived in KC North area (Parkville), sold the car to a guy in 1976 from Buckner. Dark green, with the white SS stripes, black vinyl top at the time. Over the years I have only come across one with the PW option on all the sites. Sure would like to at find, purchase, or at least visit the car.
        MDD

        Like 0
    • Avatar Harold Wood

      Sure don’t look like a big Block to me either I had a 71 SS 454, My 1st car when I came back from overseas during Nam. The valve covers are much wider. Mine was an automatic and had Air with the cowl induction under the hood was much fuller than that car. What I remember the most about mine was the 4 miles to the Gallon. It was geared so low top speed was only 95 miles per hour, but it did get there plenty quick. Rumor was Gas was going to go up to a $1.00 a Gallon so I swapped it off at a dealer ship for two cars, A 70 small block 400 GTO convertible and and a 70 4 door dodge coronet with a 318 so I had some performance with the GTO and some economy with the Coronet. Sure wish I had all them old cars back now.

      Like 2
      • Avatar James Stewart

        Looks like a ‘70 Chevy Chevelle SS to me

        Like 1
    • Avatar Rocco

      Just look(count) the valve cover tall bolts. Duh!

      Like 1
      • Avatar Harold Wood

        Yea seen that but they sure look Narrow for a big block, but It’s got to be one.

        Like 0
    • Avatar Jim

      It’s a smallblock

      Like 0
      • Avatar DB

        No, it’s a big block, valve covers Tell you that

        Like 1
    • Avatar Mauro

      I can’t tell you if it is the correct engine for this particular car but I can tell you that this is a Chevrolet big block. The valve covers appear to be narrower because they are aftermarket and and taller than the stock covers. Usually, owners would do this for clearance because they installed an after market valve train with higher ratio rockers. Or they just liked the “look.” Personally, l hate the look. Chevy big block valve covers from the period are some of the coolest looking ever, really simple but the proportions are just right and very pleasing to the eye.

      Like 0
  16. Avatar TriPowerVette

    “My dream” for this SS454 is for it to come up against a Hemi GTX, Road Runner, ‘Cuda, Challenger or Boss 429 of the same year, on a clear, flat piece of asphalt, with no other traffic. Horsepower claims would be demonstrated to be just a number.

    Fact is, a 440+6 would be a better match, and likely the same outcome. For that matter, a Stage 1 Buick GS or Olds W30 might kick that Chevy’s a** as well. CobraJets were never a threat – raced one in my HemiCuda. No contest.

    I’m not a brand chauvinist, just a performance realist, and very experienced owner.

    Nice car, but wedges race in a different class than Hemi’s for a reason.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Tony S

      The linked heacockclassic article shows period magazine tests which disagree.

      Like 1
      • Avatar TriPowerVette

        Magazine tests? I hold my belly and laugh uproariously! This is the problem in a nutshell.

        People like to bench race based on having read tests. I bench race based on the fact that my brother and I were there. It was called real racing then. We’ve owned just about everything that most motorheads dream about. Our periphery contained a huge sample of the rest of the cars, of which we did not own examples. (Please see the rest of this article for more.)

        As a VERY small sample: I am in the VERY FIRST (SAAC) Shelby Registry ever printed, along with my brother’s and my 1967 GT500. We had a 1969 CobraJet Torino, too. I won my class in a 1968 Mustang fastback.

        We’ve had 3 440 Six Packs and one 340 Six Pack (AAR) ‘Cuda. My brother and I owned one of the 14 1971 HemiCuda convertibles for 4 years. I traded it for my first of 2 427 3X2 Corvette convertibles. My wife gave me a 396 Corvette convertible for our wedding, 29 years ago. My brother still has his 396 Corvette coupe. We have had many 442’s and 350 Rallye’s.

        This list is just a just a few off the top of many performance cars we’ve owned and loved. I had a Cosworth Vega! 4 Porsches, 3 Fiat 124s, 5 Jaguars (I am in the First 500 Club for 1961 XKE’s (it isn’t a real thing, just an expression among those who have had them, or wish they had).

        If I give you an opinion of relative performance, it is speaking from experience… lots of it.

        Ackerman’s Hemi R/T would chew that Chevelle up and spit it out. Take that to the bank.

        Magazine tests… PPpppppFFFfffffTTTttttttt!

        Like 2
      • Avatar TriPowerVette

        +Tony S – Sir, do you have the ear of the moderators of this board? I found out that some of the information I posted (Of course it WOULD be the third-party information) may not be accurate, and I ALWAYS want to be giving people the best available.

        It would also grate on me horribly to think that I caused a drop in the quality of information posted on this board.

        Thank you, even if the answer is “no”.

        Like 0
  17. Avatar Mike Akerman

    Let me know when it’s ready to take on my stock hemi 4 speed.

    Like 1
  18. Avatar Jeff Cain

    wheres the console?

    Like 0
  19. Avatar Tom Malloy

    I wonder if it could smoke my stock 400 hp LS 2 2006 GTO?

    Like 0
  20. Avatar jay

    I got punched in the head by one of these animals by a local guy when we where teens. Although I never told him, I thought it was a cool ride. Tan with black stripes, and it was powerful when it hit its stride. Not many cars could take my goat, but he did. Great cars and a great time in auto history!!

    Like 0
    • Avatar TriPowerVette

      Your GOaT?

      My brother and I have had 3 Trans-Ams (1970,1973, & 1974) and 1 GTO (’64, Tri-Power, Fact A/C).

      A friend of ours had a 1969 Judge, and a neighbor, a 1968 RA III BillyGoat.

      I didn’t even list GTO/TA as a potential match for the LS6, because it would be no contest. Pontiac and High-Performance is generally a contradiction in terms.

      There were 3 Pontiacs that would ever have had a chance against the Chevelle:
      1) 421 Super Duty – they came in bodies that were too heavy, though
      2) Ram Air V… our friend bought a 400 CI RA-V from Jerry Titus’ widow, and spent almost 2 years shoehorning it into his 1969 Trans-Am. That was a hot ride!
      3) ’73-’74 Super Duty. These engines had mountains of potential, but required major surgery to bring out the best in them.

      Otherwise; GTO’s raced 383 Road Runners (and usually lost), 396 Chevelles and won or lost, depending on whether the Chevelle were 325, 350 or 375 horse. Comparable Camaros would bury the GTO. 390 Torino/Fairlanes were an even-up match, edge to the GTO. Comparable Mustang/Cougar blows the GTO in the weeds. CobraJets laughed at GTOs. 442s and Buick GSs were fair matches until W30 and Stage I, Stage II respectively, then even the SD (in stock form) had no chance.

      And that is the way it was.

      Like 1
      • Avatar z28th1s

        Why would you have to ‘shoehorn’ a 400 RA-V in a ’69 Trans Am when it already came with a 400 in it from the factory?

        Like 1
      • Avatar TriPowerVette

        +z28th1s – I like +Tony S – he has been kind to me in other threads; but you and he have something in common. You both bench race – from paper.

        Sir; respectfully, your question demonstrates the fact that you know nothing about the subject material. If I were to say that it took years for me to bolt a Pontiac 428 into a 428 CobraJet Mustang, your comment would be as valid in that case.

        Just because the displacement is the same, doesn’t necessarily mean anything else is. How about something more comparable? Why do you think you would have your work cut out for you, if you tried to bolt a 427 SOHC, into a 1969 Mustang?

        We know that a 427 fits (using the term ‘fits’, loosely). It is because the SOHC is from MARS and a 1969 Mustang is from Venus. Same for a R/A V and a 1969 T/A (NOT Firebird – they are not the same). Neither the SOHC, nor the R/A V was EVER designed to drop into a production car. They were over-the-counter (and sometimes out the back door).

        Engine mounts and ALL accessory brackets and pulleys had to be fabricated. Not to mention the exhaust. This, while the owner attended engineering school. Halfway through his travails, his father wouldn’t let him use the garage any more, so he had a commute to a self-store rental unit added to his difficulties.

        Realize that I am already speaking outside my depth, since I was not the one performing the surgery. These vignettes were gleaned from conversations with him and observation. Suffice to say few, if any, of the R/A V parts bolted across with a R/A (anything, III, IV), much less a stock 400. It is IMPOSSIBLE (I rarely use that term) to make an R/A V, from a garden variety Pontiac 400. A R/A V is a real race motor, and has my respect as an engineering achievement, at a time in Pontiac’s history when factory racing was a dirty phrase at GM.

        Even the displacement is an illusion. The R/A V came in a variety of displacements, including a 303 (for Trans Am racing), 366 (for NASCAR) and 400 (for NHRA, etc…), and maybe other displacements (Again, I’m not the expert, he was.)

        I know I get wordy, and sometimes sound like an a**, but I really want you to understand the answer to your question. A more normal ‘guy’ would probably have just said “Cause a R/A V just don’t fit”. I try to be more considerate (even though it doesn’t seem like it). Thank you for your question.

        Like 1
      • Avatar PAPERBKWRITER

        Tri-power, enjoyed your post and find them very informative since you didn’t favor any brand.

        Like 0
      • Avatar TriPowerVette

        +PAPERBKWRITER – Thank you, sir. I gave you a ‘Thumbs Up’.

        +z28th1s – It appears that at least 3 other people (judging by your ‘Thumbs Up’ count), are in the same boat as you were, before my response…
        ‘And now you know… the rest of the story.’
        I’ll bet they’re glad they are anonymous, now.

        Like 0
      • Avatar carsofchaos

        TriPowerVette you should be writing for some online muscle car mags…seriously man. Your type of info is the stuff that’s missing from 90% of everything I read online.
        BTW I could beat GTO’s with my 63 Riviera (425ci obviously not the 401ci and not against a tri-powered goat). Fastest car I ever had was a ’61 300G.

        Like 0
      • Avatar TriPowerVette

        +carsofchaos – Thank you, sir. You are too kind. The problem I have is trying to turn off the spigot. In this article, I named maybe 10% of the cars my brother and I’ve had. But the experiences are endless. Bet I could bore at least 10 non-motorheads to death.

        I know what you mean about the anecdotal information, though. If it’s the right stuff, it absolutely makes an article, doesn’t it? If it’s the wrong stuff, it usually goes something like “my brother had a 383 Hemi, too…”

        That one actually happened to me at a car show.

        Or, “…that’s not stock…”, pointing to an oil filter that has the wrong color silk screening on it.

        My answer is always: ‘Serial numbers don’t win races’. That’s what these cars were designed to do. Not sit under cloth car covers in climate controlled garages.

        My brother’s 396 Corvette has many non-stock improvements. I have been dying to order a reproduction Window sticker, and type in stuff like:
        “Holly 930…………….. RPO Kiss my A**.”
        “Elelbrock Intake……. RPO Bite me”
        “Kicks A**……………… Standard equipment”
        etc…

        ’63 – ‘5 Riv is among the most beautiful cars ever produced. They just scream class. With the 2X4 Intake they weren’t the slowest thing out there, either.

        The 300 was a 413, I presume?

        Like 0
      • Avatar Poncho pusher

        I DO NOT agree with the pontiac and performance being a contradiction…..you only named the every one knows about cars…….sorry to tell you but my 66 tri power 389 G.P. is a monster on tha streets today not yester yr…….beat quite a few 383 and 440 bees n runners held here own against a R.A.3 judge spanked multiple chevelles big and small block a million novas eats my 442s ass on a bad day…..so if you dont know how to make em breath n build power then o guess your assumtion is true……do you even relize G.M.made pontiac stop racein in march of 63 cause the S.D. 421 waa proved to put over 100 hp more then “rated” by the factory…..oh n spankin ALOT of 409s 406s and 413……course you also prob wasnt aware that pontiac actually was penilized cuase they weighed more then the chevy dodge and fords…….plus a GTO a real GTO not some dolled up tempest or lemans with a badge waa true performance cars…….problem was most people rather have things like p/s p/w ect over performance……and there where dodge came in with this great idea of stripped car lot of power…….thats what J.D. pictured the GTO not many people understood the point of it……..just sayin if you pull up next to my ole prix be in for a huge suprise….ask the last hell cat that thought wrong……

        Like 0
      • Avatar carsofchaos

        Right on Tri-Power don’t worry about getting wordy this has been, in my opinion, one of the best threads ever on BF.
        Yep the 300G was the 413 with the cross ram long tube headers. Rated at 375hp but we all know that wasn’t the case!
        My 63 Riv was not a dual quad but a buddy of mine had a 65 GS with dual quads, I don’t recall him ever getting beat in that car.

        Like 0
      • Avatar Rocco

        TriPowerVette,
        I also like that you didn’t favor any brand, and gave you thumbs up. You know BF is looking for writers on this forum. How about it BF staff?

        Quote: PAPERBKWRITER
        Oct 11, 2017 at 6:34pm
        Tri-power, enjoyed your post and find them very informative since you didn’t favor any brand.

        Like 0
  21. Avatar mike D

    unfortunetly, time has not been kind to this SS, note the vinyl top curling over the rear glass, the interior is a mess even if you discount the clutter , even washed and waxed, I think the paint is pretty beat Chrome wheels, make sure the underside is up to snuff .. you could take it to a show and leave it pretty much as is and call it a work in progress , but drive it as is anyways

    Like 0
    • Avatar Miguel

      I wonder why the headlight surrounds are a different color if it was used for such a short time.

      What happened to the front end?

      Like 0
  22. Avatar Shawn

    If this car is restored, please dont make her a trailer queen. These monsters need to be DRIVEN. PLEASE Let her breathe and run as she was so designed!

    Like 0
  23. Avatar Dale

    I’d sell it an buy a ‘70 Stage One Buick GSX. The true ultimate Muscle car.

    Like 0
  24. Avatar R Widell

    It has 7 Valve cover bolts. It’s a big block

    Like 0
  25. Avatar Rob

    Why is there no link to buy this!!!!??????? Take my money. Polish it up, new roof, new carpet and recover the seats. Go through the mechanicals. all new fluids. I would replace all the lower bearings. Again, just in case. Then. Just drive her, and love her. She is beautiful!

    Like 0
    • Avatar Rocco

      Rob,
      It’s a reference to a magazine article. Did you read the first paragraph?

      Like 0
  26. Avatar Barzini

    Doesn’t almost everyone above a certain age – say 50ish – has some story involving a SS Chevelle? It’s usually a former owner, remorseful would be buyer who let one get away, or a friend / acquainance of an owner from way back when. (Sadly, I am the remorseful would be buyer who did not have a ridiculously small amount of money to buy a hammered one back in 1979.)

    Good luck to the new owner.

    Like 2
    • Avatar TriPowerVette

      + Barzini – Are you ever right on the money. Don’t feel bad, though. My brother and I had no money back then, so that is why we have had so many.

      We bought them, after some a-h**e with money laid waste to it. Then it cost us everything we could scrape together to make them right. After that, we’d either need the money or find the next project, so, we had to sell.

      If we had had the money, we never would have sold any of them. We loved them all… Ford, Chevy, Mopar, Buick, Olds, and, yes, Ponitac, too.

      We lost deals that gave us nightmares for years afterwards. We’d rack our brains, asking ourselves “couldn’t we have scraped together $XXX”?

      I was offered a Ferrari 275 GTB for $6000! This was the 1960’s, that was a lot of money, and we just couldn’t do it. We were offered a 4-speed Hemi Daytona for $1099, again, no money. I was again offered a choice of either a wrecked 195(9?) Ferrari Testarossa (short track, 6-cyl – not the 12) or a 275 GTB (with a missing 2nd gear) for $30,000. Take my choice. This time it was 1982, and I could have almost done it, but I would have had to live in whichever car I chose. I was offered a Lola T-70 (Licensed for street use!) for $3000! 1970’s, No money.

      We have endless stories like this. Not to mention the ones where we had the money, but someone got there just before we did.

      Don’t feel bad. I gave you a thumbs up.

      Like 0
  27. Avatar lawrence

    Dang…..just look at those pedals……it was rode pretty good !

    Like 0
  28. Avatar ZL-1 Dave

    LS-6’s were the kings on the street and could easily be turned into LS-7’s , and then you had a 10 second street car back in the day. I know from experience but in all fairness a lot of the more popular power plants have great potential. But in my opinion BBC’s get the job done with less money and they are really bullet proof.

    Like 3
    • Avatar TriPowerVette

      I gave you a ‘thumbs up’. It took guts, but you are kinda right.

      Like 1
  29. Avatar MARK BOYCE

    Odd that the console is missing, the stack was needed because the factory CI air filter assembly’s lid was nearly an 1 1/2 above the airhorn, I ran a 6″ k&n back in mid 80’s and the lid was just under the hood bump. Sure did flow better! an 850 dp likes to breath :) snapped a pic of my old beast at Palmdale back in the day. Raced it with my handcontrols lots of fun keeping it straight …

    Like 1
    • Avatar TriPowerVette

      +Mark Boyce – WOW! I only just now read your comment (I’m ashamed, but I kinda skimmed past the last sentence or two)! You will not believe this, but the HemiCuda convertible in the picture just below this comment was the only HemiCuda known to have been delivered with HAND CONTROLS! The original owner (from whom I bought it) had received a large insurance settlement, and he bought this ‘Cuda with a part of the proceeds. It left the showroom with hand controls. The first mod I had to make, was buy a rubber accelerator pedal! I bought it with 4200 Miles on it, 1 year old. Unbelieveable!

      Like 0
    • Avatar D

      Console isn’t missing, that square shifter boot is for bench seat models and bucket seat models with no console. Console equipped cars had an entirely different shifter hump / hole, also different shifters. I have had and still have both.

      Like 0
  30. Avatar ZL-1 Dave

    Thanks for the thumbs up. It’s not my intention to offend anyone. Love the vintage picture of the “70” with the super tricks!! I had a “71” low compression LS-6 that raced in SS/F. Boy those were the good old days, everything was so simple and you didn’t have to be wealthy to race heads-up in a class.

    Like 0
    • Avatar TriPowerVette

      The class where our ’68 mustang was a class winner was N/S. The class I raced the HemiCuda was SS/EA. Chrysler purpose-built the convertibles to race and win in that class; kind of like the AMC SS/Crambler.

      They wouldn’t let Hemis race in any of the stock classes (at least that was what we were made to believe – I don’t know whether it was really true).

      Regularly got my a** handed to me by other Hemis that were better prepared (not to mention trailered). I drove it there, then drove it home… for 4 years, it was my daily transportation, as was every one of the cars I mention in these articles.

      You’re right… good times.

      Like 0
      • Avatar ZL-1 Dave

        My friends and I had a long standing joke about my “71” Chevelle because it weighed in at 3920lb with me in it and full cage & Dana 60. We used to tell everyone that it was the heaviest car at the track except for the ambulance. Ha Ha

        Like 0
  31. Avatar Greg flynn

    I had the chance to buy a 69 chevelle 396 in high school for 1600.00 put my parents thought I kill myself with that car. I ended up with a 1970 roadrunner was a nice car but think it would of been eaten alive by the chevelle because of the gearing. Had good high end but not fast off the line.

    Like 0
    • Avatar TriPowerVette

      +Greg Flynn – You didn’t get second best. That ’70 was just a gorgeous performance car. The more money you put in, the quicker it goes.

      My friend and I spent a weekend building a 383 to put in his ‘Cuda (until he could afford a Hemi). He got a pair of 1967 440 Magnum heads (because those had the thickest casting around the ports – no thin wall castings yet), and we each got 6 or 8 grinding stones, and glued a Mr. Gasket intake gasket to each head.

      Then we ground and ground and ground, to match the ports to the gasket. The whole time, were praying that we didn’t strike water. Then we ground inside the ports as far as the tool would go. The result would not have made any professional porting company envious, but they were functional.

      That ‘Cuda was blisteringly quick.

      Like 0
  32. Avatar Reno Diggs

    Sleep for forty years in Pennsylvania, rough restoration if she slept on dirt. Love to see the process and wonder what shop got the job.

    Like 0
  33. Avatar leiniedude Member

    LOL! Thanks Gang. I was a Hippie back in the early 70’s. The Dodge Lodge van and all. I used to get lucky and hold the trouble light for my buddies while they were changing rear ends and motors. We were all smoking reefer and drinking Hamms beer. Man, some of those cars were scary fast. Thanks for the memories. Great times. Love those cats to this day. Surprised we all survived.

    Like 0
  34. Avatar Troy S

    Even in this broken down condition , through simple photographs this LS6 Chevelle has stirred up some of the most competitive comments I’ve ever read on this site. Probably the most iconic muscle car ever built!

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    • Avatar TriPowerVette

      +Weeeeellllll… ONE of the most…

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  35. Avatar Todd Fitch Staff

    I wanted to say a big Thank You to everyone for your comments on what has become one of my favorite pieces… because of you all. Without the comments I’d might as well write about a car and put a printout in a file folder somewhere, but all of you have made this page ten times more interesting than my original post. That’s what it’s all about! I encourage any and all of you to add comments, even slightly off-topic, whenever you feel so moved. Your corrections, additions, and stories are what makes BarnFinds.com the place I want to “hang out” and talk about cars. Keep it coming!

    Like 1
    • Avatar PAPERBKWRITER

      Best BF thread EVER.

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    • Avatar carsofchaos

      Yep Todd this one is a definite keeper!

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  36. Avatar rough diamond

    @TriPowerVette-your desired modified window sticker for your brothers 396 Corvette had me laughing harder than I have in long while. Thank you!

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    • Avatar TriPowerVette

      +rough diamond – You are welcome, sir. Actually, I had a lot more, but, as I said, it feels like I get a little long-winded at times.

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  37. Avatar 68 Deluxe

    The optional seat separator was just that , an option, not standard equipment. Commonly known as the D55 option. I think the manual shift cars look better without the console , in my opinion. Great comments guys!

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    • Avatar Rocco

      @ 68 Deluxe,
      I agree about the looks.

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  38. Avatar Ed Miller

    my 1965 Corvette had a 396 factory rated at 425 hp.

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  39. Avatar 433 jeff

    I’m with Chris restore it a little and drive it, I’m a big fan of original paint, Let’s face it this is an amazing find period, rust or not . I bought my first ss396 red black with 4 speed and 12 bolt in 1981 for 375$, was either that or 71 440 charger. My old man drove it home1/2 hour, it burned and leaked all 4 quarts of oil on the way home, and I had to push it up the last hill while my old man drove it,monetarily I wish I kept that and the burgandy white stripe white gut car, but my friends ecode goat always looked better, so I drive a Pontiac but I power with chevy. Tri power vette good to hear your comments as you cut your teeth on all of it , it sounds. Sure I would love this big dog, but pocketbook to small

    Like 1
    • Avatar TriPowerVette

      @433 jeff – Thank you, sir… and, yes, my brother, our friends and I sure did.

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  40. Avatar Robert Earl

    Did anyone on here ever mention or know of just exactly where in PA this one was found ?

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  41. Avatar adonis f jones

    My cousin ran into the side of a train.ss 396 red, he was coming from basic training during the Vietnam era.army said brakes not strong enough for all that power.we had just met that summer before he shipped out.always feared this car.still think one of the most beautiful heavy chevys ever built.

    Like 1
    • Avatar 433jeff

      I cant even imagine driving a Hemi convert as a daily for 4 years, to and fro track, How many fill-ups, how many tires, how many ball joints? 2 clutches? How many rides to get milk, ice cream, any foliage rides? How many repairs after racing to get back home. Thats last living large, nice Ss454 my orig ss396 red black 70 sold for 375$ with 12 bolt m21 402. It was 1981, the choice was the chevy or a 71 440 charger for 800. I could reread the ls6 story every couple of months, Keep em coming B F , if they made 4500 of the ls 6, then my guess is each state has 15-20 left in them , that helps me sleep better, so every week i raid the couch cushions and put the proceeds in a jar for, My Turn. A 426 for 4 years……washed once a month?

      Like 0
  42. Avatar Larry

    I dated my wife in 1976 in a 70 Chevelle SS 454 LS-6 with auto trans. It is black with white stripes, black bucket seats and black vinyl top

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  43. Avatar Ike

    Front bumper peel , sea weed coming out exhaust….

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  44. Avatar Chris Nieland

    I agree for sure. I now have a 1970 Chevelle SS 454 built in Arlington , Texas . I was born 8/10/1961 so I love everything Chevrolet. I bought mine for an investment for my son. I got lucky and found a rare Hugger Orange with White Stripe original Special Paint Code 72. This big block is a monster !!! Heartbeat of AMERICA…LIKE A ROCK . CN

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