Chevrolet introduced the 454 cubic inch big block V8 in 1970. The LS6 version was the most powerful at 450 factory horsepower and 500 lb.-ft of torque. These are considered the Holy Grail of Chevy muscle cars and command big bucks. This 1970 Chevelle SS 454 has had a professional restoration and is graded at #2 condition. Located in a garage near Memphis, Tennessee, this car is available here on craigslist and only for those with deep pockets: $175,000. A nod to Jack M. for this grand tip.
The 1970 model year was probably the last for big sales numbers for muscle cars. And the mid-size Super Sport did well with 53,600 assemblies with the SS 396 option and nearly 8,800 with the new SS 454 (this includes both Chevelles and El Caminos). LS6 production numbers were just under 4,500 units, and those cars can command big bucks these days (witness the seller’s vehicle). These engines were designed for some heavy-duty action at the drag strip.
This example is said to have been restored, and its red paint with black stripes may have been the most popular color. But most that you see have black interiors, and this one is red, perhaps adding to its rarity. Besides the monster V8, it should have the M22 “Rock Crusher” 4-speed manual transmission. This car deserves a better presentation than it’s getting. First, I wouldn’t put a $175k car on craigslist (you’re going to get a lot of false inquiries). And, second, the photos provided should have been taken out in the open, not inside a cramped garage.
While the seller’s description is somewhat light, the credentials of the car may not be. We’re told it’s a Best of Show winner in Super Chevy Magazine. And its restoration is graded at #2. Only 2,000 miles have been added to the car since it was redone (rotisserie?), and the seller says there is a lot of paperwork to support the process. If you have a spare 175 large lying around, would this car get your attention?
Before dropping that kind of cash I would check this car from end to end. Why can’t the seller sit it outside and take full side front and rear shots? And why does it have AC vents but no AC compressor? Maybe it’s the Astro ventilation…someone correct me if I am wrong. For this money the car needs at least 75 pics upside, downside and inside.
Those are not AC vents.
Steve R
And why is there a broom handle holding up the hood at that price?
D Doone, I wouldn’t know about the broom handle, I only responded to the lack of AC vents.
It’s a nice car, but not $175k nice.
Steve R
Wayne,
No factory A/C on the LS6. TOO much torque. Floated the valves in the compressor which then created a demilling of the muffler bearings.
Factory truism! 😂
No A.C. w LS-6 from G.M….wasnt available
The most serious setup from Chevrolet. Wish you could catch a drive in this Dixon and write a review 😎 🏁
Russ Dixon I agree. Take the Chevy out of the gararge. Wash it well or detail it. And take the max amount of pictures you can put on this site. I will never understand people asking hugh coin for there special ride and its dirty and only 7 photos. How freaking sad!!! If this was mine . I would detail inside and out. And partly sunny day take plenty of pictures even showing the frame,exhaust etc. The 4 speed should be an M22 my 70 Olds 442 455 monster had a M22. I rarely used 1st gear since I had 3.90s posi outback. This Chevy may have 4.11s and you can tell real fast if its the M22 set up. I wish this seller well! 🇺🇸🐻
The M22 was the only manual transmission available with an LS-6, there were only two choices of rear end gearing, 3.31’s or 4.10’s.
Steve R
I love these cars and have owned a couple. The list of things I’ve learned since owning them is long. Perhaps Steve R will recall giving me some helpful tips and knowledge nearly 9 years ago when my first one landed on these very pages. With that said, these cars have continued to rise, but need to be very correct with documentation to bring numbers like this. Just at first glance, I immediately see incorrect valve covers, upper radiator hose, and a Duralast battery. I appreciate the tower clamps, but would like to see a Delco repop at a minimum.
Thank you for the nice words.
Another issue is the red painted firewall and Hurst shifter. I like the shifter upgrade, but if the car is a high dollar restoration the Muncie shifter is a more appropriate choice. I’m I missing a smog pump in the engine pictures?
Steve R
Yes, holy grail car and very nice, but $175k is absolute top dollar for this car. At that money it should have 200 pics, be listed appropriately on Hemmings and other premium outlets, etc. Seller is giving himself a lot of ‘splainin to do here…
I recently bought my ‘66 Corsa for a pittance of this price and the seller had 194 pics, and 4 videos, including walk around, walk around in overcast light, driving and cold start.
2,000 miles since restoration. Arguably it should have come out of a top-drawer restoration as a #1 condition vehicle. A condition #2 car should have a very short list of minor imperfections. So, the seller should confess (and photograph) what those imperfections are.
Another lazy seller!
The seller must be clueless to list this on craigslist.
another red 70 Chevelle. where’s the build sheet? sellers of real LS6 cars always show them to prove what it is. the restoration is not impressive at all. for 175k it better be 110% with factory markings and stampings and an engine bay so clean you can eat off it, and this is not. red gut looks but the cheapo mats need to go. needs more pics too. i think the seller is fishing.
They had announced last call and that final pour was the best. Four hundred and fifty horses of visceral satisfaction. Maybe someone will get the straight scoop on this car.
I see a $75,000 at best, this car shows or does not show a lot of short comings….
My LS6 ( K187829 ) Black with white strips. Before i sold it,had a smog pump with tubes going into the exhaust manifolds,and my brake booster was gold.
Can’t tell what wheels are on this car, can’t tell if it has the U14 special instrumentation,can’t tell what radio it has.
They need to take a lot more pictures and show some casting numbers
My 70 SS 396 was forest green, white stripes, black vinyl top. The black top seems like it would have been an odd choice but it looked great. The green with the white stripes is still my favorite.
I’m sure all you guys have never heard this but, I always kick myself for selling it when I was getting ready for college in 76.
I had 2 super sports and a bunch of malibus. This red interior is overwhelming.
Every time I got in my car I looked for the knob to turn it down just to red, it was a red red car. The black interior was good , a little chintzy with plastic SSOn the wheel and door panels,the 4bbl and the opening cowl induction was pretty cool. The interior definitely wasn’t as nice as the black interior 68GTO with wood grain and vent windows. The white interior was nice with black cherry and white stripes.
4500 is a pretty plentiful number for a special big block. The Ls6 was pretty durable. Lots of fun. Could take a real beating. With the prices going sky high , there’s probably more than 4500 now
Just out of high school in 1976 I was looking for a hot rod. Drove a few of these, one 4 speed and one auto, but were in the $2500 range. I only had 2K so settled for a 70 SS454 Monte Carlo for $1900. Still have it today
You would think that for a #2 restoration, they would make sure the gap on the glovebox door was even all the way around.
God is good beer is great AND SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST DOWN RIGHT CRAZY
Craigslist is not the place to sell this.
If this car is what it says it is, then this is a “bidder war” car at a TV auction. If it’s not, then worth way less than claimed here. There’s not a lot of in-between room. There’s a $150k difference.
Have you looked into the costs associated with taking a car to an auction? It can get incredibly expensive especially if you can’t get a premium evening time slot.
There is little reason not to try a platform like Craigslist, the main objective is to get eyes on the ad so potential buyers will eventually see it. Websites like this re-post the ads they also get passed around to various enthusiast forums and shared by friends. All at little to no cost. You will get people that waste the sellers time, but you will get that no matter what.
Steve R
Perhaps if sellers put an over abundance of info in their ad, that alone would cut back on time wasted. If you’re going to list a car of this caliber for sale, regardless of the forum, the ad should contain every piece of documentation and clear pics of all numbers, to help prospective buyers make an informed decision. If a seller writes a comprehensive ad, the emails coming in, would be drastically reduced.
BS,if there is ANY truth to this ad and pricing it would be on the Barrett Jackson or Mecum stage!
Steve R,
I’m not arguing your point but there must be a reason that sellers of genuine factory hot rods seem to flock to the auctions. They must feel that theyll get more from a live bidding war.
On the buyer side, the auction house has a duty to vet what they claim.
I think the whole TV auction thing is silly, but it seems to work for both sides or they wouldn’t be sustainable over the long term.
But open to being wrong.
Bluesman, based on the number of special interest/muscle cars that sell nationwide on all platforms throughout the year, auctions make up a small fraction. Of that amount, dealers make up a good portion of the buyers and sellers.
Everyone likes to focus on the high sale prices, that may be true for cars that have a premium nighttime slot, many of the cars that run midday sell for significantly less. I think people tend to fixate on auctions, when there are plenty of good deals for those putting in the legwork to find cars elsewhere.
Steve R
If the seller were to list this car on BaT or a premium site, the crowd would tear this car apart. Not one pic verifying the authenticity of this car. If the seller is going to claim the coveted LS6 crown, he’d better back that claim up with casting #’s, date codes, engine pad photos, trans ID tag, rear end stamp and casting numbers. If the engine turns out to be an original LS6, chances are this is the real deal but for this kind of bank, I’d like to see a POP, window sticker, or build sheet to ease my mind.
I will swear up & down I saw a forest green with black vinyl roof 1970 SS 454 at Swanson Chevrolet in Grand Rapids, Mn.
The window sticker said 460 hp. LS-7?
Highest hp I’ve seen anywhere is 450 but like I said , the sticker said 460 hp.
My understanding is some dealer modified Chevelles were fitted with the LS7 engine. It never was actually made as a factory option. The engines were sold over the counter as crate engines for a number of years in the ‘70s also.
Yeah, I just read that. Odd that I saw it on the window sticker, but I suppose it could be modified.
Why don’t a bunch of us chip in for a plane ticket for SSTerry to fly out and check it out.
Or the other gentleman who knows more about ’70 Chevelle SS’s than the people who made them. Sorry, his name escapes me.
Anyway, first get either one of those two guys to get on the horn with this owner and let them talk about this Chevelle. I’m sure it won’t take long to separate the bull and the buckwheat.
We can speculate till the cows come home.
I’ve got to find out where it’s located??
Located in a garage near Memphis, Tennessee
Russ, you always do a nice job with your write ups. I’m not feeling you on this one. Kinda get the hunch of your apprehension for you to start waving your flag of “yeah sure, I’m buying this”.
Just a long mileage read.
Wooderson says “Bring it on!”
Had to do a double take. Looks like me back then..whoa!
Watch the movie this clip is from: Dazed and Confused. You will most likely dig it.
Saw it years ago. From what I remember it was a kick ass film.
What’s your gut on this car?
Thanks.
I’m with the gang who says that it’s not real unless there’s documentation to back it up. Build Sheet, old photos / paperwork, ownership history, Protecto Plate. Those items can give solid evidence that this SS is the real deal.
Seller does mention lots of documentation, so I suppose a serious buyer would contact them to have a look.
But, I’m never going to own one of these – I prefer Chevys of the Corvette flavor.
I’m a little skeptical also. The fact that he chose the advertising format that he did, the lack of the pride of ownership, the lack-sa-daysical approach to his obvious lack of knowledge AND, his hidden ego thinking someone is just going to saunter right up to his door and open a gangster briefcase full of hundred dollar bills.
Did I miss anything?
And I wasn’t going to comment on this thing…
LOL! Me neither.
I just love the cars in that movie, so whenever a ’70 454 SS shows up on BF, I have to post a pic of Wooderson’s car.
For 175K, I want an AC Delco radiator cap and smog pump. Useless ad.
Posted on Craigslist for $175k & only a few pics? Kinda sketchy to me.
For all the complaints about the ad, I would bet there isn’t a single person here with serious interest in this car that would just buy it from the ad. Anyone with half a brain would get eyes on the car and hash it out with the seller.
I wouldn’t buy ANY vehicle without putting my eyes on it, the issue with the ad is, a lack of pertinent info. More info and good pics would generate more interest and give prospective buyers, some comfort moving forward, what they are dealing with. It’s called good courtesy and professionalism, an attribute, that seems to be lacking in today’s society.
Plus, CL ads are very low effort. It takes about 5 minutes more time to post the max number of photos and another 5 minutes to type in a better description.
I have sold $10 items on CL with better descriptions and more pics.