This Chevelle has a sweet look to it, in photos at least, and it was ordered with all the right hardware: the SS package, 396 V8, 4-speed, Positraction, power steering, A/C, bucket seats, and a center console. Sounds about perfect to me! The only problem is that it has been sitting outside for many years, and the Arizona sun has not been kind to it. The paint is faded and worn, and the underside is crusty. Could there still be some hope for this once-mighty muscle car, though? Find it here on eBay, where it’s listed with an $8,500 asking price.
Here’s a shot of what makes, er, made this particular Chevelle so special. When you pair a 325-horsepower V8 with a 4-speed manual transmission and limited-slip differential, you have a recipe for fun! Big burnouts and stoplight races are easily within reach with this combo. Unfortunately, this engine bay has been picked clean. There used to be things like a 4-barrel carburetor, power steering pump, and even an A/C compressor in there. Surprisingly, the engine isn’t seized. It’s not numbers-matching, though, so it wouldn’t be a sin to replace it with something that’s already been rebuilt.
There’s daylight coming up through those floorboards. That’s a relatively easy fix, though. I’d be more concerned about areas like the suspension mounts and frame rails. The underside does look pretty crusty, but the car is located in Arizona, so maybe there’s still some hope of saving this one without having to replace the frame and every square inch of sheet metal. Luckily, replacement panels are easy to get. I’m not seeing complete bodies for this generation of Chevelle yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re out there somewhere.
Let’s be honest, this is going to be a huge project. Just getting it running and stopping again is going to be a monumental undertaking. Then there’s the rust repair and interior to deal with. The lazy part of me wants to just focus on the drivetrain and interior and leave the exterior alone. I know that’s horrible of me, but it might actually be fun to cruise around in it just the way it is. I bet it would get more attention at a car show than anything else in the sea of shiny Chevelles. What do you think? Would you spring for a paint job, or would you go full patina?
Sigh.
Someone, please take it out back and shoot it. This is too sad.
Rust is subjective. We restored cars in Canada back in the 80’s and 90’s and something this solid was a treasure compared to many. Those in other obviously see it differently. Of course there was no internet then so you worked with what was local or advertised in the paper or auto trader.
There’s a reason it’s in a junk yard.
Tire ripping machine in its day ..lots of $ to ever rip tires again.
I guy that worked for us in 68 had a twin. They were a tire ripping machine! Lot of $ for this sad sack to rip any tires.
Patina?….. there’s a point where patina looks like crap.
The asking price is LOL inducing. :D
Marina Blue 1967 SS
Yes please!
Depending on the floor pan that looks to be an easy car to work on while driving it for the next 10 years. I have the needed parts even the buckets. Too bad they think its 8K. Sell it at a dollar start and let the market decide, yep.
An Arizona car only gets surface rust, but the asking price is way off for what is needed to restore this one and bring it back to life. Maybe if the seller gets more realistic……
$100,000 project????. Pass!
85.00 maybe
This was an interesting car when it was new – 396, 4 speed, ps. posi and ac. But there isn’t much left now. It looks more like a parts donor now.
It’s really rough, but it is a real 4spd SS 396 which is largely complete. There are people that want one, but can’t afford a nicer one and won’t settle for a clone. Those are the people who will be interested, the question is, can a deal be struck with the seller.
If someone has the patience and ability to do the most of the work themselves it won’t cost them $100k to finish.
Steve R
Oh, this poor old girl. I was in high school when they were new and know how beautiful they can be. How dare they call that “patina”.
The girls in high school or the car?
hurt in for certain. good console and some a/c parts. should have done something with it before now.
Being a Fremont car with non-original engine and non-original transmission, there is no proof that it is actually a factory 4-speed car, since Fremont trim tags don’t contain a transmission code. This could have had a Powerglide or a TH400 when new, and got changed along the way.
I would say we need pics of the shifter hump with the console removed to better assess, but you can already see that that entire area has been hacked out and is gone – which leans towards it NOT being a factory 4-speed (floor hacked but console not hacked).
Rear axle code (if original to the car) would tell you if it was a TH400 car, but that info is not in the listing.
$8500????? Seller has a better chance of seeing God. If the car was all there and in this shape…………..maybe and that’s a big maybe. I would take a $2000 gamble, if I had the time…………..and garage space……….and patience……..and extra parts laying around.
Sweet car very rare to find in any condition especially in this good of condition really easy restoration despite what these weekend so called mechanics say if they can’t find parts on the internet from their air-conditioned chair it’s too hard for them
The VIN & Trim tags are in surprisingly good shape. That’s all you’re buying here, folks.
600.bucks and take it to someone’s back yard to keep rusting for another 10 years.mthen.forget it.sell it for parts.
I will buy it for 1K and in a year have the body straight and all metal. The powertrain is a non issue. Like I said before, sell for a Dollar start and let the market decide.
No more foolish inflating book value sellers thinking they have an oak tree solid money car when their only vested interest is pulling it out of a rut onto a trailer that the grandson said give me some crack money for it.
Just kidding about the crackhead.