Back in late 1970, I attended a downtown auditorium new car show and muscle cars were still very popular, every manufacturer was present showing off their wares. There was a crowd that had converged around a 1971 Chevelle SS454 and I overheard an attendee say, “What a bummer, it has lost 85 horsepower!”, a reference to this car’s LS5 365 gross HP rating. Of course, he was confusing it with 1970’s penultimate 450 HP LS6 so it wasn’t an apples-to-oranges comparison. Anyway, the gearheads had yanked off the air cleaner to see what sort of fuel mixer was firing the beast (it was a typical Quadrajet) and the air cleaner lid displaying a gray “454 TURBO-JET 365 HORSEPOWER” decal was tossed carelessly down into the engine compartment next to the driver’s side exhaust manifold. So, 52 years later, here’s another similar car and they’re more popular today than they were so many years ago; but why? Let’s look this one over and see if we can answer that nagging question. Located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, this big block Chevelle is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $15,100 with twenty-nine bids tendered so far.
The previously referenced confusion with the horsepower drop was actually misplaced. The ’70 LS5 454 engine was rated at 360 gross HP, so this ’71 got a bump of five, sorta good news if in a small dose. The bad news is that the 450 HP LS6 engine was no more, it was a one-and-done (actually it did continue into ’71, now down-rated to 425 HP and consigned solely to the Corvette). Today’s find, according to the seller is a “NON-MATCHING MOTOR AND A NON-RUNNING CAR”. Hmm, is it a ’71 454 CI engine, or just a 454 CI motor or is it just some generic big-block V8? Caveat emptor – my advice is to decode the engine alpha code and number and make certain you know what you’re acquiring. This vintage Chevelle is easy to clone – it’s done all of the time and it can be difficult to know exactly what you’re paying the big bucks for. The listing references a missing gas tank and “other parts” so there’s something else to consider. The undocumented engine is connected to a Turbo-Hydramatic 400 three-speed automatic transmission.
From an exterior perspective, this Chevy looks good. The seller tells us that it is finished in a two-stage, base and clearcoat paint job and it reveals depth and a luster. I’m not seeing signs of rust and the trunk floor, which is frequently claimed by rust on these GM A-bodies, shows as sound. The interior floors look A-OK too.
The interior’s condition reflects that of the exterior, it’s neat and clean! It’s a bucket seat/center console arrangement, an option on the SS model, and the black vinyl upholstery, along with the carpet, checks out. The plastic lid of the center console is cracked but that’s a common problem and easily remedied. This is an A/C-equipped car but the compressor is missing.
So, why the popularity? There were about 19K Chevelle SS models assembled in ’71 and about 9K of those were bearing the top drawer 454 CI engine (and the ’71 model year was a strike year which adversely affected total volumes). So it’s not really rarity but the SS was a well-balanced package, properly sized, simply assembled, and the big engine had yet to take the deep descent into ’70s malaise. Beyond that, I can’t say – maybe it’s just a memory that previous owners from back in the day want to relive – and are willing to pay the big price to do so. On the surface, this Chevelle looks like a sound project – in good shape and seemingly complete but I have an uneasy feeling about that engine and that may be the reason that this Chevelle is being auctioned for no reserve. Trust but verify, right?
I still don’t understand why people don’t take a bucket of soap and water to some of these. Armor all those tires and replace the wheel cap and you have quite the stunner here. If that engine is no good, just replace it with another 454. This gives you the chance to go through it and build it as you like. This would fetch an easy $30K plus if clean and running.
The stripes are indeed shaped wrong, from the photograph. Since a 71 SS, with the mouse 350, was my very first car, I do have an infinity for them. The hood pins are also missing. Even my mouse motored one had those. So, my belief would be, this is a clone. A nice one perhaps, but still a clone.
Those Stripes are incorrect specs and those fender emblems on both sides are way wrong as well….both things screams it’s a Clone. Can’t see it’s Gauges to see which set it has in it…the Base ones or the Optional Code U14 with a Tach. Buyer Beware.
It’s a clone.13637 in the beginning of the vin denotes a 2dr. Sport coupe Malibu 8 cylinder. If it was a Chevelle sport coupe 8 cylinder it would be 13437 and from there to determine an SS would be a build sheet.The stripes look way off too like someone here mentioned.Caveat emptor.
Note the attached, a pretty accurate resource. The ’71 & ’72 SS were only available on the Malibu (13637) so that’s not an issue here and is correct. One would really need the build sheet to know emphatically.
I did notice, however, that the lower control arms on the rear axle aren’t boxed for an anti-sway bar (missing in this case) and that lends more credence to this car’s non-genuine status.
http://chevellestuff.net/1971/71ss.htm
JO
Looks like you’re right about the Malibu SS my bad.I think boxed control arms only came with f41 and the sway bar and were an option If you didn’t check off the f41 box on the order sheet you got stock lower control arms SS or not.
Maggy,
Beginning with ’70, SS mandated F41 suspension.
You’re right Nick P. after I looked it up I’m Going by memory. Thanks.
It looks a lot more like the ss350 car than a actual ss454 car..that motor is a.truck 402 motor and probably needs just taken out of the car and junked…people fake the hell out of these cars to try and get 20k from a dumb.buyer…ebay should do better .by not claiming the car is a true ss car..in a disclaimer for non Vin. Tag.cars..come on be real..this is false advertising…it’s a fake ss chevelle.
VIN disclosure wouldn’t matter – it doesn’t identify an SS/non-SS equipped model and eBay is hardly going to operate as the Truth and Verify Dept., that’s not their job.
How you can emphatically state that the engine is a 402, or that this was originally a 350 CI-equipped car, is beyond me.
JO
Lovely looking car. My favourite years for the Chevelle has always been 1970 and 71. Given its condition, I’d be willing to pay between $10k and $15k.
It’s a clone, or at least not born with the 454. The engine code in the VIN is an “R”. I have a numbers matching 71 SS454 El Camino, born withe 365 HP LS5, and the engine code in the vin is a “K”. I don’t know what R in this Chevelle’s VIN denotes for an engine, but it’s definitely not for the LS5 454.
Those aren’t engine codes, they’re assembly plant codes:
R=Arlington, TX
K=Kansas City
B=Baltimore
Z=Fremont
A=Atlanta and etc.
Prior to ’72, there’s no way to determine the engine installed, just a designation in the model code as to whether the original powerplant was a six or eight cylinder engine.
JO
Thank you, I was mistaken. I had it confused with 72
I had my painter use 70 SS stripe specs for my 72, I just prefer the thinner stripes. That said, these look even thinner. I also had the stripes boxed instead of rounded, it was a way the Arlington TX plant made some of the stripes, as opposed to rounded off. The build sheets rarely survive from that plant because they we’re mainly found in the passenger footwell
For me its still a chevelle . If it is a true ss its even better. This would be a project for me.. so i would make it an ss clone for my persona;l preference because I would never sell it. That is just me..
I’m rather old-school when it comes to cars in general. I like the Chevelle, I like the Maverick/Comet, and I like the Valiant/Duster.
Too many things scream out it’s a clone!