One thing I really respect about muscle car fanatics is their ability to identify a diamond in the rough. Among the thousands of a particular make or model produced (if not hundreds of thousands), they’re able to find the car with the right options worthy of dragging home. This 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS is one such example, with the seller doing his homework to determine it is a desirable SS454 LS5 4-speed car. Find it here on craigslist for $17,500.
The Chevelle was discovered in Alabama, and still wears its period license plates. The seller is fully aware that this is a significant project, but one well worth pursuing. It comes with the original, tattered build sheet, which may as well be the ark of the covenant as it relates to proving an old muscle car’s pedigree. The seller claims only 4,298 of these Chevelles were built in this configuration.
Obviously, the glass is gone, the interior is trashed, and the body needs a complete overhaul. There’s not a whole lot left of the original car, including the desirable motor. The seller points out, however, that the original M22 transmission and 3.31 CRV rear axle are still with the car, which is important considering the transmission was specific to the SS 454 cars.
While the body will need extensive work, the rarity and relative completeness works in the Chevelle’s favor. The potential to have an impressive car when done is tempting, but it will never be numbers-matching – a key part of the muscle car game. If a corret date-coded replacement engine can be sourced, it starts making more sense to me, but I’m sure bowtie fanatics find this one intriguing regardless of the missing motor.
Even if it did have the original mill this looks to be too much money. And without it it’s definitely priced too high! Bad interior and who knows how long the glass has been missing. I say pass on this one.
I wonder what the guy who loves to badmouth every Mopar on here would think of 17K for a bombed-out Chevelle husk. Probably a screaming deal.
While the car does have neat pedigree it would cost 30 to 40 thousand to restore if you done most of the work yourself. When you’re done you will have a car that has a build sheet with mostly aftermarket parts.
The M22 was available with the 396 as well as the 454.
I’ll never forget- I was pumping gas after school, and the Amoco station across the street, the guy who worked there had a mint 70 Chevelle with 454- and an M-22—never forget the sound of that rock crusher. Anyhoo–This sure is a ruffian- think its overpriced, or do you guys think its worth the coin with the documentation? for a guy doing it himself, long hard project, but if you have the passion–and long for that M-22 whine– go for it. Good luck to the new owner!
Cheers
GPC
Been for sale on CL for a LONG TIME!!!!
I continue to be amazed at the fact that, regardless of make, cars like these which are no longer whole are what they are soley based on a small rectangular piece of metal with numbers on them.
Can’t blame people for trying to cash in for as much as possible, but I tend to agree with you. If it had an original engine, etc, maybe it would be worth more.If I lost a leg, would I be worth more because someone said I originally had my leg I was born with, or would I be written off as a one legged man? A “survivor” should be worth more, because someone took good care of it. Something like this was stripped of good parts and left to rot somewhere. I can not possibly understand why it is worth anything. If that was the case, why isn’t an original 307 Malibu fitted with a 454 just as valuable? Actually, I myself would prefer the Malibu over this anyway, much better all around car, and because I drive cars for pleasure, not for how much they are worth.
Regardless of how long this has sat unsold, it appears anyway, to still be worthy of a frame off. OK; so the numbers-matching 454 is gone; it will STILL be very much worth the $$ in doing a frame-off. And LS6 4-speed is already an extremely high-priced collector car, so this will hold its value well if restored right.
I say fix the trunklid build a 8-71 468,myself i would have no problem driving it in this shape, mechanicals fixed, im checking the couch cushions as we speak
This is a highly collectable mobile trash bin.
here is the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkEi00Vlo3k
Couldn’t Chev have built 2 more, to round off the number???
For some reason the period slotted mags make it cool. Brings it back to a high school parking lot 40-some years ago.
Good grief
pos!
17k for a rust bucket with no motor come on get real. 1750.00 would be more like it.
If it had the 454 original Motor it might be worth something ,other than that it is a nightmare waiting to happen, too much water under the bridge .
Maybe he should have covered it up with a trap about 20 yrs ago….
Too late for this car, too expensive and needs to much work!
Put your money in a nice original car, you will be happier and money ahead!!
Let this one rust away, it already has a great start!
And for $17,500 you are only getting a Money Pit!!
A sick joke.
Uh – looks like the guy that posted this on cragslist attached the wrong pictures. Honest mistake I’m sure
Slightly more rare than the much stronger running LS6. Despite all the notoriety of the 454 Chevelle Chevrolet sold a ton more SS 396 versions in ’70. Insurance reasons?
This one is really really…awful, more of a junkyard find. It sucks that this once proud ride got wasted.
Howd the build sheet survive with no glass ? 17.5 for this is not worth it imo its just another chevelle parts car, nothing rare about it and its cost to restore wouldn’t be worth it . Ive had many chevelles and i wouldn’t waste money on this one build sheet or not . These cars were made to use not stare at in a showroom. lifes too short drive it like ya stole it !
Someone will drown in this project.
This apparently was posted for sale by Patrick Glenn Nichols, who shot the youtube video linked in one of the comments here. It looks like he has bought a number of his “barn finds” that people have contacted him about, with intentions for a quick flip.