This 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle SS has been hidden away in storage for an unknown period of time, but it is a car that might have a bit of history to it. The seller has listed the car as a court-ordered sale, so it would be interesting to know what the story is behind it. Even ignoring that aspect, the Chevelle looks like it is in fairly nice condition, and it would appear that returning it to active duty might be a fairly straightforward proposition. If you find this all to be pretty attractive, then you will find the SS located in Porterville, California, and listed for sale here on Craigslist. There has been no price set by the seller, but he has been instructed by the court to solicit bids on the vehicle. Barn Finder Ikey H has a real knack for referring interesting cars through to us, so thank you for spotting this intriguing classic for us Ikey.
The photos that the seller supplies make it quite difficult to make a definitive assessment of the Chevelle’s condition, but overall, it does look pretty encouraging. He has been able to glean some information from the owner, and it appears that the green paint that the car wears is fairly new. Below the layer of dust, it looks like it has a very nice shine to it. There are no signs of any rust issues, and the seller makes no mention of any problems in the listing. The vast majority of the trim and chrome seem to be in good condition, although I did notice that the trim around the front wheel arch on the driver’s side has been damaged at some point. The Chevelle rolls on upgraded wheels, and while it is hard to be certain, it looks like these might be 8″ Rally wheels. What can be seen of them tends to indicate that they are in pretty good condition.
Lifting the hood of the SS reveals a 350ci V8, while the car also features a 3-speed Hydramatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes. The Chevelle has been sitting in storage for a while, but it isn’t clear whether we are talking about months or years here. The seller does say that the vehicle doesn’t currently run, but the owner has indicated to him that it ran and drove well when it was parked. Once again, there is a fair amount of dust present, and the engine bay will need a good clean to return it to a presentable state. It looks like there is oil on the valve cover, but hopefully, this is a simple leak rather than oil being forced out. It also isn’t clear whether the engine is standard, or whether it has been the recipient of any internal performance upgrades. The carburetor looks like it is a newer unit, so the 350 might potentially pump out more than its original 175hp once it has been revived.
The seller does mention that the interior has recently been refurbished, and it does present quite well. The cloth upholstery on the seats appears to be free of any rips, tears, or stains, while the door trims and dash pad look good. The dash face itself is looking a bit worn, but I think that this could be restored with a bit of effort. However, if that sort of thing isn’t something that you would want to tackle, then a full dash carrier kit, including the fascia, ashtray, glove compartment door, new lenses for the gauges, and all the fitting hardware, can be found for around the $480 mark. Install one of those kits and the interior would really shine. We can’t get a clear look at the carpet or the headliner, but if it is in a similar state to the rest of the interior, then it will require little more than a good clean to have it presenting nicely. The original radio is missing from the dash, so the next owner will need to decide what they will slot into the vacant space. The Chevelle isn’t loaded with optional extras, but a tilt wheel should help to make things a bit more comfortable on the road.
It looks promising, it doesn’t currently run, but it might potentially take little effort to return it to a roadworthy state. That pretty much sums up the story of this 1972 Chevelle SS. If the car is as good as it would appear to be on the surface, then there is a real chance that someone is going to become the proud owner of a very nice classic. With the seller currently fielding offers, it would be interesting to see just what the final sale price will be. With all of that in mind, do we have any readers who might be tempted to make an offer on the Chevelle?
I’d like to see more pictures especially underneath and in the trunk area but I’ll get this going offering $2,000
Even though the VIN will not confirm if the car is a real SS, unless it originally came with a 454, there are signs it likely is. It has a small block tach, most people building a clone will purchase the higher redline big block tach, and clear front turn signal lenses. Neither of those are proof, but are often overlooked by someone putting together a clone on the cheap.
The license plate looks to be from the early-90’s and it has a dual feed Holley carb, it would be wise to ask about the body and engine. The seller may or may not be in a position to answer specific questions so any potential buyer should take the advice given in the ad and inspect the car in person.
Steve R
The court-ordered sale could simply be to settle the estate of a deceased person or to satisfy a financial judgment in a civil case. The need to solicit bids would indicate that there may be several parties (i.e., heirs) with a financial interest in the outcome.
I just saw this and on craigs and considered going to see it. Probably never know if this is a real SS. Not to nit pick but the stripes, at least on the rear, are spread too far a part.
Interesting, I’m no expert but it would almost be better to use a sealed bid arrangement for this? Going to look at it and having some dialog with the seller might be a good thing. If you are interested cross your fingers and make your best bid. Good luck!! Would love to know the outcome. I’m hoping someone who always wanted one of these will get it, not a flipper. Stay safe!
Cheers
GPC
Bankruptcy? Like the car a lot despite not having a black interior, the 350 was available in the SS for ’72, right? Looks like an Edelbrock intake, no headers which was rare, nice big deep breathing open air cleaner, wonder about the cam, lifters, timing, compression ratio, or if it even runs at all with fresh plugs and gas. Looks like a fun cruiser.
350 with an automatic transmission!!! Not the best SS you can find but I wouldn’t kick it out of my driveway!!!
The pictures don’t appear to be very clear and I hope this was before they tried to clean it up. It does seem to be in better condition than many of the recent cars listed here.
A 1972 SS with a 175 HP 350 with 3 speed automatic would not be the first choice of some, but this seems like it could be an overlooked original car that hasn’t been modified except for a few possible engine changes like carb, air cleaner and chrome valve covers.. I hope someone will turn this into a street cruiser and leave it alone. I imagine this car if detailed would catch people’s eye on the street as people would wonder what engine/transmission options it has.