The 1st Generation of Chevrolet’s Chevelle featured sharp and aggressive styling, and it is a shape that has aged well over the subsequent decades. When the company chose to shoehorn a big-block under the hood to create the SS 396, they created a car with the performance credentials to match those good looks. Today, these are a highly-sought classic, and good examples can fetch some impressive prices. This 1967 SS 396 is a beauty, and apart from a couple of small details, it is exactly how it was the day that it rolled off the production line. The owner has decided that the time has come to part with this classic, so he has listed it for sale here on eBay. The SS is located in Manassas, Virginia, but it has only attracted a single bid of $35,000. The reserve hasn’t been met, but you have to wonder whether one of the 46 people watching the listing is biding their time before making a move. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Larry D for referring this classic muscle car to us.
The Chevelle has undergone a color change at some point, and its current Tuxedo Black paint is beginning to show its age. There are a few chips and marks, but nothing horrendous. The buyer might choose to leave it untouched, although there’s no doubt that it would respond positively to a refresh. That would pose the question of whether to reapply the Black or whether the car should revert to its original Granada Gold. That’s a tough call to make. The paint might not be original, but the owner claims that all of the steel is. This Chevelle has no history of rust problems or prior accident damage. The floors and frame are said to be clean and rust-free, while the same is true of the trunk pan. There are no external problems in evidence, and the panels look extremely straight. The chrome shines nicely, while there are no visible issues with the glass. The Rally wheels aren’t original, but they do add to the overall aggressive appearance. Sourcing the correct wheels would not be problematic if the buyer chooses to return the car to its stock appearance.
I guess that now is the moment that we reach the highlight of our little tour. What we find lurking in the engine bay is a 396ci V8 that would be producing 325hp. The original owner also chose to order the Chevelle with a 3-speed Turbo Hydramatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes. At 3,640lbs, the Chevelle was a middleweight, but its ¼-mile ET of 15.3 seconds demonstrated that it wasn’t a car to be taken lightly. Give it enough space, and it could find its way to 133mph. This is one aspect of the SS that most of our readers will find to be positive. The Chevelle is a full numbers-matching classic that has never undergone any changes or modifications. The icing on the cake is that it is said to run and drive perfectly.
Okay, cut me some slack here because apart from the paint and wheels, the Chevelle has undergone one other change. The carpet has been replaced at some point, and it looks very nice. The rest of the interior trim is also impressive for an original survivor, with very few faults. There is a split on the driver’s seat, and I wish that the seller had addressed this before it grew to its current size. However, it hasn’t reached the point of no return, and a competent upholsterer should be able to fix it. I’d cross my fingers on that because it would be wonderful if the original cover could be retained. The alternative would be a replacement, and the buyer would have to replace all of the covers to maintain grain and color consistency across all seats. That would motivate me to research upholsterers to ensure that any repairs are performed to a high standard. The rest of the interior is excellent, with no other problems to report. It seems that the original owner had some cash to splash because the Chevelle comes nicely equipped. They chose air conditioning, along with bucket seats and a console. Throw in a walnut-grain tilt wheel and a pushbutton AM radio, and this is a classic that provides a touch of comfort to complement its performance credentials.
Some classic cars are like fine wine, and they age better than others. In my opinion, if the 1967 Chevelle SS 396 were a wine, it would be classed as one of the great years. The company managed to nail the exterior styling in a way that has remained ageless, and it packs enough performance to keep most people happy. It seems that I’m not a lone voice in the wilderness on that, which explains why values have continued to rise well above expectations. It is always hard to say whether any vehicle rates as a solid long-term investment because it is easy to get that one wrong. We’ve seen plenty of examples over the years here at Barn Finds where an owner has squirreled away a shiny new car in the belief that it would appreciate, only for the opposite to become the harsh reality. This could be a solid investment, but it would still be a blast to own and drive, even if it isn’t. Isn’t having fun one of the main reasons to own a classic car?
want it!
Want it!!!
You can say that again!
Nice car — No regrets A/C 396 /350 it’s nice , black on black , not much better for the Chevelle . !!
Serious question…
Did GM even make one single car in 1967 that wasn’t great looking?
The base Chevelle 300 2dr sedan had an awkward profile, it had a squared off roofline and “flush” rear window.
Steve R
65 or 66 looked that way
Yes, they did make a car that wasn’t great looking, or decent looking or decent operating!! It was called the “corvair” and was a total dog!!!
Your opinion is not shared by many.
Very nice options on this 67. I would personally like to see more pictures, firewall cowl tag and some engine/transmission stamping numbers to verify this is truly numbers matching. It would have been better if it came from the factory with the L34 396 which supposedly had 360 HP.
Did the base 325 HP engine come with an open air cleaner? Seems like I remember they had snorkels like the 327.
Very nice options on this 67 Chevelle. Personally I would like to see more pictures and the firewall cowl tag. Even though this is the base 396 with 325 HP it should still be enough power.
Did the base 396 engine have the open air cleaner? I think I remember these with a snorkel like the 327’s.
Jcs – I can add all big three American 1967’s were great looking cars – even American motors had some sharp looking vehicles. AMC Rebel SST comes to mind.
What a great muscle car. Why has no one yet commented on where is the proof it is numbers matching?? No build sheet, no protecto plate and this owner is not the original purchaser. You need more than stamping and an owner say so to prove everything was born with the car.It is special and should sell well.
GLWA.
That’s a gen 2
Looks good to me. Had a 67 Malibu and no sign of the typical rust issues behind the wheels and by the rear window. This is one of the few examples I’ve seen with the rear mounted antenna. The antenna there was an extra option as was the passenger door mirror.
Mine was a SBC with a 3 on the tree, while not a big proponent of a BBC, I wouldn’t kick it out of the garage.
I’ve always favored the 66-67 Chevelle over the others.
No – GM’s Best came out in 1967 , I call it 67 Heaven ! . Everyone has their own opinion , and I think 1967 has the best designs , motors , options , Interiors , paint colors , easy readable cowl tags , — just right !!
There is only 4 -396 BBC – 325 hp , 350 hp,and the 375 hp only in the 67-69 years in Camaro SS /Chevelle SS . The ultra rare 396 Chevelle is the option L-89 aluminum heads still rated at 375 hp probably closer to 425 (only 311 ordered w/this option ) . All open air cleaners . No such 360 hp 396 . According to the 396 books . The only motor I know rated at 360 hp is the SBC 1970 Z/28 350/360hp LT1, which replaced the 302 in the Z/28 . If this owner was aggressive and has the correct motor as all sellers should do is show the vin number , block , cyl heads , trans numbers . Sellers want premium price , Buyers want premium proof . It’s a 2 way street !
James, in 1966 the Chevelle SS 396 was rated at 360 hp with option L34. This was a one year only rating and went back to,350 hp for 1967
My first car was a used ‘66 SS 396/360. Ran quite well!
I had a 66 ss with the 396/375 hp beige w a black top, bench seats,and 4-speed. Wish I still had it, but traded for 68 z28. Wish I still had it also
Nothing beats black and chrome. Especially on this car.
I wish it was a 4sp the it would be perfect
This listing was ended by the seller because there was an error in the listing.
GM did list the 396 as 360hp for some reason only in 1966. The next year they dropped this engine back to 350 hp. A guess would be that the 360 hp was listed as too close to the 375 hp engine which most people know was vastly underrated.
Motor Tread tested two 1966 Chevelles one month. One with a 283 and the other with this 360 hp engine. For some reason the 360 hp car did not perform well and recorded a 15.5 sec quarter. This car should have done much better and been somewhat around 15.0.