With the 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 being one of the most desirable muscle cars in the current market, an unmolested one will always generate interest when it appears on the market. That ramps up a degree or two when the car in question retains its original paint as a genuine survivor. That is the story with our feature SS, which recently emerged from a private collection. Its condition is hard to fault, but it now needs a new home. Located in Pleasanton, California, you will find the Chevelle listed for sale here on eBay. The bidding has rocketed to $47,201, but this falls short of the reserve.
When I first saw this SS, I thought it was a nicely restored vehicle that presented well. However, my respect for it and its previous owner grew when I discovered that the Frost Green paint gracing its panels is original. That makes this classic a genuine survivor that will draw praise from knowledgeable enthusiasts. The paint shines beautifully, and if it wears any imperfections, they don’t show in the vast collection of supplied photos. The Dark Green vinyl top adds a classy touch to the exterior, with its condition being as impressive as the paint. The panels are as straight as an arrow, but the big news with this gem is its rust-free status. There is nothing visible externally, and the underside shots reveal floors and a frame that exhibit little more than the occasional spot of light surface corrosion. The Chevelle has spent much of its life in careful storage in California, which has helped protect it from the ravages of time. The glass looks flawless, as does the trim and chrome.
The defining characteristic of the SS 396 is the big-block V8 under the hood, and our feature car is a numbers-matching classic. The original owner ordered it with the L35 version of the iconic 396 producing 325hp. Those rampant horses feed through a four-speed manual transmission to a Posi rear end. When a classic from this era can storm the ¼ mile in 14.6 seconds, there’s no questioning its performance credentials. The seller recently serviced this SS and cleaned the fuel system. They state that it runs and drives well and has a genuine 75,000 miles showing on its odometer. They don’t specifically mention evidence to support this claim but judging by the included documentation, it may exist. The buyer receives the Owner’s Manual, Warranty Card, Protect-O-Plate, and some service information.
The Chevelle’s interior presents as impressively as the exterior, and apart from what I believe to be an aftermarket 8-track player mounted under the dash, it remains original and unmolested. The upholstered surfaces wear green vinyl free from wear and physical damage. The same is true of the carpet, dash, and pad, while the headliner shows no evidence of splits or seam separations. It isn’t loaded with luxury appointments, but the bucket seats, console, and AM radio are all welcome additions to ensure any journey is a comfortable experience.
The previous owner of this 1969 Chevelle SS 396 was a genuine enthusiast, with this car rubbing shoulders with another SS 396 and a couple of Camaro Z/28s. Its overall condition suggests they were passionate about preserving their classics, and it’s easy to see why this car has already attracted thirty-eight bids. There’s plenty of time left on the auction, leaving the potential for things to climb significantly higher. I’d be surprised if it didn’t edge past $60,000, although a sale price of $70,000 is not beyond the realms of possibility. Even if the price is well beyond your means, this auction could be worth watching because the bidding is likely to get frantic as the finish line draws near.
Hard to find fault in this beautiful looking car. Pretty basic still has that Muncie shifter in place yet overload rear shocks were added somewhere. Not picking just noticed and I don’t think that’s an 8 track player, don’t see the cartridge slot. Anyway someone will be getting a nice piece of muscle car history.
Looks like a Hurst shifter to me…
Good points, and man the cost of body work and paint especially, these days just blows my mind wow.
Being a man who prefers his classic cars in molested and original condition and living in Pennsylvania finding a car that has spent it life time in the California climate, you can save yourself a lot of money on repairs down the road, you can’t put a price on Rust free
Meant to say Un molested
Well at least one panel on this car has been repainted. The panel between the taillights should be black, not silver. Silver was used on Malibu coupes and convertible models, black on SS models and body color on 300 Deluxe models and Malibu sedans.
That’s rainbow tape, dude. Totally period correct modification. I put rainbow tape in the Chevrolet bowtie on the grille of my dad’s ’70 Malibu (also purchased at Daily Chevrolet on E 14th) when I was a kid. Makes this car all the more a time capsule. Fremont built, San Leandro provenance. Damn, I wish I had a spare $65K lying around.
That’s rainbow tape, dude. Totally period correct modification. I put rainbow tape in the Chevrolet bowtie on the grille of my dad’s ’70 Malibu (also purchased at Daily Chevrolet on E 14th) when I was a kid. Makes this car all the more a time capsule. Fremont built, San Leandro provenance. Damn, I wish I had a spare $65K lying around.
It looks Muncie shifter to me. Tape player is aftermarket for sure.
I had the identical car in silver with black vinal top with bench seat and factory tape player.
Not a tape player – looks like a reverb unit
Had a ‘69 SS brand new painted a Pontiac green (avocado). I paid an extra $33 for the upgrade! The dealer also had an El Camino SS painted the same. Best car we ever owned! I drop-kick myself every time I see one!! Sold it because of the gas crisis and the insurance increase. I would be buy this car just because it has a reverb unit!! No one makes those anymore!
Chrome sway bars? Or have they been powder coated? Very few 69’s were equipped with the optional F41 suspension, this is not one of them. It does appear to have the correct style/design rear bar. The F41 option also includes boxed rear lower control arms, they are not present on this car. The bar installation as-is will bend the lower control arms they way it is currently mounted The bar mounting bolts should go through both sides of the U-shaped arm with a reinforcement or spacer to keep the arms from collapsing. The bottom of the car appears to be recently pressure washed, which is fine with me, but has it been lightly sprayed with an oil or something? Paint the sway bars, fix the rear bar mounting, and ditch the chrome cover on the 12 bolt, that’s it! Really, really nice 69!
This car is why you go to southern CA to buy cars. In 1985, I began a search for a 197p GTO. Living in Pennsylvania, the land of salt every time a snowflake fell, well every one I looked at was junk. Found a Fremont built 70 hardtop in LA. Totally rust free. Paid the guy $5,500. Had it shipped to PA. Took it to my local mechanic to look it over. Had four offers to buy it the first day. Properly fixing rust today costs thousands. Go to California. This is a beauty.
Wow what a nice 69 SS chevelle. It would be hard to find a nicer original 69.