Even though the muscle car market was cooling off in the early 1970s, Chevrolet decided to add a budget-minded performance model to its Chevelle line-up. Called the “Heavy Chevy”, it was akin to what Plymouth did with the Belvedere in 1968 by rolling out the Road Runner. The car was intended to be an austere alternative to the Super Sport. The seller’s car is a one-owner Chevrolet with a matching-numbers 400 cubic inch V8 engine. Mechanically sound, it just needs some cosmetic TLC. Located in Middleburg, Florida, this Heavy Chevy is available here on eBay for $22,500.
Debuting in mid-1971, the Heavy Chevy was a two-year offering, disappearing when the Chevelles were redesigned for 1973. The car was promoted as being “heavy on looks and light on price,” so the Heavy Chevy was targeted at younger buyers who were on a budget. While the era-appropriate graphics adorned the car and it had a domed hood, under the bonnet resided most any Chevy engine other than an inline-6. The car was modestly successful, attracting 6,700 buyers in 1971 and another 9,500 in 1972. According to the seller, only 286 of them were built with the big-block V8 (396/400/402) in ’72 as the 454 wasn’t offered in the product.
According to the window sticker provided with this auto, it has the LS3 240 hp Turbo-Jet 400 under the hood. The industry had begun using SAE net ratings to measure performance output, so with some adjustments for more emissions controls, the engine was nearly as powerful as before. But they would continue to drop as the decade wore on. The seller’s car is said to have its original motor and both it and the Turbo-Hydramatic transmission have been rebuilt, with the former also being nicely detailed. A factory 12-bolt rear end resides out back as is what appears to be a brand-new gas tank.
The Chevy’s dark green paint is faded and there may be some rust in the passenger side rear quarter panels and some dents and dings in the same panel on the other side. The interior may be okay except for the front bench seat, which is wearing an aftermarket cover, likely because the original fabric is worn. This car was ordered with factory A/C, but the hardware under the hood no longer looks to be there. These cars are rarer than their Super Sport counterparts so – when restored – this car would be a different conversation piece at Cars & Coffee. But you could drive it while you work on it as we’re told it runs and drives just fine.
thats not a 400 chevy in the picture. its obviously a bbc and according to the ad its a 402
It is a 402 bb, factory, refereed to as a 400 in literature and on the car emblem (not this particular car). Check out post below from Tarzan1153, I think he is right on the color indicating either small or big block.
It looks nekkid without it’s original Heavy Chevy sticker package on it. I’d have to buy a new kit and re-install it….preferably the White Kit on that Green. The kits came in either White or in Black…depending on what color the cars paint was…light or dark paint. My current 72 factory SS is also a big block 402 car :-) ..in 72 the factory put a capitol letter in it’s VIN for which engine it got…the big block 402 is the capitol “U”.
A buddy of mine has a white one with black stripe kit, looks good.
Too heavy man!
1972 cars were all detuned. Back in high school this was mom’s grocery getter. Nothing fast but a decal to make it appealing. The 400 was a small block, this cars engine appears to be a bigblock. Im really only interested muscle cars, so that would be nothing newer than 1971 for the era but I’m old school! Goodluck!
That’s not “old school.” That’s Auction TV Show School.
400 was a sb, and a 400 bb as well! You had to know what you were looking at these years….I think the 400 sb was not an engine option on the HC. When you ordered a 400 you got the 402bb. This is the correct engine for this car.
In 1970, when you ordered a sb 400, you got a forged crank and rods! Good info when junkyard hunting.
no forged crank and rods for smallblock 400, no need for the relatively low revving 400, all cast. what they did come with in 70 was 4 bolt mains…….some also in 71 were 4 bolt main too…if block had 3 freeze plugs on each side ” usually” signified 4 bolt mains in 400s, but not always….I’ve come across a few 3 freeze plug 2 bolt blocks.
pertaining to forged crank and rods, 400 cranks are cast……..I think any rod would be forged except the newer powdered metal ones.
Thanks, good info! Someone told me that a while ago, about steel crank and good rods.
Insurance. If you wanted to insure an SS, it was big dough. A Chevelle (even if it had the same engine) was cheaper to insure.
A heavy chevy with a 402 is a rarely seen chevelle. I remember everyone talking about the heavy chevy’s when they came out.
Odd that it’s missing the Heavy Chevy graphics. Was the car repainted at some point? I agree with Schane that they’d need to go back on. What’s nuts is it still has the factory 6-slot Rallye wheels, and even without the trim rings like they’re suppose to be. Folks usually hated those and it was the first thing to go. The Heavy Chevy package was supposed to be an insurance beater package, just like the Rally Nova package for the same time frame of 71 and 72.
This is a cool car. If it was a 4-speed it would be reeeeeally cool.
While it may be rarer than my high school ss396 1970 4 speed bench 12 bolt car.
It doesn’t build the excitement of a functioning cowl hood. Stripes, then the 402 for the Ls6
After having multiple 70s , to me the 71 and 72 are just parts for 70 clones, my 72 parts always hang around noone wants them.
Im to old now to get excited over rare or get excited about original hose clamps or grease pen marks, Dont get me wrong a rare special barn find is totally different than what i see here,to me the party is already over when i see these. Now if i was 15 it may be a different story.
I agree with 433JEFF, No one really wants a 71 or 72 Chevelle SS unless that is all they can afford or take. The 1970 Chevelle SS is the KING of its class and brings the high dollar values on the market and will continue to grow in price and value.
The 70 looks like piece of, well, something, compared to the 71 and 72. Dual headlights in a front that looks better with singles, afterthought signal lights in the front bumpers and hideous square lights that are too small out back.
I guess there are more people on the planet with poor taste than with good.
I agree with 433JEFF, No one really wants a 71 or 72 Chevelle SS unless that is all they can afford or take. The 1970 Chevelle SS is the KING of its class and brings the high dollar values on the market and will continue to grow in price and value.
It also has the correct interior door panels with the wood trim, 71 had an ivory trim there, these are not reproduced and very rare. Used on the HC.
Just wanted to add this tidbit to all the folks who’s reading all of this stuff lol…….they were not “used on the HC’s”……..they are simply the “Standard Chevelle Interiors”…….which is what the Heavy Chevy’s were made from……just like the Super Sports don’t have SS Interiors…they simply have the Malibu Interiors…with SS Emblems….. because SS’s were made from Malibu’s from 1970 and up. If Super Sports had been made from the Standard Chevelles instead of Malibu’s all the SS’s would have the Standard Chevelle interiors…grins. Many folks out there thinks Heavy Chevy’s had their very own interiors and they don’t…but Yes you are correct in everything else you stated…Rare parts these days for sure…and if or when someone catch’s On and repro’s those panels they will prolly get rich.
Schane, but that was the specific interior piece on HC’s. They used them on a lot of other Chevelle’s for sure, but a real HC should have that in there, that is what I meant.
Pugsy, once again it is about the value. Evidently, more people within the car industry would agree with me. The 1970 Chevelle is a one year production model, which set a very high standard for the “want to be” 71 and 72 Model years. You do not have to like it, however you must acknowledge what the true reality is regarding model and continued rise in value. It like wanting a 2 door 55 chevy versus a four day. No one really wants them!
Ugly is ugly. I see reality, not because it was the first year of a body style change that they didn’t nail.
It’s kinda like the 56 Chevy. Nice, but just not dead on.
I have noticed that if the 400 emblem was painted white, it was a small block and if it was painted red, it was a big block. I had one friend with a Chevelle and it was a 400 with white 400 emblems and another friend with an Impala with 400 emblems painted red and it had a big block. I believe they were 1971 cars. 2 bolt 400 is stronger than a 4 bolt 400 block, so I was told from a machinist.
Hmmmm, looks like a original Georgia, car,which means this car, may have,rust,but,should be,very little. Hmmmm,not a SS, priced a little high,l think,l thought most of these at had s/b,400,so maybe it’s a good deal.
To answer Reid C hall, The small block 400 wasn’t available for these cars. The standard engine was the 307 with a 2 brl carb, the optional 3 other engines were the 350 with either a 2 or 4 brl carb and the Turbo Jet “400” which for these was a big block 402. The write-up if not reading the whole thing is sort of deceiving.
1-the fifty six is the best looking trifive,
2-if the design team had put the seventy two rear bumper on the seventy, it would be the best looking, it just looks wrong as it was done,
3- no accounting for taste,
John once again the trifive cars are very unique in there own ways. However, I would bet you 100 dollars if you asked 100 people they would choose the 2 door 55 chevy over the other two years! 1. first year of body change for chevy from the former style of car produced. 2 the 55 chevy still holds the monetary high over the other two years. 3 55 chevy are the Icon of the motor industry… simply put the over all value lies with the initial year of productin.. 55 2 door chevy…