Who likes surprises? The listing for this 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS here on craigslist inCharleston, South Carolina, casually, or perhaps maliciously, omits any view of the entire front or the left side. This may be due to an honest misunderstanding of how to photograph a vehicle or operate a camera, but it’s certainly curious and worth questioning. Whether this car comes hampered by deception or honest technical challenges, a ’67 SS 396 would be a nice find and a fine addition to any collector’s garage. Thanks to reader Chuck F 55chevy for spotting this barnyard find.
The 1967 Chevelle SS gained a few visual updates from the prior model year; otherwise, it mostly carried over. My freshman roommate’s girlfriend had a ’67 Malibu Super Sport with a non-original 396 pulled from a school bus. Her gear-head father decided it made the ultimate first car and, as far as I could tell, that plan worked out fine. This one doesn’t look too bad from this angle, though a five-minute bucket wash would be a fine courtesy for the $$7500 asking price.
Under the hood of our feature car lies “a 396 bored .030” over, with 10.5:1 compression ratio, and updated cam and lifters. Other details (original? which 396? running? turns freely? last ran when? stopped running because?) simply add to the fun and mystery. GM changed their internal rules for 1967 meaning the prior year’s top choice, the 375 HP solid-lifter L78 396, flew the coop (some were dealer-installed). Still, this car may have left the factory with the L34 hydraulic lifter version rated at 350 HP (thanks to myclassicgarage.com for some details). Does anyone think the left inner fender liner may be a little closer to the engine than stock? Hmm.
A black bucket-seat interior in a red muscle car is certainly a popular combination today just as it would have been in 1967, and could add some value or at least increase the pool of potential buyers. With social norms varying as they do, a deceptive seller may accept a certain amount of turnaround as fair play. Perhaps you could agree to a price and then show up with $1000 less, and that would be OK. What do you make of this barnyard classic?
Bad photo’s and information, asking 7500.00 and posted 29 days ago. If it was a lot closer to me, I would go 1,075.00.
Value on these 396 SS cars is dropping just like their baby boomer owners are dying. Should have sold this car in 2006-2007 when people would still buy a project this bad and still pay stupid money for basketcase!
Another case of “Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda”!
Is this an indictment on the model or the hobby?
Appears to me to be about a $2,000 hulk, no more. I had one of these in high school, loved it. Personally, I’ve never heard of a GM big block with a slip and slide tranny, no doubt another reader will fill me in. The column shift is huge minus, as is the work done to the motor, the quality of which is always suspect. If the motor was rebuilt, why was it parked to rot? Curious and curiouser.
A powerglidw was the base auto transmission in lower horsepower big blocks but not a L/78, in short the glide could be factory equipped. This car looks to have lived a hard life. I had a 68 impala that was factory equipped with the 396/325 hp and powerglide so yes it was available.
Yes sir, Generic Motors equipped their purported musclecars with the slip -n- slide powerglide, along with their 9 x 2 1/2 inch brakes, and horrendous suspension geometry.
Selling a car on CL and no pics of the damage? One to run away from.
The 2 speed power glide was available on all big blocks. The turbo 400 was an option. Column shift SS cars are pretty rare, as are column shift Camaro’s.
Is that a much more heavy duty powerglide than the ones behind 250 straight 6’s?
Not sure if one would want to put even a small block in front of the latter.
Joe , I cannot testify whether GM put beefier guts into the PGs destined for BB duty(never heard of that), but those slushboxes can take some massive torque.Very popular for drag racing use both then and now, as it’ll only shift once.
PG became Chevy’s cheapest auto option after 3spd autos reached the market, and found their way into some models even into the 70s.In the 60s they were found in everything from Nova and Corvair up to full size cars and light trucks.Though I regard the PG as a rather boring tranny, it still has its assets.
The first 409 equipped 64 Impala I ever saw was a wagon with most every options – including the 340hp W-engine backed by the PG. And behind the wagon was a caravan…
There was not a lot of difference, just more clutch discs in high gear. And the power glide on the drag strip are heavily modified, the stock powerglide would not take that abuse. There would be a lot of input shafts being twisted off, and broke clutch hubs, back in the day I had built a number of powerglides
I checked my 1971 Hollanders’ Junkyard Interchange Manual and it lists a Powerglide as an option for a 1967 SS 396 Chevelle. I would have bet money that couldn’t happen, but Hollanders reflects what junkyard owners actually saw, so they’re almost always right about what was really out there.
My best friend from college had a 1968 Pontiac Beaumont SD-396 with a 396/325 HP Chevy and a Powerglide that was factory stock, but I always assumed it was a “Canada only” thing. Apparently it was a possibility in a Chevelle in the US in 1967.
Hollanders says that a 325 HP 396 could have a Holley or Rochester carburetor, 350 and 375 HP motors would have only been a Holley. I don’t know much about that vintage Rochester carb, and my eye sight isn’t what it used to be, but I’m betting it’s a Rochester plus a Powerglide transmission, that car almost has to be a 325 HP 396 with a few dress up items.
For the record . . . . if the guy wants $7500 for it, the roosters should be included, plus a percentage of the local Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise.
The reason there’s no picture of the drivers’ side front is it was hit pretty hard. The hood is buckled a foot and a half, that had to have taken a pretty good shot.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner…
Yes that is correct on the Quadrajet or Holley carb on the 325 hp 396. 10:25:1 compression ratio with either carb factory. Powerglide transmission was available as well with the 396…I am told column shift only with the glide. Would love to see the rear floor board and inside the trunk. Also the rear window inside the trunk. Would hope the rear axle would be a 12-bolt and original to the unit. Could still have the “knee knocker” tach with column shift. Asking price a bit high. Would bring in the $5,000 range here in Texas even wrecked…no problem at all.
In 1988, I saw a 7,000 mile red ’67 Chevelle SS, 396-325, PG, floor mounted shifter. The knee knocker tach was ’66, ’67 had it in the upper left hand corner of the dash with a turn signal arrow integrated into it as it blocked the factory one. As far as the carb, the engine ID codes in ’66 contained a final letter “R” for Rochester”, “H” for Holley, I am not sure about other years.
“Knee knocker” tachs were in the ’66 Chevelles. ’67 had the “blinker” tach that was located in front of the left turn signal on the IC.
To begin with I’m have to hear the engine run. I’m expecting to replace the driver side fender and other minor body work along with rust issues, replace the tranny, electrical issues and replacing electric wireing. Full interior replacent and the obvious a full paint job. Considering those costs my offer is $1,500
Just a guess, but from what can be seen suggests a hit on the left front.
The too close inner fender and the odd rake of the hood.
Really a dumb way to try and sell a car or maybe he was just more proud of the roosters and hens. hah.
It appears to me that this car was built the third week of April at the Atlanta Ga. plant. It was Bolero red and had a red interior with a bench seat and column shift. It also came from the factory with a 400 turbo transmission. I think the hood has been lifted to take a picture of the engine and that it is not hit on the drivers side. There is other information available but, unfortunately I can’t make out the rest of the codes on the tag. I’m sure someone that has more knowledge of these cars could share even more info.
The bucket seats are from a 1966 Pontiac or Buick, possibly an Olds Cutlass.
I noticed right away there is not a push button on the back of the passenger seat. Is that how you id’ed the seat origins? How else could you tell?
Chris,
The seat has no lock so that makes it a 1966. Also the back piece is rusty looking. That means it’s metal, not plastic. 1966 was the only year the Strato-bucket seat had metal seat backs and side bolsters and no lock for the back rest.
The 375-396 was available in 1967 in Chevelles, contrary to what the author states. I have seen both Powerglides and Turbo 400’s on big block cars. Corvettes didn’t get the Turbo 400 until 1968. Solid lifter big block cars did not get automatics until 1969. While some people still crack on Powerglides, it is the current racing automatic of choice.
If you look at pic 3 you can see the hood is lifted a foot and a half on the drivers side alone and the pushed in wheel well I would believe it’s been hit hard on the drivers front.
I have a friend who builds racing transmissions, and all he does are powerglides. Everything aftermarket available, Shame that this didn’t get the collision damage fixed before it sat. Love the 67 chevelles. Hope someone can use it, sad to see in this condition (sound like a broken record, sorry!) Good luck to the new owner.
Cheers
GPC
These days everybody seems to be filled with dreams of fortunes every time they see a pile of rust. I blame TV shows on Velocity/Motortrend networks. The person asking $7,500 has no clue what it takes to put this back on the road, let alone fully restore it. I am sure someone will grab it and make a fine attempt at restoring it to its rightful glory, but I am also sure it will pass through 2 or 3 people before it gets done and each sale will loose a little more money. Labors of love in the car world are never for profit.
The interior doesn’t look a whole lot different than my buddies car in 1975. Called him Afterburner Turner. Sweating the details wasn’t his strong suit.
I remember a yellow SS in Bayside NY owned by a guy named Randy. That big block with the Powerglide would go past 70 mph before he would shift…
If these cars weren’t so expensive I’d buy them up in a heartbeat
If new Corvettes weren’t so expensive I’d have one in every color.
If Raquel Welch hadn’t been totally out of my league I’d have dated her in a heartbeat.
If Pappy Van Winkle wasn’t so pricey I’d buy it by the case.
Sheesh….
If my Aunt had nuts she’d been my Uncle .
That car would sell all day in Georgia for $5000
Unless they came with a 4 speed the Optional for the 67 SS Chevelle was an Automatic 67’s SS Chevelles came with 400 Turbo’s not PowerGlides they only came in the 66 SS Chevelles.
I would check to see if the car is a repaint. Because it’s either been hit in the rear or its not a true SS. The tail panel should be flat black if it was a factory SS. People were making SS clones as far back as the 70’s…
I get sick looking at ANY ’67 Chevelle SS. Back in ’99, a friend tried to sell me his, he’s had forever, sitting on the side of his house. He owned a body shop/tow biz inherited. So had like 9-10 cars parked on side of house. I’ve seen this car for years, just sitting there. It was like ‘Algae green’, couldnt tell orig color, think was green. Anyways, he was selling this ’67 SS for $900. Yes, $900 in ’99! No 396, BUT a 427! I passed as I still had my ’70 unrestored Vette Conv and was moving to ID by end of year. A friend came out to ID to visit in ’03. We got talking, says our friend, still has that Chevelle. Never advertised it, just word of mouth.I said yeah, he offered it to me for $900. Well my visiting friend, he calls me once home, says ‘You remember Eddy’s ’67 SS we talked about’ I said “yeah, he wanted to sell to me for $900.” He says yeah, I bought it for $900. He says ‘guess what dude’. I said ‘what’? He said went to get the title for it (something STUPIDLY I did not ask to even see) and says while looking at it, it’s a Baldwin Motion Performance car! Long story short, took his $900 investment & sold it, untouched, needing full blown restoration….for $75k on Ebay in ’04!
I had a 67 SS 396 back in the day ’69-’72, gpld with black vinyl top, black interior with bench seat, close ration 4 speed with the 325 hp motor. It got stolen from me while I was in the Army stationed in St. Louis, found the next day in East St. Louis minus wheels, engine, tranny and trunk contents. I did not know of the 427 being available in Chevelle SS models in ’67. This one looks to be way too much trouble to stay above water with in a restoration.
427 was not an option, it was dealer installed in 67. Baldwin and a few other doing transplants allowed GM to justify offering COPO option in 1969 427 L89 in Chevelle, ZL1 in Camaro and Corvette ( only 69 ZL1 Camaros and 3 ZL1 Corvettes built.)
It never ceases to amaze me. I don’t understand why people don’t bother to take a little effort to make any item listed on the internet look more presentable (by removing excess debris,dirt,leaves,chicken crap,etc.) People don’t understand that presentation can either make,or break the sale of an item. Excess dirt & crud can actually devalue an item.
Any one else notice hood jack up on drivers side and no picture of front from that angle only right side. Looks to be in bad rust on top of right fender and hood too.
WOW That is ALL the money. Only way that is is worth that is with a few gold bar in the trunk. 396 BB with a power glide? Not in 67 on a true SS. When was the motor rebuilt 1975? I’ve got $1,200 for it.
Jeez!! Either the seller took the comments to heart, and edited the posting to add more pics, or else mostly everyone doesn’t bother to read the original posting. OOPS! My mistake: just went back to take another look, and it was edited 3 hours ago, so the seller has added full front and full LF fender pics, so it is now time to put your money where …
With the extra pics, and more description of floor pans, etc, it is now a different proposition, perhaps.
Happy bidding.
You’re correct, the left front doesn’t look nearly as bad as the first set of pictures suggested. The hood is bent, probably because of the hinges, or rust, or both. That’s a problem, but nothing like a serious front end hit that it looked like it might be.
I don’t know Chevelles well enough to tell if the original transmission was a TH-400 or a Powerglide, but Hollanders’ Interchange Manual says that a Powerglide was an option and did show up on 396 cars. The only one I saw in person was a 1968 Pontiac Beaumont SD-396 that my friend’s father bought new in Kingston ON. It was a 325 HP 396 Chevy motor with a Powerglide for sure. We drank a lot of Molsons in those days, but we knew what a 396 Chevy and Powerglide was.
Hollanders identifies 11 different Powerglide transmissions that were used over the years. The light duty ones were in four and six cylinder Novas. The medium duty ones were behind 283 and some 327’s. The heavier duty ones were behind higher HP 327’s and 350’s. The best one was behind 396’s like this one (if that’s the original transmission, again I don’t know if it’s original).
It is $6500 obo
Totally not worth it. I only see one rooster.
The rest are hens.
Agreeing to a price and showing up with $1000.00 less is never O.K. no matter how much of a snake the seller is. Don,t lower yourself to their level
Plus, the chickens are in a lot better shape than the Chevelle :-) :-)
Too much yap for a piece of crap.
Parts car.
I can almost smell the chickens through my computer screen! A look at that pics makes me think they’ve been inside that car too through the various openings. The dash looks like it is covered in green algae, which may be from what I think is a cracked windshield leaking just a little. Everyone is right about this selling for $5k in Georgia or Tennessee, but definitely not a $7500 dealeo.