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Worth Restoring? 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396

Few cars count more fans than a big block Chevelle with a four-speed. This 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS in Lexington, North Carolina has neither of those things, but it used to! Who can blame the seller for trying to make chicken salad out of chicken you-know-what? Someone may want to test their skills, and a car like this could be their only chance of owning a 396 SS. The listing here on eBay awaits an $800 opening bid, though $50 above scrap price might have been a better starting point. Let’s hope it really is a No Reserve auction!

Having given up most of its interesting parts some time ago, there’s little except the unibody shell left. Still, there are worse places than North Carolina from which to retrieve a long-dead and picked-over muscle car left to rot in the woods. Check out this similar car in vehicle form for an idea of what you might end up with.

Thirty years ago would have been a great time to sell this car, but the second-best time is today. Bring a shovel and a rake to get a better look at the driver’s side. Even the steering wheel center has been pilfered.

Ouch! This Chevy might have taken a hit to the front before its abandonment. That’s all part of the mystery, folks! Forensic pathology suggests that exit wound in the oil pan resulted from bottom-end shrapnel such as a rod or piston skirt exploding just as the SS was about to smoke a V8 Vega some eons ago. However, the engine shown is described as a 396 block from 1967. Who wants to throw in a bid on this forsaken four-speed? Or should it be smelted into a washing machine?

Comments

  1. bobhess bobhess Member

    I vote for your last sentence Todd.

    Like 19
  2. Avatar DayDreamBeliever

    If you had a stack of these cars in various levels of condition and completeness, you might be able to use some parts from each to make one. Not enough here to start and build one out of, upside down from the get-go.

    Like 4
    • Avatar Ike Onick

      If you had a stack of these you would have a junkyard.

      Like 22
  3. Avatar Steve R

    The VIN on a 1969 Chevelle does not tell you if the car left the factory as an SS.

    There might be a few salvageable parts, but nowhere near the $800 opening bid. I’m not sure any scrap yard will touch this car without a title, I think the seller is just trying to palm off his problem to someone else and make a bit of money in the process.

    Like 4
  4. Avatar Mike

    Presenting this car as-is rotting in the yard means he ain’t getting the minimum bid. Should have clean out the leaves & needles, laid out the parts and put it on Craig’s List for a local sale.

    Like 6
  5. Avatar Classic Steel

    This here is what we call a sink hole junk rusted lost cause find.

    I am pretty sure scrap pricing is low now and 200 os very generous.

    The 396 should of been cleaned up with heads and block casting / vins listed as just maybe they are not warped or cracked possibly.

    Like 3
  6. Avatar Chevelle guy

    no……. just , no.

    Like 5
  7. Avatar Little_Cars

    Smelt it.

    Like 6
  8. Avatar sir mike

    Was it a still at one time??

    Like 1
  9. Avatar Frank Sumatra

    I’m surprised it is not being touted as “One of One” with the very rare “Transverse Mounted” Big Block option.

    Like 17
  10. Avatar Brent

    Yes sir. And that “Transverse Mounted” big block also comes with the Super Rare “Ventilated Oil Pan”. Gotta be worth some big bucks!

    Like 9
  11. Avatar pe

    $8000.00 and no title…what could go wrong?

    Like 3
  12. Avatar Comet

    At first I thought “well worth restoring”…but then I saw that dash pad.

    Like 1
  13. Avatar Lee

    I never thought I’d say this about an ss chevelle, but I think it’s time for this one to be reincarnated as soda cans

    Like 4
  14. Avatar Dovi65

    Even if you lived across the street, it’s not worth the cost of going to see it in person.
    This Chevelle, SS or no SS, is a new Toyota/Honda/Nissan just waiting to be born. Nothing to see or sell here, give it up

    Like 2
  15. Avatar David G

    It’s an A/C car too. Nicely equipped originally, and perhaps the only SS 396 Chevelle in the country that I can actually afford, lol. Sad that it has been let go like this though. Still enough metal there to make about 75 Toyotas.

    Like 3
  16. Avatar benjy58

    HI HO HI HO it’s off to the junkyard we go. Move on nothing to buy here.

    Like 1
  17. Avatar Fred H

    Let sleeping dogs lie .

    Like 1
  18. Avatar Superdessucke

    If it was a ’69 Charger, it’d probably be at $7,000 by now. As it sits, I see a nice potential Whirlpool coin op washer.

    Like 4
  19. Avatar Mikey8

    Nope. Not worth it.

    Like 2
  20. Avatar Papa Jay

    If I still had a shop this jewel would be going in circles at a high rate of speed in the spring

    Like 0
  21. Avatar Mr. Bond

    Wife’s making him clean up the yard. Pile it all in that blue thing and get it gone!

    Like 1
  22. Avatar Ryan Hilkemann

    What a big under taking. Try to restore this would be opening a can of worms.

    Like 1
  23. Avatar glen

    I do need a washing machine, so lets go with that idea.

    Like 1
  24. Avatar George Mattar

    It should go in recycle bin. Only a fool would waste money on this. Thousands of 69 Chevelles for sale.

    Like 2
  25. Avatar Kevin

    Sorry, not even good for parts

    Like 1
    • Avatar sluggo

      Sorry Kevin but you are wrong on the parts, Its not worth it to me across the US to buy it just for some odds and ends for parts but there IS a few viable parts.
      Cars not worth anything but parts. There is a viable flywheel, clutch pedal assy (Not cheap to source the pedals) some trim, dash, steering column, factory disc brakes, a arms and other parts, rear MIGHT be a 12 bolt, and other bits. Pulled off the car, cleaned up and sold retail the parts add up to around $1500 I see,, so this deal at $ 800 is not worth it to me,, but its still of value, just not very much.

      Heres why, We rebuilt one car that was stripped to be a race car. We bought a similar car to this but was more complete but still pretty rough. We got the majority of parts we needed off the parts car and instead of buying them piece by piece we go the majority in one package for $900. If all you have is a bare shell, you would be surprised at the odds and ends someone can cull from a hulk like this.

      Like 1
  26. Avatar Steve Bush Member

    If the seller is smart; he’ll take the $911 bid to get the POS off his property.

    Like 1

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