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?