Only Two Owners: 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 350
The Chevelle Super Sport was one of the many hot cars of the 1960s. And – like the others – they lost some of their steam in the 1970s. First, the insurance industry figured out the risk of insuring these cars and raised rates. Then the detuning process began in the name of fewer emissions. And later, the OPEC oil embargo caused gasoline prices to soar. The collective result was that fewer of these cars were sold. This 1972 Chevelle SS 350 comes with the documentation needed to verify its authenticity and can be found in West Des Moines, Iowa. It’s available here on craigslist for $24,900. Another nifty tip from Barn Finder T.J.!
We don’t know if this car exactly qualifies as a survivor, but it might. We’re told that 95% of the paint is original, which means the other 5% is touch-up. This SS had the rare “stripe delete” option meaning the focus is totally on the Placer Gold finish. It looks a little rough in a couple of places, but nothing that may mean an immediate trip to the body shop is needed.
Earlier second-generation Chevelle Super Sports came with a choice of a 396 or 454 cubic inch V8. Perhaps to appease the insurance gods, the 350 was also available, although it was only rated at 175 SAE net hp in 1972 as the measurement stick had changed. No mention is made as to whether the 110,000-mile engine and automatic transmission have required any internal work. But we’re told the two-owner machine runs well.
The interior may be fine other than the vinyl on the driver’s side bucket seat. This SS is well equipped with power steering and brakes and factory air conditioning. The engine bay could stand a good detailing as it appears to wear the remnants of an overheating that left rusting water on the air cleaner. There were just shy of a still respectable 25,000 Super Sports built in 1972, but that was across both the Malibu and El Camino bodies. The rarest was probably the SS 454 at 5,300 copies.
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Comments
No such thing as “Stripe Delete”!! The stripe option was called D88 and could also come on any flat hood Malibu Sport Coupe, Malibu based El Camino’s, Convertibles, and GMC Sprints from 70 thru 72. If a person ordered the Cowl Induction option called ZL2 they were standard….then and only then could a person ask them to leave them off of their hood….it would be a Customer Ordered vehicle tho. This car above has not been taken very good care of…regardless if actual 2 owners or not. It’s in sad shape. Sadly because of being a northern car…..I’ve seen worse. It still has potential just because of what it is.
You stand correct. With this color, IMO better off w/o white or black stripes though I’m a total fan of the stripes. This brings back memories as I’ll never forget, I vividly recall being 17, in ’77, 1st year driving was a ’74 Monte Carlo, so was looking to upgrade, going w/ dad to look at a ’72 SS454, dark green w/ white stripes. Had an M22 4sp. It was MINT, under 35k miles! But dad was cautious as was a standard I’d never driven before. So had to pass VERY reluctantly, lol! Seller was asking $2500, which at that time, I never saw one over $3k. Still sick over that one as well as a cpl mos later, my cousin in Westport CT, let me know he’d sell me his same green/white striped ’69 Z28 302 for $900! After he fired it up, dad gave me a look with his eyes like, I kindof doubt this,lol. He said ‘well, windshield has a crack & there’s a ding in the front lt fender’, forward of the tire, size of a half dollar. “I don’t care about that” didnt work.Yep, that got by me too! Had my Monte already been sold, I’d have that, but I didn’t have the $900 to ‘override’ his decision then. So its VERY hard for me to look at them now, the 70-72 style, that are now $40k-$100k+, considering .
Wayne, you seem to know your Chevelles. Got a question for you. I have a 70 chevelle SS I think. Has the flat hood with stripes and hood keys and has the trunk stripes also. Comes with the back bumper SS pad, dash pods. Has the bucket seats and was a automatic in the floor. Engine trans and rearend long gone. Always tried to figure out the flat hood and stripes, threw me for a loop regarding if it was an SS or fake.
Without seeing your car I’d hate to assume anything about it. As I stated up above the stripes were simply a paint option called D88. They could come on any flat hood Malibu 2 door Sport Coupe if ordered. Many of these cars has been thru many diff owners the last 50 years. Those owners switched out original parts for others…like Dash’s and Gauges, rear bumpers, buckets with or without a console….etc..etc….the list goes on and on. Someone added your hood pins…flat hood cars never came with those. I owned a 70 Cranberry Red Malibu…it came with white top, white stripes, and white buckets and console interior from the factory because it was a Customer Ordered Chevelle Malibu. Not an SS…so without seeing yours anything is possible these days.
95% original paint, 5% missing along with the body metal it was attached to.
How does it run and drive with no fan belt.
Interesting color. Needs some rust work but being an SS asures it will get done. A friend has a non SS version and also a 68. He’s had so many I lost count so it brings back good memories to our teenage years, seeing this one.
It’s amazing what these post-muscle “unremarkable” cars are now worth.
2 examples: At my first job, I had a ’73 Barracuda 318 and a co-worker had this same car – ’72 Gold SS. These were just used cars in ’79 and made great first cars. It’s amazing that any of them have survived after being handed down to a couple generations of teen-aged owners.
Wayne I had the same car 70 cranberry and white stripes and interior 454/ auto.At the same time had a blue 70 with stripes and black interior 454 auto
Bought a 71 SS midnight bronze with white stripes and black interiors for my wife 402 auto,said 396 but we all know about the engine change from GM. 71 was a dog compared to my two 70’s..Only had a two car garage so I hogged both bays for my 70’s.Wife not a happy camper.
Wayne , I got a few picks for you to look at regarding the car,, if you would for me .. Please respond to [email protected]. Thank you