No Trailer Queen: 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396
One of the primary attractions in buying a classic car is to own something that you can drive and enjoy. Sadly, many owners are scared of taking their pristine pride-and-joy out on the road for fear of damage. That shouldn’t be an issue with this 1970 Chevelle SS 396. This is a real deal SS 396, but the owner uses it regularly. After two years, he has decided that the time is right to part with this beauty. Therefore, you will find it located in East Mesa, Arizona, and listed for sale here on Craigslist. You can park it in your driveway for $52,000. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder rex m for referring the SS to us.
The original Build Sheet tells a lot of the story about this Cortez Silver SS, but not all of it. The vehicle underwent a frame-off restoration in 2001, and it has remained untouched since. The paint has some rubs and minor marks, but that is part of this car’s attraction. That lack of perfection means that there is less stress and drama if it cops the occasional stone-chip out on the road. The panels look straight, and there are no signs of any rust. If the car has spent an extended period in Arizona, that isn’t surprising. The decals have survived well over the past 20-years, as have the chrome and tinted glass. The Chevelle rolls on a set of Rally II wheels, and there are no problems with these.
It’s worth noting that the Chevelle isn’t 100% original but that all of the essential bits remain intact. That means that the numbers-matching drivetrain includes a 39ci V8, a 4-speed M21 transmission, and a 3.31 Posi rear end. With 350hp on board, the SS should be capable of romping through the ¼ mile in 14.6 seconds before winding its way to 132mph. The motor in this car was professionally rebuilt when the restoration was performed, and the brakes were rebuilt 5-years-ago. The owner says that the 396 starts the first time and that the brakes are very effective. He regularly takes the car on runs and to shows, so it sounds like it is in mechanically good health.
The Chevelle’s interior is probably tidier than the exterior, and its presentation is nothing to be ashamed of. The upholstery is black vinyl, and it doesn’t show any appreciable wear. The dash and pad are immaculate, and there are no signs of wear or fading on the carpet. There have been a few aftermarket additions, but these could be reversed if the buyer wanted originality. Shifting duties are performed by a Hurst shifter, while there is a CD player mounted under the dash. The rear parcel tray has been cut to accommodate speakers, but that appears to be about it.
Classic cars like this 1970 Chevelle SS 396 were created to be driven and enjoyed. Leaving them locked away in a garage is a travesty, and it is not what the designers and engineers at Chevrolet would have wanted. I think that the people who actually built this Chevelle would feel the same way, so this car represents your chance to get out on the road and enjoy the experience. Is that idea tempting enough for you to follow up further on this one?
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Comments
Perfect just the way it is!
I have to agree. These were made to be driven, not hidden away!
Great looking Chevelle and not really all that rare compared to some other mean machines.
As a matter of fact there are probably more now than in 1970, what with all the clones, tributes, unsure of’s.
Like the silver and black for a change, no I’m not an Oakland Raiders fan but the two shades work.(actually a Former San Diego Chargers fan for decades)
Not the tire shredding 454 version but these sold ten times better, the 396/402. Save the storage and museum stuff for that COPO 427 Camaro earlier. Enjoy!
Enjoyed this comment, and it gave me pause. I’d wager that there are definitely fewer out there now than in 1970, in spite of all the clones, etc you mentioned. I mean that since Vin Diesel hit the Hollywood scene, the early 70’s SS Chevelle seems to be the vehicle of choice for the sickening trend of beautiful muscle cars getting mindlessly wrecked in action movies.
I always thought the silver and black made it look classier. Nothing against the traditional red and black but its nice to see something else once and awhile, and im trying to find my uncles old 70 which is a red with black car. If found id leave it in those colors but they wouldnt have been my first choice back then, although iconic now….
Is this a numbers matching car?????
1970 Chevelle SS396…on my busket list!
Will have to seriously think about this one.
What is there to think about, really?
Back in the day when we bolted the cassette deck to the bottom of the dash.
“If I had $50K” sings that old blues tune…
:Before I dies”..says I, I’m gonna have me one of these
“Befores I dies”…I’m gonna get me one of these….
“Get your motor runnin…headin down the highway”
So enjoyable to see a car that is actually used for what it was built for, to be driven. I have a silver 73 Corvette and am partial to silver cars, not the so called stupid shades of today’s computer junk on wheels. His price is a bit steep, but he will likely get near 50 large. 70 Chevelles are hot now price wise.
Would not the lighter ’65-66 z16 be faster?
I don’t think adding power steering would hurt the value of this car.
Not a good car back in the day to take your parallel parking road test in with the manual steering at age 16. lol
I would think an ultra rare Z16 Chevelle from ’65, stock versus stock, would be fairly quicker, not just the weight but also from the lack of tightening emissions tuning/gabage. I always thought the Z16 SS396 was a heavily loaded car with all sorts of options. Either car is a win win for me.