Rare Big Block! 1972 Chevrolet Camaro SS 396
Stuffing a giant engine into a small car dates back more than a century, and this 1972 Chevrolet Camaro SS marks the end of the big block Camaro. The seller describes this Lakewood, Pennsylvania classic as genuine SS retaining its original “396” block, transmission, and rear axle. Barn-fresh after 20+ years, the double-blue SS comes to market here on eBay, where at least five bidders have cast lots, with the leader topping $5500 on the claimed 1-of-970 Chevy. Thanks to reader T. J. for spotting this once-potent pony car.
Skateboard-sized valve covers announce the Mark IV big-block aka “rat” motor. This 402 cid (6.6L) was still called Turbo-Jet 396 in Chevy’s brochures, capitalizing on the performance reputation of the 396. Thanks to lov2xlr8 for some details. Though not as brutal as earlier big blocks, prodigious torque and the 3.42 rear gears would waste no time incinerating the 14-inch tires and bringing an evil grin to your face. Don’t let the sub-300 HP numbers fool you. I spent some time as a youth piloting a ’70s big block pickup truck, mostly stock, with the three-speed automatic, and it would boil the tires from a 20 roll.
By 1974 the Camaro would feature larger “diving board” bumpers, but these chrome units look nimble and classy, despite their lack of protection compared to the later federally mandated safety bumpers.
A three-speed automatic transmission handles the gear changes. Interior surface rust suggests moisture entered the sanctity of the cockpit, so the new owner can expect cosmetic and/or structural rust everywhere. Powder blue may not be everyone’s pick for a wicked-fast ride, but I wouldn’t change a thing, other than making everything safe, mechanically perfect, and cosmetically not disgusting. Credit the seller for showing a build sheet, body tag, and multiple stampings to help validate their claims. Would you fix up this last year big-block Camaro to sell it or keep it for yourself?
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Comments
I’m not often a big “keep em stock” guy. But please oh great and wonderful car gods, let this one be properly restored AND driven. One of my personal all time favorites. Good luck to the new owner.
Agree 100%
Does the engine turn and why is it stripped? Is the tranny a 400 turbo to handle that BB? From the looks of the underneath right side shot, I can only imagine what the trunk, floor pans and frame are concealing. This is at minimum a $45K project to get this baby back up and standing tall.
Agree on that. That engine is probably junk with being completely wide open to the elements. Too bad.
Got a TH400 behind anL35 396 in my El Camino. Does just fine
Only Trans choices are a Muncie or a TH400.
Recall my everyday driver 70 SS 396 split bumper Camaro with non org. 402 , 4sp. & 12 bolt Posi back in 82. Remember adding 50 Ibs sand bags into truck to keep the nose for diving into the ground around corners and keeping the rear from lifting. Personally the worst handling car I ever owned. In 84 sold it and picked up 78 Z28 with blown 305, 4sp. & 10 bolt Posi, dropped in junk yard 400 SBC from Caprice station wagon and what a world of a difference. With little engine mods was faster and handling was night and day. Wish I still had both these cars now.
Exactly my pro Street 70 BB Chevelle with 18.5 inch rear tire with the front Pizza cutter tires the car don’t handle for crap.Thats what I have my grand sport corvette if I want do some cornering.
Keep it a day 2 build like it sits… Stay a BB but bored, sleeved, big cam w/headers. All fresh metal and interior obviously.
Even if the engine was all together, it would probably still be wise to disassemble and inspect a 50 year old performance engine. This looks like a big project, but it is a pretty rare Camaro.
245 horse 402 motor..is not anything that will shake the floor..this camo.will take lots of work to restore the rust bucket floors and all fenders..adm.bout 15k of work.on doghouse..you’d have 55k in this at any shake.for about a 50k car..don’t see many of them left..someone has the money.
Like 98% of Pennsylvanian cars it come stock with terminal cancer too.
If this car was ever outside after mid November till April it was driven in salt and cinders. I’m a PA native
If this car was ever outside after mid November till April it was driven in salt and cinders. I’m a PA native
Had terrible luck with this body style and this much rust. Expect the door skins and doors for that matter to be shot, The trunk is a goner. With one ’72 I pinned sheet metal and fiberglass to hold the trunk together so the jack wouldn’t fall out. Great body style but you metal fab guys know what I’m talking about.
I keep an informal registry of these ultra-rare cars. The ’71-’72 LS-3 cars are a fraction of 1% of production. 90% of the cars I validate for people are fakes. This seems legit on the initial look. A build sheet on a Norwood car is incredibly rare. The Norwood cars also have Z27 LS# on the trim tag making it difficult to fake, so most fakes are Los Angeles cars which didn’t stamp the tag. Getting past the obvious restoration..these cars have some unique parts, and they are expensive and very rare and often missing even on legit cars. Special air cleaner case is $1K WHEN you can find one. Special fuel lines (now reproduced based on my original lines on my own car). Unique fuel filter bracket. Have never seen one anywhere. I had mine hand-made. Special radiator, have never seen one on the market anywhere at any price. This car has the correct Tach. Missing correct exh manifolds and the very expensive shrouding. So, to make it correct there is gonna be several thousand additional dollars spent for the correct parts. I likely have the largest stock of the special parts anywhere coming from many years of scouring for them. So far, I have about 40 original, real-deal cars in my database and about 200 clones with grievous mistakes. Born with drivetrain makes this one worthwhile. I might just be bringing this one home.
bikefixr: Thanks for this great information and please keep us poster if you end up picking this one up.
Do u think the uaw strike had much to do with the low numbers or did gm not want to sell the big block cars anymore
I think the 72 strike reduced.the 72 camaro total.of cars made..the 454 camaro was toast after the 72 season…you could get a 454 vette in 73 and a few in 1974..but no.more.after that..no 74 454 camaros made..so.the 454 camaro was done…a gm decision in 73…
to bikefixr: do you sell the parts you have? If so, where? I have a 71 norwood LS3 car with a 72 402, missing a lot of parts. It’s an RS SS was maroon color, now in primer, most of metal work done
Hi, I’m pretty familiar with the rarity. I chased one for many years back before everyone knew just how rare. Same as my 72 T/A. The strike year……anyway, I bought a full numbers m-22 car from way out East and had it shipped to Illinois. That was about 20 years ago. Sold it to a guy in Michigan I believe. Needed restoration. Black with red stripes. Correct color was slade silver. I’ve pondered trying to track it down. I have multiple rare cars. Many first gens. One numbers 72 z. Other makes and models. I have a serious car problem 😀is there a link to your registry?
Chevy never used the 454 in the camaro. 396’s and the COPO 427’s in the 1st gens. 396 which was a 402 in 70-72.
The more information you guys feed the more respect I am gaining for this Camaro. I really hope someone restores it back to its original state. After restoring a 55 F100 and a 79 L82 Vette I’m done!
’70-’73 Camaros are some of the most beautiful cars ever made bar none. And genuine big block cars are rare as all get out. They will never make a car like this again. Rust or no rust. This car is irreplaceable and worth every penny put into it. Greatness never comes cheap.