1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS Barn Find
The American muscle car scene hit its plateau in 1970, and the Chevelle Super Sport was at the top of its game. Besides the famous SS 396, it was joined by the SS 454, Chevy’s biggest engine up to then. However, rising insurance premiums and higher gasoline prices (as of 1973) would eventually curtail demand for street race cars. This 1970 Super Sport has had the same owner for 35 years and is far from stock, but it has been a barn captive for nearly 20 of them. Located in Tyndall, Iowa, this dirty and dusty project is likely to need a lot of attention and is available here on craigslist for $40,000.
The SS 396 and 454 were options on the Malibu in 1970 and accounted for sales of more than 53,000 cars, most having the 396 engine (which had been bored out to 402 cubic inches but still marketed as a 396). We don’t know whether a 396 or 454 was in the seller’s car when it was built. No discussion is made about the car’s history or condition, instead, the seller provides a long list of aftermarket parts that start with a 383 “Stroker” motor.
These 1970 Chevelles are frequently the targets of cloning, but given that this car has been sitting for two decades, we’re guessing it’s a real SS. But much of what the car was assembled with is now gone. Besides the Stroker V8, this Chevy has a TH-350 with a stall converter and a 12-bolt rear-end with posi-traction. The seller must have had plans to race it (or actually did) given the other hardware amassed. And the front seats look like racing-style buckets, not matching the rear.
We think the original color of the Chevrolet was red or orange given the paint under the trunk lid. On the outside, the Chevelle appears to have been repainted dark blue with SS white stripes reapplied. It’s hard to gauge the overall condition of the SS from the photos and a good cleaning will probably reveal any flaws as it’s been hiding since 2005. If you’re in the market for a Chevelle SS and don’t care about originality, is this one a project you’d entertain?
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Comments
Messy underbonnet. Racers tend to be tidier to avoid rubbing/chafing and so on.
This definitely puts out a Ricky Racer vibe, not that of a race car. Since the original ad has been deleted the pictures are limited to what is in this sites write up, but there is nothing in the interior or engine compartment that suggests it was anything other than a street racer. At best it might have seen a few trips to a track, but that’s probably it.
Steve R
JUST because it’s in a barn and it’s sat dirty for years, doesn’t mean it’s worth 40k
Nuf-sed…
No one puts a small block in a big block car to race it. Combined with the cut up dash and interior, this car is 100 percent a base Malibu. Even if it had a build sheet proving otherwise, its current condition would be hard pressed to push its value past $15-20k.
At $40k he’s dreaming. At $15k, still in a deep sleep. Keep the cheesy stripes. At least if putting them on, try to appear factory & not Krylon Kool. Unless, nevermind, no matching eng, pass…
Originally a 4 speed
Originally a 4 speed
Or a 3-speed.
Nothing says “FAST” like 20 decals on the inner fender wells. Fortunately they are easier to remove than ones on the outside. The valve covers are small block Chevy for sure, it’s not a big block.
“Step right up, and see the amazing SS 396…” Only $40,000. There’s one born every minute.
Cobbled together POS
Is this serious? 40k JUNK
Is there a drought going on in Iowa that precludes the seller from washing the car before posting pictures?!
Junk! Joke! 4K not 40K!
Not sure if this is actually a true SS…stripes, seem to small…dash components long gone….mmmmmmm
I agree with Not Again and other comments. It was a manual shift car 4-speed, dash cut up and strips don’t look right. I am only guessing it was probably a 4 speed big block car but that is only a guess. Too bad there aren’t more pictures to justify the asking price.
Posting deleted.
Calling Joe Dirt…..
Exciting to see the SS bumper pad , the pulse races as you see the blue , then it all just saddens the viewer the farther is goes .
Also has to be one of the worst attempts at SS stripes I have ever seen ..
Exact width of the Sherwin Williams paint roller .
If you’re going to do something , anything , do it right .
Apparently the seller is Embarrassed
If this was a real SS, the chopping, hacking and replacing has destroyed that value. Not being critical, the car is a true representation of what guys did in the 70s to early 80s. I agree with the earlier comment – makes no sense to remove a big block to replace with a stroker small block, unless the big block went boom and the stroker was what you had or could afford at the time. Whether true original SS or not, it is not worth the asking price. If the frame is straight and no rust, it could still be a good project for someone, but restoring to original if a true SS is probably a loser from the cost/benefit perspective.
Mr. Dixon, did you keep the original ad?
This is Not a Chevelle SS.
It is a fake ad,
Can anyone even find Tyndall, Iowa ?
There is a Tyndall Base in North Florida.
Lost me with the auto trans, dang I miss shifting.
Really not worth the ink for ANY comments. Whew…
Another bath water prayer. I guess showing a car with enough dirt to bake a cake is somehow appealing to us. Maybe it somehow it’s authentiaty or maybe it’s maturity. I don’t know. I give up.
Or, dirt hides imperfections. As if the pictures didn’t point out the imperfections.
I think that unwashed barn finds became popular due to a couple of prestigious car shows started having barn find sections which attracted incredibly rare and desirable muscle cars in their “as found” condition. This was a thing at an annual car show in Pigeon Forge Tennessee and later the MCACN show in Chicago over the Thanksgiving weekend. A case can be made for the cars on display, they were typically Hemi cars, GTO Judges, Z-16, L89, LS6, COPO Chevelle’s, the rarest of the rare. The enthusiast magazines would cover these cars and some ever did monthly reader submissions. Eventually sellers caught on to this trend and decided they could get more money for their abandoned unwashed hooptie covered in dust or debris without putting in any effort beyond taking a few pictures and writing an unintelligible description. It worked for a while, hopefully with the market softening that trend dies.
Steve R
Big thumb down
I can think of many cars I can purchase at 40k that are 100% nicer than this hacked-up Chevy. What a rip-off.
Tim, it’s not a rip-off until someone buys it and something is found to be not true or not as the way it was said or shown.
I kinda think that the owner has either started taking some of grand-ma’s old medications, OR possibly should.
Have a great weekend!