The Chevy Chevelle was the new Bow Tie A-Body offering for the 1964 model year. Wildly popular, the Chevelle became one of Chevy’s most popular and successful lines. The Chevelle two-door and convertible would become heavy hitters in the muscle car wars.
The 1970 model year would be the last for full-power muscle cars from General Motors. With the advent of federal emissions standards, fuel economy standards (that would become known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy after 1975), and insurance companies that were increasingly wary of covering big-horsepower street monsters, the writing was on the wall. So for the 1970 production year, the General pulled out all the stops. The company’s internal rule about limiting displacement in mid-size passenger cars to 400 cubic inches was stricken, and GM passenger cars received the big-displacement, big-power engines that would provide the high watermark for the muscle car era. For Chevrolet’s Chevelle, that meant the brutish 454 Big Block would be available.
The Chevy Chevelle could be had with a couple of different high-performance versions on the 454 Big Block. The iron block 454 LS5 was grossly underrated at 360 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. As if this was not enough, there was even more power from the Holy Grail of GM muscle, the 454 cube LS6.
The LS6 had an iron block, 11.25:1 compression, solid lifters, an aggressive cam, and was fed by an 800 CFM Holley four-barrel carburetor. It could be had with either a three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic automatic transmission or a four-speed manual. The LS6 was laughingly underrated at 450 horsepower (500 ponies was closer to the truth) and 500 pound-feet of torque. Sucking air through the Cowl Induction hood, the Chevy Chevelle SS LS6 was God’s own boulevard bludgeon, the King of the stoplight drags with enough power to ripple the pavement and alter the rotation of the Earth. The monstrous Big Block could propel the 4,000-pound Chevelle through the quarter-mile in the mid-thirteen second range on bias-ply tires.
Listed in the LS6 Registry, our feature 1970 Chevy Chevelle SS LS6 is a largely original example that has had a fastidious rotisserie restoration. Among the lengthy list of original equipment are the 454 LS6 powerplant, carb, alternator, starter, distributor, air pump, and radiator. The Big Block is backed by the original TH400 transmission that sends power to the matching-numbers 3.31 Posi-Traction rear end. The Chevelle is finished in its original hue of Autumn Gold with black SS stripes over a black vinyl bucket seat interior. It is equipped with F41 Special Performance Front and Rear Suspension, power front disc brakes, AM-FM radio, ComfortGrip steering wheel with tilt column, power steering, Cowl Induction hood, SS wheels with raised white letter Firestone Wide Oval bias-ply tires. In the engine bay and on the undercarriage, all the correct decals have been replaced. Included in the sale of this remarkable Chevelle SS LS6 is a flashdrive full of restoration photos, numerous receipts, and an NCRS Shipping Data Report.
This brilliantly restored 1970 Chevy Chevelle SS LS5 convertible will sell at the Mecum Auctions 36th Annual Spring Classic event taking place in Indianapolis, Indiana May 12th through the 20th.
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Comments
Reminds me of the 1970 Malibu coupe my parents had, similar color. They bought it new soon after getting married. I was born in 1973 and my mom drove that car until 1988 when she bought a Chevy Beretta.
Another GM classic beauty.
This is my favorite muscle car. Still looks amazing today.
Saw the ss in the show room ,but Parents bought same color, Malibu 4door sport sedan ,a very rare car today not sure if any are left had the 300hp 350 drank hi octane leaded premium gas took my driving test in 1980 in it I did good burn outs with that car , they sold it in 1983 had about 100,000 miles leaded gas was on its way out they bought a leftover 82Malibu sdn pos v6 still remember the basic dash and the cool blue dot when the high beam was on
Now that is a real classic muscle car kept in its true original condition the way god intended.