Post by ferrari512s on Feb 26, 2014 23:16:07 GMT -5
The 1970 Chevelle SS
In 1964, in the midst of the industry's horsepower race, the Chevelle was introduced to the muscle car market as Chevrolet's mid-size car that offered high horsepower, versatility and convenience.
The 1970 Chevelle featured a bold-look with a split grille, dual headlights and a feature line with a prominent dip at waist-level on the body sides. The swept-back style front fenders were replaced with a more blunt-style. Standard equipment on the 1970 Chevelle included heater/defroster, rubber floor mats, cigarette lighter and a locking glove box.
This 1970 Chevelle SS is equipped with rare factory air conditioning and wears a rare paint combination. It features the SS-396 package - a 350 horsepower, 396 cubic-inch Turbo-Jet V8 power plant, power front disc brakes, dual exhausts, sport style wheels and a four-speed transmission. The SS-396 package cost an extra $445, above the $2,809 factory price.
The Chevy Chevelle was produced from 1964 through 1977. It was a mid-sized car that ranged from an economical family car to powerful muscle cars. It was one of the companies' most successful models.
Prior to 1970, GM had restricted mid-sized cars to engines with less than 400 cubic-inch displacement, though many inventive people found ways around it. In 1970, GM dropped this rule and bigger engines became available. The LS6 packaged included a 454 cubic-inch engine offering 450 horsepower and capable of running the 1/4 mile in low to mid-13 seconds. The stock LS6 at 450 horsepower produced more power than any other stock production engine during the muscle car era.
Drag racer Bob Hamilton purchased this bright red Chevelle LS6 in 1969 as a Valentine's Day gift for his wife. In 1970, he turned it into a drag car named 'Red Alert' to compete in the highly contested NHRA SS/DA class. It was very successful and in 1971 toymaker AMT created a model of the car that became their all-time sales leader. The car continued to race until 1976 when it was Top Stock Eliminator in 14 out of 16 races. It was campaigned during the 1990s in nostalgia drag racing events against such famous cars as Ronnie Sox's 426 Hemicuda.
'RED ALERT', the World's Most Famous Chevelle - In 1969 drag racer Bob Hamilton ordered a bright red 1970 Chevelle for his wife as a Valentine's present. Bob took over the car himself and started racing it in NHRA. The Cold War was in effect and he called the car Red Alert. In 1972 the American Model Toy Company took notice of this car and introduced it as a AMT model becoming a sales leading toy. The ERTL Model Company made a limited production run of 2500 in 1999.
A 450 horsepower LS6 equipped SS 454 could run 0 to 60 mph in 6.1-seconds and cover the quarter mile in 13.44 seconds at 108 mph.
This car in unrestored, retaining its original sheetmetal and interior and 60-percent of the original paint. It still ca be seen participating at nostalgia drag events.
The Chevelle was a mid-sized car produced from 1964 through 1977. Ranging from economical family cars to powerful muscle cars, and was one of the company's most successful models.
This example is a SS396 with a factory 4-speed manual transmission, power disc brakes and power steering. It was built for performance and equipped with very few other options.
For the 1970 model year, the Chevelle was Chevrolet's mid-size base model - the Coupe with a wheelbase of 112 inches versus the 4-door at 116.
The Malibu, and Greenbriar for the station wagons, was one trim level up. But it's under the hood that matters! This example has the factory RPO LS6 Turbo-Jet package.
And that means a big-block 454 cubic-inch, high compression, solid lifter, Turbo-Jet V8 with a quoted 450 horsepower. However, the LS6 was 'under rated,' closer to 500 is the number as delivered from the factory.
Both the factory Powertrain and Convenience Option lists are endless. Very low 12-seonc 1/4-mile times should be possible from the stock LS6 with modern tire.
Billed as 'America's most popular mid-size car' the Chevelle might equally be its most popular muscle car. Chevrolet's A-Body platform hosted the Chevelle beginning in 1964 and it proved to be one of their most successful model series (post-WWII) over three generations.
For 1968, the model was downsized - wheelbase reduced from 115 to 112-inches - even though the 'muscle era' was finally over. For 1970, these 2nd generation cars were given sheet metal revisions and the PRO Z15 S(uper) S(ports), with big block 454 LS5, maintained its 360 horsepower rating with the SS-cowl hood to let the world know what's going on. Plus uprated suspension, wide oval tires on sport wheels, black accented grille, and a rear bumper insert.
According to contemporary sources, a 450 horsepower LS6 equipped SS 454 could run 0 to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds and cover the quarter mile in 13.44 seconds at 108 mph. To order an LS6 Chevelle you first had to add option RPO Z15 (SS 454 equipment), at the approximate cost of $500, and then you added the RPO LS6 option and an additional cost of $263.30. The LS6 made an under rated 450 horsepower at 5,600 RPM and 500 lbs.-ft of torque at 3,600 RPM which are some of the most impressive numbers in the industry. No production engine has ever had a higher factory horsepower rating. A total of 4,475 LS6 Chevelles were produced in 1970.
Chevelle LS-6
The 454 cubic-inch engine in the Chevelle LS-6 is the most potent powerplant ever placed in a production muscle car, producing 450 horsepower and 500 foot-pounds of torque. Due to additional weight and inherently weaker frame, very few of these monster engines ever found their way into a convertible. The Volo Auto Museum example is one of only 20 Chevelle LS-6 convertibles produced in 1970 with the famed M-22 Rock Crusher 4-speed transmission.
The Chevelle was introduced on September 26, 1963 as a mid-sized vehicle for the Chevrolet fleet. It was basically a smaller version of the Impala.
Muscle cars were associated with small vehicles with low weight and very few amenities but large amounts of horsepower from massive engines. The entire Detroit market had been stricken by creating faster, more vehicles. The Chevelle flirted with this definition but went a step farther and added versatility and convenience. When introduced in 1963, its 327 cubic-inch V8 engine producing 300 horsepower was no match for the 389 cubic-inch V8 that the Pontiac GTO concealed under its hood. In the years that followed, Chevrolet would answer the challenge with larger, more powerful engines.
The Chevelle was built atop a new A-frame platform and had a 112 inch wheelbase. The suspension was unequal-length double wishbones in the front and a 4-link live-axle rear suspension. The vehicle could be ordered in 2 or 4 door bodystyle. The base model was the 300 series while the Malibu SS was the top-of-the-line model.
During the 1964 model year, over 76,800 Chevelle SS's were produced. Two engine sizes were available, the 283 and 327 cubic inch. Horsepower ranged from 195 through 300 depending on the engine and configuration.
The muscle car market was beginning to heat-up and Chevrolet needed to prove that they still had what was needed to compete. In 1965, Chevrolet unleashed a limited edition 396, known as the Z-16 package. The 201 examples that were produced featured 375 horsepower, highly-modified suspension and power-assisted steering, and anti-roll bars in the front and rear. The gear ratio on the Muncie 4-speed transmission was raised from 3.31 to 4.56. The 283 and 327 cubic-inch engines were still available. The base engine still produced 195 horsepower while the top of the line Z79 327 was now producing 350 horsepower. Production was down by over 4000 SS's from the previous year, now at 72,500.
Chevrolet was catching up in the horsepower battle. In 1966, the 283 and 327 cubic-inch engines were no longer being offered. Rather, the 396 became the standard engine with the horsepower outputting between 325 to 375 depending on the configuration. The greater the horsepower the vehicles received, the greater the need to modify the other components of the vehicle. All Chevelles were outfitted with stiffer springs and shocks to counter handling problems.
The SS name was switched to SS396 to highlight the 396 cubic-inch engine lurking underneath the hood. A new bumper, roof line, and dual hood scoops were applied to the vehicle to give it an updated and more aggressive look. For 1966, 72,272 examples were produced. Part of this success is credited with the competitive price, styling and vehicle performance.
Front disc brakes and new tires were added in 1967. A three speed automatic was added to the 3 and 4 speed manual, and two speed automatic transmission options. The 396 engine producing 325 horsepower was still the standard power plant. The L34 engine saw a reduction in horsepower by 10 to comply with new GM corporate policy regarding one-BHP per ten-pounds of curb weight. The 375 horsepower option was removed from the line-up.
In 1968, the Chevelle SS was redesigned. The rear of the car was shortened while the front was stretched giving it a fast-back appearance. The wheelbase decreased by three inches. The L78 375 horsepower engine option was re-added to the line-up. The zero-to-sixty time was rated around 6.5 seconds while the quarter-mile time was 14.5 seconds. Unfortunately, sales were down considerably hovering around 57,600.
The SS 396 became an option package for the Chevelles in 1969. By the end of the year, the 396 was increased to 402 cubic inches. A limited number of 427 cubic-inch power plants were offered. With over 86,300 vehicles sold in 1969, the Chevelle SS was gaining ground in the popularity battle.
For 1970, production was down to just below 53,600 Chevelle SS's. However, horsepower was up, way up.
The horsepower ranged from 350 to 450 horsepower from the 402 and 454 powerplants.
With the LS6 454 engine, the vehicle could race from zero-to-sixty in just over 6 seconds. The quarter mile could be reached in 13.7 seconds.
Hot Wheels 1970 Chevelle
Hot Wheels released this model as a first edition in 1999 and called it '70 Chevelle SS.
This was issued with a metal frame and base.
Since 1999 the Chevelle has been re-issued several times in a variety of colors.
The '70 Chevelle SS has 2 spin-off castings: the '70 Chevelle Convertible and the Spoiler version, SS Express. This is listed further below.
Released in black with redline stripe real rider tires...
Released in red with silver trimming and real rider slicks!
Another release in red with common stock wheels...
Released in black with Hot Wheels stripes and trimming...
Released in the popular color red with black stripes...
Taking the '70 Chevelle SS for a drive...
The gold edition...
The green issue...
Great trimming and decals on this one...
The orange issue...
All dressed in blue with Real Rider tires...
The blue version taxi...
Hot Wheels SS Express
It has also been released in a Spoiler edition called the "SS Express"! This one was released for the Hot Wheels 40th Anniversary convention.
This SS Express in black. Love the Spoiler edition...
The blue SS Express...
Nice striping on the sides on this black edition...
This green SS Express sure does shine...
Another green edition...
The blue...
The red version of the SS Express...
Hot Wheels '70 Chevelle Convertible
Hot Wheels also released a stylish '70 Chevelle Convertible!
The orange...
Hot Wheels Artwork!