After 52 years, the owner of this stunning big block Chevelle SS is finally ready to hand the car over to a new owner.
The 1960s and early 70s are fondly remembered as being the golden era of muscle cars. The sheer variety of American automakers churning out small and big block V8 performance cars was astounding, particularly by modern car standards, and every classic car enthusiast has their favorite.
Plenty of automakers produced iconic models during that period, but very few could match the iconic offerings from Chevrolet. While lots of us fondly remember the Camaro taking the fight to the Ford Mustang in ’67, Chevy already had a stellar track record of V8-powered coupes in its back catalog.
Arguably, the most iconic was the Chevrolet Chevelle SS and YouTuber Lou Costabile has been documenting this beautiful all-original 1970 SS survivor barn find in his channel’s latest episode. Lou speaks with both the previous and current owner about the car and what plans are in store for this Chevy muscle car in the future.
Outgoing Owner Bill Has Had This Chevy Chevelle SS Since 1971
1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS Barn Find Key Details
- Bill bought this Chevelle SS in 1971 and has owned it ever since
- After storing it for years with plans for restoration, Bill says he is selling it as he doesn’t have the means to restore the car properly
- Bill is selling the car to local friend Gary, who has dreamed of owning a 1970 Chevelle SS since he was 17 years old
- This survivor Chevelle SS still has all-original bodywork, engine, interior, and paint – all of which are in great condition
- Gary got the motor running in less than two weeks, with the car now cleaned up and driving on the road
The story of this 1970 Chevelle is quite a wholesome one. Bill, the now-previous owner, picked up this Chevelle SS in the fall of 1971 when he was only 20 years old. Bill says that as he had a good driving record, his parents agreed to chip in a little bit of money, along with the money from trading in Bill’s existing car, to help him purchase the SS.
Bill and the now-owner Gary have known each other since they were in school, with Bill’s mom actually being Gary’s 5th-grade teacher. It turns out Bill’s mom is also a muscle car fan, with Gary fondly recalling her driving to school in a Chevy Impala SS with a 454 cu in big block V8.
While Bill loved driving the Chevelle SS, putting nearly 52,000 miles on the odometer, he took it off the road quite a few years ago as he felt it needed a proper restoration. Bill has been storing the Chevy in a barn in rural Illinois for many years and, unfortunately, never got around to giving it the attention it deserved.
Sadly, Bill says he can no longer restore the car but is confident that Gary will do the Chevy justice. If he wasn’t sure the car would get a proper restoration, Bill says he wouldn’t have sold it, and Bill and Gary have even struck an agreement for Bill to come and drive the car occasionally after the restoration is complete.
Despite It’s Age This Chevy Chevelle SS Is In Amazing Condition
As is the way with a lot of barn finds, this Chevelle is covered in decades worth of dust and grime. With that in mind, the classic Chevy has been well looked after and looks to have all the original bodywork intact. All the panels look straight as an arrow, and while the dust can make properly inspecting the rockers and quarter panels challenging, there are very few signs of any surface rust, let alone deep rust.
The interior, too, looks to be in excellent condition, with all the original gauges and switches still in the car. The dash and fascia have no signs of cracking or damage, and while there are mothballs and evidence of a small rodent infestation, the seats and steering wheel look virtually untouched.
The engine bay is in similarly great condition, with very little sign of any deep corrosion on the firewall, frame, or the big block 402 cu-in V8. Unfortunately, the engine doesn’t start, and the Chevelle needs to be pulled out of the barn by a tractor.
Fortunately, unlike many barn finds out there, the brakes haven’t seized, and the car doesn’t put up much of a fight. From there, the Chevelle gets loaded onto a trailer, Bill and Gary shake hands, and the car heads back to Gary’s garage for a much-needed clean and complete inspection.
Gary Got The Chevelle Running And Driving In Only 12 Days
Understandably, Gary is thrilled to finally have his dream car and tells Lou that his priority is getting the Chevelle running again. Much to Lou’s surprise, though, he receives a call from Gary only 12 days later, asking him to come and check back on the car and see the progress Gary and his team have made.
With the Chevelle now sparkling clean, the first thing that Lou notices is the Chevelle still has its original factory Autumn Gold Paint. While there are some mild spots where the paint is chipped and peeling and a few minor rust spots on the rockers and hood, the bodywork is otherwise top-notch. The Chevelle’s black vinyl roof also looks near-perfect, with Gary saying it was like “peeling back an onion” during the cleaning process.
More impressive than the bodywork, however, is that Gary now has the Chevy V8 running smoothly. Despite the badging on the side saying 396, that didn’t refer to the displacement in this case, with the actual displacement being 402 cu-in.
This is one of two 402 cu-in V8s Chevrolet offered for the 1970 Chevelle, producing 350 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque, with power going to the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission with a Hurst shifter. Gary hasn’t had to do much to the engine other than change the dead battery. While the big block Chevy V8 has a leaky water pump, the Chevelle starts on the key without hesitation.
It’s not just a start-and-park car, though, and Gary takes Lou out for a short drive on the road. Gary doesn’t push the car too hard, but he does open up the big V8 a little bit, beaming with pride in the process. Lou is equally thrilled, happy to see the Chevelle driving on the road again after so many years in hibernation.
