For Sale: 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle in Bradenton, Florida

1966 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 Convertible �€" Show-Quality Total Restoration Why This Car Is Special The 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 is widely considered the high point of the first-generation Chevelle's design cycle. Chevrolet had introduced the Chevelle in 1964 as a mid-size answer to the Ford Fairlane, but it was the 1966 model year that brought the sharpest styling the platform ever wore �€" a longer hood, a cleaner roofline, and a more aggressive front end that gave the car real visual authority. When you add the Super Sport package and the 396 cubic-inch Turbo-Jet big block to that body, you have the combination that defined what a mid-size muscle car was supposed to be. This particular car is a convertible, which places it in a significantly smaller production subset than the hardtop. The 1966 Chevelle SS 396 convertible was not built in large numbers �€" Chevrolet produced considerably more hardtops than open-top SS 396 cars in 1966, making a restored example in this condition genuinely scarce. The Body by Fisher tag reads 13867, which is the GM body style code for the 1966 Chevelle Malibu SS convertible. That tag confirms this car's identity as a true factory convertible, not a hardtop conversion. The restoration on this car has already done its job at the show level. It has been judged and recognized as a show winner, which means it has been evaluated by people who know exactly what to look for. This is not a car that was cleaned up and photographed well �€" it has been through the process and came out on the right side of it. The combination of Rally Red exterior, Regal Red vinyl interior, white convertible top, and the 396 big block under the hood is the kind of specification that collectors actively search for. Features List - 396ci Turbo-Jet Big Block V8 (1969 GM block) - Turbo-Hydramatic TH400 Automatic Transmission - GM 12-Bolt Rear End - Power Steering - Power Front Disc Brakes - Power Convertible Top - Factory Air Conditioning - SS Dash Gauge Cluster - Column-Mounted Tachometer - Turbo-Jet 396 Fender Badges - Super Sport Exterior Badging - Body by Fisher Tag (13867 �€" factory Malibu SS convertible body code) - Alloyworks Aluminum Radiator - Electric Cooling Fan - Dual Exhaust - Upgraded Rear Shocks - White Convertible Soft Top - Lexani Performance Tires - US Mags Chrome Wheels �€" 20-inch front, 18-inch rear - Custom Auto Sound System - Bumper Guards (front and rear) - PPG Base/Clear Paint System - Show Winner - Fresh Total Restoration - Chrome Valve Covers - Sport Steering Wheel - Front Bucket Seats - SS Hood Vents Mechanical The 396 cubic-inch big block V8 has been one of the most respected engines in American performance history since Chevrolet introduced it in 1965. In 1966, the 396 was offered in the Chevelle SS in multiple states of tune, ranging from 325 horsepower up to 360 horsepower in the top L78 configuration. The Turbo-Jet 396 badges on this car's fenders reflect the factory designation Chevrolet used for this engine family throughout the mid-to-late 1960s. The block installed in this car is a 1969 GM unit, which is a well-regarded choice among builders working with the Mark IV big block family. The 396 architecture shares its basic block design with the larger 427 and 454 that came later, and all of them benefit from the same robust bottom-end engineering that made these engines reliable under hard use. The engine compartment presents cleanly, with chrome valve covers complementing the correct orange engine finish and the period-correct Turbo-Jet air cleaner assembly visible in every engine photo. Cooling is handled by an Alloyworks aluminum radiator combined with an electric fan, a practical upgrade that provides meaningfully better heat rejection than the original copper-brass unit while eliminating the parasitic drag of a mechanical fan. This is a sensible choice on a car that will see warm-weather driving in Florida. Backing the 396 is a Turbo-Hydramatic TH400 automatic transmission �€"