1971 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454
This 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 has a compelling story shared by many Vietnam veterans who returned home and bought the dream cars they had long wanted. The original owner drove the car just 11,120 miles, including two runs at Thunder Valley Dragway in Marion, South Dakota. After struggling with PTSD and being involved in a wreck, he parked the car in a building on his family farm and never drove it again. After his passing in 2008, his son brought the car out of long-term storage and took it to Mark Juhl Auto Sports in Sioux Falls for a multi-year body-off restoration. With the frame confirmed straight and a quality donor car available for parts, the Chevelle was restored to showroom condition and completed in 2012. Although the car was originally ordered with a vinyl roof, his son preferred the cleaner hardtop look, especially with the Antique Green paint. The finish was wet-sanded and buffed to a brilliant, swirl-free shine, and all glass and seals were replaced to ensure tight, leak-free fitment.
In the interior, the original Antique Dark Jade rear seat upholstery was retained, but the front bucket seats received new foam and seat covers to upgrade as new. A new headliner, carpet, door panels, package tray and kick panels brought the interior up to showroom condition.
The chassis received new bushings and shocks, while all original components were sandblasted and repainted to factory specifications. The power front disc and rear drum brakes were refurbished, and the car rides on correct BF Goodrich Radial T/A tires. This setup provides a smooth ride with responsive steering and braking. There are less than 2,000 miles on these tires, but they are now more than 10 years old. They are suitable for car shows, but new tires would be recommended for longer road trips.
The 365 horsepower 454 cubic inch LS5 OHV V-8 was rebuilt to factory specifications, keeping its original crankshaft and connecting rods. Two of the original pistons were replaced as well as the hydraulic camshaft. The oval port cylinder heads received hardened exhaust valve seats during the rebuild, and the original cast iron intake and exhaust manifolds were reinstalled. The son changed the stock carburetor to a preferred Holley and had an HEI distributor installed. The cooling system was upgraded with an aluminum radiator, and the dual exhaust with Flowmaster mufflers allows the engine to breathe and perform as it should. Pumping the gas three times before a cold start brings the engine to life and it soon settles into a comfortable idle that gives a hint of the power in its 454. The Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 three speed was refurbished and shifts great at the proper rpms. The 3.31 geared Posi-trac rear axle makes this a great road car for higher speed motoring, which this big engine Chevelle was made for.
With its stock A/C, meticulous restoration and low mileage, this car is a joy to drive and often draws a crowd when it arrives. This car has been stored in a garage since its restoration and by the current owner, with current mileage on the odometer sitting at 13,300 miles. This 71 Chevelle SS looks and runs as if it just came off the showroom floor. Its fluids and filters have all been recently serviced, the car runs on non-ethanol fuel and is driven several times a month to ensure that it stays in excellent running condition. There is a binder that goes with the car containing all the receipts from its high-quality restoration, along with the original build sheet and Protect-O-Plate. Comes with the window sticker, owner’s manual, and title dated 10-12-1970. It would be difficult to find a finer example of this big block Chevrolet Chevelle SS muscle car.
