Vehicle Description
When a car is right, you can tell just by looking at it. Given the
predatory stance on this 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396, there's no
question the guys who built it did their homework. It is a real big
block car, packing its numbers-matching L35 396/325 engine and a
nice restoration with a few upgrades that make this one stand out
from the pack.
Wearing glossy black paint that has a few subtle tricks makes this
Chevelle look a lot more radical than it actually is. With very
cleanly blended flat black side stripes that emphasize the gentle
arc of the Chevelle sheetmetal, not to mention the super-aggressive
rake, this car looks the part of an apex predator. It almost seems
like it's had its skin stretched tight over its chassis, and the
fit of the panels and shiny paint make it look like someone really
cared. The work was done a few years ago, so there's some very,
very minor evidence that it's been driven and used, but you can't
complain about a nasty black big block A-body. It's clean, shiny,
and beautifully rendered and flaws are few and far between. We're
especially pleased that it's still wearing its original hood rather
than an aftermarket cowl-induction piece, and it works well with
the correct blacked-out SS grille up front, SS396 badges on the
flanks, and brilliant chrome bumpers fore and aft.
The black interior has been restored using new bucket seats, OEM
door panels, and a replacement headliner, not to mention all the
other small detail pieces that are so tough to track down. The
carpets were probably replaced at the same time and show some age,
but certainly nothing requiring immediate attention. Those upgraded
seats are more comfortable than the factory chairs and have a bit
more bolstering for aggressive driving, yet the vertical pleating
makes them almost look OEM. A correct SS dash with round gauges
(including a factory tach) look awesome, although it appears that
the secondary gauges aren't currently operational. The center
console proudly wears a proper horseshoe shifter for the TH400
3-speed automatic transmission underneath, and the steering wheel
is wrapped in black leather that sure seems appropriate here. In
the center of the dash, the original radio has been replaced with a
Sony AM/FM/CD unit, and yes, this car has factory A/C, which is
always a nice find. The trunk is in fantastic shape with correct
spatter-finish paint and a vintage bias-ply spare tire and jack
assembly.
Horsepower is compliments of this car's original, numbers-matching
396 cubic inch V8 that has been properly dressed in bright Chevy
Orange paint. Situated between the satin black fender wells, it
looks great, especially with original-looking dress-up items like
the chrome valve covers and air cleaner lid with correct decals. It
appears to be quite stock, from the 4-barrel carburetor to the cast
iron exhaust manifolds, and that's great news if you like to cruise
without worrying about reliability. The aforementioned TH400
3-speed auto 'box manages the gears, twisting a bulletproof 12-bolt
out back with what feel like 3.73 gears inside. It runs extremely
well today, with loads of big block torque available at any speed
and in any gear, delivering the punch that you expect from a big
Chevelle like this. Power disc brakes provide sure, confident
stops, and the brand new Flowmaster exhaust system dumps out
through correct oval chrome tips right under the rear bumper. The
suspension sits right and someone definitely did their homework
when it came time to stuff the wheel wells, because this one wears
great-looking alloy wheels and 245/35/20 front and 275/35/20 rear
Nitto performance radials.
Modified just enough to generate serious attention, this big block
Chevelle puts a unique twist on a timeless classic. Call now!