1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 Clone

Description

There's no question that the biggest, baddest Chevy of the muscle car era was the 1970 Chevelle SS454. And while the brutal LS6 was the top dog in the horsepower wars, if you wanted things like power steering and a street-friendly personality, the torque-monster LS5 was a smarter choice. And that's exactly where this gorgeous 1970 Chevelle SS 454 ended up: a nicely finished LS5 street brawler with a lot of charisma.

In a project like this, it makes sense to start with good base stock, so the body shell they selected came from a warm climate and didn't pose the challenges that one of its northern siblings would. It was straightened and smoothed, a correct cowl-induction hood was installed, and then it was covered in a few coats of Fathom Blue and a pair of white SS stripes down its center. It shows a few signs of use and age, but nothing that should keep anyone from grinning like an escaped convict from behind the wheel, and we can guarantee you'll get a ton of respect on the street with this car. There are proper SS badges, a blacked-out grille, and even correct oval exhaust tips peeking out from under the rear bumper.

The black bucket seat interior also accurately duplicates the SS look. Correct seats with replacement seat covers, proper black carpets, and even reproduction door panels make it feel very showroom fresh inside. As I mentioned, the LS5 engine meant that most of the luxury goodies were back on the menu in your hi-po Chevelle, and this car includes power steering and, of course, a center console with the awesome horseshoe shifter. Round gauges are a part of the SS look, and they are nicely preserved with only light fading of the lenses, and a pair of auxiliary gauges has been installed under the dash in the usual location. There's an AM/FM stereo head unit in the dash that probably needs an upgrade today, and the trunk is neatly detailed with a reproduction floor mat and full-sized spare with jack assembly, so you know they were checking the details during the build.

The engine is a correctly stamped 1970 LS5 454 cubic inch V8 built to 360 horsepower specifications with a few minor deviations from stock, mostly stuff that the original owner would have done within weeks of buying his new Chevelle. Up top, there's a polished aluminum intake manifold and a big Holley 4-barrel carburetor, and it lives under a chrome air cleaner with reproduction decals, so almost nobody will notice. There's Chevy Orange paint on the block, correct hoses, fittings, and clamps, and all the bare metal parts are the right finish, albeit protected from the elements. Long-tube headers and a set of Flowmaster mufflers underneath give this LS5 a nasty personality, and the TH400 3-speed automatic feels robust enough to do full-throttle burnouts at every stoplight. Shiny Torque Thrust wheels are the biggest deviation from stock, but they sure look right with fat 235/60/15 BFGoodrich T/A radials wrapped around them.

A very impressive Chevelle that runs even better than it looks. With an authentic LS5, it's a great way to enjoy some big block muscle without spending a fortune. Call today!