Читать книгу 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS - Dale McIntosh - Страница 7
ОглавлениеHere is a 1970 SS454 Malibu sport coupe in Shadow Gray with optional RPO ZL2 Special Ducted Hood Air System and black RPO D88 Hood & Deck Stripes that were part of the ZL2 option. (Photo Courtesy Lindy Arnold)
It was late 1963. Tragedy struck the nation with the assassination of our President. On the upside we got fantastic movies including The Great Escape, TV shows such as Lassie, and of course, the British invasion of The Beatles. Amid all this, Chevrolet introduced its iconic A-Body car, the Chevelle.
First unveiled in the fall of 1963, the Chevelle was GM’s introduction to the mid-size car market. The Chevelle was built for model years 1964 through 1977 and was one of GM’s most popular cars. The Chevelle was built in several body styles over its lifetime, including two- and four-door sedans, various station wagon models, convertibles, sedan pickups (or El Caminos), and the most popular body style of them all, the two-door sport coupe, or hardtop. Several series of Chevelles were offered with names such as Chevelle 300, 300 Deluxe, Malibu, SS396, Standard, Concours, Custom, and even Chevelle. These series generally had trim-level differences and available body styles were often limited in the various series.
In 1970 there were no less than seven series available. Buyers could choose from the Nomad station wagon, Standard two-door sport coupe, four-door sedan, and sedan pickup body styles, Greenbrier station wagon in two-seat and three-seat configurations, Malibu in two-door sport coupe, convertible, and sedan pickup body styles as well as a four-door sedan and four-door sport sedan, Concours and Concours Estate station wagons, and finally the Monte Carlo two-door coupe.
Quite a number of engine options appeared over the years. Three 6-cylinder engines from the 194-ci Hi-Thrift and the 230- and 250-ci Turbo-Thrift; five small-block Turbo-Fire V-8 engines in 283, 305, 307, 327, and 350 ci, and three big-block Turbo-Jet V-8 engines in 396, 402, and 454 ci; technically four Turbo-Jet engines if you count the 427-ci version offered as a special Central Office Production Order (COPO) option in 1969 only.
The Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac divisions of General Motors also introduced sporty mid-size models of their own. Although the Buick Skylark and the Oldsmobile Cutlass brands had peppy V-8 engines, Pontiac led the way with its GTO Tempest. Although Buick, Oldsmobile, and Chevrolet were offering V-8 engines in the 250- to 300-hp range, the GTO option was up to 325 hp with its 389-ci engine. The Pontiac with its GTO option is generally credited with starting the modern-day muscle car.
The Malibu SS series was introduced in 1964 and continued through the 1965 model year. Any L6 or V-8 engine could be ordered in the 1964/1965 Malibu SS series. The Pontiac GTO option continued to dominate the GM A-Body horsepower ratings with its 389 V-8 now offered in a 335-hp 4-barrel version and a whopping 360-hp tri-power. The Chevelle could only counter with a late-1964 option of its 327 V-8 with 300 hp but took up the challenge with its 350-hp RPO L79 in 1965.
This 1965 Malibu SS in Madeira Maroon with RPO L79 engine option is an example of Chevrolet’s response to the Pontiac GTO of the day. The final year for the Malibu SS series in the United States was 1965. (Photo Courtesy Rich Cummings)
The Buick Grand Sport was an option on the 1965 Skylark and boasted the 401 V-8 rated at 325 hp while the Oldsmobile 4-4-2 received a new 345-hp 400 V-8.
As a prelude to what was coming, Chevrolet built a special run of the now-legendary RPO Z16 Malibu SS 396. With its 396 V-8 and 375 hp on tap, the gauntlet had been thrown down. Although Chevrolet came up a tad short in the cubic-inch race, for now, the Chevelle was king of the horsepower war. All production Malibu SS 396 Chevelles were built at the Leeds assembly plant in Kansas City and were offered in three colors, Regal Red, Tuxedo Black, and Crocus Yellow.
In 1966, Chevrolet introduced the SS396 series in the sport coupe and convertible body styles only. The series continued through the 1968 model year, which was the only year the SS396 El Camino had its own vehicle identification number (VIN) designation.
Here is a 1966 SS396 sport coupe in the one-year-only Chateau Slate. The first year the SS396 became a series separate from the 300, 300 Deluxe, and Malibu series was 1966. It featured the new-for-1966 “strut back” roofline on SS396s and Malibus. (Photo Courtesy Keith Brodbeck)
1966
The first year of the SS396 saw three engine options, all 396 V-8s. The base SS396 engine was rated at 325 hp, an optional RPO L34 was rated at 360 hp, and the killer RPO L78 was rated at 375 hp. The L78 was released to dealers in February 1966 with no public advertising until later. A heavy-duty 3-speed manual transmission was standard with several Muncie 4-speed transmissions and the venerable Powerglide 2-speed automatic behind the base 396 and the L34 engine option. The L78 engine could not be ordered with a Powerglide.
The Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac divisions were playing along as well. The 1966 Pontiac GTO was now its own series and no longer an option on the Tempest. The Oldsmobile 4-4-2 option had a new 400 V-8 rated at 350 hp and a tri-power setup that boasted 360 hp. The Buick Grand Sport was still an option on the Skylark.
1967
Aside from some styling changes, the 1967 SS396 engine lineup was about the same as in 1966. The L34 360-hp engine was downgraded to 350 hp and the new TH400 3-speed automatic transmission became available and could be had behind any 396 engine in 1967. The L78 375-hp engine was initially dropped from the option list but returned without much fanfare in April 1967. As a result only 612 L78 engine options were sold in 1967.
This 1967 SS396 sport coupe is in the one-year-only Royal Plum. This was the first year for the TH400 Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission and disc brakes in the SS396 Chevelle. (Photo Courtesy SS396 Registry)
The Pontiac GTO dropped the tri-power carburetor setup in favor of the Rochester Quadrajet 4-barrel carburetor. The engine was increased to the GM corporate limit of 400 ci. The Buick Grand Sport became its own series but still offered a variety of engines with the 401 V-8 at top of the line. The Oldsmobile 4-4-2 continued to be an option on the Cutlass platform.
1968
The 1968 model year was the first and last year the SS396 El Camino was a separate series along with the sport coupe and convertible. The same three 396 engines were available with the 325-hp version being the base engine and the L34 and L78 being optional. The 2-speed Power-glide continued to be an option behind the base and L34 engines.
SS EQUIPMENT OPTIONS 1969–1970
In 1969 the SS396 Equipment option became just that, an option, even though it was still commonly referred to as an SS396. The 1969 model year was the only one that the SS396 Equipment option could be ordered in a series other than the Malibu series. The 1969 300 Deluxe coupe (13427) and 300 Deluxe sport coupe (13437) could be ordered with the SS396 Equipment option package.
The year 1968 was the only one that the SS396 El Camino was its own series rather than an option. A 1968 SS396 sport coupe in Matador Red is shown here with optional D96 side stripes. (Photo Courtesy Dave Meehling)
Numerous automatic transmission options were offered in Chevelles over the years. The Powerglide 2-speed automatic was available from 1964 through 1973. A 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic 350, aka TH350 (along with some later variants), was first introduced in the 1969 model year and was available through 1977. A beefier Turbo Hydra-Matic 400, aka TH400 (and variants), was first used in Chevelles in 1967 and was available only with the 396-, 402-, and 454-ci engines. Variants of the TH400 were used in post-1973 model years behind a variety of engines.
Several manual 3-speed transmissions saw their way into Chevelles. Various light-duty and heavy-duty manual 3-speeds and a manual 3-speed overdrive saw duty with all Chevelle engines except the 396, 402, and 454. Surprising to some, the heavy-duty 3-speed was the standard transmission used in the SS396 series of 1967 through 1968 and the SS396 Equipment Chevelles in 1969. Various gear ratios for first, second, and reverse were used depending on the year and engine it was installed with.
The 1969 SS Equipment Malibu convertible in Hugger Orange was one of two special SS Equipment option only colors. The special SS-only colors Hugger Orange and Daytona Yellow were still a $42.15 option. (Photo Courtesy Jacquie Benthin)
Several manual 4-speed transmissions were offered as options throughout the years. What is commonly called a wide-ratio or wide-range 4-speed was first offered in 1964 and also used in 1965. The Regular Production Order (RPO) code for this transmission is M20. This RPO code became important in mid-1966.
The 1964 and 1965 versions of the Muncie M20 differed from later versions in several ways; most apparent was the gear ratios. The 1964 and 1965 Muncie M20 had a first-gear ratio of 2.56:1, a second-gear ratio of 1.91:1, a third-gear ratio of 1.48:1, a fourth-gear of 1.00:1, and reverse 2.64:1. The 1966 and later Muncie M20 4-speed transmissions changed the ratios to 2.52:1 for first, 1.88:1 for second, 1.46:1 for third; fourth remained at 1.00:1; and reverse changed to 2.59:1.
Sometime around February or March 1966, Chevelles were introduced to a second wide-ratio 4-speed transmission. A cast-iron case unit was built at the Saginaw, Michigan, transmission plant and typically used behind engines of 300 hp or less. This Saginaw 4-speed carried the same RPO number, M20. When a dealer or individual buyer ordered a Chevelle with a 4-speed, the dealer checked the “4-speed wide-range” box (or similar verbiage). When the order reached the assembly plant, the decision was made as to which M20 the car would actually receive, the aluminum Muncie or the cast-iron Saginaw. The gear ratios in the Saginaw 4-speed manual transmissions varied depending on the engine being installed.
All automatic and manual transmissions were supposed to have a VIN derivative stamped on them as well, but that has been shown to not be the case and many Chevelle transmissions have been documented without a VIN derivative. Typically the engine and transmission were stamped at the time the two were mated so the fonts of the characters were the same size and type. These stamps differ from the Flint or Tonawanda engine assembly plant date and suffix code stamps in both size and font style because they were stamped at different facilities.
Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac divisions of General Motors had their own A-Body platform cars. Buick had the Skylark nameplate, Oldsmobile had the Cutlass, and Pontiac had the LeMans. Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac also had various trim levels and specialty models over the years with the top performance dogs being the Buick GS, Oldsmobile 4-4-2, and Pontiac GTO.
Each General Motors division had its own design and engineering departments and there was very little commonality between them; different engine designs, interior designs, etc. Many transmissions were essentially the same, such as the Muncie 4-speed and Turbo Hydra-Matic 400.
Although there were some variations in paint colors offered, many times the same paint color simply had a different sales name. For example, the 1970 Chevelle white was called Classic White. Buick called this same color Glacier White; to Oldsmobile buyers it was Porcelain White; and Pontiac buyers know it as Polar White. Same color, same mixing formula, just different names.
This “eyebrow” trim piece was discontinued in February 1970. The reason isn’t known but it’s generally accepted to have been unnecessary and was discontinued to save cost. It was not unique to SS Malibus but came on all 1970 Chevelles.
Each GM division offered various options not used by their counterparts such as the W-30 cold-air package used by Oldsmobile, the hood-mounted tachometer and rear spoiler found on some GTOs, and Stage I and Stage II engine options found on the Buick Grand Sport.
GM A-Body muscle cars were outselling Chrysler about four to one, even though the Dodge and Plymouth divisions had powerful muscle cars of their own in the B-Body Belvedere, GTX, Coronet, etc., with the 383/426/440 wedge and the 426 Hemi. To help capture more of the youth market, Plymouth devised a low-budget muscle car based on the Belvedere model with some trick graphics and marketing that resulted in the Road Runner. The only real competition to the marketing end for General Motors was the GTO Judge, an attempt to cash in on the comedy routine “Here Come de Judge” from the Rowan & Martin Laugh-In TV show. The Judge was to be a low-cost GTO but actually was more expensive than a standard GTO, including the Ram Air III engine, spoiler, T-shaped Hurst 4-speed and vivid graphics.
This 1970 SS454 Malibu sport coupe is in Forest Green with optional RPO D88 Hood & Deck Stripes and the standard SS396/SS454 domed hood. (Photo Courtesy Les Seville)
Early model year 1970 Chevelles have what is often referred to as an “eyebrow” trim piece just below the headlamps. Why or when this trim piece was discontinued is not known. This trim (PN 3958395 and 3958396) is shown as being removed as of February 7, 1970. Various plants discontinued the installation as their inventory ran out. Several have been seen on Atlanta-built Chevelles as late as mid-March 1970. Sadly, it was not often replaced when front-end damage was repaired or if the car was repainted. This trim piece was not unique to SS Chevelles and sedan pickups (El Camino) but was standard across all model lines and body styles.
The largest production number year for Chevelles in sheer volume was 1970. Of the 4.35 million Chevelles built from 1964 through 1972, 1970 was the most prolific year with a total of 635,558 units built.
The 1970 model year saw two SS Equipment options: RPO Z25 used the 396 (402) engine and RPO Z15 used the 454 engine. The 1971 and 1972 model years offered only the RPO Z15 SS Equipment option, but it was no longer a performance-oriented option because any optional V-8 engine and any optional transmission could be ordered.
The 1970 model year saw a smoothing out of the 1968–1969 Chevelle lines. The front and rear sheet metal featured more rounded lines. The taillamps were moved from the quarter panel to the bumper. The sport coupe, convertible, and pickup retained the same wheelbase as the 1968-1969 model year. The 1970 model year was the last for Chevelle dual headlamps.
The dash was completely redesigned with both SS Equipment Chevelles receiving their own, unique, round, three-pod instrument panel housing with the fuel gauge on the left, the speedometer in the center, and a blank pod on the right. A non-SS Equipment Chevelle received a linear, or “sweep,” speedometer dash assembly. All SS Equipment instrument panels and steering columns were black, regardless of exterior paint or interior trim color.
The two SS Equipment options were not an “upgrade” on the Malibu. The SS Equipment packages were an option just like a radio or air conditioning. The SS Equipment packages included several options that were available separately, such as power disc brakes and F41 special suspension. Also, equipment unique to the SS Equipment options was not available separately, such as 454-ci engines, domed hood, and special SS wheels. An SS Equipment Malibu sport coupe and convertible received clear front parking lamp lenses with amber bulbs over amber lenses and clear bulbs while the sedan pickup retained its amber lenses and clear bulbs. Neither SS Equipment option changed the parking lamps on the sedan pickup.
El Caminos were only built at three assembly plants in 1970: Baltimore, Kansas City, and Van Nuys. This 1970 SS396 El Camino is in Tuxedo Black without the optional RPO D88 Hood & Deck Stripes. (Photo Courtesy Dane Belden)
Because this book discusses primarily 1970 Chevelle Malibus with one of two SS Equipment options (RPO Z25 with the 396/402-ci engine or RPO Z15 with the 454-ci engine), only specific data on the sport coupe, convertible, and sedan pickup body styles is listed. Exterior paint colors, interiors, rear-end gear ratios, some transmissions, and many options were available to non-SS Chevelles as well.
Both RPO Z25 SS396 and RPO Z15 SS454 were available with the Malibu series sport coupe, convertible, and pickup (Custom El Camino).
