1968-72 Chevy Chevelle SS396
T he Chevelle SS 396 is considered among the most attractive of the early muscle cars. Along with its flowing lines, the Super Sport featured a comfortable interior capable of seating four, and a distinctive hood that featured two simulated scoops. From the mid-60s on, those tastefully executed scoops became a signature for all SS models.
Between 1968 and 1972, you could order the standard Turbo-Jet, with 325 horsepower, which pulled effortlessly. But if you were in the market for more grunt, there was the 350-horsepower L34 engine and the L78 upgrade with 375 horsepower. Engines of up to 454 cubic inches also found their way into the Chevelle SS. For those less interested in performance, you also could buy a 350 cubic inch model, with a two-barrel carb, in 1971 and 1972.
Beginning in 1968 and ending four years later, the Chevelle SS396 is credited with being the best-selling big-block intermediate model of any American muscle car. –LS
PHOTOS and VIDEOS at right.
SPECS:
Price: $12,000 to $70,000
Engine: SOHV V-8
Horsepower: 325 to 375
Torque: 415 at 3600 rpm (375 hp engine)
Top Speed: In excess of 100 mph
More details under the ARTICLE tab above.
Note: This article refers to the 1966 Chevelle SS 396.
I t was only a matter of days after my high school graduation that I used the four-door Dodge sedan my parents gave me as a down payment for a slightly used 1966 Chevelle SS 396. Seeing it in the used car lot of a nearby Chevrolet dealer, I fell instantly in love with the Marina Blue Super Sport, even with its dog-dish hub caps.
Today, that same car is one of the most sought muscle cars on the market, “a very, very popular car,” says Kerry Bogard of Classic Dreamcars in Florida who places the ’66 Super Sport second only to the 1969 Camaro in muscle car popularity.
And prices for the 1966 Chevelle SS 396 continue to climb. It’s not uncommon to see these cars being sold at between $35,000 and $45,000 – truly incredible when you consider a brand, spanking new model sold for $2,776. Convertibles, on the other hand, listed for $2,984.
Unlike other models of muscle cars that are dropping in value, especially Chrysler products, the Chevelle is commanding strong prices, Bogard notes.
Although I owned a number of more powerful muscle cars in the years that followed, including a 1969 Camaro Z28 and a 1970 Corvette LT1, the Chevelle was the most comfortable and most forgiving of the high-powered American metal I ever owned.
Even when traveling with a handful of college friends, the standard Turbo-Jet, with 325 horsepower, pulled effortlessly. Also available in 1966 for the Chevelle SS was the 360-horsepower L34 engine, as well as an L78 upgrade with 375 horsepower.
I dreamt about having 375 horses under the hood of my Chevelle, but was mostly satisfied with my less powerful drive – except, of course, when a Road Runner would pull alongside.
Like most muscle car owners in those days, I quickly changed the wheels on the car. Off came the dog- dish hub caps and on went a set of Kelsey-Hayes mag wheels.
The Chevelle body was among the most attractive of the early muscle cars. Along with its recessed rear window, the hood featured two simulated scoops. The scoops eventually would become a signature for all SS models.
Many models came with bucket seats and a console that included a clock, as well as the “knee banger” tachometer mounted under the car’s dash.
Altogether, about 72,000 Chevelle SS 396 cars were built for 1966. While far fewer survive today, the value of these cars continues to climb.
As for my 1966 Chevelle SS396, I understand it was stolen a few years after I sold it, stripped and pushed into Lake Erie. A sad ending for a truly wonderful car.
HOW TO FIND ONE FOR YOURSELF:
Finding a classic 1966 Chevelle SS 396 needn’t be a chore. A number of businesses in the U.S. specialize in classic muscle cars, among them Classic Dreamcars in Mt. Dora, FL.
Often described as one of the best places to retire in the U.S., this quaint community near Orlando, which is home to nearly a hundred antique shops, also serves as the headquarters for Kerry and Cindy Bogard’s burgeoning classic car business and the Mount Dora Museum of Speed, which they own and operate.
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