As smaller cars became more popular in the early 1960s, Ford decided to redesign the full-size Fairlane into a midsize rig. Plymouth followed suit with the Belvedere, while General Motors designed a brand-new platform for the newly-established segment. It was dubbed the A-body and given to all GM brands.
Pontiac used it to create the Tempest, which eventually spawned the iconic GTO. Oldsmobile also rolled out one of its most famous nameplates on A-body underpinning. I’m talking about the 442. Buick used it to launch the Skylark as a stand-alone model, while Chevrolet built the Chevelle.
More affordable than its GM siblings, the Chevelle was the company’s main competitor against the Ford Fairlane. But even though it was the cheapest of the A-body bunch, the Chevelle also joined the emerging muscle car market. It started with the SS version in 1964, but things got more serious in 1965. That’s when the 375-horsepower Z-16 arrived in showrooms.
But as muscle cars became significantly more powerful toward the 1970s, Chevrolet upped the ante and dropped the massive 454-cubic-inch (7.4-liter) V8 in the midsize in 1970. And while the LS5 delivered decent power at 360 horsepower, the LS6 turned the Chevelle into the most powerful car out there.
That’s because it generated a whopping 450 horsepower and 500 pound-feet (678 Nm) of torque. Yup, that’s 25 horses and ten pound-feet (14 Nm) more than a period Mopar with the 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI.
Introduced for the 1970 model year, the SS 454 LS6 became a one-year gem. Although the less powerful LS5 returned in 1971, Chevy discontinued the LS6. Why? Well, like most high-performance cars from the era, it came with high insurance rates only a few enthusiasts were willing to pay.
The SS 454 LS6 package was also pretty expensive at $767, a 28% premium over the base Chevelle, priced from $2,719. As a result, the big-block bundle found its way in only 4,475 cars. This figure also includes the El Camino pickup, which was based on the Chevelle, so the number of two-door hardtops is lower. There are no records of how many were made, but most Chevelle experts agree that Chevy sold around 3,300.
All told, on top of being the holy grail for the Chevelle lineup, the SS 454 LS6 is also a rare and sought-after gem. To the point that each surviving example that surfaces from long-term storage is a reason to celebrate. This brings me to this stunning example finished in Forest Green and optioned up with white stripes.
Documented by 1970 Chevelle expert Patrick Glenn Nichols, this LS6 is perhaps one of fewer than 1,000 examples that still run and drive as of 2023. And this one also looks the part inside and out, thanks to a restoration that took place sometime in the 2000s.
Granted, it’s not quite as original as other examples Patrick discovered in recent years, but it still rocks its numbers-matching LS6 engine and M22 manual transmission. And many of the replacement parts that adorn various sections of the ca are date-correct. So yeah, it’s not perfect, but how many Chevelle LS6s out there are in excellent condition overall?
The answer is “not that many,” so go ahead and enjoy this Forest Green unit in the video below. And by the way, the walkaround is also extremely useful if you want to learn more about how to find out if a 1970 Chevelle SS 454 LS6 is authentic or not.