Is it just me or have Chevelle values really increased over the past few years?

[440]

No matter where I look I rarely see a complete Chevelles for under 20k, even basic malibu's. Of course you see the odd one for about 7k but nothing cheaper. Seems only a few years ago you could get a decent car for 4 - 5k


Have I had my head in the sand this whole time?

[chargerboy69]

No matter where I look I rarely see a complete Chevelle for under 20k, even basic malibu's. Of course you see the odd one for about 7k but nothing cheaper. Seems only a few years ago you could get a decent car for 4 - 5k


Have I had my head in the sand this whole time?

Yes you have.   

To be serious real SS cars have always brought good money, and 70 LS6 cars bring real good money.

You just have to pick through all the fake SS cars out there.  I often hear there are more Chevelles/Camaros running around now with SS badges than were actually built.

[Dino]

Some Chevelle sellers have the same disease as some of the Charger owners though, they think it's worth half the planet.  I stopped to look at an SS clone last summer.  It looked decent from 50 yards away but let's leave it at that.  He wanted true SS money for it as well.  He looked at my Charger and said it wasn't bad but it couldn't touch his Chevelle.  I just laughed and wished him the best.  I'll drive by there again next year, just to rub it in.   

[F8-4life]

My dads a chevy guy and doesnt like chevelles, which I find interesting because most bowtie guys go nuts over em.
Judge me how you may, but I'll take a comparable el camino over the standard chevelle anyday. They are overpriced and overhyped just as you said.

[Cooter]

You just have to pick through all the fake SS cars out there.  I often hear there are more Chevelles/Camaros running around now with SS badges than were actually built.

Same thing with Hemi Cuda's/Challengers/Chargers/Roadrunners/etc.

[twodko]

F8 and I are on the same page. I was always a GM guy and grew up loving Chevelles. I could never afford an SS anything be it a Chevelle, Nova, Camaro or El Camino.  I had 70 Malibu in the service and restored a mint condition 69 Malibu in 2005.   Very nice car...SB stroker, auto on the tree, blue int white ext. but it wasn't a "special" car like an SS or very very special muscle car like our 69 R/T.
I'd love to have a 69/70 El Camino SS 396. L78 or standard 396 would be fine with me....4spd a bonus.
Might even get better mileage than my 2011 1/2 ton Silverado........which I would prolly trade for #2 Elky.

[440]

Of course an SS would be the ideal Chevelle to own but I'd still be wrapped if a basic Malibu is worth 20k upwards. The 68 - 72 shape Chevelle isn't my favorite car, always have liked the Monte Carlo better. I too would take an El Camino over a Chevelle. Business in front, party in back.  

I thought I paid too much for my Chevelle nearly 10 years ago until I looked at current values. I think I did pretty good.

[tan top]

  i made a monogram model of  car  like  this when i was a kid , :     love the  chevelle SS  mean machine , even though its a chebby  

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LS6-CHEVELLE-SS-11K-DOCUMENTED-MILES-VERY-RARE-COLOR-COMBINATION-4-SPEED-/230898604551?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item35c2a11a07

[chargerboy69]

 i made a monogram model of  car  like  this when i was a kid , :     love the  chevelle SS  mean machine , even though its a chebby  

Isn't there a member here with a General Lee and a sweet 70 LS6?

[marshallfry01]

That is one beautiful Chevelle! I have always loved them. Actually a Chevelle is the number 2 in my dream car list. It's number 2 cause a 69 charger always comes first!

[BlueSS454]

They haven't gone up that much in value over the last couple years.  They hit the peak in 2006.  They took a pretty good hit with the economy just like everything else did in 2008 and came back up a little but nowhere near what they were.  You're run of the mill entry level SS396 car in #2 condition can be had for 20-25K, more if it has real paperwork.  A 70 L78 or LS6 car in comparable condition will bring substantially more because of the limited production and desirability.  A documented #1 LS6 show car will go for over 100K easily.  You're run of the mill small block Malibu driver car is in the 12-15K range.  Clones, they are a whole other story.  Correct clones will bring a decent buck but most people that attempt to clone an SS car aren't even close to having something like that.  Most of them just slap a big block and some badges and call it a clone not knowing there is a ton more that goes into it than an engine and emblems.  The most popular/expensive years are 1970, 1966, 1967, 1969. 
I currently own 3 restored Chevelles, 1 69 Malibu hardtop, a 70 hardtop, and a 70 convertible non of which are factory SS cars.  Here are the 3 I own:





The convertible I had appraised the day after I finished it, it appraised for $57,750 if that gives anyone an idea on market value.

[1974dodgecharger]

Some Chevelle sellers have the same disease as some of the Charger owners though, they think it's worth half the planet.  I stopped to look at an SS clone last summer.  It looked decent from 50 yards away but let's leave it at that.  He wanted true SS money for it as well.  He looked at my Charger and said it wasn't bad but it couldn't touch his Chevelle.  I just laughed and wished him the best.  I'll drive by there again next year, just to rub it in.   

lmao....great story chevelles were always 2nd best to chargers.  They are nice cars, but nothing like a charger.....

[440]

I've always wanted to put a 70 front clip on my 71. Regardless I am happy with my small block malibu since I didn't pay a lot for it 9 years ago. It was a mostly completed frame off resto so everything is like new. It has a pretty stout 350 in it so it goes pretty good too, revs to 7k before it runs out of carb.

I wouldn't mind putting a 5 speed in it down the track. The body is so original and rust free that I'd hate to cut it up, the quarter panel wheel lips aren't even rolled. (yet)

[tan top]

They haven't gone up that much in value over the last couple years.  They hit the peak in 2006.  They took a pretty good hit with the economy just like everything else did in 2008 and came back up a little but nowhere near what they were.  You're run of the mill entry level SS396 car in #2 condition can be had for 20-25K, more if it has real paperwork.  A 70 L78 or LS6 car in comparable condition will bring substantially more because of the limited production and desirability.  A documented #1 LS6 show car will go for over 100K easily.  You're run of the mill small block Malibu driver car is in the 12-15K range.  Clones, they are a whole other story.  Correct clones will bring a decent buck but most people that attempt to clone an SS car aren't even close to having something like that.  Most of them just slap a big block and some badges and call it a clone not knowing there is a ton more that goes into it than an engine and emblems.  The most popular/expensive years are 1970, 1966, 1967, 1969. 
I currently own 3 restored Chevelles, 1 69 Malibu hardtop, a 70 hardtop, and a 70 convertible non of which are factory SS cars.  Here are the 3 I own:





The convertible I had appraised the day after I finished it, it appraised for $57,750 if that gives anyone an idea on market value.

nice collection !!  , like the blue one 

[Cooter]

Chevelles/Camaros/etc. to Mopar folks are like the GL is to Charger people. In the eye of public opinion (Which is who you are aiming at if you hope to find that impulse buyer with a whole wad of cash), they are more popular. I believe that is why the remark was made to Dino about his Charger. Even though most here and in the public would agree with Dino about the Charger, Rap video's, Rap stars cars, etc. have used the Chevelle SS 454 car more than the Charger. There's a reason the 1970 Chevelle is the most cloned Chevy out there.

[440]

70 Chevelle is probably the rarest as it was a 1 year only.

I didn't want a 69 because everyone had one.

[Cooter]

70 Chevelle is probably the rarest as it was a 1 year only.

Same could be said for the 1968. Sure, the bodies between the 1968-69 APPEAR to be the same, they are only Subtle diff. between them.
Same with the 1970-71-72. Only until 1973, did the Chevelle get a "remake" to a whole different body.

So saying the 1970 was a "one year only" car is like saying the same about the 1968 Charger. Yeah, technically, but if you swap out the front grille, and tail panel, you can have a 1969. Same basic body. I'm no Chevelle expert by far, but I bet you could swap out the quarters, front clip and a few other odd and ends and turn a 1971-72 into a 1970...

[Dino]

440 that black and white with vectors looks sweet!  I'd put vectors on my Charger today if I could afford them.

Neal that blue Chevelle is killer! 

[440]

Thanks Dino. The trunk lid still needs to be painted as it is only black primer. I like the black white thing but not sure how to go about the paint. Black SS stripes would be pointless as it's not, although they would still look good.

I'm thinking more along the lines of a black "Heavy Chevy" stripe on the side or just leaving it all white with a matt black hood, maybe both? I think the Vectors really set the car off. I spent a lot of time on them, just too bad they don't fit my Charger.

[Dino]

Thanks Dino. The trunk lid still needs to be painted as it is only black primer. I like the black white thing but not sure how to go about the paint. Black SS stripes would be pointless as it's not, although they would still look good.

I'm thinking more along the lines of a black "Heavy Chevy" stripe on the side or just leaving it all white with a matt black hood, maybe both? I think the Vectors really set the car off. I spent a lot of time on them, just too bad they don't fit my Charger.

I don't think you'd need a lot of black seeing the tires and interior take care of that, but a nice accent stripe would be sweet!

Doesn't have to be SS stripes either, just a nice stripe like the DMCL charger or something.

That said, nothing wrong with keeping it plain white, looks killer imo.

[BlueSS454]

70 Chevelle is probably the rarest as it was a 1 year only.

I didn't want a 69 because everyone had one.

70 Chevelles are not rare by any stretch of the imagination.  There were a total of 487,969 produced.  To break it down a little further:

2 Door Sedan            0
2 Door Sport Coupe    316,000
2 Door Sedan Pickup    47,707
2 Door Convertible    7,522
2 Door Station Wagon    0
4 Door Sedan            54,649
4 Door Sport Sedan    21,479
4 Door Station Wagon    40,612


Of the models available with SS equipment:

RPO Z25 (SS 396), coupes, convertibles, & El Caminos    53,599
RPO Z15 (SS 454), coupes, convertibles, & El Caminos      8,773

Breaking Engine options down further:

L34 (350hp) 396 V-8                                                    51,437
L78 (375hp) 396 V-8                                                      2,144
L89 (aluminum heads for L78)                                          18
LS5 (360hp 454)                                                              4,298
LS6 (450hp 454)                                                              4,475

Total SS cars:      62,372

The least produced Chevelle by model year is 1964 with 370,834 units

1970 is a one year only car.  There are many things that keep it a one year car as well.  Yes people do swap 1970 front clips on 71-2 cars which I find to be sacriledge, but it's not as simple as swapping over a front clip.  There are wiring issues as well since the dash harness are all different between the 3 years as well as which dash is in the car (there are 3 different ones) so you have 27 possible wiring configurations.  The body tub is exactly the same from 70-72 as well as the hood.  Everything else is different.

Now the differences between a 68 and 69 are a lot more complicated.  68 is kind of a bastard year for Chevelles.  There are many interior differences, wiring configurations, sheet metal, interior, etc.  They do look similar but trying to make one into another is a nightmare.

[BlueSS454]

nice collection !!  , like the blue one 

Thanks    The blue car is by far my baby of the bunch.  I have had it 15 years now.  I have a lot of time invested in it.  I like to drive and beat on it.  My last track outing it went 12.31@108 MPH with a 1.725 60' time.  I am on a quest to hit the 11's with it.

[resq302]

Tom,

You just need to add an 70 El Camino SS 396 to your collection to complete it all.   

[69 OUR/TEA]

Absolutely, the 70 Chevelle SS is a great looking car,would'nt mind owning a 70 SS 396.With 53,000 of them made,there is no shortage of them,so they should be affordable.
Now as far as GM musclecars go,my fav is the 70 Buick GS 455 Stage 1,had one up till last year,project but very clean,just decided to take some restos off my plate and sold it.
70-72 Olds 442's are sweet to as well as 70-72 GTO's  !!!!
But honestly in my area,there are more Mopar related cruise nights and shows all summer long,so is one of the reasons to stay more into them,as well as Carlisle not that far either.

[PocketThunder]

How about the COPO Chevelle?