1971 Chevrolet Chevelle SS454 2895 Miles Silverstone Silver Coupe 454 cubic inch

Description

There are few cars as enduringly popular as the Chevrolet Chevelle, which did everything well. Big enough to be comfortable, but not so big it was hard to handle. Every possible engine was offered, from an inline-6 to a thumping 454 cubic inch big block. You could get a wide variety of comfort and convenience features, including power steering, a decent radio, and A/C. And the styling was a flat-out home run for GM. If you want an old car... that does everything well, with a massive aftermarket to back you up, the Chevelle should not be overlooked. The 1971 Chevelles had a facelift over the record-setting 1970 models, switching from four headlights to two but leaving just about everything else intact. We won’t debate which looks better (I, for one, am a single-headlight guy) but there’s no question that this stunning 1971 Chevelle SS isn’t a desirable car. Someone invested a massive amount of money in a frame-off restoration and it shows everywhere you look. It was originally code 61, which was a rather blah color called Sandalwood, so as long as they had it in bare metal and could pick whatever they wanted, they went with code 13 Nevada Silver instead. It’s a bit more aggressive than Sandalwood, but the silver isn’t in-your-face and we like the clean, chiseled lines of the Chevelle rendered in metallics like this. It really makes the details stand out. Fortunately, the details are extremely well done and the bodywork is laser-straight, so there’s no reason to hide anything. Black SS stripes were painted on and buried under the clear so it looks and feels seamless and the cowl induction hood features the requisite hood pins and fully operational cowl door. You also get sport mirrors, correct SS badging (this is a genuine SS396 car), and gorgeous chrome bumpers. Everything on the body is new, including the weather seals, emblems, lenses, and more. It’s extremely crisp. At the same time, the original code 721 saddle vinyl interior was upgraded to black, which is the obvious choice with the silver bodywork. The good news is that everything inside the car that is black is brand new, including the seat covers, carpets, door panels, dash, steering wheel, and more. If you can touch it, it’s new. As an SS, it received big, round gauges with auxiliary dials around the perimeter, and this car includes a factory tach, which, believe it or not, was still optional. Other options include cold factory A/C, a tilt steering column, and a center console with GM’s awesome “horseshoe” shifter. The factory AM radio is long gone, replaced by a clever digital AM/FM unit with iPod interface that slots right in and even uses factory-style knobs to help it blend in. Nice! All the gauges work—even the clock!—and thanks to a recent service, the A/C blows nice and cold with R134a refrigerant inside. All the seating surfaces and carpets look virtually new and the headliner is nice and taut. Honestly, there’s just no excuse for not getting a Chevelle interior right, and this car totally nails it. There’s also a correct mat set in the trunk, including a matching spare tire cover for the full-sized spare that’s never been used. You’ll also note that the quarters and trunk floor are immaculate with only some very minor discoloration from moisture being trapped under the mat (a common issue). The original L34 396/350 horsepower engine is gone, replaced by a 454 cubic inch V8 rebuilt to factory LS5 specifications. That means 365 horsepower and 465 pounds of torque, making it one of the most formidable cars you could buy in 1971. Highly detailed with correct Chevy Orange on the block and valve covers (chrome was gone in 1971) and a functional cowl induction air cleaner on top. The hydraulic cam inside makes for a reasonable idle and great road manners, and the 4-barrel carb on top offers neck-snapping response to the loud pedal. Factory A/C uses correct fittings and a proper A6 compressor, so the engine bay looks right, although they did add a giant aluminum radiator up front which does a great job keeping things cool. As with the rest of the car, everything under the hood is new, including the wiring, hoses, brake system, and accessories, so the car is 100% ready to enjoy. Turn the key and it fires up quickly and easily, and after a few seconds on the choke, it settles down to a performance-oriented but easy 750 RPM idle. It pulls hard in any gear, yet is content to sit in traffic with the A/C cranking regardless of the weather. Underneath, you can see that this was an expensive frame-off restoration and the chassis is highly detailed. Long-tube headers were ceramic-coated to look great practically forever, and feed a Flowmaster exhaust system with electric cut-outs that give you the ability to really attract attention when you roll into an event. The TH400 3-speed automatic transmission has a modest shift kit inside that snaps off gear changes without any hesitation and a new driveshaft spins a bulletproof 12-bolt rear end with 3.31 gears inside, so it’s a reasonable cruiser. Note that the entire front suspension has been fully rebuilt, the brakes are new, the rear springs were just replaced to get the ride height just right, and there’s a new shock at all four corners. Factory markings were replicated as needed and you can see just how solid this car is because the floors are painted satin black with nothing to hide. A brand new gas tank hangs out back between exhaust tips with correct resonators and oval tips. Traditional chrome Cragar SS wheels are a nice touch on this ‘70s heavyweight, and they carry 235/70/15 BFGoodrich T/A radials all around. Extras include the original owner’s manual, original radio, distributor, aftermarket air cleaner, and a few other spare parts. There are plenty of nice Chevelles out there, but we haven’t seen many done to this level at this price. There’s easily twice the asking price tied up in the restoration, and with the combination of the easy-going big block, automatic transmission, and factory A/C, it’s a car that anyone can drive anywhere, and that’s a nice advantage. For a very usable vintage muscle car, few are this civilized and as I mentioned, I love the look of the ‘71s. This is a 100% turn-key car ready to collect trophies or put a giant smile on your face as you drive—your choice. Call today!