1969 Chevelle SS 396, 4 speed - $8000

I owned a 68 396 car that I stuffed an LS-7 into, but still like the 69s better. That vent window thing??? ws

 

If it is a LeMans blue car, it would look great restored. The really good thing is you don't have to pay crazy $ for bumpers, fan shrouds, whatever...for a Chevy!

 

Neapolitan

 

YUMMM!!! How'd ya guess??? I like the idea of having LESS than a primer paint job on it. A total color change wouldnt be too much to accomplish. I remember a 69 in high school that was a dark green metalic with that white spear detail strip on the side. It was love at first site! Had a black or really dark green interior and of course, the dark tinted soft ray glass LOL... ws

 

138 VIN was `64-`68 on the SS, 136 on the Malibu. But beginning in `69 they dropped the 138 and all of the V8 cars were 136.

 

Thanks for that Bill! This is a brave new horizon for me hahaha. The best I could decode from that VIN was a 2 door sport coupe, 5 passenger. I emailed the guy asking for a trim tag shot. We shall see! ws

 

Pretty dry looking as Id expect from Dallas. These are the pics the seller sent me today. I hate thumbnails from a phone especially with a piece of navel lint on the lens. The drivers side rear fender has a little crunch and the back seat looks like some one let the air out. That ice cream sammich is a blueberry job. Never ett one before. The trailer looks to have 1971 GS rally wheels on it. Hmmm.

Any Buick Brethren around Dallas that can put some eyes and a real camera on it for me?

Now I hafta play the game. I have a 20 year old kid in Tampa interested in the B-turd. We havent talked $$$ yet but his family has had about 7 of the turbo coupes so he's shocked how clean it looks. I need a nap! ws

 

Looks like it was built in Kansas City, 1st week of October, 69.

 

Put a 455 in it, Bill. You'll beat every chevy guy out there. They will be pissed...

...and when you show them the motor, they'll be even more pissed.

 

Thanks GO65!...
So I am gonna assume (!) its been dry most of its life. Ahhhh, to know me is to love me, and we all know Im long winded LOL, so I sent the guy a full page dissertation this morning with a bunch of questions, and he only sent me these pics with no text. Im gonna let that dust settle too and then probably email him tomorrow. Since the original link was from a New York posting, I am gonna guess it was advertised far and wide with a few thousand responses.
Ill be #1477 in QUE! Haha...
Whats the next step to verify authenticity, SS wise? Thirty to fourty years ago we didnt have to worry about clonage, but since then, things have turned upside down in the muscle car world and are finally back on an even keel. ws

 

I'm in Steve! A genuine ONE-OFF SS 455 ! Maybe even a GSS 455 ! The judges will be shaking their heads, and the dodge boys will be shakin' in their boots! ws

 

Don't mess with Montanans, Bill

 

Watch out! We're gonna tour the country! Any abandoned airstrips by you? ws

 

I don't think you have any need to worry if it's been cloned, it looks legit to me. It's got the SS396 dash trim and door panel emblems and the exterior emblems seem to be where they belong. I see so many of these in the wrong place that it just baffles my mind. It should have a 3/8" fuel line, and the pictures aren't clear enough to see if it has a factory tach and gauges but if it does it should have a 5,500rpm redline tach for a big block, 6,000rom for the 396-375hp, which it isn't because a/c wasn't offered on that one. It has disc brakes and it should have a 12 bolt rearend. If it has the original engine, the VIN, or at least a partial will be stamped on top of the block in front of the right side cylinder head along with the assembly date code and a 2 letter suffix. The VIN would read 9K320938 to match the car. The suffix code should be JA for the 325hp or JC for the 350hp. Again, the photos aren't very clear so I might be a number or two off on the VIN but just so it matches the car's VIN. If there is no VIN on the block deck, some `69s had it stamped vertically on the cast surface back by the oil filter area parallel to the bellhousing. VIN should also be on the right side of the transmission case just head of the tailshaft housing.

 

Thanks Bill! I am kinda trying to put this deal together, pending the sale of the dorf and $$$ issues etc. Even Pat asked "How much to put it back together?" That shocked the shot outa me! Ill really be surprised if its a numbers car. Kids and big blocks didnt fare too well back then LOL. Just hope theres not a rod through the block. The stoopid Chevy market has me perplexed. At least this one has some potential.

Anyone "know" Texas titles? This looks like it says Bonded Title to the right on the DOC. I wonder if I'd hafta re-bond it here for 5 years. Hmm, One more degree of limpness LOL...

Those really are poor pics arent they? Typical CL stuff. That or "enhanced" pics which can be just as mis-leading. Im gonna fire the guy off an email asking for a few better pics and try to get him to "talk" about it a bit. Stay tuned! ws

 

This is the email I just sent. Hope he responds... ws

Howdy Michael... I wanted to thank you for sending me those pictures yesterday. Im sure you are being bombarded with inquiries, but at 2000 miles away, I have a few of my own. Im not jerking your chain and would really like to try and put this together. Unfortunately the pics you sent were pretty small and hard to decipher.
Heres a few quick questions if you dont mind. Appreciate any feedback after the dust settles OK?

1. How long have you owned the car?
2. Is that a bonded Texas title or free and clear in your name?
3. Is the trailer available?
4. Was it ever running in your possession? No rods through the block I hope?
5. If possible can you get 2 better pics for me? I need the dash tach (wiped clean) with speedo/odometer and a lightly sanded cowl tag photo? The rest of the car is AS IS I realize...

Thanks so much. I appreciate your time on this! Bill in Two Rivers, Wi.

 

Bill, you might want to ask for some close up pics of the "C" pillars on that car. It's kinda hard to tell but, in that first pic, it looks like they might be completely rotted away. Okay I suppose if you want to make a convertible out of it.

 

Better to be fore-warned than fore-armed aint it Nick??? As close as I can see, enlarged on my computer with the poor quality, it really looks like remnants from a vinyl top that was sloppily pulled to prevent just that; vinylroofitus. Being a KCMO car and living in north Texas, and being a pretty dry climate, Im guessing that the A pillars are good as well.
Finally got some written email from the seller today. Trailer is not included, car last ran in 1981, he's had it for "a few months" and the engine is free. I am guessing they rocked the car in gear and the motor rolls over. No more, no less.

So now, I come to find that the title is a bonded title in someone elses name. The other party is the pastor at the guys church. Looks like the pastor flew the coop with the flock which concerns me. The pastor lives about a mile from the church and his house looks vacant and was bought/sold last June. By who or whom I dont know. I love long distance love affairs, right! So O'Brien was given the car by King and King split. Pure conjecture. The guy was good enough to grab some more pics (better quality) so I am guessing he is at least in possession of the car; faculties to be determined LSL (leisure suit Larry); LOL... ws

 

Bill:

Any member nearby who could lay eyes on it for you?

UticaGeoff

 

Hey Geoff... see post #27. CL Kid from Tampa (Plant City) is supposed to call back soon with a yay or nay. Thats as complicated a deal as this one LOL...Always across the country ya know??? ws