I just bought a 1970 Chevelle and the guy said that he thought it was a Malibu, but didnt know for sure. First of all, it has power disc brakes, a/c, and bucket seats. It also has an SS grille. The vin shows that it is a v8 car made in Atlanta, but that is as far as I can get. I think it is a big block car, but I dont know how to tell. I just havent seen many small blocks with power disc brakes. I dont even know if the cowl tag will tell if it was an SS car or not, but I still need to know what it decodes to. The option decodes will be very helpful. Thanks for any help in advance and here is the tag and vin. VIN 136370A169534 Cowl Tag ST 70-13637 A 53997 BDY TR 796 B80 B90 45 A PNT 06A 410629 590525 Thanks so much in advance. I really appreciate it.
1 36 37 0 A 169534 1 = Chevrolet 36 = Malibu V8 ( opt SS396 or 454 ) 37 = 2dr notchback Hardtop Coupe 0 = 1970 A = Lakewood, GA 169534 = sequential production # ST 70-1 36 37 A 53997 BDY ST 70- = 1970 1 = Chevrolet 36 = Malibu V8 ( opt SS396 or 454 ) 37 = 2dr notchback Hardtop Coupe A = Lakewood, GA 53997 BDY = sequential body # TR 796 B80 B90 45 A PNT TR 796 = green vinyl Strato-bucket seats w/custom interior B80 B90 = option codes? i don't have no steenking option codes! 45 = Green Mist paint A PNT = white vinyl top 06A 410629 590525 = option codes find your EIN ( Engine Identification Number ), it should be on a pad on the right side of the block. it should look something like 'A 12 22 CNK'. the 'CNK' tells you what the engine type is.
There really is no way to tell if its a real SS if the matching numbers engine/trans is missing. The VIN nor the trim tag will tell. Unless, for example it was painted an SS only color. For example 1969 Daytona yellow. Not sure if there was an SS color for 70. One tell tale clue is to look at the steering shaft at the rag joint. If its an original big block car, the flange will be cast, with a twelve point bolt. Everyone always forgets to change that when cloning an SS! Also, look at the gas pedal and see if it has the 400 kick down switch. Its not a qualifier, but two pieces of the puzzle at least
Yes, there is nothing in the VIN to signify an SS or to stipulate engine size - that all came in 72. One thing that a lot of clones don't have is the "SS Dash" with the 3 round windows. As in previous years, actual gauges were optional in the SS, so it may have idiot lights instead. In any case, the "sweep style" speedo is incorrect for an SS. A Malibu would have come with the sweep speedo - unless the gauge backage was ordered, then you got the SS dash. Also, this dash is repro'd so could have been changed. Also, as you know, all SS's came with the 12 bolt rear end, with boxed lower control arms and the rear sway bar (F-41 suspension), it should also have the braces between the upper and lower control arm front mounting bolts. The front sway bar should also be the larger 1-1/8" (?) diameter. Again, I think you probably could have ordered the F41 on a Malibu as well. You should also have either a turbo 400, or heavy duty muncie 4 speed with the larger output shaft (same yolk as a turbo 400), and the fine spline input shaft. The wiring and hardware for a turbo 400 are probably the best clue since the 350 or smaller cars would have had a turbo 350 trans. Hope some of this helps. I have a 72 Malibu that was cloned into an SS (along with 9 million others!) before I bought it.
Just about everything is repro'ed for a Chevelle! I cant think of one item that isnt. I tease my neighbor that his whole Chevelle came in a UPS truck:laugh: :laugh: Pretty soon you'll be able to get a new body shell. I just installed the SS dash conversion kit they sell on Ebay for $1600 . Pretty easy swap. Its amazing that the whole dash from door to door is plastic. Im so used to working on Buicks with their metal dashes
I am really tempted at times to turn my Chevelle back into just a regular Malibu. Maybe do a "what if" car - Malibu with an LT-1 and a 4 speed ( the Malibu 400's are real close, but I prefer small blocks). I always liked the L79 Chevelles in 67 and 68. Unfortunetly my stock 72 is all image and no substance - I kinda like it better the other way around. The only nice thing is that it runs (albeit slowly:sleep: ) on 87 Octane.
My friends car (69 chevelle ss) is cloned from a 300 deluxe 6 cylinder. He sure does get alot of crap from us :grin:
yes sir, thats it. Just pretty much a rolling chassis, but its reasonably solid. It is certainly buildable and restorable.
I feel sorry for Chevelle collectors. Chevrolet really missed the boat with VIN 's back in the dayby not giving SS cars a separate VIN #. I say this because I am a Pontiac GTO and Buick GS guy and the first 5 digits of both GTO's and GS's tell you what you have with Chevelles you can prove you have a V8 chevelle thats it....very disappointing! If microfishe ever surfaces for the Chevelle guys I think there is going to be a lot of very disappointed people who thought they had an LS6 chevelle and really only have a 307 Malibu.
I don't feel sorry for Chevelle collectors. Looked at what they're bringing these days? My neighbor bought one in a zillion pieces, put it back together, good 10/10 paint job, new interior, nice car. Nothing special 70 SS 396. Just turned down $30k for it, and it's appraised (professionally) at $38k. Seems like there's quite a demand for them even without numbers match or pedigree. Zillions around, no problem getting any parts for them, and a great investment. I really like them with my favorite being a 66, then a 69, then a 70. What's to feel sorry for? o No:
luckily Mopar figured that out early , but not early enough to cover max wedge and early hemi cars . but luckily for those cars chrysler historical potentially has the IBM card which tells what engine it ultimately had past it being a V8 car . all muscle era cars(excluding 64-65) the model and engine installed in is the VIN
