Does anyone know how many 1970 396SS convertibles were made with a 4spd and factory air conditioning? I am being told that it is in the neighborhood of about 100 cars. The same car with the LS5 is much more common from what I have heard. What do you think the value of such a car in #1 condition with build sheet and POP is?

Is this just a stupid question or no one has any idea?

Does anyone know how many 1970 396SS convertibles were made with a 4spd and factory air conditioning? I am being told that it is in the neighborhood of about 100 cars. The same car with the LS5 is much more common from what I have heard. What do you think the value of such a car in #1 condition with build sheet and POP is?Value? Whatever someone is willing to pay. I'd think that since a great number less LS5s (4,298) optioned than L34s (53,599), numbers would be much, much lower statistically.

Is this just a stupid question or no one has any idea?Not a stupid question, there is no reasonably accurate answer. While it is known how many SS396 (53,599 Z25) Chevelles were sold, how many convertibles (7,522) sold, how many 4-speeds (45,371) sold, and how many A/C options (303,326) were sold, there are no records of any combinations of options. The convertible total includes both 6-cyl and V8s but A/C could be ordered in the 381 6-cyl convertibles as well.

Enthusiasts like Dan Carr have gone to great lengths to calculate the statistical probablities of certain engine/series-model/transmission combinations to at least give us some idea of what was statiscally probable. When one begins adding other option possibilities, it's a guessing game at best.

A couple of problems with 1970 crop up as well. First the Monte Carlo numbers were included with the Chevelle since, as far as GM was concerned, it was a 13xxx series car. It's known that of the SS454 option that 3,823 were indeed for the Monte Carlo and 8,773 were for U.S. built Z15 Chevelles, but things like A/C numbers were lumped. Even Dan's great poster extrapolates the number of possible Z15 Chevelles from Canada at about 564. The poster shows a total of 9,337 70 Chevelles with the Z15 but reliable sources put the number of U.S. Z15s at 8,773 leaving the 564 'probable' numbers from Canada. Bringing those probable numbers into an existing probability calculation dilutes it even further.

The 564 number would also have to assume both LS5 and LS6 in the Z15 probable number. No LS6 Chevelles were built in Canada but sources indicate that 201 were imported. If those 201 LS6s were included in the 564 probable number then it'd be incorrect since the 201 LS6s would also be counted in the U.S. number.

As noted earlier, 1970 is a tough year to do statistical probabilities on. :(

Claims of 1 of 100 made, or any numbers claim of combination of options, is a fallacious assumption.

Dale

Thank you for the in depth reply and explanation