I have found a 70 Chevelle SS396 375hp that I am thinking of buying. First how can I make sure that it is a 375hp? The car is in excellent shape and seems to be original. I have asked the owner about a "build sheet" and he didn't have a clue what I was talking about. What is the price range that the car would be worth? Thanks for your help.

Here are the external signs I know of:
1. Aluminum intake vs. painted cast iron.
2. Holley vs. Q-jet.
3. Inlet and outlet holes for an oil cooler just above the oil filter. This is standard on the 4 bolt main blocks.

I am not sure about 1970, but in the 66-67 models, you couldn't get air conditioning on the solid lifter 375HP cars due to overloading the cooling system. Maybe someone else can confirm that if you do have AC, it could not be a 375.

If he is clueless about the build sheet, look for yourself. I found one stuck under the back seat. If the interior is still in good shape, it may still be there.

Good luck
John Walker

Thanks for the info. The intake is painted
orange and has Q-Jet in raised letters on it.
So this means it can not be a 375hp, right?
The car does not have AC. Hey I've got another question for you. Will the tag under the hood give me any info? I have the numbers off from it. Thanks again.

VIN nor cowl tag numbers will tell you much about what engine came in the car except for
1. 6-cyl or 8-cyl
2. if last six digits of VIN match last 6 digits of one of the numbers on the machined pad on front right of block, then it is a matching numbers.
The other set of numbers on the block pad will tell you what exact motor and type of tranny (auto or stick).
for an original 70 396 375 hp that would be
TxxxxCKO or CKP or CKQ or CKT or CKU or CTY
xxxx = four numbers for build date- month and day

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Steve Strasemeier (70SS 396, Fathom Blue/White Stripes)

Mike - There were only 2144 L-78 (375HP) engines put into Chevelles that year vs. 4475 LS-6 (450HP) engines. This would be a fairly rare car if it was original. LS-6 cars in very good condition sell for $25,000 minimum. You can figure that if this car is original and in excellent condition, the price would be in this area.

I'd say that if the car is original, the value is probably more in the mid teens, unless its a very low-mileage original. Restored, the car is probably worth in the 20's, depending on the level of restoration.

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Rainer - Team Chevelle #50 - Gold Member
'68 SS396
'70 LS3 400 Malibu
& the newest - '70 Malibu convertible!
rseitz@chevelles.com

What is the VIN of the car? What is the build date? How many fuel lines from the tank to the pump? Deep groove pulleys?
A/C not available with solid lifter engines; IE- L78,LS6,Z28

I am going to check the car out again tonight. I'll get all of the numbers and check the other stuff out that you guys have told me about. I do have the Cowl tag number.

70 13637 FL2204375 BDY
TRR 755 7878 PNT
O3D

Also the the rear axle has a 10 bolt pattern.
I also got some numbers off the intake 3931087 T1.

I will be checking out the VIN and engine block numbers tonight as well as the pulley's
and fuel lines.

Thanks again!

Maybe once upon a time it was an L78, but it ain't now!
Politely thank him for letting you look it it and leave, or make an offer that you feel is more in line with what is on, or in, the car.

One last thing. If the 10bolt is the ORIGINAL rear------------IT DID NOT come from the factory with a big block! Does everyone agree with this?

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If the the intake is 3931067 then this is a cast iron q-jet intake for a 69 396 325hp.
I couldn't find a 3931087. Sometimes these nunbers are hard to read.

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Steve Strasemeier (70SS 396, Fathom Blue/White Stripes)

In 1970, only 12 bolt rear came with big blocks on the super sport. As far as the motor is concerned, check all that was already mentioned. The manifold could have been changed out along with other components and it could still be the 375 HP block. If I'm not mistaken the words "hi-perf" should be on the block inside the timing cover?

No a/c on the 375 HP car.

Jim McAllister
Lewisburg, PA
1970 Chevelle SS 396

Also, check the rear bushing on the lower front control arms. This bushing should be round instead of oval. F-41 suspension cars came with the round bushing. I think that this detail is missed 99.99% of the time during the cloning process. Someone correct me if I am wrong, but nobody has yet and I am starting to accept this fact as gospel.

If the engine has a cast iron intake then it doesn't have rectangular port heads. The intake won't cover the top of the ports.

I do not believe this is or ever was a L-78 because of the 03D build date. I have never herd of a 1970 L-78 with a date this late. I'm not saying none exist, but highly unlikely.

Good point, Keith! I hadn't thought of that one.
The date of the car makes me a little leery of the L78 also. It has been rumored that once the LS6 came on-line, the L78 was dropped, but looking closely at my assembly manual last night, I noticed that the L89 head option was discontinued on 1-9-70. It does not show what date the L78 was disc.
No 10-bolts for 70 SS cars. Is there a rear sway bar with the 10 bolt? Does the car have an SS dash??? Tach and gauges???

Yes it does have the SS dash with tach & rear bunper has SS on the pad. It has the SS grill fender emblems. It also has a sway bar.
The door covers has SS on them as well. It has a cowl induction hood also.

The owner was not home last night so could not get the VIN or #'s off the block. I'll be getting them today.....even though it sounds like it is a fake SS.

If it is has a tach, the L78 car redlined at 6500 RPM. if it has anything else, then it is not an L78 car or at least the tach is not for the car. Remember to check the rear bushing on the lower control arm. The car could still be an SS if it has a 10-bolt, someone could have swapped the 12bolt out of the car and replaced it with a 10bolt. If the car is an automatic, then it should have a pedal switch for the cowl hood.

Note that per other comments above the cowl tag won't prove it is an SS, let alone a 375HP one. See the tech ref on the Team Chevelle page on this subject.

If it has a Q-jet, a Q-jet intake, my money says it is a standard 350HP motor. Sounds like the 12 bolt was swapped out some time ago or the car is a clone. If he is trying to sell it as an all original 375, unless he can come up with another motor and some serious documentation, I'd either pass or make him a different offer. To make sure it isn't a clone, check the diameter of the fuel line. If it is 3/8ths, it is probably a real SS. If it is 5/16ths, it is a clone. Most cloners don't bother swapping this out since you have to separate the body from the frame. Go to Home Depot and get two short pieces of tubing, one of each size. Use them to compare to what is under the car and you can tell very easily.
John Walker

[This message has been edited by jmw (edited 06-30-99).]

I ran into a guy at a show once who claimed his car was a 375HP apparently because he had made some mods to a 325 or 350HP and believed that he must be up to at least 375HP.
When I bought my Elky, owner clamed it was a 350HP because it was rebuilt to 350HP specs. Was really a 325HP.
Sometimes it's tough to tell the difference between "crooked" and "ignorant". A lot of both out there.

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Fred Aldrich
Web Site: www.GeoCities.com/~69_chevelle (http://www.GeoCities.com/~69_chevelle)

Thanks for all your help. I have come to the conclusion that it is a clone.

The search is on.....

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