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Value Of An Ls6 Without The Ls6

20K views 158 replies 52 participants last post by  mr 4 speed 
#1 ·
I Bought My Chevelle Ss 396 25 Yrs Ago For $900. Recently Found Build Sheet And It Originally Came With An Ls6. Even Though The Original Ls6 Is Not There Is It Still Worthy Just Because Of Ls6 Label On It. Thanks (build Sheet/veh Match)
 
#10 ·
Most guys who have 70 Chevelle's with LS6 engines sleep with them every night. Those that don't, lie awake at night wishing that the LS6 fairy would come visit them and put a LS6 under their pillow. Never let someone infuence you into giving up your dreams. The LS6 fairy will come to visit one day, just keep believing!
 
#15 ·
It is true there are those who might want to fake a car,no doubt.
I have seen these sold with advertised replacement blocks and the fact that it was originally a LS6 with a build sheet to back it have commanded much higher prices.
That is why it is more desirable and not just another 70 Chevelle.
 
#16 ·
Actually Dean, and no offense.. but Yes, I do feel that way about those cars as well.. and I have made that position clear many times before.. I know it's not a popular position.. but it is truly the way I feel.. nobody has to try and convince me otherwise.

The thing that makes it valuable is the drivetrain, the engine.. and without it.. well.. it's a USED TO BE!

Sorry, but it's the way I feel..
 
#80 ·
Actually Dean, and no offense.. but Yes, I do feel that way about those cars as well.. and I have made that position clear many times before.. I know it's not a popular position.. but it is truly the way I feel.. nobody has to try and convince me otherwise.
No offense to you either but it sounds like you're doing a lot to try and convince someone else to think like you do.
 
#17 ·
How can you fake a car that has a buildsheet in the first place? Just because it doesnt have the original engine means someone is going to fake it? Its not easy to restamp another LS-6 and pass it off as numbers matching, they still look fake in the end, but the car will still be an original LS-6 even it the engine is not.
 
#18 ·
Chris, how it is it still an LS-6 if it doesn't have the engine?? it's the engine that makes it an LS-6, not the Body.. so without the engine, it is a 70 Chevelle, non matching numbers car. As far Re-stamps.. have you seen some of the better restamps and broaches being done?? Not saying that everyone who has a NOM car with docs. is going to try and restamp it or Fake it.. but if I see a car For sale that WAS a desirable car and it doesn't have the original engine, but has the docs., it would be more tempting to restamp a Block. ( Not that I would personally do that )

You have to at some point, ask the question.. What makes the car desirable?? is it the rare high horse power engine? or the Body that housed it? if it is the second one, then by all means.. pay lots and lots of money for that car.. I'll pass.

Finding a Frame that an original Picaso was housed in, but no longer has the painting... nice to have.. sure,, but it's the painting that makes the Value.

We all have our opinions, that is the beauty of it all... :)
 
#19 ·
Ok how bout this question: I had a 70 SS396 which I bought off the original owner everything original was there except the engine block was a replacement that had been dealer installed under waranty. What is the value of the car at that point. Personally I could care less because I own these cars for what I get out of them on a personal level not what $$ I can make from them. I also believe if it were not for auctions like BJ we all would be able to afford and enjoy these cars as intended not as shrines to be whorshiped but as machines to be driven. Just my opinion
 
#21 ·
Interesting discussion. I'm afraid we've gotten to the point in this hobby where the tags and documents have become so important that the car is secondary. I recently saw a photo of a 67 Camaro Z28 that had every body panel replaced with reproduction Dynacorn sheetmetal. I don't believe it had the original drivetrain either. About the only remaining portion of the original car was the cowl section with the Vin and tags. Because 67 Z28s are so rare this was a worthy car to restore but the original car doesn't really exist anymore or at least not much of it. This isn't considered a "fake" because some small portion of the original was used but in reality when everything has been replaced, in my mind it's more of a recreation/tribute. I know that is not how it is looked at by many especially at auction time. So back to your original question I would say that your car is definitely worth more if it is an original LS6 even without the original drivetrain.
 
#22 ·
While I really hate to disagree with guys like Mike C who definately know more than I, I really think an LS6 car that is documented to have HAD been an LS6 from the factory is more disireable than a non-LS6 car, even if the LS6 has been replaced because it was an LS6 car.

But what do I know? It's just my opinion
 
#23 ·
The LS-6 build sheet that matches your VIN makes the car much, much more valuable than another NOM SS.

And the reason it is more valuable is exactly what these guys detest. The fact that someone could stamp a block and sell it as a numbers matching LS-6.

What you have is an LS-6 SS Chevelle with a NOM.

I would say that the value of your car just doubled (at the very least).
 
#24 ·
In my opinion, an LS-6 Chevelle without it's original motor isn't worth anything to me personally. So, I agree with Mystery on that point. But, in today's world of muscle cars, if it has a legitimate build sheet ("legitimate" being the key word), it has worth. How much worth? Well, more than a non-SS Chevelle and less than a numbers matching LS-6. Perhaps even more than a numbers matching SS396 or LS-5 car. All depends on who's buying. Most people are documentation crazy these days.

As was stated before, if you were to install a NOM LS-6 engine with components that have date codes that are as close to what they would've been originally, you increase the value of the car.
 
#25 ·
For the record, nobody would offend me with disagreement, as I sated, this is a just my personal feeling about what I find valuable and worthy of my hard earned money.. I would never try and get anyone else to believe what I feel strongly about.. as I said, that is the beauty of it. Some have no problem spending big $$ on a well done CLONE, others would never !!! Some spend big $$ on Race Cars, others would never!! I realize the majority of those out there find this documentation to be valuable. I don't. Just me.

Case in point.. my original 66 MYSTERY CHEVELLE. AN ORIGINAL DOCUMENTED 66 SS L-78. One of 12 with an M-22 Trans., a Cowl Plenum Air Cleaner, and an extensive and well documented Race History. I had lots of docs on the car, original photos, taped phone conversations with all previous owners and a decent list of magazine features and awards... BUT it no longer retained the L-78... USED TO BE. I sold it, but never expected to get HUGE MONEY because of what it USED TO BE, any money I got was based on what it was at the time of sale in my opinion. Now, upon coming up for resale in near future, it may very well bring big $$ because of what it WAS, that is up to any one individual who puts Value on the car's history. It's a beautiful thing! :) :)
 
#26 ·
I would definatly want to do the LS6. Be ready to spend big money for the correct engine. It may cost alot but it will double to triple the value of the 396. Do some searching for LS6 cars for sale. Most peolple on here dont realize how valuable these cars are.

Do you want to sell it. If so I could possibly interested. I just payed 18k for a rough restorable DOCUMENTED LS5 . Eveyone seems to think I got ripped but show me a better deal. I have a friend that just paid 62,500 for a LS6 car that needs restored.
My goal is to build a 1000 point show car for the restored class. "You do not have to have a numbers matching number car to score 1000 in the restored class at a VCCA event you dont even have to have the original color of paint or correct tires. VCCA judges on period correct cars. The paint has to be a 1970 color. The tires need to be bias and correct size but not same kind. Number have to be correct for year but they do not have to be numbers matching. People get way stuck on numbers matching.
Judges only look at numbers matching in the original class. In the original class they look at numbers and everyhting original such as paint and interior even tires. Now if you have one of these in an LS6 car you would have 1/4 million dollar car plus some.
Last I checked the LS6 was in the top five most valuable muscle cars. Who cares if its not numbers matching.
It sounds like you hit the jack pot if everthing is documented. My favorite words.
DOCUMENTATION, DOCUMENTATION, DOCUMENTATION, DOCUMENTATION
 
#27 ·
As seems to be all to common I find myself on the opposite side of the fence from the majority here. I think a FACTORY LS6 Chevelle is a FACTORY LS6 Chevelle and even though the original motor may be gone, which no doubt lessens the value somewhat, it's still worth recognizing as a factory rare car.

Both of my LS6's have THE original motors, and both were bought without them and had them reunited........... in the case of my Chevelle several years later after a lot of effort and the El Camino, at the same time of purchase fortunately. I bought the Chevelle BECAUSE it was an LS6 and didn't know for sure if I'd be able to get the original motor, although I knew where it was.

My L88 Corvette has the original motor gone............. replaced by an LS7 crate motor when it was a year old by the original local owner. I still search locally for it, but in the meantime it's been Bloomington judged and has multipe NCRS Top Flights and would get fairly close to an original engined car when/if the trustees of my estate decide to sell it when I'm gone. An estimated 95 % of known L88's have the original motors gone.

I think you're very fortunate to find the documentation, and to me it would seriously enhance the thrill of returning it to it's original condition. The rusted out hulls have brought surprising money on E Bay, and cars with CE (replacement) blocks have done very well also. It's just incredible to me that a surprising number of people think that a car loses all of it's interest/value because of a mechanical failure in one major component. I just don't see it that way. You're right WannaRun70, it can be a tough crowd around here.
 
#30 ·
OK-Already, I got it figured out. I will take a step down to the unwanted section of 1970- Chevrolet " A " Bodys. How much is a door worth from a 1970 SS- 396 Chevelle VS. A door from a 1970 -LS-6 Chevelle ???
I have two new 1970 El Camino rear quarters that I bought in the eightys from K. Ross, Chevrolet in Irwin, Pa. ( Both are in the black & Yellow " BIG "boxes).
I get the message that the driveline is not that important for LS-5s & LS-6s.
So,,, Should I sell my two brand new -NOS- quarter panels as " Brand NEW LS-6 Sheetmetal ". I also have a NEW GREEN-1970 AM / FM factory radio. I guess I will MARKET this radio as an LS-6 radio and get MORE MONEY.
I told a lie about the El Camino quarter panels, I bought them for my one owner LS-5--M-22 El Camino.
The new quarters may fit a 1970-LS-6 El Camino, GEE, I am not sure.
HEY, Its all about the " High Peformance " sheetmetal, Its not about the driveline... ? :nerd:................ OK, I get it ,Now!
 
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