???? SS chevelle or Malibu SS package????

bigE454SS said:

I have a 72 SS 454 and my question is there a difference between an SS Chevelle and a Malibu ordered with the 454 SS package? Reason I'm aking is because my VIN is 1D37W2RXXXXXX. Which means D is a Malibu and the W is a 454 motor. As we all know if you have the SS package all the marking on the car say Chevelle or SS. Like mine says on the trunk Chevelle by Chevrolet and on the front grill. Have ya'll seen VIN's that read 1C37W2RXXXXXX??? What do ya'll think?

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All 70 through 72 SS optioned Chevelles were Malibus to begin with, be they the 2-dr sport coupe, the convertible, or the El Camino. So any Malibu (sport coupe, convertible, or El Camino) ordered with the SS option is a SS car. In 71 and 72 the SS option was primarily a trim option and could be ordered with any optional V8 engine, 350-2, 350-4, 402-4 or 454-4. The 350-2, 350-4 and 402-4 engines could also be ordered without requiring the SS option. Only when ordering the 454 engine did the SS option become mandatory.

I'd have to physically see a VIN that reads 1C37W2Rxxxxxx. The C indicates a base Chevelle 2-dr sport coupe. Since the W indicates a 454 which requires the SS option to be ordered and the SS option was suppose to only be available on the Malibu (D) series, it would be an interesting VIN to see. I've seen the 402 engine (U-coded) in a base Chevelle without the SS option but never a (factory installed) 454 engine in one.

As far as nameplates go, sometimes they're a bit confusing. My 67 Custom El Camino has an El Camino nameplate on the hood and quarters, a Malibu emblem on the bezel above the glove box and the bed says Chevrolet. Makes sense if you think about it. It's a Chevrolet, it's a Malibu series, and it's a Custom El Camino model. :thumbsup: