![]() ![]() ![]() In '71-'72 you could get an SS with either a big-block or small-block. If you can, always look up under the dash for any signs of recent welding around the VIN plate.įor '68 & up, here are some things to look for :įor '68-'70, only big-blocks were available on the SS. However, I wouldn't be surprised if a few paint codes have been changed here and there.Īlthough highly illegal, I'm sure there are numerous cars out there that have had their VIN plates switched. I think the outfit that supplies the cowl tags is legally only allowed to replace a damaged cowl tag with a reproduction that has EXACTLY the same codes on it. There are also companies that can supply you with reproduction protect-o-plates, window stickers, and even cowl tags. I've even heard of VIN numbers on build sheets being changed. Even with those, however, you have to be on the lookout for fakes. Perhaps one of the best ways to authenticate an SS is with the build sheet, protect-o-plate, original window sticker, etc. However, some of these types of books are known to be factually incorrect about certain things. There are also several restoration guides that can provide valuable information. There is a good one currently available that is produced by the publishers of "Cars and Parts" magazine. I would recommend that anyone looking to authenticate an SS get one of the available Chevelle & El Camino ID books. (The ones at the NCOA convention were not for sale). What I don't like is when they are sold to unsuspecting buyers as genuine. Actually, they can be very nice, and you can customize them and drive them without worrying about harming the value of a genuine SS. Of the five SS-454s, two had 350 engine VIN numbers, and another had a 402 engine VIN. I decided to check the VIN numbers on the five SS-454s (I knew what to look for since I own a genuine '72 SS-454 El Camino). I then remembered that '72 and newer GM vehicles have a code letter in the VIN number which indicates what engine type was installed by the factory. They appeared genuine in every detail (except perhaps for engine codes - I didn't look at those). Not all the cars had arrived when I was there, but there were several nice '72s to look at. To illustrate the extent of the problem, here is an experience I had a few years ago: I was able to take a few hours off during a business trip to Chicago to go to the nearby National Chevelle Owners Association (NCOA) annual convention. There may even be more SS clones out there than genuine SSs. There are far more SS "look-a-likes" out there than people realize. However, it is not so easy to tell the difference between a genuine SS and a plain Malibu which has been altered to look like an SS. It is easy to spot an SS Chevelle compared to a "plain-Jane" model. '68-'72 Super Sport, Chevelle, Monte Carlo, El Camino, & GMC Sprint production totals - large color poster This Guide is for owners and potential owners of 1968 and newer. The asking price for this El Camino is $22,000, and could be the perfect summer restoration project.How to spot a genuine SS Chevelle / El Camino Also, the interior has been replaced as well, going from the original black to cream. The exterior paint, for instance, is no longer the Burnished Copper Metallic it used to be, but one close to it applied a few years back. There are a few things that have changed since it left the assembly lines, but those are mostly aesthetic. Under the hood the coupe utility hides the 350ci (5.7-liter) it originally came with – this engine was one of about six available for the El Camino back then – and the odometer shows it has been used for about 126,000 miles (203,000 km). Technically, it is of an SS variety, which should make it even more desirable, but its seller says the “cowl tag and the VIN do not list the SS option.” The car is a 1972 model year, about halfway through the model’s production run. Such as the one here, just waiting for the right person to get it and work some magic on it. And it appears there’s no shortage of El Caminos.įor our Muscle Car Month coverage, we’ve talked plenty about the El Camino in its most potent of configurations, but the ones we found were almost always modified somewhat and given a touch of extra shine through either a restoration, a rebuild, or an insane tune.īut there are still cars like these out there, nearly untouched by aftermarket ideas. So, we ute fans, are left with going through what is still available out there. There is, of course, no official word of that happening, neither from Chevy nor from the others that used to make this type of car. ![]()
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