A real one would be too valuable to drive. This one is a 70 Chevelle convertible with an LS6, TH400 and a 12 bolt. Drive it, enjoy it . Let the millionaires sit around and gawk at their real one while you are out enjoying yours.
I’m a muscle car enthusiast, and a native San Diegan. I believe that I know the previous owner, and you’re probably in, or near, the Alpine area. There was another guy in that area that was very good at restoring mid year Corvettes, and would go to great lengths to make the car “appear” original. I really enjoy your videos, and appreciate your knowledge and expertise. Thank you.
yes and no people are getting the 2 454 mixed up because both were crate engines and went by the same code GM would never ever call 2 different engines the same thing like i said there is 1000's built with the ho 454 bbc but only 212 with the ls 6 454 but on the net there is 1000's of the ls 6 454 bbc so do u really think they called a bbc a ls 6 454 or was it a real ls 6 454 small block , then u can read up on the mark iv engine series they even claim of interducing a engine with different angle pistons and pushrods and how much better it is which ls engines have a different angle on the piston and pushrods most people have know idea about the crate engine they only know what came out stock unless u race or hang out with a lot of pro racers this is y i get a lot of my parts from when they upgrade thier cars i get the old a lot and build a car out of it how many people u know gets a tunnel ram set up for free with a complete msd enginition set up in the box for 100 bucks new i just got into restoring and selling parts to my friend like good project cars they will have their sponsers pay top dollar for them all depends what class they are running or if they want to build a car
Back in the early '90s I had a '72 Malibu 2 door I restored for fun. I kept it as a Malibu, but added SS stripes, removed the bench seat and added a factory console and buckets for the looks and fun of it. The buckets I got were from a '70 model which were white in color and looked incorrect for a '72 because of the pattern. I got them from a local Chevy bone yard and parts supplier who kept these seats in a storage building, so the foams and covers were still real nice, and even though they were incorrect for a '72, I installed them as-is. A couple of years went by and I decided to replace the seat foams and covers with the correct pattern ones for '72. In the process of taking the seats apart, I removed the rear plastic cover from the passenger side bucket to find the build sheet of the car these seats came out of, flat, under the seat springs. I carefully removed the build sheet and proceeded to almost have a stroke reading it. These seats were originally from a '70 SS 454 LS5 convertible featuring Muncie 4 speed, cowl induction, PS, PB, blue with white interior, Baltimore car. But perhaps the more interesting thing was down in the lower left corner of the build sheet was the name of the original dealer.....Roger Penske Chevrolet, customer order. I remember getting the rear seat out of what I was told was the same car the buckets came from, which was in the yard, what was left of it anyway. I remember thinking that it was a shame such a nice car would wind up in a salvage field. I still have that build sheet, and its still fun to read it every once and a while.
Patrick your service has considerable value. Stopping a potential buyer from making a costly mistake by just putting eyes on the car saved a lot of grief both financial and emotional..
Nice work Patrick. That's the type of scrutiny I like to see. It's helpful to the owner too. Information is power. Even negative information. If something goes against you, you want to know that it does. Then you can make the right move for the circumstances. With all that said, it's still a great car. Big block chevy in a straight body. How bad can that be?
I can appreciate the originality factor, I did a big block and manual swap on my 70 back in the late 90’s and I would hope someone is still loving it today
As a buyer, I'm OK with a "clone", "recreation" or "tribute", as long as they don't try to pass it off as real. hat would make an otherwise fine car nothing more than a fake. Intentional or not. Good to know what it actually is.
Same Here👍 As long as it's a matching replica and not some hatchet job, I'm cool with a clone. No disrespect but the SS in this vid wouldn't cut it for me... ...Just never been a fan of the drop-top [hi-performance] vehicle and that includes the Corvette but that's just me.
You ability to identify is bolstered by your obvious depth of knowledge. Several of your more detailed comments were delivered as "...oh, by the way" remarks rather than factual brags. It was a pleasure following this critique. It's always enjoyable being in the company of a dedicated person - even if separated by a video camera. Thank you for sharing...
Nice looking Chevelle. Scary how a person can easily try to pass off a regular Malibu for an SS or LS6. I'm glad there is guys around like Patrick to dig into it.
A good tell tail sign for any Chevy SS in the late 60's to early 70's, be it a Chevelle, Nova, or Comaro is that they are all bucket seats and the transmission gear selector is on the center console, NOT on the steering column. A true SS will NOT be standard equipped with a front bench seat.
@@oveidasinclair982 Please stop repeating this incorrect information in the comments section of this video, over and over. You have replied with this false information at least 4 times, and that is with me just glancing through the first few comments of this video. Bucket seats and a console were options on the SS in 1970 and there were many cars produced this way.
When “values” are high then fraud is rampant. Numbers matching is overblown, but cars that can be driven are more fun to own. Decades ago I worked at a large GM dealer parts department in SoCal. No one cared or knew much about the “numbers.” I helped to create a lot of SS454 conversions, including with replacement LS6 engines.
I worked at GM plant in 60's and seen some pretty wild items come on cars that would branded by these 30 year "experts" as fake. Special order cars and trucks often gained a few options that did not show on build sheet. Somebody knew someone on the line and so so. Also during a strike parts would be scarce and whatever was on shelf went on. New cars left the line with engine unstamped all the time, of the "books" printed years later detailing each option often were Friday night cars.
@@jaywalker712 building a 67 el camino for a customer, had to replace the driver side quarter panel, all factory sealed never had body work done before, we found a half full bottle of Ancient Age Kentucky bourbon. date coded the bottle to 1964, still had the 1966 tax strip on one side. most interesting thing i have ever found in a car.
@@803brando Sort of happened to me as well. A very different car- 1978 Renault LeCar (R5). I had stripped the interior out to do a deep clean. Found about a dozen wine bottle pull-tab tops. Looked at the build date on the VIN tag- 12/77.
Glad u are here to help us all patrick ! I am so more informed about real chevelle ss info now! Since watching you channel i feel i can spot a fake alot easier!
@@REDZ28won i could see where a hellcat guy just wouldn't understand. It'll never be the same car for him now, and some part of him likely despises it a little.
@@barnabyjones5161 But it is the same car no matter what he thought it was. Just may have less monetary value. But Its still a Chevelle/Malibu convertible that most will never have!
@@REDZ28won you really don't get it, do you? Yes it's a nice ragtop chevelle, but it's not the car he thought it was for all those years. It never will be. It's devastating.
I've got a '70 Malibu coupe, nothing special but I like it. A few years ago I got to see a real 1970 SS convertible in person, all original and pristine that was still owned by the original owner. It was gorgeous and a real treat to see.
@@greggarner4477 he don't have a ls engine it is just a bbc in it so that means he is after to rip some one off that is y he is calling it a ls car it is one big joke and i bet it is not even a ss car i have seen a lot of people ripped off on these first thing ls never built a big block the l.s. 6 454 is a small block and it is a roller engine can't have low profile valve covers on roller rockers this is y they build tall valve covers is for roller rockers so if i could get the money for a fake ss car y not sell it and ls never put a ls engine in a convertable
A real 454 ls6 convertible is worth well in the 6 figures. That’s because roughly only 25 LS6 convertibles were ever built. That’s why it’s good to make an exact clone or tribute like this one to enjoy driving without worrying about it
I still love it!!! I'm so glad guys like you stop the fraudulent stuff with chevelles. I see it all the time in the Corvette world. Corvettes and 70 chevelles are truly my passion. I don't care if they are original, but they should not be sold as something they aren't! That is theft!!! Period!!! Love your videos!!!
I have a 72 cutlass convertible with a black interior You'll think twice about a black interior once you leave the skin from the back of your thighs stuck to the seat!!!
Agreed. Real SS cars are far too rare and far too valuable. I would never want to drive it, and I want to be able to drive my car and not feel bad about it.
A clone isn't a problem as long as it's sold as a clone. Big dollar difference. That being said, this looks like a real nice car. I'd certainly have no problems driving it
It just makes you wonder how many peoole out there don't really know what they have or are buying and how many cars for sale out there are being misrepresented as the real deal. Thanksfor posting!
@@nooneeyeno Interesting...hard to tell, but looking at other pics, it seems the curve of S on top should be narrower than the curve of S on bottom, tiny bit more squashed for bottom. the inner curve of S should be more rounded for top part and less round for bottom part. Just my thoughts, no expert, not anything.
You have immense knowledge of these crs and are putting it to good use preventing a lot of collateral damage. What a shame for the current owner. You did in fact do him a favour though in making him aware of this before he had passed this car along to another unsuspecting buyer who might have taken serious umbrage and made the current owner's life a misery of legal ramifications. As you say; an overall very sound and nice car for someone who would be happy knowing what it is and just wanting to drive a fun car; or a serious restorer with deep pockets to put it back to original. Myself; I'd be in the former group and just give the guy fair value for a "replicar" and enjoy the top down summer back-road cruises.
Anyone with half a brain would have figured that one out, especially the guy trying to pass it off as a true SS. He was trying to run a scam on an unsuspecting buyer, A good tell tail sign for any Chevy SS in the late 60's to early 70's, be it a Chevelle, Nova, or Comaro is that they are all bucket seats and the transmission gear selector is on the center console, NOT on the steering column.
@@oveidasinclair982 hold up just like today's cars where you have options when you make your purchase some Chevelles SS did come bench seat column shifter if you ordered the car that way to keep the price down. bucket seats 4 speeds in some cases power windows made the price of the purchase higher. just like today's cars you can order cars with and without sunroof
@@turbo6598 True but todays cars are nothing like how you could order in the 1960's and early 1970's. You cant take todays base model Charger or Challenger or similar and order a 6.4 liter or whatever the manufacturers largest engine is. You have to get the corresponding trim to match the engine.
Because of your videos I was able to stop my uncle from buying a 70 “ss” last summer. First thing I looked at were the lower trailing arms. The dash was the second thing flat dash but had the tack in it. Saved him 25 k
@G hrvyck , yes I know that , but just because you put Fat Boy Harley parts on you're Harley Sportster it's still a Sportster , Now you can try to pass the Sportster as a Fat Boy and even sell it as a Fat Boy but at the end of the day it's still a Sportster , The same with this Malibu , it doesn't matter if everything was replaced with Super Sport items , it's still just a Malibu I know , I have a Malibu and a Super Sport both
@@jimthomas777 It would be best to sell (if that is owner's intent) it truthfully as a Malibu Conv. clone SS. Either way complete the cloning of functional things like boxed arms, 3/8" hard lines, etc.
@@goratgo1970 , that is true , but I don't think that this guy knew that it wasn't a true Factory Super Sport , once that it is found out , sure tell people before selling that it is not a true Super Sport , and then don't ask for the over inflated price that a Super Sport brings , this could be easily a 40 to 45 thousand dollar car if it a true matching numbers Super Sport , but since it's just a Malibu with big girl makeup on and big girl pantys about half that price , And fix it whatever way makes you happy , A Muncie 4 speed M-22 rock crusher would make me happy . My SS has a M-21 Muncie 4 speed and my Malibu has a 4 speed wide ratio Saginaw , Malibu was a factory automatic , I found a true SS and traded entire dash and gauges , added the clutch linkage's and petals and turned it into a standard trans , Is it fake ? I don't really claim it to be anything other than a Blast to Drive
I'm not really into America muscle cars at all but I am glad their are people like you that know their stuff and try to keep people honest and bc of that you have gained a subscriber.
Just by looking at the front interior I knew right off the guy who owned it was a scammer and that this was NO true SS, A good tell tail sign for any Chevy SS in the late 60's to early 70's, be it a Chevelle, Nova, or Comaro is that they are all bucket seats and the transmission gear selector is on the center console, NOT on the steering column. A true SS will NOT be standard equipped with a front bench seat.
@@oveidasinclair982 Absolutely not true. Even on an SS, things like bucket seats, console, and cowl hood were options. I was the 3rd owner of an LS6 that I knew from new. Non-cowl hood, bench seat, column shift. The original owner was a big man who had the money for a 396/375 Nova but found out he couldn't fit into it. He then stepped up to the Chevelle, but left off what he could so it would fit his Nova budget.
Nice job Patrick on finding out it was cloned,thats still a really nice clean convertible, I know you love those 70 chevelles,i own a 71 chevelle Malibu,i did a complete resto on it,but i hade to put the cowl hood an the hood an decklid strips on it,with a 500 horse 355 in it an a 12 bolt, My uncle who passed away has an original 72 ss,its like a Marina blue with black hood and decklid Stripes,it has the ss 396 emblems on the fender ,but i think its a 402, Its like a Survivor car it's been garage kept for 40 plus years has the original cragars, everything is original on it ,untouched, bucket seats black interior, round gauges in the dashboard,funny story,back in the late 70's my father told me he was gonna buy the car,an he was on his way with the money,i think he said like 2 grand at the time,but when he got there my uncle beat him to it😂😂an there it sat in his garage in N.J for decades ,only taking it out to the local car hops in town,the car is rust free,only a few little minor dings an maybe one little dent in the bumper,i think from backing out the garage all tuned up😂😂from what i know now after he passed away it was left to his daughter,my cousin,an its now in her garage,just sitting,at least its out of the wheather,,man i would love to get my hands on that one,i know for a fact he has the build sheet,i remember him showing me an my dad some years back,i think it was under the back seat🤔but in 72 all them motors had really low horsepower,i think its only 240 stock,in that 402 that 402 big block🙄o well,maybe i can talk my cousin into selling it to me one day,lol Good video,🤘thanks for sharing,an letting me share,
True, but these people (not the current owner) can add a few extra zero's with a lie. It's tempting, but there is a special place in hell just for the 1970 Chevelle LS6 fakers LOL
To sell the lie on this car would bring in at least 3 times as much money, A good tell tail sign for any Chevy SS in the late 60's to early 70's, be it a Chevelle, Nova, or Comaro is that they are all bucket seats and the transmission gear selector is on the center console, NOT on the steering column. A true SS will NOT be standard equipped with a front bench seat.
@@joshuacampbell9990 thanks for clarifying the bench seat thing from the other Feller. I thought bench seats were standard on the Chevelle SS cars. Isn’t the gauge package an option also? Too bad a customer can’t order his vehicle the way he/she wants to anymore and has to pick “packages”.
@@joshuacampbell9990 Yep, many many more. For an average Joe like myself, it makes it possible to own one of these cars, even if it's a clone/tribute SS. Back in the early 80's this is what we all drove to high school. These were $1500 gas guzzlers that were sitting in peoples back yards and driveways. In HS I drove a pristine 1964 Chevelle Malibu SS 220hp 283 with AC. I paid $1500 for it. It was an original survivor, Ermine white with silver blue interior and looked like the day it rolled off the Van Nuys assembly line. Good times!
Well, look on the bright side, he has owned it for 35 years and whatever he bought it for back then I'm willing to bet it is worth more than he paid here in 2020. Even replicas have a market. Also, if he's had it all those years, he might as well drive it and continue to enjoy it. Who wouldn't want to cruise around town on a summer weekend in that?
In 1977, I was a 16 year old kid looking to buy my first hotrod. My first stop was at the local Cevy dealer. On the front row was a 1970 Chevelle SS LS6. White on orange convertible with white interior and top. I passed it up because they wanted way too much for it. Yep, $4,500!
I looked at a 1970 Chevelle SS 396 convertible about ten years ago. Although it was a beautiful Mulsanne blue with white interior, it was only in fair, running condition and needed a complete restoration. I knew even less about Chevelles then than I know now, which is not a lot, but I was able to determine that it was not a true SS, but instead a Malibu that was converted probably in the 1980s. The Malibu dash was the tell. Still, it had a great “patina” look then, and would have looked like a million bucks restored, even if it was an SS clone.
Are you selling any of the cars you collected iam 75 years old and I love the info you tell .I had a 69 and sold it while I was in Vietnam The payment were high and my mom couldn't come up with the extra amount while I was in Vietnam, keep up the good work, folks like myself really thank you.Merry xmas
The joke back in the 90s about these was that they still made red w/ black stripe 70-72 chevelles in Mexico because there were so many of them! Literally every other malibu got cloned into one.
my little brother had one in the 90s but it was worse it was res with white stripes if i recall .a high school auto class restored it as a project and sold it.was supposed to be real with a repaint,but patrick wasnt around back then to call.he sold it for more than he bought it for so maybe someone did proper restore later.
Yup, when I bought mine in '95 it was red with black stripes-interior. Although a true SS, only a 396-4 spd. I returned it to Dk. green white stripes-interior.
Patrick I Love your work man...The Most knowledgeable Chevelle guy I've seen...so I don't need you to come inspect my "True" SS '67 Chevelle 396 4 spd lol
Was the owner asking the big bucks, or did he have it priced low? I find it hard to believe that he did not know it was a clone. Probably didn't expect someone like you showing up.
He was running a scam, A good tell tail sign for any Chevy SS in the late 60's to early 70's, be it a Chevelle, Nova, or Comaro is that they are all bucket seats and the transmission gear selector is on the center console, NOT on the steering column. A true SS will NOT be standard equipped with a front bench seat.
@@festusian9089 My dad's first car was a 72 Nova SS, a real one passed down to him from his father in 1977, NOT a CLONE make believe SS like the vast majority of these cars that survived till this day. His unfortunately didn't, northern rust got to it and by 1982 it was headed to the scrap yard. It was also bucket seats and center console shifter.
@@oveidasinclair982 I'm sure it was. But, as I said, they were options. You could buy a new SS and not choose the extra cost bucket seats and console. If your experience is based on a single car, it's probably not a good idea to make multiple false statements that lots of people will see and perhaps believe. I was around when these cars were new, and many years later I researched and restored them. I'd also tell you about my 70 Buick GS455 Stage 1 that was equipped with a bench seat and column shifter but it would probably just confuse you further.
Hell even with the "real" information on the car. The owner will still want stupid money. I ran across that when buying my corvette. I must of looked at 50 within my area. Wanna hear something funny? I didn't see one that wasn't "special" in one way or another. I finally found one that wasn't special, but was a nicely kept car. Now I drive the hell out of it.
@@phoneone1371 I agree 100. I would love to get a bunch of each in a room together for "world's most special car" just to see all the fights. I remember one Mopar guy like that a few years ago in the military. He memorized the bolt markings on Mopar cars. I get being all about a vehicle, but when you turn smug is too far for me.
@@misterrobato8270 My 69 Roadrunner had the performance goodies , but a bench seat , had to take the interior out of a really nice Satellite to get bucket seats and interior trim options ....it was ' Special ' to me : ) lol
God, I wait for your next videos. I keep thinking I'm soaking up your knowledge but you tune us in to 50 more details. If only I'd have paid this much attention in high school
do Chevelles not have a cowl tag? I expected to see that in this video the option codes on that should be a quick way to determine if its real or not like you said a lot of parts could have been changed in 50 years but the cowl tag usually is not changed.
I was thinking the same thing. Cowl tags are reproducible but the vin is not. I was wondering what the vin tag says it is. If it says its a SS454 LS6 then it's possible the vin tag has moved from a wreck, or a rust bucket and in that case the car is illegally vin'd.
Nice that you saved the potential buyer from a huge mistake. Still a nice car I would drive it as is. But I hope that the previous owner didn't buy it thinking it was a real LS6 convertible. You should write a book on Chevelles Patrick.
first thing this has no l.s. engine in it so i would not go by anything he say's l.s. never built a bb they only build one block and they look nothing like a bb or sb chevy but they did put a l.s. 6 454 and a l.s. 7 427 in the 70 chevelle but u will never see one very few were ever built
Fuck him he knew it was a fake, he was running a scam, A good tell tail sign for any Chevy SS in the late 60's to early 70's, be it a Chevelle, Nova, or Comaro is that they are all bucket seats and the transmission gear selector is on the center console, NOT on the steering column. A true SS will NOT be standard equipped with a front bench seat.
My friend Mark traded in his low mileage LS6 to JM Pontiac, in Hollywood Florida, for a new Pontiac in 1978. They gave him $1200.00 trade in value. I keep reminding him.
Patrick - Thank you for your extremely informative videos. Do you know if hi-perf small block motors such as the L79, LT1 or Z/28 302 also had a 3/8 fuel line? Thanks.
Back in Kansas there was a car dealer cloning these cars. He painted them red with the black stripes, put on the emblems and wheels. I bet several people overpaid for what they got. They also seemed to get a lot of GT350 Mustangs also that they cloned. Cloning is fine if you represent it as such. Great your out there informing people.
I would only ask when you speak of a early build. Please show us the difference in the bumper decklid and hood. What makes the parts on this example different from an early SS. Just curious not questioning. Thank you
Just wondering... was this car misrepresented by a seller in the past? Sure seems like someone tried awfully. Mr. Nichols agreeably is being diplomatic in this video. Cloning is fine but fraud is fraud. Keep up the great authentication work!
In 35 years, he couldn't figure it wasn't what he was advertising? 1st trip to parts store for simple maintenance would have tipped him off. He's a Scammer
if you dont know,you dont know...you arent going to buy boxed lower control arms at the parts store,are you? 35-40 years ago there werent millions of internet experts around
They did a good job cloning it,except no bucket seats and console.I had a 68 SS 396 convertible,wish I never sold it.ive learned alot about these cars since I subscribe s to your utube,Thanks
A few years ago, a customer of mine, came into the shop asking about how to identify Chevelle. True SS. Because he had found one on Craigslist, for $47,000. Which was a red flag, because that car should have been upwards of near 70,000. Maybe 80. But I looked at the communications between the seller, and the buyer, who was also my customer. And told them that, if that's a real SS Car, it would be worth purchasing for $47,000. So the gentleman and his son, went and withdrew 47 grand, in cash, and went to go meet the seller. The seller was very smart. He had already pre-qualified them for the sale. And was insistent, that they bring the cash with them. Unfortunately, when they arrived at the pre-arranged meeting location. Six armed men surrounded them. And my customer, and his son, were ordered to exit the vehicle, and present the cash. His son came out of the driver side of the vehicle, was a 357 Smith & Wesson. Shot and killed three of them on the spot. My customer was armed with a 45, he was able to kill two of them. And wound the Third. My customer and his son, we're never criminally charged. And the wounded man, will be serving, life in prison. The moral of the story is. It's Murphy's Law. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Love old Chevy's, owned a 1966 Impala SS in autumn yellow, black interior, for years. My wife's wearing it on her finger now in the form of an engagement ring. Would love to have another 60's Chevy but they're getting so expensive now that it's not an option.
This is a really informative video , as a Mopar guy i find it interesting there are no actual numbers that identify this car as either a Malibu or an SS. If you you listen to the tutorial about the later parts one cant help but wonder if maybe 35 yrs ago the car was stolen and the later parts were installed to replace the missing ones . Its sad Chevy did things this way , it makes it really easy to phoney a car . Mopars have numbers all over them and theres no mistaking a HEMI car in any way .
observation: I own a sign shop. I'm pretty good with "letters" and fonts. I could see the "SS" upside down. Then again Stevie Wonder could. Macobre note: some funeral parlors turn the S upside down on their sign and business card. One near me is almost blatant. Yet few people catch it.
@@livewire2759 umm . . sense of humor. Most people got it. I said macabre. hence you are a hat? now I have to ask . . Why no video content to share? Are you a liberal and only take but get jabs in thinking that's free? Try to MAGA. Don't reply.
@@itsruf1 LOL wtf? Liberal? Take another look at my profile pic... I'm farther right than MAGA. I can't afford a camera, so I don't make videos. I use YT for cars, guns and music. Anyway, sorry I didn't get the joke... but I still don't get it.
@@itsruf1 Also... now I'm wondering why you would provoke such a conversation and then ask me not to reply. I enjoy arguing with lefties 'cause I always win.
I inspect vehicles from Texas east. I guess I've been fortunate because I've never inspected one that wasn't what the owner stated it was. Inspected a 65 Chevelle this week. It was a resto mod. It did look original but engine, trans and gauge panel was changed. Owner didn't claim it was anything different. Love what I do. I'm sure you do as well.
Being a Turbo 400, kickdown is activated electronically, there is no TV cable, like a T350, but a switch, is that mounted at the firewall, and activated by the throttle linkage?
This seller was trying to run a scam, A good tell tail sign for any Chevy SS in the late 60's to early 70's, be it a Chevelle, Nova, or Comaro is that they are all bucket seats and the transmission gear selector is on the center console, NOT on the steering column. A true SS will NOT be standard equipped with a front bench seat.
This is the reason no one can buy a muscle car anymore, they have fluffed them up to these rare authentic super sport special order builds so that the normal guy with a Malibu thinks he’s got a 100k car, sad
I’ll tell ya,I sure miss the 80s. Cars like this were all over the place,cheap to buy too. Wish I would have had the money to buy some while they were cheapish. There’s a guy here on Vancouver island that has an original 70 GTO judge that’s been sitting under cover since at least 1988,hasn’t moved since then,I asked him if it was for sale then,he said no,now it’s been laying there going to waste. I stopped by last year but no answer so maybe I’ll leave a note asking if he would want to finally part with it.
Very impressive, do you do this for a living? Nice to know a person can have a analysis done before purchase unless the owner does not want the truth known.
@@kanukster A 426 elephant motor is definitely nice, and we had them in high school, but crazy expensive now. I had a 70 SS Chevelle, and I sure wish the hell I would've held on to it! Hope you had a nice Christmas take care.
Drive the wheels off this car and love every mile you put on it. This car is perfect for daily use.
A real one would be too valuable to drive. This one is a 70 Chevelle convertible with an LS6, TH400 and a 12 bolt. Drive it, enjoy it . Let the millionaires sit around and gawk at their real one while you are out enjoying yours.
Absolutely agree. A beautiful car nonetheless.
So true ! Drive it with the top down!
So true. Cars were made to DRIVE, so that’s exactly what I would do with this car!!!
Merkleyperformance. If its to valuable to drive then you can't really afford it. Ask Jay Leno.
Amen
Well done Patrick, the potential owner has saved themselves a heap of pain, not to mention, Dollars.
I’m a muscle car enthusiast, and a native San Diegan. I believe that I know the previous owner, and you’re probably in, or near, the Alpine area. There was another guy in that area that was very good at restoring mid year Corvettes, and would go to great lengths to make the car “appear” original. I really enjoy your videos, and appreciate your knowledge and expertise. Thank you.
Name him or he doesn’t exist
@@skunkycatog out of respect for an old friend, no name.
@@FightFightFight4547 you’re bogus and just some sick sad person seeking attention.
@@doriangray2020 takes one to know one.
@@adobedoug2564 nope...he is effectively aiding and abetting a felon.
I remember hearing an inspector say once, years ago, "There's more Chevelle SS out there now than the factory EVER built". lol
I built a fake 66’ out of a damaged wreak in 1979. Probably one of the first. When I sold it, I told the new owner it was fake.
The same with 1973 Porsche 2.7 rs
Same with Camaros! There are A LOT more SS’s and Z/28’s than the factory ever made.
yes and no people are getting the 2 454 mixed up because both were crate engines and went by the same code GM would never ever call 2 different engines the same thing like i said there is 1000's built with the ho 454 bbc but only 212 with the ls 6 454 but on the net there is 1000's of the ls 6 454 bbc so do u really think they called a bbc a ls 6 454 or was it a real ls 6 454 small block , then u can read up on the mark iv engine series they even claim of interducing a engine with different angle pistons and pushrods and how much better it is which ls engines have a different angle on the piston and pushrods most people have know idea about the crate engine they only know what came out stock unless u race or hang out with a lot of pro racers this is y i get a lot of my parts from when they upgrade thier cars i get the old a lot and build a car out of it how many people u know gets a tunnel ram set up for free with a complete msd enginition set up in the box for 100 bucks new i just got into restoring and selling parts to my friend like good project cars they will have their sponsers pay top dollar for them all depends what class they are running or if they want to build a car
You got that right.
While I feel bad for the owner, in reality, you've saved him a nasty lawsuit and damages. A good clone still has value as a driver.
Back in the early '90s I had a '72 Malibu 2 door I restored for fun. I kept it as a Malibu, but added SS stripes, removed the bench seat and added a factory console and buckets for the looks and fun of it. The buckets I got were from a '70 model which were white in color and looked incorrect for a '72 because of the pattern. I got them from a local Chevy bone yard and parts supplier who kept these seats in a storage building, so the foams and covers were still real nice, and even though they were incorrect for a '72, I installed them as-is. A couple of years went by and I decided to replace the seat foams and covers with the correct pattern ones for '72. In the process of taking the seats apart, I removed the rear plastic cover from the passenger side bucket to find the build sheet of the car these seats came out of, flat, under the seat springs. I carefully removed the build sheet and proceeded to almost have a stroke reading it. These seats were originally from a '70 SS 454 LS5 convertible featuring Muncie 4 speed, cowl induction, PS, PB, blue with white interior, Baltimore car. But perhaps the more interesting thing was down in the lower left corner of the build sheet was the name of the original dealer.....Roger Penske Chevrolet, customer order. I remember getting the rear seat out of what I was told was the same car the buckets came from, which was in the yard, what was left of it anyway. I remember thinking that it was a shame such a nice car would wind up in a salvage field. I still have that build sheet, and its still fun to read it every once and a while.
Patrick your service has considerable value. Stopping a potential buyer from making a costly mistake by just putting eyes on the car saved a lot of grief both financial and emotional..
I like the way you are always respectful of the individuals involved.
Nice work Patrick. That's the type of scrutiny I like to see. It's helpful to the owner too. Information is power. Even negative information. If something goes against you, you want to know that it does. Then you can make the right move for the circumstances. With all that said, it's still a great car. Big block chevy in a straight body. How bad can that be?
dude probably waved by, went straight in the house, and renewed his CL ad..
the plates come back as unregistered so likely found a buyer
@@jeremylarson6267 how did u find out that info?
@@json707 by typing in plate number and carefully following the rabbit trail
I can appreciate the originality factor, I did a big block and manual swap on my 70 back in the late 90’s and I would hope someone is still loving it today
As a buyer, I'm OK with a "clone", "recreation" or "tribute", as long as they don't try to pass it off as real.
hat would make an otherwise fine car nothing more than a fake.
Intentional or not.
Good to know what it actually is.
60 70 oildesq
So I can't interest you in the London Bridge??? I put mags on it.
as a buyer,pay someone like this the 3-500 bucks to authenticate if you are buying a high 5 low 6 figure car
@@trillrifaxegrindor4411 I think you missed my point.
Same Here👍
As long as it's a matching replica and not some hatchet job, I'm cool with a clone. No disrespect but the SS in this vid wouldn't cut it for me...
...Just never been a fan of the drop-top [hi-performance] vehicle and that includes the Corvette but that's just me.
You ability to identify is bolstered by your obvious depth of knowledge. Several of your more detailed comments were delivered as "...oh, by the way" remarks rather than factual brags. It was a pleasure following this critique. It's always enjoyable being in the company of a dedicated person - even if separated by a video camera. Thank you for sharing...
Merry Christmas Patrick! We appreciate your passion and look forward to every post.
I'm
Nice looking Chevelle. Scary how a person can easily try to pass off a regular Malibu for an SS or LS6. I'm glad there is guys around like Patrick to dig into it.
A good tell tail sign for any Chevy SS in the late 60's to early 70's, be it a Chevelle, Nova, or Comaro is that they are all bucket seats and the transmission gear selector is on the center console, NOT on the steering column. A true SS will NOT be standard equipped with a front bench seat.
@@oveidasinclair982 Please stop repeating this incorrect information in the comments section of this video, over and over. You have replied with this false information at least 4 times, and that is with me just glancing through the first few comments of this video. Bucket seats and a console were options on the SS in 1970 and there were many cars produced this way.
@@MakerCave Correct, there are authentic LS6 Chevelle's that came with a bench seat.
When “values” are high then fraud is rampant. Numbers matching is overblown, but cars that can be driven are more fun to own. Decades ago I worked at a large GM dealer parts department in SoCal. No one cared or knew much about the “numbers.” I helped to create a lot of SS454 conversions, including with replacement LS6 engines.
I worked at GM plant in 60's and seen some pretty wild items come on cars that would branded by these 30 year "experts" as fake. Special order cars and trucks often gained a few options that did not show on build sheet. Somebody knew someone on the line and so so. Also during a strike parts would be scarce and whatever was on shelf went on. New cars left the line with engine unstamped all the time, of the "books" printed years later detailing each option often were Friday night cars.
@@jaywalker712 yep , also at the end of a model run GM would throw anything laying around on to get rid of parts before the new model came out
@@jaywalker712 building a 67 el camino for a customer, had to replace the driver side quarter panel, all factory sealed never had body work done before, we found a half full bottle of Ancient Age Kentucky bourbon. date coded the bottle to 1964, still had the 1966 tax strip on one side. most interesting thing i have ever found in a car.
@@803brando Sort of happened to me as well. A very different car- 1978 Renault LeCar (R5). I had stripped the interior out to do a deep clean. Found about a dozen wine bottle pull-tab tops. Looked at the build date on the VIN tag- 12/77.
@@803brando Just think if the bottle had been empty your car might have fallen apart from lack of bolts.
Glad u are here to help us all patrick ! I am so more informed about real chevelle ss info now! Since watching you channel i feel i can spot a fake alot easier!
A moment of silence for the owner, he's had a bad day.
He still has a car most people wish they had if they love Chevelle's!
@@REDZ28won i could see where a hellcat guy just wouldn't understand. It'll never be the same car for him now, and some part of him likely despises it a little.
@@barnabyjones5161 But it is the same car no matter what he thought it was. Just may have less monetary value. But Its still a Chevelle/Malibu convertible that most will never have!
Correct, I saw a really nice 70 malibu the other day with crager mags and nice lopey cam.
@@REDZ28won you really don't get it, do you? Yes it's a nice ragtop chevelle, but it's not the car he thought it was for all those years. It never will be. It's devastating.
I've got a '70 Malibu coupe, nothing special but I like it. A few years ago I got to see a real 1970 SS convertible in person, all original and pristine that was still owned by the original owner. It was gorgeous and a real treat to see.
you're always gracious as can be Patrick. Hope this guy recovers what he can.
Just thought I'd say hello and God bless to another Maloney hello from Peru Indiana
After owning for 35 years the current owner won't lose any money, He just won't be able to .purchase that yacht he was looking at.
I think he's a knucklehead for looking to sell it... But, that's my opinion
@@greggarner4477 I mean if he's tired of looking at it, he should let it go. The value of it shouldn't get much higher than it is now either
The SS on the grille is upside down too. That makes me cringe to see mistakes like that.
🤣
@@greggarner4477 he don't have a ls engine it is just a bbc in it so that means he is after to rip some one off that is y he is calling it a ls car it is one big joke and i bet it is not even a ss car i have seen a lot of people ripped off on these first thing ls never built a big block the l.s. 6 454 is a small block and it is a roller engine can't have low profile valve covers on roller rockers this is y they build tall valve covers is for roller rockers so if i could get the money for a fake ss car y not sell it and ls never put a ls engine in a convertable
Nice investigative work Patrick! Merry Christmas to you and yours.
A real 454 ls6 convertible is worth well in the 6 figures. That’s because roughly only 25 LS6 convertibles were ever built. That’s why it’s good to make an exact clone or tribute like this one to enjoy driving without worrying about it
Are you serious???? They only built 25 LS6 convertibles??? There sure must be a lot of fakes floating around out here
I still love it!!! I'm so glad guys like you stop the fraudulent stuff with chevelles. I see it all the time in the Corvette world. Corvettes and 70 chevelles are truly my passion. I don't care if they are original, but they should not be sold as something they aren't! That is theft!!! Period!!! Love your videos!!!
Theft! More like fraud which is basically robbery with a smile.
Well, at least it's not rotting away in a field. I would definitely put a black interior in it and enjoy it.
I'd put a white top back on it and enjoy it.
The best part is that you can do whatever you want because it's a clone.
If you buy it, sell me the white int. (except the rear side panels) as back ups, and option to go bench seat!
I have a 72 cutlass convertible with a black interior You'll think twice about a black interior once you leave the skin from the back of your thighs stuck to the seat!!!
@@bigfun64mo Just put a towel on the seat.
@@c103110a Oh I do.
I enjoy hearing people describe things that they really know and are passionate about.
Money well worth being spent on having an expert verify a clone. Bravo! 👏👏👏 no worse feeling that being conned or scammed, directly or indirectly.
Good to hear from you again. You provide a great service
I've been binge watching these all day. Definitely learned alot
I'd rather have a clone, I can drive it and enjoy it
Agreed. Real SS cars are far too rare and far too valuable. I would never want to drive it, and I want to be able to drive my car and not feel bad about it.
A clone isn't a problem as long as it's sold as a clone. Big dollar difference. That being said, this looks like a real nice car. I'd certainly have no problems driving it
@@charlesivory5709 I totally agree. This thing would be an awsome weekend cruiser and to take to car shows.
But so many try to pass them off as real, too many sleaze bags, not enough Patrick's!!!
I'd rather have a real LS6 and drive it!
It just makes you wonder how many peoole out there don't really know what they have or are buying and how many cars for sale out there are being misrepresented as the real deal. Thanksfor posting!
Lord, he owned the car for 35 years and never noticed the upside down emblem on the fender. Or he installed it upside down!
How can one tell if the "SS" is installed upside down. I am not trying to be sarcastic . I cant tell.
@@nooneeyeno : IIRC the emblem also has 454 on it
@@nooneeyeno Interesting...hard to tell, but looking at other pics, it seems the curve of S on top should be narrower than the curve of S on bottom, tiny bit more squashed for bottom. the inner curve of S should be more rounded for top part and less round for bottom part. Just my thoughts, no expert, not anything.
@@jarnailbrar6732 correct, inside the lower curve of "S" is wider and squished more
Cant really blame that on them... I've seen lots of "monday/friday" assembly cars that even come through missing emblems and parts.
You have immense knowledge of these crs and are putting it to good use preventing a lot of collateral damage.
What a shame for the current owner. You did in fact do him a favour though in making him aware of this before he had passed this car along to another unsuspecting buyer who might have taken serious umbrage and made the current owner's life a misery of legal ramifications.
As you say; an overall very sound and nice car for someone who would be happy knowing what it is and just wanting to drive a fun car; or a serious restorer with deep pockets to put it back to original. Myself; I'd be in the former group and just give the guy fair value for a "replicar" and enjoy the top down summer back-road cruises.
I bet the owner was crushed to hear that.
Anyone with half a brain would have figured that one out, especially the guy trying to pass it off as a true SS. He was trying to run a scam on an unsuspecting buyer, A good tell tail sign for any Chevy SS in the late 60's to early 70's, be it a Chevelle, Nova, or Comaro is that they are all bucket seats and the transmission gear selector is on the center console, NOT on the steering column.
@@oveidasinclair982 they are not all bucket seats that is a lie bud
@@oveidasinclair982 hold up just like today's cars where you have options when you make your purchase some Chevelles SS did come bench seat column shifter if you ordered the car that way to keep the price down. bucket seats 4 speeds in some cases power windows made the price of the purchase higher. just like today's cars you can order cars with and without sunroof
@@oveidasinclair982 Thats not true.
@@turbo6598 True but todays cars are nothing like how you could order in the 1960's and early 1970's. You cant take todays base model Charger or Challenger or similar and order a 6.4 liter or whatever the manufacturers largest engine is. You have to get the corresponding trim to match the engine.
Because of your videos I was able to stop my uncle from buying a 70 “ss” last summer. First thing I looked at were the lower trailing arms. The dash was the second thing flat dash but had the tack in it. Saved him 25 k
So basically it’s a 70’ Chevelle SS Clone? Still a nice looking ride
Tribute
No , because no matter what you put on a car it never changes what the car is ,
It's still just a Malibu
@G hrvyck , yes I know that , but just because you put Fat Boy Harley parts on you're Harley Sportster it's still a Sportster ,
Now you can try to pass the Sportster as a Fat Boy and even sell it as a Fat Boy but at the end of the day it's still a Sportster ,
The same with this Malibu , it doesn't matter if everything was replaced with Super Sport items , it's still just a Malibu
I know , I have a Malibu and a Super Sport both
@@jimthomas777 It would be best to sell (if that is owner's intent) it truthfully as a Malibu Conv. clone SS. Either way complete the cloning of functional things like boxed arms, 3/8" hard lines, etc.
@@goratgo1970 , that is true , but I don't think that this guy knew that it wasn't a true Factory Super Sport , once that it is found out , sure tell people before selling that it is not a true Super Sport , and then don't ask for the over inflated price that a Super Sport brings , this could be easily a 40 to 45 thousand dollar car if it a true matching numbers Super Sport , but since it's just a Malibu with big girl makeup on and big girl pantys about half that price ,
And fix it whatever way makes you happy , A Muncie 4 speed M-22 rock crusher would make me happy .
My SS has a M-21 Muncie 4 speed and my Malibu has a 4 speed wide ratio Saginaw ,
Malibu was a factory automatic , I found a true SS and traded entire dash and gauges , added the clutch linkage's and petals and turned it into a standard trans ,
Is it fake ?
I don't really claim it to be anything other than a Blast to Drive
I'm not really into America muscle cars at all but I am glad their are people like you that know their stuff and try to keep people honest and bc of that you have gained a subscriber.
im not into clones of horror movie villains
Thank you, I learn a lot from each video.
Stay safe and have a great Christmas
Central California Watching
You need authentication when spending the big dollars.
thank you mr. obvious
@@rickyrick9328 Several people make the obvious mistake. Prayers sent
your way for your personal problems.
Just by looking at the front interior I knew right off the guy who owned it was a scammer and that this was NO true SS, A good tell tail sign for any Chevy SS in the late 60's to early 70's, be it a Chevelle, Nova, or Comaro is that they are all bucket seats and the transmission gear selector is on the center console, NOT on the steering column. A true SS will NOT be standard equipped with a front bench seat.
@@oveidasinclair982 Absolutely not true. Even on an SS, things like bucket seats, console, and cowl hood were options. I was the 3rd owner of an LS6 that I knew from new. Non-cowl hood, bench seat, column shift. The original owner was a big man who had the money for a 396/375 Nova but found out he couldn't fit into it. He then stepped up to the Chevelle, but left off what he could so it would fit his Nova budget.
True. I had an original L-78 SS
with a bench seat and 4 speed.
Had the build sheet.
More SS and Z/28s than Chevrolet ever made on the road now. Love the videos!
For sure!! There are 3 times more hemi cudas than were ever made.
I've heard a guy say that a car show swap meet.
I've also heard "They made 10,000, but only 20,000 are left" Wait, what??
@@DNR5586 i swear there are more super birds and daytonas than were ever made, also.
It’s because the factory just slapped some parts on... and called it a different model. Just makeup.
Nice job Patrick on finding out it was cloned,thats still a really nice clean convertible,
I know you love those 70 chevelles,i own a 71 chevelle Malibu,i did a complete resto on it,but i hade to put the cowl hood an the hood an decklid strips on it,with a 500 horse 355 in it an a 12 bolt,
My uncle who passed away has an original 72 ss,its like a Marina blue with black hood and decklid Stripes,it has the ss 396 emblems on the fender ,but i think its a 402,
Its like a Survivor car it's been garage kept for 40 plus years has the original cragars, everything is original on it ,untouched, bucket seats black interior, round gauges in the dashboard,funny story,back in the late 70's my father told me he was gonna buy the car,an he was on his way with the money,i think he said like 2 grand at the time,but when he got there my uncle beat him to it😂😂an there it sat in his garage in N.J for decades ,only taking it out to the local car hops in town,the car is rust free,only a few little minor dings an maybe one little dent in the bumper,i think from backing out the garage all tuned up😂😂from what i know now after he passed away it was left to his daughter,my cousin,an its now in her garage,just sitting,at least its out of the wheather,,man i would love to get my hands on that one,i know for a fact he has the build sheet,i remember him showing me an my dad some years back,i think it was under the back seat🤔but in 72 all them motors had really low horsepower,i think its only 240 stock,in that 402 that 402 big block🙄o well,maybe i can talk my cousin into selling it to me one day,lol
Good video,🤘thanks for sharing,an letting me share,
Amazing the trouble some people would go through to tell...or sell...a lie, when telling the truth is always easier.
True, but these people (not the current owner) can add a few extra zero's with a lie. It's tempting, but there is a special place in hell just for the 1970 Chevelle LS6 fakers LOL
To sell the lie on this car would bring in at least 3 times as much money, A good tell tail sign for any Chevy SS in the late 60's to early 70's, be it a Chevelle, Nova, or Comaro is that they are all bucket seats and the transmission gear selector is on the center console, NOT on the steering column. A true SS will NOT be standard equipped with a front bench seat.
@@joshuacampbell9990 thanks for clarifying the bench seat thing from the other Feller. I thought bench seats were standard on the Chevelle SS cars. Isn’t the gauge package an option also? Too bad a customer can’t order his
vehicle the way he/she wants to anymore and has to pick “packages”.
@@joshuacampbell9990 Yep, many many more. For an average Joe like myself, it makes it possible to own one of these cars, even if it's a clone/tribute SS. Back in the early 80's this is what we all drove to high school. These were $1500 gas guzzlers that were sitting in peoples back yards and driveways. In HS I drove a pristine 1964 Chevelle Malibu SS 220hp 283 with AC. I paid $1500 for it. It was an original survivor, Ermine white with silver blue interior and looked like the day it rolled off the Van Nuys assembly line. Good times!
@@joshuacampbell9990 Yeah, I totally hear what your saying. It's kind of made the whole mystique of the SS 454 less exciting.
Well, look on the bright side, he has owned it for 35 years and whatever he bought it for back then I'm willing to bet it is worth more than he paid here in 2020. Even replicas have a market. Also, if he's had it all those years, he might as well drive it and continue to enjoy it. Who wouldn't want to cruise around town on a summer weekend in that?
These were the cars on the road while I was falling in love with automobiles
In 1977, I was a 16 year old kid looking to buy my first hotrod. My first stop was at the local Cevy dealer. On the front row was a 1970 Chevelle SS LS6. White on orange convertible with white interior and top. I passed it up because they wanted way too much for it. Yep, $4,500!
I looked at a 1970 Chevelle SS 396 convertible about ten years ago. Although it was a beautiful Mulsanne blue with white interior, it was only in fair, running condition and needed a complete restoration. I knew even less about Chevelles then than I know now, which is not a lot, but I was able to determine that it was not a true SS, but instead a Malibu that was converted probably in the 1980s. The Malibu dash was the tell.
Still, it had a great “patina” look then, and would have looked like a million bucks restored, even if it was an SS clone.
Are you selling any of the cars you collected iam 75 years old and I love the info you tell .I had a 69 and sold it while I was in Vietnam
The payment were high and my mom couldn't come up with the extra amount while I was in Vietnam, keep up the good work, folks like myself really thank you.Merry xmas
The joke back in the 90s about these was that they still made red w/ black stripe 70-72 chevelles in Mexico because there were so many of them! Literally every other malibu got cloned into one.
my little brother had one in the 90s but it was worse it was res with white stripes if i recall .a high school auto class restored it as a project and sold it.was supposed to be real with a repaint,but patrick wasnt around back then to call.he sold it for more than he bought it for so maybe someone did proper restore later.
Yup, when I bought mine in '95 it was red with black stripes-interior. Although a true SS, only a 396-4 spd. I returned it to Dk. green white stripes-interior.
@@goratgo1970 ONLY a 396-4spd. i feel bad for ya......tell ya what, ill take it off your hands for 10 grand
@@brianfairchild7819 Ehhhh idk if you should be buying a 396. Bigger is better. Now that being said I'll buy it for 11
@@supersix-four9509 I'll admit I'm a sissy, I'm afraid to go bigger. I'll manage with a 396
Patrick I Love your work man...The Most knowledgeable Chevelle guy I've seen...so I don't need you to come inspect my "True" SS '67 Chevelle 396 4 spd lol
Was the owner asking the big bucks, or did he have it priced low? I find it hard to believe that he did not know it was a clone. Probably didn't expect someone like you showing up.
Owner of car was trying to get $400K or best offer.
He was running a scam, A good tell tail sign for any Chevy SS in the late 60's to early 70's, be it a Chevelle, Nova, or Comaro is that they are all bucket seats and the transmission gear selector is on the center console, NOT on the steering column. A true SS will NOT be standard equipped with a front bench seat.
@@oveidasinclair982 I'll reply to this one too. Not only did my LS6 have a bench seat, so did my 69 Nova SS 396/375.
@@festusian9089 My dad's first car was a 72 Nova SS, a real one passed down to him from his father in 1977, NOT a CLONE make believe SS like the vast majority of these cars that survived till this day. His unfortunately didn't, northern rust got to it and by 1982 it was headed to the scrap yard. It was also bucket seats and center console shifter.
@@oveidasinclair982 I'm sure it was. But, as I said, they were options. You could buy a new SS and not choose the extra cost bucket seats and console. If your experience is based on a single car, it's probably not a good idea to make multiple false statements that lots of people will see and perhaps believe. I was around when these cars were new, and many years later I researched and restored them. I'd also tell you about my 70 Buick GS455 Stage 1 that was equipped with a bench seat and column shifter but it would probably just confuse you further.
Damn Patrick! I gotta say YOU have one of the BEST JOBS in the whole world lookin at all these beautiful classics! So Jealous...
Hell even with the "real" information on the car. The owner will still want stupid money. I ran across that when buying my corvette. I must of looked at 50 within my area. Wanna hear something funny? I didn't see one that wasn't "special" in one way or another. I finally found one that wasn't special, but was a nicely kept car. Now I drive the hell out of it.
There's a video on the vinwiki channel on UA-cam and Doug Tabbutt says that very same thing about Corvettes!!
if you think chevys are bad wait till you deal with the mopar tards .every single mopar is special according to the owner
@@phoneone1371 I agree 100. I would love to get a bunch of each in a room together for "world's most special car" just to see all the fights. I remember one Mopar guy like that a few years ago in the military. He memorized the bolt markings on Mopar cars. I get being all about a vehicle, but when you turn smug is too far for me.
@@77yogurt I know this video - every corvette is a "one of one" corvette. LOL.
@@misterrobato8270 My 69 Roadrunner had the performance goodies , but a bench seat , had to take the interior out of a really nice Satellite to get bucket seats and interior trim options ....it was ' Special ' to me : ) lol
God, I wait for your next videos. I keep thinking I'm soaking up your knowledge but you tune us in to 50 more details. If only I'd have paid this much attention in high school
do Chevelles not have a cowl tag? I expected to see that in this video the option codes on that should be a quick way to determine if its real or not like you said a lot of parts could have been changed in 50 years but the cowl tag usually is not changed.
I was thinking the same thing. Cowl tags are reproducible but the vin is not. I was wondering what the vin tag says it is. If it says its a SS454 LS6 then it's possible the vin tag has moved from a wreck, or a rust bucket and in that case the car is illegally vin'd.
Only ones assembled in canada have the codes
@@z71ne1 I didn't know that. Thanks for the info. Does that make the Canadian car worth more money? It would be identifiable.
I just found your videos and I love them, now a new subscription. Thank you.
35 years with a car and I'll know it better than my wife. I believe owner had a feeling it wasn't real deal but hoped buyer wouldn't figure it out.
Nice that you saved the potential buyer from a huge mistake. Still a nice car I would drive it as is. But I hope that the previous owner didn't buy it thinking it was a real LS6 convertible. You should write a book on Chevelles Patrick.
How pissed was the owner when you told him the news?
first thing this has no l.s. engine in it so i would not go by anything he say's l.s. never built a bb they only build one block and they look nothing like a bb or sb chevy but they did put a l.s. 6 454 and a l.s. 7 427 in the 70 chevelle but u will never see one very few were ever built
@@jeffrey4547 you must have missed the middle school class on sentence punctuation.
@@rickyrick9328 what does this have to do with knowing my engines
Fuck him he knew it was a fake, he was running a scam, A good tell tail sign for any Chevy SS in the late 60's to early 70's, be it a Chevelle, Nova, or Comaro is that they are all bucket seats and the transmission gear selector is on the center console, NOT on the steering column. A true SS will NOT be standard equipped with a front bench seat.
@@oveidasinclair982 you can get a true ss with a bench seat you silly a$$
My friend Mark traded in his low mileage LS6 to JM Pontiac, in Hollywood Florida, for a new Pontiac in 1978. They gave him $1200.00 trade in value. I keep reminding him.
upside down SS emblem was the first clue LOL happy holidays PGNMBF
Patrick - Thank you for your extremely informative videos. Do you know if hi-perf small block motors such as the L79, LT1 or Z/28 302 also had a 3/8 fuel line? Thanks.
Were the frames boxed on all Chevrolet convertible A-bodies?
Sure were.
@@goratgo1970 Ah, that is good.
Now that's some serious Harsh tokes.
Back in Kansas there was a car dealer cloning these cars. He painted them red with the black stripes, put on the emblems and wheels. I bet several people overpaid for what they got. They also seemed to get a lot of GT350 Mustangs also that they cloned.
Cloning is fine if you represent it as such. Great your out there informing people.
Thank you Patrick.
I would only ask when you speak of a early build. Please show us the difference in the bumper decklid and hood. What makes the parts on this example different from an early SS. Just curious not questioning. Thank you
Years ago when I was high school my friends uncle owned a junk yard. He could make you anything you wanted.
I am happy to see you sorting out the fakes. They are a plague to the car community.
Not only that, but they have, for example, a 440 Cuda with no drive train, and they want 85k for it.
Seller, "The reason it's so expensive is because it was featured on UA-cam".
Spot on
You must work for CNN
Your vast knowledge is worth its weight in gold! Great video.
Just wondering... was this car misrepresented by a seller in the past? Sure seems like someone tried awfully. Mr. Nichols agreeably is being diplomatic in
this video. Cloning is fine but fraud is fraud. Keep up the great authentication work!
PGN visited my town! Cool. 🤙🏻Hope you enjoyed the California weather. Could have had you look at my Camaro.
In 35 years, he couldn't figure it wasn't what he was advertising? 1st trip to parts store for simple maintenance would have tipped him off.
He's a Scammer
if you dont know,you dont know...you arent going to buy boxed lower control arms at the parts store,are you? 35-40 years ago there werent millions of internet experts around
They did a good job cloning it,except no bucket seats and console.I had a 68 SS 396 convertible,wish I never sold it.ive learned alot about these cars since I subscribe s to your utube,Thanks
A few years ago, a customer of mine, came into the shop asking about how to identify Chevelle. True SS. Because he had found one on Craigslist, for $47,000. Which was a red flag, because that car should have been upwards of near 70,000. Maybe 80. But I looked at the communications between the seller, and the buyer, who was also my customer. And told them that, if that's a real SS Car, it would be worth purchasing for $47,000. So the gentleman and his son, went and withdrew 47 grand, in cash, and went to go meet the seller. The seller was very smart. He had already pre-qualified them for the sale. And was insistent, that they bring the cash with them. Unfortunately, when they arrived at the pre-arranged meeting location. Six armed men surrounded them. And my customer, and his son, were ordered to exit the vehicle, and present the cash. His son came out of the driver side of the vehicle, was a 357 Smith & Wesson. Shot and killed three of them on the spot. My customer was armed with a 45, he was able to kill two of them. And wound the Third. My customer and his son, we're never criminally charged. And the wounded man, will be serving, life in prison. The moral of the story is. It's Murphy's Law. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
As a Gunsmith I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post.
Sounds like your customer did the world a favor.
Let's see the link to the news article pls
Liar
That sounds crazy, you'd think that would be on the news.
Love old Chevy's, owned a 1966 Impala SS in autumn yellow, black interior, for years. My wife's wearing it on her finger now in the form of an engagement ring. Would love to have another 60's Chevy but they're getting so expensive now that it's not an option.
That car just become the cheapest ls6 convertible on the planet. Nice job Patrick!
99% chance its a motorhome 454 restamped as well,it aint no ls6
Interesting. Thanks for sharing. More proof of why you never make a big purchase like that without taking an expert along to verify.
Alright alright alright, not melba toast 🍞 regular bread 😀
This is a really informative video , as a Mopar guy i find it interesting there are no actual numbers that identify this car as either a Malibu or an SS. If you you listen to the tutorial about the later parts one cant help but wonder if maybe 35 yrs ago the car was stolen and the later parts were installed to replace the missing ones . Its sad Chevy did things this way , it makes it really easy to phoney a car . Mopars have numbers all over them and theres no mistaking a HEMI car in any way .
they do have numbers , I lived next door to a chevelle nut I'll have to go look now , there's a number for every option in the vin
observation: I own a sign shop. I'm pretty good with "letters" and fonts. I could see the "SS" upside down. Then again Stevie Wonder could. Macobre note: some funeral parlors turn the S upside down on their sign and business card. One near me is almost blatant. Yet few people catch it.
I have to ask... Why would funeral parlors do that and why does it matter?
@@livewire2759 umm . . sense of humor. Most people got it. I said macabre. hence you are a hat? now I have to ask . . Why no video content to share? Are you a liberal and only take but get jabs in thinking that's free? Try to MAGA. Don't reply.
@@itsruf1 LOL wtf? Liberal? Take another look at my profile pic... I'm farther right than MAGA. I can't afford a camera, so I don't make videos. I use YT for cars, guns and music.
Anyway, sorry I didn't get the joke... but I still don't get it.
@@itsruf1 Also... now I'm wondering why you would provoke such a conversation and then ask me not to reply. I enjoy arguing with lefties 'cause I always win.
I inspect vehicles from Texas east. I guess I've been fortunate because I've never inspected one that wasn't what the owner stated it was. Inspected a 65 Chevelle this week. It was a resto mod. It did look original but engine, trans and gauge panel was changed. Owner didn't claim it was anything different. Love what I do. I'm sure you do as well.
Has some rare options. PW,DL, seats
Being a Turbo 400, kickdown is activated electronically, there is no TV cable, like a T350, but a switch, is that mounted at the firewall, and activated by the throttle linkage?
When a seller says something like "as far as I know" , it's a red flag. Not saying that happened here just saying from experience.
This seller was trying to run a scam, A good tell tail sign for any Chevy SS in the late 60's to early 70's, be it a Chevelle, Nova, or Comaro is that they are all bucket seats and the transmission gear selector is on the center console, NOT on the steering column. A true SS will NOT be standard equipped with a front bench seat.
Fascinating, thank you for the education. We Mopar guys are spoiled with fender tags and easier to authenticate VINs.
This is the reason no one can buy a muscle car anymore, they have fluffed them up to these rare authentic super sport special order builds so that the normal guy with a Malibu thinks he’s got a 100k car, sad
That and all the investors at the auctions.
@meangreen69Nova lol! So true! Plus they can’t drive a 4 speed
I’ll tell ya,I sure miss the 80s. Cars like this were all over the place,cheap to buy too. Wish I would have had the money to buy some while they were cheapish. There’s a guy here on Vancouver island that has an original 70 GTO judge that’s been sitting under cover since at least 1988,hasn’t moved since then,I asked him if it was for sale then,he said no,now it’s been laying there going to waste. I stopped by last year but no answer so maybe I’ll leave a note asking if he would want to finally part with it.
Trying to reach through my screen to rip those damn upside-down SS emblems off!!!!!
Wow, I was looking do hard I missed the obvious.
Not to mention those chrome strips down the door seams.
Sheldon had to be hospitalized over that,,
Very impressive, do you do this for a living? Nice to know a person can have a analysis done before purchase unless the owner does not want the truth known.
Could you imagine getting that news as the owner? Value just went rock bottom... Damn
My heart would have definitely hit my gut!!
Can you show or tell more about the rear bumper. Was there 2 designs of the rear bumper
Just clean it up and have fun in that San Diego sunshine!
Still and nice fun head turning ride. Bow-tie all the way! Merry Christmas all.
MOPAR or no car...HEMIs rule!
@@kanukster A 426 elephant motor is definitely nice, and we had them in high school, but crazy expensive now. I had a 70 SS Chevelle, and I sure wish the hell I would've held on to it! Hope you had a nice Christmas take care.
Would the vintage vin number not remove all doubt? An interesting story, though.
No rpo codes that year
Patrick, did the current owner buy the car as an authentic LS396? He must have if he 1) is passing it off as such and 2) he did not do the work
of the fewer than 5,000 LS6's made in 1970, only 9,000 still exist????!!! good work, detective.
Great job pointing out the facts of this car. 1970 Chevelle is the most cloned car! No paperwork? I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole!!!
Caveat Emptor (buyer beware)
You earned your steak dinner today Patrick
Thanks for posting