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The Chevrolet, Chevelle, debuted in 1964 as smaller version of the Impala, produced throughout the remainder of the 1960s and 1970s as one of General Motors’ most successful models. The Chevelle SS was the high performance version having its own line of engines and performance equipment form, the 327 V8, to the powerful 396 V8s and eventually the most powerful rated engine in muscle car history, the LS6 454 in 1970, all at reasonable prices, making it one of the most popular muscle cars in history. Performance ratings for the Chevelle SS were as follows: 1965 Z-16 396/375: 0-60 in 6.0 sec, 1/4 mile in 14.66 sec @ 99.8mph. 1966 L78 396/375: 0-60 in 6.0 sec, 1/4 mile in 14.40 sec @ 100mph. 1967 L34 396/350: 0-60 in 6.5 sec, 1/4 mile in 15.3 sec @ 94mph. 1968 L78 396/375: 0-60 in 6.5 sec, 1/4 mile in 14.5 sec @ 100mph. 1969 COPO 427/425: 0-60 in 5.1 sec, 1/4 mile in 13.3 sec @ 108mph. 1970 LS6 454/450: 0-60 in 6.1 sec, 1/4 mile in 13.7 sec @ 103mph. After 1970, due to strict government safety regulations, the maximum 450 horsepower engine and performance level of the mighty SS begin to decline, along with sales and the decade of the true muscle car came to an end. Oh, but what a decade it was to witness such massive power under the hood of the American Muscle Car. A buddy of mine traded up from a, 1965 289 hp, turquoise, Mustang to a red, 4-in-the-floor, 1966 SS396/325 hp model. He would tape a twenty dollar bill on the passenger side dashboard and tell the passenger that if he could get the bill before the car reached 60 mph that he could have it. I saw no one ever take the money. Sheer Power! When the four-barrel carburetor cut in, it was over. The shifting of the gears alone would sling you back the seat. Vintage Jammer
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Chevelle, SS396, horsepower, 396, muscle car, mighty, decade, government regualtions, passenger, dashboard, Chevrolet,
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