Car: Chevrolet Chevelle LS6 Super-Sport Coupe
Year: 1970
What makes it special: In the hierarchy of the street of 1970, there were the Big Dogs and then there was everyone else. Having 400 cubic inches under the hood didn’t cut it anymore at the Stoplight Grand Prix. The name of the game was horsepower and the more grunt the better, and more grunt meant more cubic inches and more horsepower. The old standard “There’s no replacement for displacement” was never truer in 1970, and sitting atop the muscle car food chain was Chevrolet’s SS Chevelle.
What made it famous: For its 1970 models, GM lifted the 400 cubic inch ceiling on intermediates, and the four divisions producing muscle cars immediately dropped in their largest engines. Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac picked their 455 engines off the shelf, while Chevrolet chose to punch out the venerable 427 to 454 cubic inches and offered the hydraulic lifter LS5 rated at 360 horsepower and the solid lifter LS6. But the ’70 Chevelle didn’t feature just the garden variety, 360 horsepower SS454, but the King Kong of the Bow Tie brigade, which was designated RPO Z15. Checking off this option delivered a 450 horsepower, 454 cubic inch solid lifter behemoth that cranked out 500 lbs.-ft. of torque and bludgeoned any challengers for its title as King of the Streets. The LS6 used the same block as the LS5, however a 800-cfm Holley four barrel bolted to an aluminum manifold replaced the Rochester Quadra Jet. The LS6 featured a beefy bottom end with four-bolt mains, forged steel crankshaft and connecting rods with forged aluminum, 11.25:1 compression pistons. Because of the LS6’s high (6500) redline, deep groove accessory drive pulleys were necessary. Either the Muncie M22 “Rock Crusher” close ratio four-speed manual transmission or the three-speed M40 Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic were available with rear gear choices up to 4.33:1 rear gears and limited slip differential. The RPO Z15 SS 454 package consisted of bright engine accents, dual exhaust with bright tips, black painted grille, wheel opening moldings, power front disc brakes, special rear suspension and F70 x 14 tires on 7-inch rims. The rear bumper had a black insert while up front the SS got a “power bulge” hood.
Why I would want one: As stated before, if you wanted the undisputed King of the Streets for 1970, you wanted the Chevelle LS6 Super-Sport.
Fun fact: While build out documentation is spotty, it’s agreed that Chevrolet produced 4,475 LS6 Chevelles, however there is no break down to separate coupe, convertible and El Caminos in that total.
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