1969 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS 396

Description

Announced as ‘America’s most popular mid-size car’, the 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle debuted with revised front-end styling featuring quad headlights and a new grille. The Chevelle offered a variety of body styles from a two-door Sport Coupe all the way up to a spacious four-door Station Wagon along with an assortment of trim levels that allowed it to appeal to a vast range of buyers. For the thrill-seeking customer, Chevrolet would offer their Super Sport or SS package as an engine and styling option available on any 1969 two-door 300 Deluxe or Malibu series Chevelle. Identified as RPO code L35 on the build sheet, this option granted customers the legendary Mark IV big-block V8 which utilized cast-iron oval-port cylinder heads along with a hydraulic camshaft and a Rochester four-barrel carburetor to produce 325 horsepower and a whopping 410 lb-ft of torque. These cars would capture the attention of many enthusiasts due to the high praise received from automotive publications including many young soldiers returning home from Vietnam. Such is the case with this particular SS 396 Sport Coupe which was purchased by the consignor using money saved while serving in Vietnam and part of his family for the better part of 50 years.

Highlights

• Offered for sale from the original owner who purchased this vehicle in October of 1968 after returning home from Vietnam

• Purchased new from Clippinger Chevrolet in Covina, California, and remaining in Southern California for its entire life

• A highly authentic example that has been carefully refinished in its original shade of Le Mans Blue with optional bucket seats re-trimmed in Black vinyl

• Accompanied by the original build sheet in addition to the original registration card, purchase order, sales contract, warranty plate, and payment coupon book in addition to historical photography

• Powered by a 396 cu-in V8 which has been confirmed by the owner as numbers matching per the accompanying ‘Protect-O-Plate’, treated to a rebuild in 1995 with oil changes every 3,000 miles from new as per the vehicle's one and only owner

Features

• M20 Muncie four-speed manual transmission

• Strato-Bucket seats

• Second generation Chevelle Sport Coupe ‘A-body’ chassis with 112-inch wheelbase full-perimeter frame with front and rear cross members

• GM independent front coil-spring suspension

• Fourteen-inch wheels with BF Goodrich Radial tires

• Power disc brakes

• Power steering

• Dual horns

• Upgraded aluminum intake manifold

• Positraction rear axle

• Extended console with water temp, and oil pressure gauges

• Equipped with Astro Ventilation

• AM Radio

Known Flaws

• A small stone chip is noted above the driver-side headlights

Included

• Owner’s manual

• Factory build sheet

• Original purchase order with the sales contract

• Original State of California registration card

• Warranty plate

• United California Bank payment coupon book

• Original stock number tag with the dealer payment invoice

• Original intake manifold and air cleaner

• Spare tire with jack kit

• Historical photography from 1969

Ownership History

As per the vehicle’s trim tag and accompanying factory build sheet, this 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 was originally built in the fifth week of September 1968 at the Freemont, California plant before being delivered to Clippinger Chevrolet in Covina, California. It was then purchased in October of 1968 by a young soldier who had just returned home to southern California from Vietnam. This vehicle would faithfully serve this owner and his family in a variety of roles from a thrilling weekend sports car or even sometimes a daily driver. After nearly three decades of enjoyment, the owner would commission an exacting repaint in the vehicle's original color of Le Mans Blue. Now after nearly 55 years of enjoyment and a lifetime spent in sunny southern California, this Chevelle is being offered for sale from the original owner and represents a truly unrepeatable opportunity to become just the second owner of this quintessential muscle car.

Additional Notes

A Broad Arrow Group Car Specialist is working as an agent on behalf of the owner for this vehicle.

Contact: Mathieu Guyot-Sionnest Phone: 323-527-6020 email: mathieu.guyotsionnest@broadarrowgroup.com