I came across a 70's Chevy Elco that is allegedly an SS 454 car but I don't know if it can be verified w/o a build sheet. There are a few ???'s on the car so before I waste my time I thought I'd ask for some insight into ways to verify this cars history. If anyone can help please chime in as of course time is of the essence. Thanks!
I think that I have posted scans for the model year 1970 Chevrolet SS cars on this board. Does ''70's'' in your question mean 1970, or do you mean from the 70's ? En does ''Elco'' stand for El Camino? Tell me the exact year and I can post scans from the Chevrolet SS Muscle Cars Red Book for you :TU: It's not covering the El Camino models, but maybe I can find what you want to know. I also have an El Camino/GMC Caballero/Sprint book. Edit: Maybe Chris still has the 1970 scans: Click here :Comp:
Lots of very knowledgeable El Camino guys over here: http://www.chevelles.com/forums/ They are very good at 454's too
I always thought its just like Chevelles, the VIN has to start with a #138 then its an SS. Might be wrong.
Did you ever find the information you are seeking? I have an original '71 El Camino SS454 4-speed and might be able to help. In '71 the VIN on a Chevelle and El Caminos does not tell you anything except that it was a V8. In '72 they added the actual engine code to the VIN so those are much easier to verify. If the '71 was built at the Kansas City plant it will have the letters "LB" or "LW" on the lowest row of the trim tag which will let you know that it had SS stripes (either black or white), but that still won't help prove it was a 454. If you don't find matching #s on the engine or a buildsheet, you are going to have a very difficult time proving that it was a real SS454. There are a few other things that can help identify if it was an SS but they are all things that could have been changed and none would verify it was a 454 (items such as 12-bolt rearend, SS style dash (has round speedo, not the long sweeping speedometer).
Things I look for to tell first if the car was an ss is 1 duel bolt steering shaft coupler 2. extra tab for hd radiator on radiator core support lower left and on radiator top cover plate only ss cars with hd cooling had them 3. if it was a 4 speed car with cowl induction it had to and the switch at the gas pedal same as a th400 would have for the kick down 4. th400 trans if auto must have switch mentioned above and correct round hole for wiring at throttle cable area 5. 12 bolt reared date coded to the car (axle code will help determine what engine it came with most of the time but not always) 6. ss f41 braces and 12 bolt upper control arm with extra tab on driver side 7. engine casting and suffix code 8. disc brakes 9. big block front springs 10.carb casting number 11. engine will have plug for th400 cowl induction switch 12 ss dash with round gages (tach and gages was an option on ss cars but the round gage dash was standard) dose not need to have tach and gages to be ss if it dose have a tach depending and where the red line is it will tell you what engine it came with and if you can match it to the axle code id be confident to say it is what the numbers show if you have any other questions feel free to call me
