Camaro SS

After decades of being the No. 1 brand in Northeast Ohio, Chevrolet fell behind Ford last year. Chevy dealers don’t want that to be a trend.

So when organizers of the Cleveland Auto Show tried to see if several different brands wanted to get together to create an indoor test track at the I-X Center, Chevy dealers said no. They wanted the whole track for themselves.

“I think it’s going to be packed from open to close,” said Rob Patterson, Chevrolet zone manager for much of Ohio and western Pennsylvania.

There will be two free indoor test tracks at the show this year – the Chevy track and Camp Jeep, a smaller course at that brand’s exhibit. The Jeep exhibit was a popular feature at several auto shows in 2007 and 2008, but it was not in Cleveland last year.

Patterson said at the GM track the visitor can drive either at Chevy Malibu, a Camaro or an Equinox crossover. At the Jeep exhibit, the show visitor is a passenger in a vehicle driven by a product specialist.

Auto show chairman Gary Adams said he was surprised when the Chevrolet dealers group snapped up all of the space for the test track. Because of the large amount of space needed, he had assumed that no brand would want to take on all of the expense alone.

“It’s costly because it’s indoor space,” Adams said.

Adams and Patterson declined to share the cost of the new exhibit, but both said it was a major investment by Chevrolet dealers.

Patrick O’Brien, general manager of Pat O’Brien Chevrolet in Westlake, said he was excited about getting show visitors behind the wheel of a Camaro. He said the muscle car could attract a lot of attention to the display.

“It’s a great car, and not a lot of people have gotten a chance to drive one,” O’Brien said.

Though it’s 1,000 feet long, the indoor test track isn’t the ideal place to try out such as powerful sports car. Adams said the show is hoping speeds will stay well below 20 miles per hour.

“I’d love to get it up around 80, but that’s probably not a good idea indoors,” Adams said.

Story by Robert Schoenberger, The Plain Dealer

Chevy SS - Real or Not?

How to spot a genuine SS Chevelle / El Camino
by: Daniel Carr (Part 1)

It is easy to spot an SS Chevelle compared to a “plain-Jane” model. However, it is not so easy to tell the difference between a genuine SS and a plain Malibu which has been altered to look like an SS. There are far more SS “look-a-likes” out there than people realize. There may even be more SS clones out there than genuine SS.

In the next couple of weeks, I will post, by year (68 – 73) a “what to look for” when searching for your Chevelle / El Camino Chevy SS. This article was written by Daniel Carr and posted over at chevelles.com

68  Chevelle SS / El Camino SS

In 1968, the SS was a separate model (the “SS-396″). Therefor, it can be identified by the VIN number. For example, a 1968 El Camino with a VIN number starting with “13880″ would be a genuine SS-396 model, while a ‘68 El Camino with the VIN “13680″ would be a non-SS “Malibu” version of the El Camino. All genuine Super Sports from 1966-1968 have an “8″ as the third digit of the VIN.

1968 was also the first year you could get an El Camino SS, and it is the only year for a separate El Camino SS model.

Genuine ‘68 SS-396 Chevelles had chrome trim pieces on the lower body sides both in front of, and BEHIND the rear wheels. The non-SS versions had the same trim in front of the rear wheels, but not behind them. None of the ‘68 Chevelle or El Camino models came with wheel well trim.

Genuine ‘68 SS-396s could come with standard Chevy rally wheels, or even with plain “dog-dish” hub caps. In ‘68, disk brakes and tachs/gauges were NOT standard equipment on the SS – you would have to pay extra for those. In fact, the MAJORITY of ‘68 SS-396s have all drum brakes. In ‘68, the disk brake option utilized 4-piston front brake calipers. Parts for these brakes can be difficult to locate today.The “F41″ suspension option (rear anti-sway bar) was not available at all in ‘68.

The only available engine in the ‘68 SS was the 396. It came as either the 325 HP “L35″, the 350 HP “L34″, or the 375 HP “L78″. At least one ‘68 SS-396 Chevelle with the “L89″ aluminum head option has been reported.

The ‘68 SS models had “SS/396″ emblems on the front and back, on the door panels, above the glove box, and on the steering wheel. On early ‘68 SSs, the front side marker light bezels had a foil insert that said “SS/396″. On later ‘68 SS production, The bezels simply said “396″. The steering wheel emblem also said “SS/396″ on early production, and simply “SS” on later production vehicles. The ‘68-’69 SS hoods had twin bulges, while the non-SS hoods were “flat”. The two raised bulges each had a chrome grille on the top, near the rear edge of the hood.

The ‘68 SS stripe option was either a black, white, or red stripe which ran across the front header panel above the grille, angled downwards towards the bottom of the front fenders, and then along the lower body sides to the back.

In ‘68, there were some special Chevrolet dealers such as “Baldwin Motion” and “Yenko” who sold Chevelles with hopped-up 396 or even 427 motors. The 427 motors were installed at the DEALERSHIP, not the factory. These cars would usually have other dealer installed items such as emblems, hoods, stripes, etc. These cars are quite valuable today, but only if they have documentation proving their authenticity.

In Canada, GM sold a very unusual vehicle that was basically a Chevelle, but it was called a “Beaumont”. It had the same chassis, engine, and sheet metal as the SS-396 Chevelle, but with a Pontiac derived front grille and dashboard. It was called the “SD-396″, and even had “SD-396″ decals on the lower front fenders.

2006/2007 Monte Carlo SS

The Chevrolet Monte Carlo was first introduced in 1970 to compete with the Ford Thunderbird and has gone through six generations since its humble beginnings.

I want to talk about the sixth generation Monte Carlo SS, no, not the weak 2000 to 2005 grocery getter but the sportier more defined 2006/2007 models which brought back some of the style and flare from the older Monte Carlos but separated itself from the pack with a distinct front-end look, NASCAR-style spoilers and Corvette-inspired exhaust outlets.

303 Horsepower – The highest it’s been in a long time!

The Monte Carlo SS are equipped with a V-8, 5.3-liter small-block that produces 303 horsepower and 323 pounds of torque; the highest it’s been in a real-real long time. It also utilizes a “displacement on demand” function that shuts down select cylinders when not needed to save fuel. The 63 horse power increase from the 2005 SS model (which was a V6) raised some eyebrows considering it was being placed on a front wheel drive car, the first front wheel drive SS in the Chevy lineup.

The Monte Carlo SS comes with the FE4 suspension, which is tuned to provide a sporty ride that complements the 5.3L small-block V-8’s performance. It offers increased stiffness and ride control, with reduced body lean and greater high-speed stability. Eighteen-inch alloy wheels with 235/50 R18 Goodyear Eagle performance tires compliment the package.

2007 was the last year of the Monte Carlo SS and while it was speculated that General Motors was considering a rear wheel drive replacement for the Monte Carlo we now know the 2010 Chevy Camaro will fill the sports coupe void that was left behind in 2007.

Do you consider the 2006/2007 Monte Carlo SS a future classic? Better yet do you consider any Monte Carlo a classic/future classic? Leave us your feedback.

63 Impala SS 409

Well the Mecum auction has come and gone, and we saw some great cars roll through the auction block. One that caught my eye was a 1963 Silver Cortez, Chevy Impala SS convertible with the original 409 engine that sold for over $70,000. This was a pristine looking car but the fact that it was convertible with a rare original 409 engine is what brought in the big bucks.

There was eight engines available to power the Chevy Impala back in 1963, ranging from four versions of the small-block V-8 and three of the famous high power 409s. Chevrolet also introduced the Z-11. This was a 427 cid V8 based on the existing 409 but featured a smaller bore and a longer stroke. It made close to 500 bhp but was only available to factory approved customers through Chevrolet’s RPO (Regular Production Option).

The 409 was available in a tuned down version with 340 bhp and was also available with an optional Power-glide automatic transmission. But for the enthusiasts, Chevy offered the 409 with solid lifters and a single four barrel carb good for 400 bhp and a solid lifter 409 with two four barrel carbs good for a whooping 425 bhp.

This infamous engines popularity grew and the “hit single” produced by the Beach Boys called “409,” referring to the Chevy’s power engine, became an iconic song for Chevy owners.

There was approximately 153,000 Impala SS made in 63 and 16,900 came with the 409 an even smaller number of those were convertibles.

There is no doubt that the 63 Impala SS convertible is a desirable car but i would have never guessed it would be worth over $70,000. Don’t get me wrong, if I had that type of money I would have one sitting in my driveway right now that I would spend more time with then my wife *just kidding honey*. I guess in all collectible markets if you have that one of a kind item, then anyone with a large checkbook will stop at nothing to call it his or her own.

To learn more about the 409 V-8 engine check out this article at HowStuffWorks.com.
I also have a ton of photos from the Mecum action that you can see here. Mecum Photo Gallery

2010 Chevy Camaro

The much anticipated 2010 Chevy Camaro has only been available for a few weeks, but the car has already suffered its first set back! Apparently GM issued a recall due to an exposed battery cable.

The problem came to GM’s attention when  vehicles were brought in for service due to frayed cable insulation.  Luckily the issue  only lies with the V-8 equipped Chevy Camaros and only 300 have been sold so far.

Flores a GM spokesman said they will tow the faulty Camaros to dealers and offer free loaner vehicles and oil changes.

It will take dealerships about 30 minutes to adjust the positive battery cable so it doesn’t come in contact with the starter motor housing.

“This is obviously a very important launch for us, and we want to do whatever it takes to keep the customers happy,” said Flores.

We all have high expectations for the Chevy Camaro and hope this is only a minor set back.

2010 Chevy Camaro SS

So I’m sure many of you have heard about the new Chevy Camaro SS coming out for 2010, if you haven’t you are probably living under a rock or are satisfied with your Dodge Neon. But for the rest of us motorheads who have been on the edge of their seat waiting and hoping this blessing to man will not disappoint. This Camaro is a beast, its bigger and faster than any other model before it, and many features to make you squeal like a little school girl. For a great read and excellent pictures check this article out: Click Here

Here are some of the specs:

• Price around $31,000
• 416-HP LS3 Engine
• 6.2 Liter Aluminum Shell Block V8 (and some other smaller engine )
• 6-Speed Manual
• 5-Spoke Cast Aluminum Wheels
• 21inch front and 22inch rear wheels
• 0-60 in….. wait for it….. 4.6 sec
• EPA -16 City / 24 Highway

I want to know who is going to buy one, and if you mind if I test drive it?

63 Chevy Impala Super Sport

I was thinking back on a trip me and a friend took recently to Indiana to look at a  Numbers Matching 1963 Chevy Impala Super Sport on the web. We knew this SS probably needed some work, but we decided to take the gamble and fly all the way from Florida. Other than running into some scheduling problems with the owner of the vehicle the traveling and trip itself didn’t have any speed bumps.

Click image to see photos from our Indiana trip

When we lost our foggy gazes we quickly snapped back into focus and realized we were here to FULLY inspect the entire vehicle. You could immediately tell the paint was starting to fade and the chrome striping was dinged and missing in some parts.  I thought to myself, it wasn’t that big of a deal and if everything else was good we would soon own a piece of American history. Once we opened the door I was surprised at how good condition the interior was for being a 46-year-old car. I decided  to start the engine and I tell you what, when I turned that ignition and heard the engine roar: I was in pure bliss, possibly even Heaven itself. I was immediately transported back to a time when the American Muscle Car reigned and was the fastest, most beautiful beast on the streets (and it still is in my opinion.) Needless to say the engine sounded excellent, we popped the hood and looked like two kids at a candy store. The sound of that engine was simply put… mesmerizing. As our eyes continually scanned the rest of the engine bay we noticed some rust spots but shrugged it off as wear and tear, nothing we couldn’t fix.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to and end. We quickly realized why this was a,  “too good to be true moment”. The owner probably didn’t want us to know that the entire underneath of the car was completely rusted out. To give you a good example of how much you could probably stick your fist in a hole where the shocks are mounted. The floor panels looked weak and about ready to cave in. The drive side door had two 8″ sections of Bondo where they had to piece the door back together.

Rusty Bottom

It doesn’t get any better from here on, as the trunk itself was missing the whole bottom. It looked like someone had tried to spray some black rubber material on the back quarter panel to hide something. These are things you should warn people about before they travel 900 miles to come see your vehicle. He knew that we were planning to drive this vehicle back and didn’t think of our safety, not only was this thing rusted but all four tires where dry rotted. I’m sure it would have fallen apart once we got on the highway.

We decided to hang our heads and walk away on this one. We spent the rest of the day looking at other classic cars such as a 69 Firebird and a 66 Impala Super Sport, but found the same problems of rust. Now let me ask you, is this typical of the Midwest? We see rust here and there in Florida since we are so close to the ocean but man, it sure does seem like these classic cars are sitting in the snow too long and are being destroyed by weather. Should we stay out of the area, or can you still make some good finds up North? Click here to see images of our trip

72 chevelle SS

Today’s market is highly driven upon bells and whistles it seems. You turn on the TV and you will find a lot of car shows talking about adding LCD TV’s and speakers to every nook and cranny of a vehicle.

The problem is where does it start and stop? Have we forgotten about the reason behind restoring cars?

My buddy and I were driving to pick up one of his projects that he was going to convert from a piece of junk to a beauty of a Chevy.

Unfortunately when we got there the car was so rusted we couldn’t even sit in the thing. But we got to thinking, why are we doing this? Is it about the money or about bringing works of art back to life? We then got onto the subject of modified or stock or as i like to say sizzle versus steak.

Should cars today have more eye popping features like chrome, fancy paint jobs, and rims or should they be re-done they way the manufacturer would have wanted.

I think both sizzle and steak is good, but there is a fine line between making something cheesy and too modern versus being stubborn and not adding any of your own touches. After all we do this to put our own little piece of art on the vehicles, to make them apart of us.

What do you guys and gals think? Do you like more sizzle or just plain steak when it comes to your classic cars?