How Much HP Did The 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS Have And What Was Its Top Speed?
The 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, one of the most iconic 1970s Chevy models, was the highest-performing car in the 1970 Chevelle lineup, with an image to match. For 1970, the Chevelle was restyled, with new body panels for the front fenders and hood, plus a new grille and front bumper. Broad twin racing stripes and a cowl induction air scoop hood enhanced the SS's aggressive appearance. At the rear, the lighting elements were moved inside the rear bumper. Inside the Chevelle, there was a new instrument cluster, new controls, and an in-dash tach.
The "SS" designation of the 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS stood for Super Sport, which was the gateway to Chevrolet's big-block engines stuffed into the Chevelle's mid-sized coupe, convertible, or El Camino pickup body. The "entry-level" engine option was a 396-cubic-inch V8, which actually had a displacement of 402 cubic inches. However, the marketing team had been promoting the 396 engine for years and simply retained the name. This came in two versions in the SS: the L34 350-horsepower version and the L78 375-horsepower variant.
If that was not enough, you could step up to the 454 cubic inch V8, which also gave you some choices. First was a "tamer" LS5 version with hydraulic lifters and 360 horsepower. Then came the max power upgrade, the LS6 with mechanical lifters and a rated gross horsepower figure of 450, equivalent to 375 to 380 by today's standards, but still quite enough to overwhelm the tire technology of the day during an all-out run.
What was the top speed of the 1970 Chevelle SS?
The top speed of the 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, one of the highest horsepower sports cars of the 1970s, was a function of both the engine and the rear axle ratio specified. Many 1970 Chevelle SS cars were used for drag racing and would typically run a higher numerical rear axle ratio for quicker acceleration, which also reduced top speed. Rear axle ratios ranged from a top-speed-enhancing 2.56 to a quickest-accelerating 4.10. Many road tests back then focused on acceleration and quarter-mile times, not top speed. Car and Driver reached 0 to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 14.41 seconds in a 1970 Chevelle SS454 with the LS5. A January 1970 road test in Car Life magazine recorded a 124 mph top speed for a 1970 Chevelle SS 396, while a top speed of 133 mph was recorded for a 1970 Chevelle SS 454 with the LS6 engine. The truth likely resides somewhere in between these numbers.
Today, the 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, which had an iconic movie appearance, has become a true collectible, with the LS6-engined versions of the 454 bringing much higher prices than other available SS models. Pricing for cars sold in original condition over the past month (as of this writing), according to Classic.com, showed SS 396 coupes selling for $60,500 to $107,800 and rarer SS 396 convertibles going for $165,000 to $198,000. SS 454 examples with the LS6 have ranged from $99,000 to $253,000, with manual-transmission versions bringing the big bucks.