1968 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 2-door hardtop
On loan from: Bruce and Nancy Schanbacher, Kearney, NE
Original cost: $2,899.00 base (In 1968: Average car cost $2,822.00; average household income, $7,850.00; average home cost $14,950; gallon of gas, 34 cents)
Number made: 55,309
Engine, etc.: High performance V-8, 396 cu. in., 325 hp; 4-speed transmission; 112 in. wheelbase; 3,510 lbs. All original car, with factory original Gold Mist repaint job
The Chevelle was introduced in September, 1963 as a smaller version of the Impala. It had a 327 cu.in. V-8 but was no match for the 389 cu. in. V-8 in the Pontiac GTO.
Muscle cars were small vehicles having low weight, very few amenities, but large amounts of horsepower from massive engines. Detroit automakers all pursued this market but Chevelle went a step farther by adding versatility and convenience. Chevrolet answered the challenge with larger, more powerful engines.
Engine size began to increase in 1965 with the release of a limited edition 396 with 375 hp, known as a Z-16 package. Only 201 were produced. The base engine was a 283 with a 327 with 350 hp available. By 1966 the 396 with 325 to 375 hp became the standard engine. Stiffer springs and shocks were added to counter handling problems that came with more powerful engines. There were 72,272 SS 396’s made in 1966.
Front disc brakes, new tires, and a three-speed automatic was added to the 3 and 4 speed manuals already available in 1967. The 396 engine with 325 hp was standard and the 375 option was removed as an option.
In 1968 the Chevelle SS was redesigned. The rear was shortened and the front lengthened to give it a fast-back appearance. It was as close to “everyman’s muscle car” as Detroit would ever get. It was reliable, affordable, and outsold every other performance machine of the day. Wheelbase decreased three inches. The L78 375 was added back as an optional engine for an extra $237.00. Zero-to-sixty time was about 6.5 seconds and the quarter-mile time was 14.5 seconds. Options included bucket seats for $111, power front disc brakes ($100), posi-traction ($42), and accent stripes ($30). Suspension was not quite figured out and it rode harshly and bounced over bumps. The Muncie four-speed didn’t shift as smoothly as the Hurst featured by competitors. But, with the L78, the SS 396 was a match for anything coming out of competitors’ showrooms. It idled roughly but revved ferociously. The author of a 1990 article in Car and Driver said “If you came up beside an SS 396 in those days, you listened carefully. If you heard…the racket of solid lifters, you knew the guy was dangerous”. There were 62,785 SS 396’s sold in 1968. Only a fraction had the L78 engine.
By the end of 1969, the 396 was increased to 402 cu. in. with a limited number of 427’s made. There were 86,300 of these vehicles sold in 1969 and the Chevelle SS was gaining popularity.
By 1970, production was down to 53,600 Chevelle SS’s but horsepower was up. Horsepower ranged from 350 to 450 from the 402 and 454 engines. This was the height of the “muscle car power” wars.
In 1971, the era was coming to an end due to safety and government regulations. Engines were detuned and horsepower and sales plummeted. Only about 20,000 Chevelle SS’s were sold. The top of the line LS5 454 V8 was still available with 365 hp.
Detuning continued in 1972 due to government regulations with horsepower drastically reduced. The base L65 V8 had 165 horsepower and the LS5 454 V-8 had 270 hp. Only 5,333 Chevelle SS’s were sold in 1972.
By 1978 GM downsized its intermediate sized models and the Chevelle name was dropped with all models taking on the Malibu name.
Sources: http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z7053/Chevrolet-Chevelle-Series.aspx
http://www.howstuffworks.com/classic-muscle-cars/1968-chevrolet-chevelle-ss-396.htm
http://www.classiccardatabase.com/specs.php?series=6563&year=1968&model=30641
See also: http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Chevrolet/1968_Chevrolet/1968_Chevrolet_Chevelle_Brochure/dirindex.html (Original 1968 brochure; includes SS 396)
