Pricing a 1970 Chevelle. Need help

HardDrive · 04-21-2009, 10:46 AM

I've been shopping around my Ducati on craigslist as a possible trade for a muscle car/hot rod of some kind. I got a hit.

Guy has a 1970 Chevelle. Looks clean, 350/350. Had new quarters when the paint was done 8 years ago.

Thoughts about value? He's asking $14k

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http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/cto/1127415137.html

pwd72s · 04-21-2009, 10:50 AM

'bout right for a 350/350. Now if it had been an SS396...or a rare 454...

VINMAN · 10:54 AM

Sweeeet! Seems like a good price for it.

Now if that was an SS with an LS-6. you could tack on a few zeros after that 14!

Dueller · 04-21-2009, 10:59 AM

I dunno...seems a bit high for a 70 vanilla 350 chevelle with BOTH QP's replaced.. Try searching in hemmings to get an idea...keep in mind hemmings prices are on the high asking side...

60 70 chevelles listied last month...over 250 for all chevelles listed.

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/carsforsale/chevrolet/chevelle/?year=1970

MatthewBrum · 04-21-2009, 11:02 AM

Thats a nice looking car, just make sure the body work was done right, it looks nice from the picture. Chevelle's are great cars to cruise in. I say throw a big block and 400 trans in it and you will have a very fun car. Not to mention you will increase the value with just putting the big block in even though it is not original.

HardDrive · 04-21-2009, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Now if it had been an SS396...or a rare 454...

If it was an true SS car, I wouldn't be asking, cause I know I'm not good for it!

TerryH · TerryH's Garage

IMHO '70 is the best year and that looks like a nice example, except for the vinyl top. I don't care for vinyl because they cause/hide other problems like trapped moisture and rust. Great color, but of course pictures never tell the whole story. The price is only the asking price and you never know how desparate he is to sell, you may get it for closer to 11K. That was grandmas grocery getter until he yanked the 307/Glide for the crate motor/turbo 350. I would get a PPI or at least a compression/leak down test just to make sure the motor is as they say.

masraum · 04-21-2009, 11:25 AM

Nice looking car, but pics can be deceiving. I'd go over the body very thoroughly. bottoms of the doors, bottoms of front and rear fenders, floor boards and trunk, I'd be looking for rust and bondo all over. Early GM was very susceptible to that sort of cancer.

I'd love to have something like that, but I'd prefer a manual tranny and no vinyl top (as mentioned, rust).

Hugh R · 04-21-2009, 11:28 AM

You can buy an Olds Cutlass, which is basically the same car for 1/2 that in the same condition. You pay a premium for that "Chevelle" name.

TerryH · TerryH's Garage

It's getting harder to find any cars from the muscle era '64-'70 for less than $10K unless they are total rusted cannibalized crap.

masraum · 04-21-2009, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh R

You can buy an Olds Cutlass, which is basically the same car for 1/2 that in the same condition. You pay a premium for that "Chevelle" name.

The problem is that then you pay double for engine parts and the odd Olds specific parts.

masraum · 04-21-2009, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerryH

It's getting harder to find any cars from the muscle era '64-'70 for less than $10K unless they are total rusted cannibalized crap.

Yeah, and that's sad. I'd really like a '65 Impala or '67-'71 Chevelle, but by the time I'm ready to pay that kind of money, the prices will be 4x what they are now.

asphaltgambler · 04-21-2009, 12:22 PM

I am something of an 'expert' on these cars I have had 16.......... my .02 - The plain jane cars are very soft unless it is low miles and or highly optioned. The wheels and hood are not original to the car but if you really like it negotiate a better price closer to $10K in this economy assuming all the work that has been done is top notch.

Chevy produced a cheap version of the SS that was called the "Heavy Chevy" it did not even have carpet but had the cowl hood W/O the flapper - 350/350 combo and steel eight-slot wheels w/trim rings

Keep in mind that 97 % of people in the market for a 70 Chevelle want an SS regardless of the engine option. Prices lately have really fallen even for the almighty 454 LS-6. I recently saw a very, very nice orginal, unrestored 70 454 LS-6 / 4-spd that had under 35K miles. Had all the right stuff, right color, etc. Highest bid at auction's end was $72K + buyers fees. UFB

That same car at a high profile auction 2-3 years ago would have easily brought $50K additional, possibly more with the right bidders. I'm pretty sure the previous owner took a bath because it did not meet reserve but a deal was struck for that amount anyway.............

Hugh R · 04-21-2009, 12:39 PM

Try these guys for parts

http://www.opgi.com/indexhome.asp

TerryH · TerryH's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh R

You can buy an Olds Cutlass, which is basically the same car for 1/2 that in the same condition. You pay a premium for that "Chevelle" name.

Olds Gutless? Come on man, you're not that old. lol

If it aint a 442, it's your father's Oldsmobile. No one shops for an old Cutlass unless you owned one in a previous life.

looneybin · 04-21-2009, 01:20 PM

I had a '70 chevelle ss 454 that was that same color, it had a 4 speed muncie rockcrusher & could get the front wheels in the air.
it's now in the big wrecking yard in the sky, boy do i wish i still had that car.

Heel n Toe · 04-21-2009, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HardDrive

350/350

Gotta love the sweet sound of a small block Chevy winding up... and 350 horses will move that car right along. Get a trusted mechanic to check it out, and if it's good, see if you can negotiate him down a bit, then go for it.

Yeah, everybody wants the swagger of a big block and the SS package, but if you get this one, you could probably enjoy it just as much and it wouldn't be as much of a thief magnet.

masraum · 04-21-2009, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

Gotta love the sweet sound of a small block Chevy winding up... and 350 horses will move that car right along. Get a trusted mechanic to check it out, and if it's good, see if you can negotiate him down a bit, then go for it.

Yeah, I at first wondered if he was talking 350ci/350hp or 350ci/TH350 tranny. I think the second "350" referred to the model of transmission.

But the 350hp crate motor is pretty common, so maybe he had the ZZ4 crate motor and it should read 350/350/350.

teenerted1 · 03:00 PM

wow looks a lot like a friend of mine's chevelle. but he has had a lot longer than 9 yrs.

Drago (RIP) had one in orange we rebuilt the engine twice one summer back in the late 90's.

someone destroyed it when he was back at college the next semester. i was glad i was 1300 miles away and didnt have to see his face in the morning when he looked out the window and there was a drunken indian parked in the back of the trunk drooped over the steering wheel. the photos of the tow truck pulling the two totaled cars apart was all i could take.

parts the front half of the chevelle lived on in several other chevy's.

sorry this doesnt help you price search...but those old chevy's bring back fond memories of summers during breaks in college.

m21sniper · 04-21-2009, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HardDrive

I've been shopping around my Ducati on craigslist as a possible trade for a muscle car/hot rod of some kind. I got a hit.

Guy has a 1970 Chevelle. Looks clean, 350/350. Had new quarters when the paint was done 8 years ago.

Thoughts about value? He's asking $14k

Ad:

http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/cto/1127415137.html

Looks great, not too sure about the pontiac rims though.

Obviously it's a crate motor right?

BTW, i like the vinyl top.