Arrival

Disassembly

Mechanical

Body & Paint

Trim & Detail

Finish

In 1970, sheet-metal revisions gave the bodies a more squared-up stance following the coke bottle styling, interiors were also redesigned too. The 1970 Chevelle shared many sheet metal body parts with the 1970 Buick Skylark GSX, both are GM automobiles and have interchangeable sheet metal. They’re also the only 2 high performance muscle cars to share the same roof-line. The 1970 Chevelle came in sport coupe, sport sedan, convertible, four-door sedan, a couple of wagons, and coupe utility (the El Camino) body styles. Only 3 of these (Malibu sport coupe, Malibu convertible and El Camino pickup) were available with a choice of one of 2 SS options; RPO Z25 with the SS 396 (402 cid) engine and RPO Z15 with the new 454 cid engine. The base model was now simply called Chevelle (which causes confusion) in lieu of the former base 300 Deluxe, and was only as a Sport Coupe or four-door sedan. Up in Canada however, the base series retained its 300 Deluxe name, with appropriate badging on each front fender just behind the front wheel well. The hardtop, convertible, and sedan received the upgraded sheet-metal but the station wagons and El Camino retained the previous year sheet-metal panels (which went on for the next 2 model years).

Station wagons were the entry level Nomad, the Chevelle level Greenbrier, the Malibu level Concours and an upscale Concours Estate. New options included power door locks and a stalk-mounted wiper control. Engine choices ranged from the standard 155 horsepower (116 kW) six-cylinder and 200-horsepower 307-cubic-inch V8, to a pair of 350 V8s and a pair of 402 engines. RPO Z25 SS equipment option included one of these 402 cid engines but was still marketed as a 396. The second 402 cid engine was available under RPO, rated at 330 hp with single exhaust, and was available in any V8 series except an SS optioned Malibu or El Camino. 1970 also saw the introduction of the 454 cid engine and was only available with the RPO Z15 SS Equipment option. The base 454 cid engine was rated at 360 hp (which was also available with cowl induction) and the optional LS6 version at 450 hp. There were 4,475 LS6 Chevelles produced, of which 137 are currently registered on the National Chevelle LS6 Registry.

The SS 396 Chevelle included a 350 horsepower (260 kW) Turbo-Jet 396 V8, special suspension, “power dome” hood, black-accented grille, resilient rear-bumper insert, and wide-oval tires on sport wheels. Though a 375 horsepower (280 kW) cowl induction version was available, few were sold in favor of the newly introduced 454 engine in the October/November 1969 time frame. The LS5 454-cubic-inch V8 produced 360 horsepower (270 kW) in standard form and a cowl induction version was also available. The LS6 produced a claimed 450 gross HP in solid-lifter, high-compression guise. It has been suggested that the LS6 was substantially “under-rated” and actually produced something on the order of 500 horsepower (370 kW) as delivered from the factory. Recent engine dyno tests have proven that the 1970 LS-6 engine makes over 450 hp and 500 lb/ft torque in stock configuration (stock compression ratio, stock camshaft, stock intake and exhaust manifolds). Super Chevy Magazine conducted a chassis dyno test of a supposed production-line stock 1970 Chevelle and recorded 282 peak HP at the wheels. This test that was not done under SAE standards. The engine was said to be correct but is not confirmed. Current 1/4 mile times and MPH of a 1970 Chevelle equipped with 100% factory stock LS-6 engines and modern tires are turning very low 13 second times (13.07) with trap speeds of 112+ mph.

“You can make our tough one even tougher,” the brochure explained, by adding Cowl Induction to either the SS 396 or the SS 454. Step on the gas, and a scoop opened “to shoot an extra breath of cool air into the engine air intake….like second wind to a distance runner.” Neither functional hood lock pins nor hood and deck stripes were standard with either SS option, but were part of the optional ZL2 cowl induction hood option. The 454 cu in (7.4 L) LS5 V8 was rated at 360 hp (270 kW).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Chevelle