1970 Chevrolet Chevelle
The Chevelle was Chevrolet’s entry into the “intermediate” segment, and was manufactured from 1964 through 1977. The 1964-’65 cars were very similar, likewise with the 1966-’67 models. 1968-’72 Chevelles are close in size and shape, and many parts over this 5 model year run are interchangeable. Although some of the sheet metal and trim changed over the years, 1973-’77 Chevelles are typically grouped into one “generation”. The 1977 model year spelt the end of the Chevelle nameplate, and the mid-size Chevrolet would continue on as Malibu.
The 1970 Chevelle featured a new design with squared up muscular body panels. They share many body parts with the Buick Skylark GSX. In 1970 Chevelle came in Sport coupe, Sport Sedan, Convertible, Four-door Sedan, and Wagon. The Malibu Sport Coupe, and Convertible were the only choices for one of two SS options, RPO Z25 with the SS396 and RPO Z15 with the new 454 cubic inch engine.
“You can make our tough one, even tougher” exclaimed the Chevelle brochure by adding Cowl Induction to the SS396 or SS454. Step on the gas and a scoop at the base of the windshield opened up “to shoot an extra breath of cool air into the engine intake”. Hood lock pins, hood and deck stripes were also options for SS models, however standard on the Cowl Induction order. A 1970 Chevelle SS454 was featured in the 2012 film “Jack Reacher” with Tom Cruise.
Chevrolet produced over 634,000 1970 Chevelles, including 4,475 LS6 with 450 horsepower.
AVAILABLE MODELS:
1970 Chevelle (300 Deluxe in Canada only)
- Body Styles
- 2 Door Sport Coupe
- 4 Door Sedan
- 4 Door Greenbrier Wagon
- Engine Options
- 250 cubic inch 155 horsepower 6 cylinder (base)
- 350 cubic inch 250 horsepower V8 (base)
- 350 cubic inch 300 horsepower V8 (optional)
1970 Chevelle Malibu
- Body Styles
- 4 Door Sedan
- 4 Door Sport Sedan
- 2 Door Sport Coupe
- 2 Door Convertible
- 4 Door Concours Wagon
- Engine Options
- 250 cubic inch 155 horsepower 6 cylinder (base)
- 307 cubic inch 200 horsepower V8 (base)
- 350 cubic inch 250 horsepower V8 (optional)
- 350 cubic inch 300 horsepower V8 (optional)
- 400 cubic inch 330 horsepower V8 (optional)
1970 Chevelle Malibu Concours Estate Wagon
- Engine Options
- 250 cubic inch 155 horsepower 6 cylinder
1970 Chevelle Nomad Wagon
- Engine Options
- 250 cubic inch 155 horsepower 6 cylinder (base)
- 350 cubic inch 250 horsepower V8 (base)
- 350 cubic inch 300 horsepower V8 (optional)
1970 Chevelle SS396 (Super Sport)
- Body Styles
- 2 door sport coupe
- 2 door sedan
- 2 door convertible
- Engine Options
- 396 cubic inch 325 horsepower V8 (base)
- 396 cubic inch 350 horsepower V8 (optional)
- 396 cubic inch 375 horsepower V8 (optional)
1970 Chevelle SS454 (Super Sport)
- Body Styles
- 2 door sport coupe
- 2 door sedan
- 2 door convertible
- Engine Options
- 454 cubic inch 360 horsepower V8 (optional)
- 454 cubic inch 450 horsepower V8 (optional)
1970 Chevelle VIN Decoder:
First Character: Division of General Motors
Second and Third Character: Series Designation *
- 31 ~ Nomad station wagon, 6-cylinder
- 32 ~ Nomad station wagon, 8-cylinder
- 33 ~ Standard and Greenbrier station wagon, 6-cylinder
- 34 ~ Standard and Greenbrier station wagon, 8-cylinder
- 35 ~ Malibu and Concours station wagon, 6-cylinder
- 36 ~ Malibu and Concours station wagon, 8-cylinder
- 38 ~ Concours Estate station wagon and Monte Carlo, 8-cylinder
Fourth and Fifth Character: Body Style/Model
- 36 ~ 4-door station wagon, 2 seat
- 37 ~ 2-door sport coupe
- 39 ~ 4-door sport sedan
- 46 ~ 4-door station wagon, 3 seat
- 57 ~ Monte Carlo 2-door sport coupe
- 67 ~ 2-door convertible
- 69 ~ 4-door sedan
- 80 ~ 2-door sedan pickup
Sixth Character: Year of Production
Seventh Character: Final Assembly Plant
- R ~ Arlington, Texas
- A ~ Atlanta, Georgia
- B ~ Baltimore, Maryland
- F ~ Flint, Michigan
- K ~ Kansas City, Missouri
- L ~ Van Nuys, California
- 1 ~ Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Eighth through Thirteenth Characters: Sequential Production Number
The sequential starting number for the 1970 Chevelle was 100001 at most Chevelle assembly plants with Arlington and Oshawa being the exceptions. Arlington started Chevelle numbering at 200001, and Oshawa, Ontario started Chevelle numbering at 500001. Each assembly plant sequenced Chevelles of all series/models without regard to specific series/models. For example, if a series 13435 station wagon followed a 13667 Malibu convertible, the sequence number would be one unit higher for the wagon. It's also entirely possible to have the same sequence number from four 1970 U.S. assembly plants (Atlanta, Baltimore, Flint, and Kansas City) with the only difference between the VINs being the plant code. This would only apply to Arlington sequence numbers from 200001 through 222339 since Arlington sequence numbers began with 200001 and Baltimore's last reported sequence being 207939 and Kansas City's last reported sequence being 222339.
It should be noted that the Monte Carlo and Chevelle were built on the same assembly lines at Baltimore, Flint, and Los Angeles (Van Nuys) and sequencing numbers would be the same range. This means that if the Monte Carlo shown with the inspector was sequence number 123456, the Chevelle next in line would be sequence number 123457.
Production at the Baltimore assembly plant in early June, the Kansas City plant exceeded 100,000 units sometime in early May, and the Van Nuys plant exceeded 100,000 units sometime in mid to late June so the VIN sequence from those time frames to the end of production would be 2nnnnn for the Baltimore, Kansas City, and Van Nuys plants and those last sequence numbers could also match some from Arlington since their sequence numbers started with 200001.
* The El Camino is not a separate series nameplate but rather a body style in both the base Standard (33/34) and Malibu (35/36) series although it's often listed as such. The base (33/34) El Camino is a 2-dr sedan pickup body style with standard trim where the (35/36) El Camino Custom is a 2-dr sedan pickup body style with Malibu trim.
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