1971 Chevrolet SS454 El Camino Pro Touring Suspension/ Driveline- Original SS

Up for auction this week is a beautifully restored 1971 Chevrolet SS El Camino. An original California car with the very rare and desirable SS454 package, completely redone from the frame up.

This original Super Sport Chevrolethas been absolutely refurbished, and is new in almost every way. Starting with a brand new (not rebuilt) Chevrolet 454 with a factory rated 425 Horsepower, and a tire overwhelming 500 plus ft. lbs. of Torque. The engine starts right up in all weather conditions, idles very smoothly, with just a bit of old school lumpiness, and pulls incredibly hard from below idle speeds to a 5500 rpm redline.

The Hydraulic Roller camshaft was upgraded to a Competition Cams Extreme Energy roller cam, and was selected for the increased torque, higher vacuum (better braking), and increased power. The exhaust system was carefully matched, with high-quality thick wall, long tube aftermarket exhaust headers, dual plane aluminum intake manifold, and new custom dual exhaust with free-flowing mufflers.The engine sounds great, and has a great roar under heavy acceleration,but quiets down during cruising or freeway drivingfor a very comfortable driving experience. The factory 4-barrel carburetor is freshly resealed, and combined with a low maintenance high performance electronic HEI distributor, and electric fuel pump, this engine shouldrun well and maintenance free formany more miles. There are currently about 7,000 miles on this 4-bolt main engine, and it has never bogged, hesitated, stumbled, failed to start, or stalled, ever.

The very straight California body was professionally stripped down to bare metal, and all body work was painstakingly completed over a 6-month process,and then was covered withahigh qualityprime coat, base coat, and clear coat . The “True Red” paint shines a mile deep, and the factory white stripes are underneath the clear, as they should be. There are numerous little chips, however, and a very few small scratches, as expected in a weekly driver, junk yard trash hauler, help friends with moving car, let friends borrow it car, etc. The interior of the bed is far from perfect, as this car was enjoyed, not babied.But overall the exterior paint is in very good condition, and looks beautiful. A couple hours with a touch up kit is probably needed,andthe paint thenwould be close to new. Still, you can’t go anywhere without getting people stopping by to talk about how nice the car looks, and these flaws are not noticed except on very close inspection.

Probably the best part of the entire package is the full frame off suspension, brake and steering upgrade to a modern Pro Touring set up. Every single suspensionitem is brand new including the front and rear Tubular A- arms, both top and bottom, spherical end sway bars and links,springs, shocks, and all new ball joints, bushings, and bumpers. This complete UMI stage 2 upgrademodifies the suspension geometry to modern world class performance, with incredibly tight handling, smooth turn in and drifting, while maintaining a comfortable,quiet, andsmooth ride.Enhanced furtherwith the absolutely huge front and rear sway bars, qualitypower disk brakes, 1” lowering springs all around, and high performance KYB shocks, there is no doubt that this car handles like a modern sports car. Every bushing, bearing, steering rod, link, or moving part is brand new, performance rated, and brings the whole driving experience of this classic El Camino into the modern era.

The original Turbo 400 high performance automatic transmission has been professionally rebuilt, and contains a very mild upgrade to handle the extreme power from the new engine. It still shifts very smoothly, with low throttle shifts barely noticeable. The driveline is new as well, with a new driveshaft with all new U-joints and dynamic balancing. The factory 12 Bolt Heavy Dutydifferential is mostly original, and was touched up with new seals, parking brake cablesand brake pads, but otherwise is more than capable of lasting the life of the car. I was told by the driveline shop it has 3.36 gears, which contributes to the comfortable highway ride. The tires are brand new Cooper Brand high performance Cobra Tires, in a 265/60/15 size in the rear, and 235/60/15 in the front. The Rear Wheels are new Rallye wheels in an upgraded 8” size for a matching look with the factory 7” Rallye wheels in the front. All trim rings are original Stainless Steel built by Chevrolet. They are not perfect, but have a few small dings and scratches on each.

Continuing into the engine compartment, the entire cooling system has been re-done with a racing Desert Cooler Aluminum radiator rated for up to 1000 HP. The heavy-duty water pump, fan, fan clutch, factory big block shroud, and new thermostat keeps the car very cool, even in 100 plus degree CA traffic.The entire steering system, from the pump, all belts, all hoses, all pulleys have been replaced with new for a worry free driving experience. The battery is a heavy duty Interstate high Amp unit, and the starter is the original GM heavy duty starter, that spins the engine with ease. The alternator, battery wires, and charging system is also new. The windshield wipers, spray washers,rubber hoses,and auto parking feature that hides the wipers behind the cowl induction hood are also all brand new. All the lights, blinkers, signals, factory two tone horn, gauges (including the aftermarket Oil and Coolant temp gauges all work perfectly, and light up for easy nighttime driving.

The interior has also been totally refurbished to mostly original condition with new carpet, seat covers, dash pad, door panels, headliner, new 3- point belt and shoulder locking seat belts, and trim. The original SS gauges are all working except for the clock.The car also comes with aftermarket oil pressure and coolant temperature gauges, properly lighted with the dash lights for easy viewing. The Wiring is also refurbished or new, including the entire dash wiring and fuse block, and all engine and associated hvac and climate control levers, courtesy lighting, etc. The windshield glass, along withall rubber and felt weather stripping is new and the wind noise is well controlled, with no annoying squeaks or rattles. The car comes with the unique SS remote controlled (driver side remote only) sport mirrors, beautifully painted to match the body color. The modern sound system is set up for an auxiliary audio input, such as an IPod, or smart phone, and the radio and new integrated kick panel speakers sound great.

The climate control vacuum hoses, wiring, coolant hoses, heater core, fan, defroster and vent ducting, lap coolers, and face AC ducts are new andingood working condition. The air blows very strong, and the heater and defroster work great. The unfortunately now non-working but complete Factory Air conditioning developed a leak, and now will require a new compressor/ condensordue to environmental regulations. I have and will include the original compressor unit, and all the brackets are still in place for an easy install. We were unable to recharge the system with the factory R-12 coolant in California due to strict environmental rules, but the system can be legally upgraded to an R-134 system in any State.

Lastly, even the door and hoodhinges on both sides have been replaced with new original GM units.Probably 90% ofthe bolts throughout the entire car were replaced withFactory correct or better grade bolts, nuts, and washers. Most of the chrome or Stainless Steel trim, including the bumpers, bed molding and body trim is new. The car is ready to go, or take to the next level, and has no known issues other than stated above. This is a very reliable, professionally built Pro Touring Chevrolet, with a very rare and desirable engine combination. Along with an original SS trim package, this car should hold its value for any prospective owner, and provide an incredible driving experience along the way.

This is an as is sale, and the buyer is encouraged to visit the car for a test drive, or full vehicle inspection. No warranty can be provided, but we will accept Pay Pal, Cash, or Bank Transfer within 7 days of auction close. The vehicle must be picked up within 2 weeks. The car has a clear California Title in my name, and is fully insured and registered. The car would be a pleasure for someone to fly in and drive this car home to anywhere in the United States,but I willmake myself available to helpwith shipping pick up if desired. Shipping is not included. This is a 45-year old vehicle, and the buyer needs to understand that while many if not all of the parts are new, no warranty is implied or suggested. Please do not hesitate to call my home phone at any time with any questions, or if you need additional information.

Sincerely,

James Courshon. 916-257-3450