1970 Chevrolet Chevelle Tricentennial Edition Is Rarer Than Hen's Teeth, a Stunning Sight

Powered by a 454-cubic-inch (7.4-liter) V8 engine rated at 450 horsepower and a whopping 500 pound-feet (678 N⋅m) of torque, this one-year wonder packed more punch than Ford's Cobra Jet Mustangs and Mopar's HEMI-powered rigs.

And due to rising insurance rates for performance cars, only about 3,300 Chevelles were ordered with the LS6 engine. So it's kind of rare too.

But it's not the rarest Chevelle built that year. The car you're looking at is even rarer because it's one of only 12 SS 396 SC Tricentennial Edition examples known to exist.

What's an SC Tricentennial Edition you ask? Well, Chevrolet produced a limited-edition Chevelle to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the founding of Charlestown, South Carolina in 1970.

Yeah, that's a rather unusual thing to celebrate with a car, but the Tricentennial Edition is real and according to Joseph Bertrand's 1970 South Carolina Tricentennial Chevelle Registry, 12 out of an unknown amount of units built are still known to exist. The example you see here, showcased and sold by MS Classic Cars, is one of them.

What makes this anniversary edition special? Not a lot, but the Special Gold color, the matching wheels, ad the Palmetto Tree emblems on the fenders are enough to set it apart from other 1970 Chevelles.

And this example here is that much more special since it's a brilliantly restored car with a white vinyl top and a Parchment interior.

I don't know about you, but I love Parchment interiors, especially if they also come with a bench front seat, like in this Chevelle. I'm even tempted to say that I like it more than the turquoise upholstery that Chevrolet offered in the Tri-Five and the Impala before the Chevelle came around.

Color preferences aside, this coupe is downright gorgeous from every angle. The subdued gold paint shines like new, as do all the chrome elements on the body and the wheels. The interior is perfect from the dashboard to the rear seats and features options like air conditioning, AM radio, a glove box lamp, and a rear speaker.

Speaking of extras, the vinyl roof is also an option, as are the tinted glass, the power steering, and the front bumper guards. The spec sheet also lists extras like a special performance suspension, power disc brakes, and the 3.31:1 rear axle ratio.

What's under the hood? Well, this Chevelle is not a very desirable 454 LS6 car, but it packs a peppy 402-cubic-inch (6.6-liter) Turbo-Jet V8.

Rated at 350 horsepower, it's potent enough to take the Chevelle down the quarter-mile in about 15 seconds. The engine compartment is obviously highly detailed, while the V8 has been rebuilt by a specialist and runs like new.

All told, even though the car has had five owners until 2022, it looks like it just left the Chevrolet factory more than 50 years ago. And speaking of owners, this car was originally shipped to a dealer in Honea, South Carolina, and then swapped to a showroom in Greer for custom delivery.

The first owner kept it for 30 years. The restoration was performed by the third owner in Georgia in 2008.

The frame-off restoration is fully documented in more than 1,000 photos that come with the car. And according to the invoices that are also offered, the refresh cost a whopping $119,260. Given the special color, the limited-edition status, and the fact that it's a one-of-12 gem, this Chevelle has to be worth more than $200,000.

And I say "worth" because even though MS Classic Cars is selling it, there's no listed price for the coupe. If you're interested, you'll need to contact the dealer for a price or info on when and where will be auctioned off in the future. But before you do, check out this gorgeous 1970 Chevelle in the video below.