autoevolution
 

This Orange 1969 Chevelle Never Left Its First Family, Now Ready To Go

More than half a century has passed since this beauty left the assembly lines from Kansas City in Missouri and its first trip was shorter than 600 miles (966 km) to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where it found a new family, who kept it until now.
1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS Hugge Orange 12 photos
Photo: Cwebs396/Bring a Trailer
1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS
Chevrolet introduced a mild facelift for the Chevelle in 1969, which brought a chromed horizontal slat between the quad-headlights from the new ABS plastic grille. Most of the two-door vehicles were either El Camino or Hardtop coupe, such as this vehicle. At the same time, fewer 300 Deluxe versions were ordered with the SS option. This was priced at $347.60 (2,662.62 USD in today's money), and this orange beauty has it.

The car was ordered by the seller's father back in 1969, and, with all the options installed, he paid 3,939.40 (30,176 USD in today's money) for it. Maybe it wasn't that bad, after all, considering that the average price for a home in the U.S. back then was $25,600 (196,096 USD in 2022 money). In 1992, the car went through a restoration process, and the Hugger Orange paint was refreshed. Along the process, the fenders and the quarter panels were replaced.

Inside, the black vinyl upholstery covers the front bucket seats and the rear bench, like it was when the car was new. And if you wonder, yes, the headrests are original and were among the options added to the vehicle when it was built by Chevrolet. The car features an AM/FM cassette stereo for the audio system, which was added during the restoration process. Although the original push-button AM radio is included in the sale.

But the most essential part of the SS package was the 396 (6.5-liter) Big-Block V8 under the hood. It is paired with a three-speed TMH400 automatic gearbox and sends the power to the rear wheels via a 3.31:1 Positraction differential. To stop the 325 hp Chevelle SS, the carmaker installed front discs and rear drums, while a power-steering was responsible for following directions. For those who want a more aggressive rear end, the Cwebs396 seller includes a 4.10:1 rear gear set. The same gearing was used by Chevrolet on the Camaro SS. Also, a set of Cragar wheels and tires will come with the car.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Tudor Serban
Tudor Serban profile photo

Tudor started his automotive career in 1996, writing for a magazine while working on his journalism degree. From Pikes Peaks to the Moroccan desert to the Laguna Seca, he's seen and done it all.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories