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Muscle car

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS5

Muscle car powered by LS5 454 cu in Turbo-Jet V8.

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 photographed by Mustang Joe; reviewed as representative SS454 exterior media, not individual-car LS5 proof.
Factory pathway RPO Z15 SS 454 package on eligible V8 Malibu body styles.
Engine LS5 454-cubic-inch Turbo-Jet V8, cited as 360 hp in option records.
Transmission requirement Z15 mandated M22 4-speed or heavy-duty M40 TH400 automatic.
Authentication posture Paperwork or matching engine stamp/partial VIN required; trim cues alone are weak evidence.

Story

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS5

For 1970, the Chevelle Super Sport was documented as an option path rather than a separate standalone model. The target configuration is the factory RPO Z15 SS 454 package with the LS5 454-cubic-inch Turbo-Jet V8, available on V8 Malibu sport coupe, convertible, and El Camino body styles. Source records separate this package from the Z25 SS 396 package and from the optional LS6 454.

The LS5 record is deliberately conservative: ChevelleStuff reports that LS5 was the base engine within Z15, while the reported LS6 option count must be subtracted from total Z15 volume to estimate Chevelle SS 454 LS5 production. The resulting Chevelle SS 454 LS5 count is therefore carried as a registry-derived calculation, not a factory-published standalone LS5 total.

Z15 SS 454 equipment also matters for authentication. The registry cautions that paperwork, Protect-O-Plate or build sheet evidence, and a matching stamped engine suffix and partial VIN are the safe ways to document a 1970 SS 454. Exterior badges, hoods, stripes, wheels, captions, and filenames are useful context only; they are not treated here as proof of original SS 454 LS5 identity.

Chassis and appearance records show the SS path combining the big-block package with F41 special performance suspension on sport coupes and convertibles, SS-specific wheels, round-pod SS dash presentation, and optional items such as D88 sport stripes and ZL2 special ducted hood air system. Interior upgrades such as bucket seats, console, and full gauges were not assumed standard unless the source record identified the option.

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 at the 2014 Rolling Sculpture Car Show; representative SS454 exterior context.Michael Barera via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Price history

Values

Nominal dollars from original price sheets, auction archives, and approved value references.

Original Price

A verified original price is not yet available for this car.

Market Observations

  • Auction sale $86,900

    Jan 22, 2026 · Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale

    1970 Chevelle SS 454 LS5 136370K166623 with automatic transmission and Original & Highly Original classification. · survivor · unknown CLASSIC.COM records the $86,900 Barrett-Jackson sale, lot 830, 63,741 displayed miles with total mileage unknown, and the source's Original & Highly Original classification.
  • High bid $67,000

    Mar 19, 2025 · Bring a Trailer

    Gobi Beige 1970 Chevelle Malibu SS 454 LS5 136370R214648 with four-speed manual, Protect-O-Plate, and mid-1990s refurbishment. · restored · unknown The $67,000 high bid did not complete a sale. The refreshed LS5 and transmission, engine-pad photos, repaint, 81,000 displayed miles, Protect-O-Plate, and lack of an explicit numbers-matching claim remain visible.
  • Auction sale $96,000

    May 15, 2023 · Bring a Trailer

    Cranberry Red 1970 Chevelle Malibu SS 454 136370B107320 with LS5 V8, M20 four-speed, Positraction, and prior body-off refurbishment. · restored · unknown Bring a Trailer records the $96,000 sale. The engine stamp images, non-original red refinish, 35,000 displayed miles, refurbishment photos, and absence of an original-drivetrain claim remain explicit.
  • Auction sale $87,000

    Apr 15, 2023 · Mecum Houston

    Tuxedo Black 1970 Chevelle SS 454 LS5 136370A108627 with automatic transmission, classified Original & Highly Original by CLASSIC.COM. · survivor · unknown CLASSIC.COM records the $87,000 sale while Mecum supplies the LS5 lot identity, VIN, automatic drivetrain, and sold status. Their displayed-mileage values differ, 1,486 versus 1,964, so both are retained as source-reported rather than reconciled.
  • High bid $101,000

    Mar 8, 2022 · Bring a Trailer

    Cranberry Red 1970 Chevelle SS LS5 136370B139994 with numbers-matching CRT-suffix 454, M22 four-speed, Positraction, and build-sheet copies. · restored · unknown The $101,000 high bid did not complete a sale. The body-off refurbishment, rebuilt engine and transmission, matching partial-VIN claim, approximately 100 displayed miles with actual mileage unknown, and documentation remain explicit.
  • High bid $41,450

    Aug 5, 2020 · Bring a Trailer

    Dark Green 1970 Chevelle SS 454 136370A134876 with numbers-matching LS5, automatic transmission, Z15 and F41 equipment, and factory build sheet. · restored · unknown The $41,450 high bid did not complete a sale. The prior body-off refurbishment, engine partial-VIN match, 3,000 displayed miles with total mileage unknown, and seller-reported factory equipment remain explicit.

Values move with paperwork, originality, options, condition, venue, and body style. High bids and guide values are labeled separately from completed sales.

Reference records

Options, Colors & Components

Source-backed details for trim, chassis, production, and authenticity.

Engine Details

Engine bay view from a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454; representative big-block component media, not LS5-specific proof.Michael Barera via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Gross torque rating 500 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm · 1970 Chevelle RPO LS5 454 engine · engine assembly / specification
  • CRQ LS5 engine assembly code CRQ · 1970 Chevelle LS5 454-4 with TH-400 · engine assembly / assembly code
  • CRT LS5 engine assembly code CRT · 1970 Chevelle LS5 454-4 with Manual-M22 · engine assembly / assembly code

Transmission

  • Factory transmission M22 heavy-duty 4-speed close-ratio manual
  • Factory transmission M40 Turbo Hydra-Matic TH400 heavy-duty 3-speed automatic

Options

Source-document visual for reviewed 1970 Chevelle SS 454 LS5 evidence that documents F41 special performance suspension context; not a suspension hardware photograph.Classic Muscle · Reference illustration
  • Z15 SS 454 optional · performance · Includes LS5 360 hp 454 engine; LS6 was the optional high-performance 454 within the SS 454 pathway.
  • ZL2 Special Ducted Hood Air System optional · appearance · SS-only cowl-induction hood option; D88 stripes and hood pins associated with the package, with stripe deletion possible by request.
  • D88 Sport Stripes optional · appearance · Sport stripe option; also part of ZL2 package context.
  • U14 Special Instrumentation / Instrument Panel Gauges optional · interior · Round-pod dash could also appear on non-SS V8 Malibu cars ordered with U14; not by itself proof of SS identity.
  • A51 Bucket seats optional · interior · Bucket seats were not standard with Z15 and did not require console.
  • D55 Front compartment console optional · interior · Common with bucket seats but not mandatory.

Paint

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS454 sport coupe side profile; reviewed as representative SS454 exterior media for the LS5 page.Sicnag via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Authenticity

  • SS 454 documentation Build sheet, window sticker/order paperwork, warranty card/Protect-O-Plate, or equivalent paperwork showing Z15/SS 454 or matching 454 engine evidence · Vehicle paperwork and dealer/warranty documents · fraud detection
  • Engine stamp and partial VIN Original factory-stamped 454 suffix appropriate to LS5/LS6 application with partial VIN matching the car VIN · Engine pad/stamp location and vehicle VIN comparison · numbers matching
  • Interior gauges Round-pod dash and U14 gauges are not exclusive proof of SS because V8 Malibu cars could order U14 · Instrument panel and option documentation · fraud detection

Still Researching

  • engine Torque rating and two LS5 Chevelle engine assembly-code rows were normalized; carburetor number, casting numbers, detailed parts numbers, and car-specific stamp/date validation remain unresolved.
  • rear axle Exact factory axle ratios for LS5 Z15 by transmission were not normalized from a target-specific axle chart in the reviewed references.
  • paint colors Model-year Chevelle paint codes are available, but target-specific SS 454 LS5 color availability and color-by-body totals are not known; source warns such counts cannot be calculated.

Codes & names

Names & Engine Codes

Common names and codes are grouped so LS6 references point to the same engine, not separate pages.

LS5 360 hp 454 engine LS5 454 cu in Turbo-Jet V8
LS5 454/360 hp LS5 454 cu in Turbo-Jet V8
454 Cu. In. Turbo-Jet LS5 454 cu in Turbo-Jet V8

Photo and video gallery

Gallery

6 photos and videos

Sources & Documentation

Reader contributions

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