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Performance utility

1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS 454 LS5

Performance utility powered by Chevrolet LS5 454-cid Turbo-Jet V8.

1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS396 photographed by Sicnag; exact-year El Camino SS body and trim context, not individual LS5 proof.
Factory pathway Factory Chevrolet El Camino SS454 pathway with LS5 identity handled through paperwork and drivetrain checks
Engine LS5 454-cubic-inch Turbo-Jet big-block V8
Factory rating 360 hp in 1970 SS454 option records
Transmissions M22 four-speed manual or heavy-duty M40 Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 automatic context
Known caveat El Camino LS5 body-style production totals are not treated as known from the checked sources

Story

This page treats the 1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS 454 LS5 as the factory SS454 big-block pickup-bodied Chevrolet, not as a clone, tribute, or LS6 substitute. The public-facing distinction is straightforward: an El Camino can share the Chevelle SS454 option structure, but an individual car still needs paperwork and drivetrain evidence before its LS5 identity, paint, trim, transmission, and axle details should be treated as original.

The core evidence path is Chevrolet's 1970 SS454 package structure. Chevelle and option references identify the Z15 SS454 pathway, the LS5 454-cubic-inch Turbo-Jet V8 at 360 horsepower in the 1970 option context, M22 four-speed or heavy-duty M40 Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission context, 12-bolt rear axle context, and optional ZL2 cowl-induction and D88 stripe equipment. El Camino brochure and Commons media are used for exact-year body, bed, grille, and trim context. LS5-specific auction and video references are used as examples of documented/restored cars, not as universal proof for every SS454 El Camino.

The gallery is intentionally conservative. Exact-year El Camino and El Camino SS photos are used for body, bed, roofline, front trim, and rear-quarter context. Source-card media carries the LS5, package, production, and authenticity boundaries. Captions avoid treating hoods, stripes, badges, or restored component photos as standalone proof of factory LS5 equipment.

1970 Chevrolet El Camino rear/body view; body and cargo-bed context only.Bull-Doser via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

Price history

Values

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

Original Price

A verified base MSRP is not yet available. Documented option and charge prices are shown below.

  • Option price $503

    RPO Z15 SS 454 option (1970)

    SS454 package context; LS5 is treated as the base SS454 engine pathway rather than a separately priced LS6-style upgrade in this source.

Market Observations

  • Auction sale $58,000

    Jul 21, 2026 · Bring a Trailer

    Cranberry Red 1970 El Camino SS 454 LS5 136800K144830 with automatic transmission, Positraction, and Protect-O-Plate. · restored · unknown CLASSIC.COM records the $58,000 completed sale while Bring a Trailer supplies the LS5 identity, Protect-O-Plate engine-suffix evidence, 2020 body-off refurbishment, automatic drivetrain, custom exhaust, and 56,000 displayed miles with total mileage unknown.
  • Auction sale $84,700

    Mar 17, 2026 · Mecum Glendale 2026 / CLASSIC.COM result page

    1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS-454 / LS5 · restored · unknown Single dated sale observation; use as a point observation only, not a market range.
  • High bid $48,500

    Apr 28, 2025 · Hemmings Auctions

    1970 El Camino SS 454 LS5 136800K17917 with automatic transmission and Original & Highly Original classification. · survivor · unknown The $48,500 high bid did not complete a sale. CLASSIC.COM records 97,769 displayed miles with total mileage unknown, automatic drivetrain, and the source's Original & Highly Original classification.
  • Auction sale $44,000

    Jan 15, 2025 · Mecum Kissimmee

    1970 El Camino SS 454 LS5 136800L116855 with automatic transmission and Original & Highly Original classification. · survivor · unknown CLASSIC.COM records the $44,000 completed sale, 7,032 displayed miles, automatic drivetrain, and the source's Original & Highly Original classification.
  • Auction sale $37,000

    Sep 5, 2024 · Mecum Dallas

    1970 El Camino SS 454 LS5 136800K204232 with automatic transmission and Original & Highly Original classification. · survivor · unknown CLASSIC.COM records the $37,000 completed sale, 16,000 displayed miles, automatic drivetrain, and the source's Original & Highly Original classification.
  • Auction sale $52,250

    Jun 17, 2017 · Mecum Portland

    Astro Blue 1970 El Camino SS 454 LS5 136800K150095 with matching-numbers engine, Turbo 400 automatic, 3.31 Positraction, and LS5 Registry listing. · restored · unknown Mecum records the $52,250 completed sale. The ground-up restoration, original-color claim, matching-numbers claim, registry listing, automatic drivetrain, and absence of reported mileage 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

  • LS5 454-4 360 hp engine suffix with TH-400 automatic CRQ · 1970 Chevelle/El Camino LS5 454-4 360 hp with TH-400 automatic transmission · engine assembly / assembly code · engine pad suffix after assembly plant and date code
  • LS5 454-4 360 hp engine suffix with M22 manual CRT · 1970 Chevelle/El Camino LS5 454-4 360 hp with M22 manual transmission · engine assembly / assembly code · engine pad suffix after assembly plant and date code
  • LS5 454-4 360 hp engine suffix with M22 manual and heavy-duty clutch CRU · 1970 Chevelle/El Camino LS5 454-4 360 hp with M22 manual transmission and heavy-duty clutch note · engine assembly / assembly code · engine pad suffix after assembly plant and date code
  • Four-barrel carburetion in LS5 suffix rows 454-4 · 1970 LS5 454/360 hp suffix rows CRQ, CRT, and CRU · carburetor / specification

Transmission

  • Factory transmission M22 heavy-duty close-ratio 4-speed manual
  • Factory transmission Heavy-duty M40 Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 3-speed automatic

Options

Source-backed identity boundary for the 1970 El Camino SS 454 LS5 page.Classic Muscle · Reference illustration
  • Z15 SS 454 optional · performance · Factory SS454 package path for eligible Chevelle/El Camino SS applications; includes LS5 360 hp 454 engine in the base SS454 context.
  • 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 El Camino SS396 side profile; useful for roofline, bed, side trim, and stance context.Sicnag via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Appearance

Local crop for front trim, hood, grille, and SS-context details; not LS5 proof.Derivative crop from Sicnag via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Chassis

Production

Source-backed engine boundary for the 1970 El Camino SS 454 LS5 page.Classic Muscle · Reference illustration

Authenticity

Source-backed package boundary for the 1970 El Camino SS 454 LS5 page.Classic Muscle · Reference illustration
  • El Camino LS5 documentation Build sheet, window sticker/order paperwork, warranty card/Protect-O-Plate, NCRS shipping data, or equivalent paperwork showing El Camino body, SS454/Z15 context, and LS5 engine evidence · Vehicle paperwork, dealer/warranty documents, NCRS shipping report, and build sheet locations · fraud detection
  • Engine stamp and partial VIN Factory-stamped LS5 suffix/date evidence and partial VIN that matches the El Camino VIN · Engine pad/stamp location and vehicle VIN comparison · numbers matching
  • Body/trim context El Camino body and SS trim are context; they do not prove LS5 engine installation by themselves · Body, grille, hood, bed, cowl tag, trim tag, and paperwork comparison · fraud detection

Still Researching

  • production Checked sources support El Camino total production and SS454 option context, but not a factory or registry-backed 1970 El Camino LS5 body-style production total.
  • engine Suffix-code rows and four-barrel carburetion specification were normalized for 1970 LS5 CRQ, CRT, and CRU engine-pad applications; torque rating, carburetor list/part number, casting numbers, and date-code detail remain unresolved from factory parts/service references.
  • rear axle Manufacturer power-team coverage resolves the standard 3.31:1 rear-axle ratio for the 1970 LS5 454 with 4-speed manual or Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 context, but optional factory/dealer ratios, Positraction pairing by ratio, and individual-car axle evidence remain unresolved.
  • paint colors Model-year Chevelle/El Camino paint codes are available, but LS5 El Camino color availability and color-by-body totals are not known from the checked sources.

Codes & names

Names & Engine Codes

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

Source-backed authenticity boundary for the 1970 El Camino SS 454 LS5 page.Classic Muscle · Reference illustration
LS5 454 Chevrolet LS5 454-cid Turbo-Jet V8
LS5 454/360 hp Chevrolet LS5 454-cid Turbo-Jet V8
454/360 HP Chevrolet LS5 454-cid Turbo-Jet V8
RPO LS5 Chevrolet LS5 454-cid Turbo-Jet V8

Photo and video gallery

Gallery

4 photos and videos

Sources & Documentation

Reader contributions

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