The Chevrolet Chevelle was all new for 1968, available as a convertible, coupe, hardtop sedan, pillared sedan, or wagon. Further, it came in several levels of plushness, from the base 300, through the 300 Deluxe, to the Malibu. Much more rounded and aero-looking than the previous iteration of the Chevelle, the coupes were especially good looking. They rode on a shorter 112" wheelbase and had classic long hood and short deck proportions and a graceful fastback slope to the rear window, above the muscular haunches of the rear fenders.
The top of the Chevelle heap for '68 was the SS396.
Technically the SS396 treatment was an option package that could be ordered on any trim level of Chevelle coupe or convertible, so the cheapest way to speed was to stack it on a basic 300 coupe. The Super Sport treatment added 7" wide sport wheels with polyester-belted F70-14 tires, power front disc brakes, and that all important Turbo-Jet big block V-8.
Under the hood of this Tuxedo Black beast would be one of two different flavors of Turbo-Jet 396. The one that came with the package was the L35, rated at 325 SAE gross horsepower. Optionally the buyer could spring for the 350hp L34 motor. Both motors had the same 10.25:1 compression ratio, Rochester Quadrajet carb, oval-port closed chamber heads, intake & exhaust manifolds, and hydraulic lifters. The difference was that the more potent L34 used the hotter camshaft borrowed from the L36 'Vette 427 motor.
When Car and Driver tested a 1969 SS396 with the L35 motor, 3.55:1 limited slip rear end, and Turbo-Hydramatic three-speed automatic, they recorded a zero-to-sixty time of 5.8 seconds and a 14.4 second quarter at 97 miles per hour.
The one in the pics was snapped with a Nikon D700 and a 24-85mm f/2.8-4D zoom lens in June of 2020.
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