Unrestored 70 LS5 Chevelle 50k org miles

[69L78]

This is a true survivor low option matching #'s LS5 4-speed,3:31 posi, cloth bench seat and yes those door panels with the Malibu emblems are org. This car was purchased new at Sunderland Chevrolet in Lemoyne, PA. The 2nd owner of 35 yrs bought it in 1977. What are your opinion's as to leave the car alone or paint it? The left front fender was replaced before 1977 and the SS emblem is not in the right place and you can see the color match is off a little other than that you can see the paint on the stripes is very thin with the red showing thru. There is one very small rust spot near the bottom of the qtr at the trim and the corners of the back window. This car runs and drives and has a few oil leaks. The org shifter is gone and the radiator was replaced, and he did keep the org.

[RPOLS3]

Really neat find - I'd leave it as is with 3 small exceptions:

Fix the emblem placement you noted, put the correct fan belt on it, and put the correct battery cable(s) on it.

They are only original once. Love the patina.

Jake

[Tracker1]

I wouldn't touch it. But I'd drive the hell out of it.

[Rixls6]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RPOLS3</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Really neat find - I'd leave it as is with 3 small exceptions:

Fix the emblem placement you noted, put the correct fan belt on it, and put the correct battery cable(s) on it.

They are only original once. Love the patina.

Jake </div></div>

Totally agree with leaving the car pretty much alone.
Put the air cleaner in its correct position and maybe repaint the one fender for a better color match, but I wouldn't repaint the whole car.

[69L78]

The org fan belt is in the trunk. What would you guys value this car at in its present condition. I just recently saw two restored LS5's sell for $52,500 and $53,500.

Also, for an Atlanta built car, where should I look for a build sheet?

[Postsedan]

Along with what everyone else has said, throw in a Hurst/Muncie shifter.

Des, said it best.....I'd drive the hell out of it. Power Tour!

Great find <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/Can-I-Have-It.gif

Dan

[Rixls6]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 69L78</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The org fan belt is in the trunk. What would you guys value this car at in its present condition. I just recently saw two restored LS5's sell for $52,500 and $53,500.

Also, for an Atlanta built car, where should I look for a build sheet? </div></div>

I've always found Atlanta buildsheets in either front door panel.

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

I'd leave it! Do I see where the Sunderland Emblem was originally on the trunk lid?

[olredalert]

----Im going a bit by memory here but Im pretty sure Red Alert had Malibu door panels too. Also my old LS5 convert. Very nice low content LS6. Appears to be a no radio car as well as the antenna hole is in way wrong position. I believe I would do a bit of selective restoration much as Jake stated. Mostly aimed at stopping further deterioration......Bill S

[Mr70]

Beautiful natural find.
Is the TCS solenoid hiding under the air cleaner?
Looks like no radio was ordered originally.
Love that no one added a ft. plate holder all these years.
I'd leave the body alone &amp; drive it,but maybe rebuild the trans,rear.
Have you done a compression test on the cylinders?
Can you take a pic of the rear deck lid stripes in the trunk weather stripping gutter?
How does the trunk paint look?

[napa68]

WOW! back away from the car.

I love it. Go with some of the suggestions mentioned prior but please use some restraint.

Tim

[ORIGLS6]

Just my opinion (as most others are offering), but I'd do some serious, careful clean-up on the car and enjoy it as-is. Many of us would be all over this car to check out all the 'original, unmolested patina'. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

And BTW, the MALIBU door panel badges are very common on '70 SS cars. Mine has them too.

[markinnaples]

Fix the SS emblem, clean it up, preserve it as is.

You may want to do a full on mechanical review and fix what needs fixed to be safe and reliable, but man, that is beautiful and I'd rather see it just as it is not all restored.

There surely aren't enough survivors like this one out there.

[mockingbird812]

Inside pass. door panel is classic for an Atlanta built Chevelle in 1970. Very nice Jeff and congrats. Love, love the patina. Detail it and enjoy it - no resto needed. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

[69L78]

Yes Marlin, you can see where the Sunderland emblem was. Here are a few more pics of the car. He did tell me about the radio, but the gentleman is 66 yrs old and his memory is a little clouded. He has another dash pad, and the speakers in the dash are aftermarket. The aftermarket radio has org 70 knobs on it and he thinks he still has the org radio, I will have to ask him about the antenna. The tach he told me he bought in 1968 for his Z/28.

[XXXGoldL34M20]

When you see the build sheet behind one of the door panels it will confirm if the stripes where an added option in box 44 under &quot;ST&quot; it will have the letter &quot;B&quot; for black stripes.

The Malibu door emblems are also on my Atlanta 454 built LS6 car, very common for Atlanta 454 cars.

Love that Black River Cloth bench seat, reminds me of my first SS396 70 i had from 1984-1997.

[MosportGreen66]

Bring it to the Bloomington Survivor show and the MCACN. Do nothing to it but preservation work!

Dan

[Mr70]

Looks like those hood &amp; deck stripes were applied @ the factory to me,based on what's been shown.
Which means they were charged extra being on a non flapper hood.RPO D-88.Is it an early or later designed hood?

Also on the idea of it being ordered w/o a radio,based on the later added fender mast.
For 1970,when no Radio was ordered,and Tinted glass wasn't either,the clear windshield will not have an internal antenna lead attached to it.
When no Radio was ordered,but Tinted glass was,the tinted windshield will have an internal antenna lead attached to it.

When a Radio was ordered,but Tinted glass wasn't,the clear windshield will have the internal antenna attached to it.
When a Radio was ordered and Tinted glass was too,the Tinted windshield will have the internal antenna attached to it.

[SS427]

Send the car to us and we will have her all cleaned and ready for MCACN! (shameless plug)
http://musclecarrestorationanddesign.com/revivals/index.htm

Can you provide a photo of the underside of the hood? Interested if it has the early or late style. Same goes for the drivers side front fender showing the location and style of windshield washer bottle.

[69L78]

Rick, It sounds like you are offering your services for free just to get your hands on this baby. How do I tell if it is an early or late hood? The car is not at my location as yet, but I will get further pics.

[Mr70]

Among other details,easiest way to notice a 1st design early hood,it has the full structured reinforcements in it's two upfront insulation triangle border areas,like this.

[Mr70]

Later issued 2nd design looks like this.Notice less reinforcement in the same two triangle border areas.
The two rear insulation areas are different as well.

Yours being a March 2nd week asssembly,I wouldn't be surpried if it has this 2nd design hood.

I'm curious,see if your LS-5 is holding an unshaven #165 three core fan shroud too.

[SS427]

There is a difference between the side insulation areas as well. The early design has a larger flange then the 2nd design.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 69L78</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Rick, It sounds like you are offering your services for free.... </div></div>

Jeff, close but not exactly.

[69L78]

Thanks Rick P. and Rick N. for the education, I will get further pics next week.

[69L78]

Update, The car was bought new at Sausman Chevrolet before it was Sunderland, I found the build sheet behind the drivers door panel. The hood is the 2nd design and the windshield is clear and does not have an antenna. The spiral shocks have been changed.

[mockingbird812]

Congrats on finding the BS Jeff! Unfortunately the numbers on your dizzy are backwards!

[XXXGoldL34M20]

It looks like the TCS unit is missing on the intake.
Maybe a former owner tossed it out.
Is the wire still there, maybe it is sitting off too the side?
That 205 &quot;EH&quot; carb is a very tough carb to find these days.
Nice clean build sheet !!

[SS427]

The car has it's original drivers side assembly line fender and washer bottle. Rare find these days as the replacements are both different. Nice build sheet as well. The distributor is the correct 963 and the 9M22 and is a known date. Another hard to find item. I also noticed the front engine lift bracket has the correct and different manifold bolts. I rarely ever see those in their original form. Sweet car!

[novadude]

Wow! Amazing find!

Cloth interior is a bit unusual for an SS (at least you don't see it much these days). Looks like the car wasn't ordered with much more than stripes, posi, and power steering.

It makes me wonder what else might be hiding here in central PA!

[Mr70]

Great pix.
Good stripe detail.
Treat that original clear no radio windshield very well,cause it's few &amp; far between the norm.The majority had the antenna lead embedded in them.
Try to get date codes off all 6 pieces of the cars glass too &amp; relay em here to decipher.

See if the factory ex. tips don't have a part number stamped in them also...Still have resonators too?

Gas cap embossed Anti-Surge Vented as well?

Check to see if the 3 core #165 fan shroud was shaved.

I'm curious,this car clearly came with a M/T and the BQ M/T radiator,yet is that an Auto.trans.cooler line plug,I see on the tank in red?

[69L78]

Rick, He replaced the radiator and he kept the original, I do have pics of it.

[Mr70]

Ah...missed that notation you made in the beginning.So they put the BQ tag back on the replacement rad.

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Interesting that the B/S says Sausman, our '69 Nova references Sunderland around early '70 or so. Wonder if the name change lagged - sort of like the Hult ---&gt; Thorstad deal in WI?

[ne70ss]

Very nice.

[69L78]

Here is a picture of the fan shroud from the bottom

[SS4Real]

I'm going to spend hours looking at this thread. Wow. Lot's more pictures please, of everything!

[L78M22Rag]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SS4Real</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm going to spend hours looking at this thread. Wow. Lot's more pictures please, of everything! </div></div>

You won't hear that comment if you restore it... leave it as is!

[DaleM]

I'd like to invite you register the car with the LS5 Registry.
<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/drool.gif
National Chevelle LS5 Registry (http://macswebs.com/ls5registry)

[mockingbird812]

Jeff - I too would encourgage you to register your Chevelle. Lots of info to be learned from it and yours would be a good data point as it is documented and virtually unmolested. Dale does a real nice job with his registries and great info on Chevelles.

[SS427]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mockingbird812</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Dale does a real nice job with his registries and great info on Chevelles. </div></div>

x10

[Jay_chevelless]

What a nice looking car. I say leave it alone for now and drive the crap out of it. Then later on I would restore it... I don't think you would drive it much when restored.