1971 LS6 Chevelle SS Production

[MultiMopars]

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Regarding the '71 LS-6 Chevelles, I think '71 was a big transistion year for the manufacturers between upcoming emissions and falling performance sales due to insurance. As a result, a number of things got killed in the 11th hour, well after tooling was made up and parts were made. Ford's equivalent would be the 1971 Boss 302 Mustang. Promo pics were taken, and a number of parts and even '71 coded "Boss 302" decal kits have made their way out into the marketplace.

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Actually more than decals and parts got out. A whole car escaped. It's been featured in Mustang Monthly and it is the real deal.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2994405

Which is why we should never say never about ALMOST anything .

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I TOTALLY agree!

Having sold Dodges & AMCs new from 1968-74 I can tell you that factory execs that wanted something to KEEP (meaning it was not their demo that would have to be disposed of through the dealer network) could get any combination of model and equipment they wanted regardless of what was available to the general public. When dealers got requests for things that were not advertised as available on a particular model they would contact their sales rep to see if it could be done. Unless there was some type of legal reason for not doing it they typically would build it if the customer was willing to wait the extra scheduling time. Typical time from order to the dealer receiving it was 4 weeks. If you want some oddball combination it took 8 weeks. Dealers just made sure they got a large enough non-refundable deposit so they didn't get stuck with it in inventory.

I have never seen or heard of one but my guess is that somewhere out there is a factory Hemi car with factory A/C. I can't believe that there was not a factory exec that didn't want the elephant engine with A/C. The air cleaner could be a problem but I can just see the factory slapping on some Cal Customs or something like the factory 56-57 duasl quad air cleaners to make it happen.

[442w30]

Does anyone or any site have any 1971 Chevrolet AMA specs or a factory bulletin that shows the LS6 was cancelled for the A-body?

[Vinko M.]

Geoff...I'll add to your post as well. I bought a 454 long block engine off a friend of mine this past fall. It too was a 289 block 291 heads and also has CRR deck stamping and no vin #. He's had it for at least 20+ years just collecting dust and was never decked or rebuilt. I'll have to take a better look at it when I return home from Afghan-land in a month or two. It just seemed really odd about the motor and the stampings but this may shed some light....Thanks

[BUIZILLA]

Vinko, when you get to it, there is a small machined pad right above the timing cover, center of the block, see if a 6 digit number isn't stamped there... no letters just numbers...

[L78steve]

Back in 75 or 76 at my High School in Greenwich CT. was a Light Blue,White stripes and Int. 71 LS6 equipped Chevelle.Was it the real deal? I can't say. Didn't know about checking numbers back then but did have a good look at the car and I believe it was genuine.

[markjohnson]

Yeah, I have one of those 1972-dated "CRR" LS-6 engines also that has no VIN up front. I've had mine for several years and have actually ran across several in my travels. I'll check mine for this number up front. Another member, Tirebird, also has one of these 1972 CRR LS-6 engines. They are kinda rare in the fact that they are 4-bolt "289" blocks, but I believe they are just crate engines. Why Tonawanda chose to stamp these with the 1970 TH400 code of "CRR", instead of the usual "CE", I don't know. They were complete engines including intake manifold and were just covered with 1972 casting dates on everything including the closed chamber "291" cylinder heads. Crate LS-6's were known for having Open chambered heads so this short run of accurate "1970 Close Chamber'ed LS-6's" are kind of interesting. Actually it would be kinda neat to put one into a 1972 SS454 Chevelle and leave the experts scratching their heads!

[king_midas]

Once again, these engines were OTC available, and/or for warranty replacement.

Just because compression went down and gas prices went up doesn't mean that people stopped racing...

[Mr70]

[ QUOTE ]
Back in 75 or 76 at my High School in Greenwich CT. was a Light Blue,White stripes and Int. 71 LS6 equipped Chevelle.Was it the real deal? I can't say. Didn't know about checking numbers back then but did have a good look at the car and I believe it was genuine.

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I've always been a firm believer they never really assembled a Chevelle like this on the assembly line for public consumption during 1971,but you are about the 10th person in the last few years to mention this particular car and it's same details,and all are from NC.Sonny B. 1st told me about it 14 years ago,saying he saw it new on the lot with a W/S on the driverside rear stating LS-6.

I must admit,I'm kinda.....sorta...sloooooowly..starting to think maybe they did.

[SS454Elky]

The question I have had about my '71 for years is why would GM put a 6500 RPM redline tach in a hydraulic liftered car that could have been equipped with A/C (Mine does not have A/C). Wouldn't that be inviting all kinds of warranty issues from over revved engines? I mean obviously they did it, but is there some other rational I am missing? Why put in a tach that is obviously wrong?

[Mr70]

Don't judge a car by it's tachometer..They made miniscule mistakes like that occasionaly.
Just one example.
Chuck Hansons 1970 L-78 Chevelle cvt. was built with a 5500 redline tach,that was clearly a mistake,when it should've received a 6500.