Chevrolet Chevelle 1970 SS 396 Convertible

Chevrolet kept the 396 name on the fenders in 1970 even after quietly enlarging the engine to 402 cubic inches. Buyers could choose the 350-horsepower L34 or the solid-lifter, 375-horsepower L78 Cowl Induction version, backed by transmissions up to the heavy-duty M22 Rock Crusher four-speed. Only 49,862 SS 396 Chevelles were built that year, and well-documented convertibles now sell for a small fortune. Here’s what made this car a legend on both the strip and the auction block.

This 1970 Chevelle SS 396 features some great features, ranging from the 350 HP 396 (402) under the hood, sport suspension, and SS appearance package, to the bucket seats, tilt wheel, air conditioning, and power convertible top…

Chevrolet kept calling it the “396” long after the engine underneath the badge had grown past that number — a bit of brand-equity sleight of hand that nobody who ordered one in 1970 seemed to mind. What buyers actually got was a genuine 402 cubic inches of small-block-turned-big-block muscle, available in two distinct states of tune, wrapped in a convertible body that Chevrolet built in far smaller numbers than the hardtop. Fewer than 50,000 SS 396 Chevelles left the factory that year across every body style combined, and convertibles were always the minority within that count. So why does a car sold under a deliberately outdated name keep climbing in value decades later?

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A 396 That Wasn’t Actually a 396

Despite the “396” script on the fenders, every SS 396 built in 1970 actually displaced 402 cubic inches — Chevrolet had quietly enlarged the bore the year before but kept the more recognizable name for marketing reasons. Buyers chose between two states of tune: the L34, rated at 350 horsepower for street use, and the solid-lifter L78 “Cowl Induction” version rated at 375 horsepower for buyers who wanted something closer to a race motor with a warranty. Transmission choices ran from a base three-speed manual up through Muncie’s M20 and M21 four-speeds, with the heavy-duty M22 “Rock Crusher” four-speed reserved for specific high-performance engine and axle combinations.

From NHRA Strips to Six-Figure Auctions

The L78’s solid lifters and aggressive cam weren’t just a badge — they made those Chevelles genuinely competitive on the strip, and L78-equipped cars became regulars in NHRA Super Stock and Stock Eliminator classes through the early 1970s. Chevrolet built 49,862 SS 396 Chevelles across all body styles in 1970, with the convertible carrying a $3,639 sticker versus $3,439 for the coupe — a premium that’s only grown since. Well-documented cars today, especially numbers-matching L78 four-speeds and convertibles, routinely sell for multiples of that original price, with clean V8 Chevelle SS examples now averaging somewhere around $105,000.

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