The Chevrolet Chevelle LS6 Was the Most Muscly Car Ever

"Money Hustard" (moneyhustard) 11/14/2014 at 10:02 • Filed to: Classic Cars, Collector Cars, Muscle Cars

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When it comes to classic muscle cars, I'm a GM guy. The 4-4-2, GTO, Camaro, Firebird, and most of all Chevelle just seem like they most hit the mark of the ideal muscle car when compared to their other big three counterparts. Fords may have been prettier and better values but where were the balls? Mopars produced unreasonable amounts of power but their styling was anything but timeless, and for the most part can't take a corner. GM muscle cars just do it for me.

And oh damn it does the LS6 get me bothered:

Especially in red with black racing stripes. It's the official american muscle car livery in my book. So much better that yellowish with one solid grayish stripe down the middle.

I would buy this car as it was today, and be happy to spend $30,000 on it (not a bold statement since these things fetch 6 figures at auction these days).

Even with the spare in there, there's a usable trunk and seating for 5.

2 meters tall like I am? The Chevelle had some of the best driver seating for the talls. The seats are also perforated to alleviate the terror sweat that you are sure to accumulate while driving/almost dying in this car.

Let Heacock Classic !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! with tales of the the LS6's might and superiority. Reading through it reminded that even without the 454 big block in the front, the Chevelle was something special. Do yourself a favor though, bask in !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! :

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It's indisputable that the LS6 Chevelle was the most beastly of muscle cars, but it also seems like the Chevelle is the most livable of the pack for day to day use. If you had to DD a classic muscle car, what would it be?

shop-teacher > Money Hustard 11/14/2014 at 10:12

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You picked my absolute favorite car of all time, and in my favorite color combo!

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Money Hustard 11/14/2014 at 10:14

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Well obviously I'm swayed to the Ford side giving this is my car (1968 Mercury Montego MX Cyclone Package):

But if I got to pick of ANY, these would be the options:

Cyclone Spoiler, my car in fastback but with a 429 CJ

Yes hood scoop is functional (btw this thing just sold at auction - this exact car- for 26k, that's fucking nuts for how epic it is)

OR

A 1970 Ford Torino Super Cobra Jet 429:

ly2v8-Brian > Money Hustard 11/14/2014 at 10:16

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Money Hustard > shop-teacher 11/14/2014 at 10:19

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It's a deeply-epic automobile, it just is.

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > Money Hustard 11/14/2014 at 10:20

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I consider myself a mild Mopar guy, but have very weak allegiances. I get why the old timers are die hard GM/Ford/Mopar, but as a millennial I feel like the conversations of my automotive youth were often Import vs. Domestic or modern cars vs. classic cars. I'm die hard domestic and classic. So, which classic muscle car would I DD? - ALL OF THEM.

M1A1D > Money Hustard 11/14/2014 at 10:20

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I'm currently starting to assemble the parts to build an '86 K2500 crew cab. Power is going to come from a massively overbuilt 454 that I'm having a nightmare of a time trying to find a manual transmission (because Jalop) to match to it. The most robust bolt-on manual transmission that I can find, will only handle up to 600lb-ft. of torque and I'm aiming for closer to 900lb-ft. of nipple twisting Go-Go.

JR1 > Money Hustard 11/14/2014 at 10:22

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Cuda 440. Easier maintenance yet still fast enough to dance with the big boys. Also it is big. A DD should be big.

Money Hustard > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 11/14/2014 at 10:25

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As a fellow millennial (just barely) I had a similar experience with Import vs. Domestic, but me and all my friends' first cars were classic GM cars. Restoring them from junk to drivable junk. We were a bit more stuck in the past, and ironically I was and still am more of an import guy. I admire the freakish reliability and utility of Japanese cars, I can't help it.

crowmolly > Money Hustard 11/14/2014 at 10:25

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Same car, but I'd go for Tuxedo black, possibly with a black vinyl top and stripe delete as above. And I would blast Foghat to get Aerosmith tickets.

To be honest I don't know what would be a pain in the ass to live with other than valve lashing.

Twism > Money Hustard 11/14/2014 at 10:26

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Absolutely wonderful machine, definitely in my top 5.

BUT, as a Mopar guy, I have to take offence of the first paragraph:
'' Mopars produced unreasonable amounts of power but their styling was anything but timeless''
Not sure about that, since the most iconic and well-remembered Muscle Car of the era was this:

''and for the most part can't take a corner. ''
This one was designed to take (albeit very wide) corners.
Plus, the Chevelle was no autocross machine, either. No american cars in the 60's were.

Money Hustard > crowmolly 11/14/2014 at 10:27

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Sofa king sinister!

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Money Hustard 11/14/2014 at 10:28

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If I won the lottery this would be the first thing I'd buy without a doubt. Love these things. There's one in one of my favourite movie car chases too.

Make sure to turn up your speakers if you watch the video.

jovimon7 > Money Hustard 11/14/2014 at 10:30

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"Fords may have been prettier and better values but where were the balls?" Look down they're right under your nose.

Money Hustard > Twism 11/14/2014 at 10:32

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A few mopars managed a timeless appearance, but generally speaking they really don't age well. Most Mopars featured what I'd call "overwrought" styling. So many little bits and pieces. I'm personally a fan, when they're well-restored, but I definitely wouldn't call most Mopar design elegant, or anything close to it.

Yes, homologation specials like the Super Bird and Dayton do always make discussions like this difficult, and of course they were an exception, they could take a corner at 200 mph *IN THE 60's*, they were amazing.

Money Hustard > jovimon7 11/14/2014 at 10:36

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Fords like this were more of an exception to the rule than what came out of GM and Mopar. Yes, there are outliers, but when you look at what each manufacturer was actually able to sell in large numbers, very few Fords that had this sort of atmospheric power, were also models they actually produced in significant numbers. The LS6 or even the 396, was massively more attainable than than the cars above at the time.

Money Hustard > JR1 11/14/2014 at 10:40

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Pristine 'Cudas are something to behold, truly. Anything less than pristine and they start to look very jankity very fast. So damn pretty though as pictured above!

jsn081 > Money Hustard 11/14/2014 at 10:50

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sorry, I beg to differ. The LS6 is undoubtedly beastly, however, in my opinion the baddest GM engine in 1970 goes to the Buick 455

Conservatively rated at 360hp (real world figures closer to 415-425) and 510lbs of torque in a package that was 150lbs lighter than the LS6. This thing could pull stumps out of your yard all day long whilst looking like your grandma's car on an acid trip.

crowmolly > Money Hustard 11/14/2014 at 10:52

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It has been my experience that MOPARs were of lesser build quality and had bigger corrosion issues long-term.

Other people have had different experiences I'm sure... but I am not alone in mine.

Shoop > Money Hustard 11/14/2014 at 11:06

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I've always liked the chevelle, because where other muscle cars are sleek and mean, the Chevelle is BEEFY. Its not a real looker, but with the biggest of big blocks, you cant disrespect it

vs

kind of one these deals

SerialThriller > crowmolly 12/02/2014 at 12:52

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That right there is bad to the bone!

I'm not a fan of vinyl tops, but at least it blends in on the black cars.