If you were there during the muscle car era, you know that street racing was for real. Young men with fast cars would routinely fight for dominance on the streets and the smell of octane and burnt rubber was always in the air. The legends, the old film footage, the stories, almost all of it is true. And it’s painfully obvious that the guy who originally ordered this 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 was one of those guys. L34 396 with 350 horsepower? Check. 4-speed? Check. Double-plus nasty black paint? Check. And nothing else? Check.

That this Chevelle is also gorgeous doesn’t change the fact that it was completely and totally built for combat. It took a good chunk of money to own a car like this back in 1967, but you can see that with a bench seat, manual steering, and no frills, that first buyer’s priorities were definitely in order. Today, little has changed, because this is one of the nastiest big block Chevelles we’ve ever featured. We’re guessing the original L34 probably gave up the ghost before Woodstock happened, so there’s a burly 454 in there today, dressed like the original 396 but making perhaps an extra 100 horsepower—you’re not going to complain about that, are you? But even more significantly, it’s just beautifully finished with vast piles of cash going into the restoration so that it’s in fantastic condition throughout. If you want a predatory A-body with big horsepower and enough glamour to make it look right on the show field, this is your car.

This is an original code A Tuxedo Black car, no vinyl top, so that’s how it was restored. You already know what’s involved in making a black car look good, so it’s a relief to know that this one is wearing all its original sheetmetal and that it comes from the warm, dry southern US. The car was actually restored twice, the first time it just wasn’t quite good enough, so it came apart a second time and a fresh set of guys gave it another go, and this time they totally nailed it. The quarters are laser-straight and reflections are undistorted, gaps are precise all around, and the doors close easily but firmly, which is due to new hinges and fresh weather seals throughout. Nothing was shaved or modified, so all the factory trim was polished and reinstalled or replaced with correct parts, and while it does wear ‘Super Sport’ badging, the overall effect is quite subtle. This is the proverbial iron fist in a silk glove.

The interior is basic, no argument there, but bear in mind that this was entirely the point in 1967. A bench seat didn’t cost extra, didn’t add weight, and your best girl could slide right over when you weren’t blowing some chump’s doors off. For accuracy’s sake, that’s how it went back together, and we’ll note that this car is so nice that the back seat appears to be original. Fresh carpets, reproduction door panels, a new dash pad, and a new headliner all make it feel like new inside. There’s a correct Hurst cue ball shifter for the Muncie 4-speed gearbox, which always makes onlookers do a double-take, but there are no major modifications. You’ll note that the small tach on the leftmost edge of the instrument panel is factory-issue, complete with a 5500 RPM redline for the L34 and L35 engines (an L78 would show 6000 RPM). Look closely and you’ll also find that the left turn signal indicator is integrated into the tach, which is a cool touch—the tach blocks the original indicator in the main cluster. All the gauges work properly, the wipers wipe, the lights and signals are functional, and even the original AM/FM radio pulls in stations loud and clear. Oh, and one other interesting option is the Speed Minder, which is also fully operational (you’ll be startled the first time you hammer through the gears and it starts buzzing). The trunk is neatly outfitted with a correct mat, jack assembly, and a matching Rally wheel with a new BFG redline radial tire.

This predator is nothing but a pretty face if you don’t have the horsepower to back it up, and this one delivers. It’s a later 454 big block V8 dressed like the original L34, but there’s an estimated 450 horsepower on tap today. A big Holley double-pumper lives under the chrome air cleaner, but it’s sitting on top of an original intake manifold. A reasonably aggressive camshaft gives it a bit of a lope at idle and really fattens up the midrange punch, so much so that this car will spin the tires into third gear if you let it. However, in the interest of keeping it as stock-appearing and road-worthy as possible, the compression ratio is a reasonable 10:1 so it’s happy on pump gas and everything was detailed to look original. There’s Chevy Orange on the block and heads, factory-style cast iron exhaust manifolds that are correctly held in place with retaining clips, and proper tower hose clamps throughout. Experts will spot that this car has rather rare power front disc brakes, which were on the car when it was new, so at least our original gearhead knew that stopping was as important as going. There’s also a Pertronix ignition system so it lights off quickly and idles well, hot or cold. Most of the components under the hood are brand new, so it all works as it should and it never gets hot or fussy, even on the warmest days.

The Muncie M20 4-speed manual transmission is likely original to the car, and it has been fully rebuilt and installed with a new clutch and pressure plate for easy clutch action. Out back there’s a bulletproof 12-bolt rear end with 3.73 gears on a Posi-Traction limited slip, which make the car feel punchy but aren’t so tall that it can’t be used at highway speeds. The exhaust system is a custom fabricated setup with glasspack-style mufflers, used because the restorer preferred the sound (and it does indeed sound pretty nasty), but it stays discreetly tucked out of sight with simple turn downs under the rear bumper. Please take some time to note just how immaculate the floors are and yes, those are original pans, not replacements. Everything under the car was treated to more gloss black paint for a beautiful backdrop to the other hardware and while it shows a few minor signs of use, most could be erased with an afternoon of cleaning. New springs and shocks make it ride right and it sits on 15-inch Rally wheels with fat 225/70/15 BFGoodrich redline radials for the perfect stance (the original 14-inch wheels are also available with the car if the new owner would like them).

Quality matters. There are cheaper Chevelles out there. But in this business you always get what you pay for. If you want one with spectacular bodywork, plenty of power, a handsome interior, and a big investment of cash behind it, this is an excellent example. It holds up under close scrutiny, which is something most muscle cars can’t do, and if you’re a fan of the Bowtie, you know this is an apex predator from the glory years of performance. Call today!